George Varga and Beth Wood | The San Diego Union-Tribune Parlez-vous free jazz? In almost any other French-language city in the world, this inquiry would translate as: “Do you speak cutting-edge jazz?” But at Canada’s 44-year-old Festival International de Jazz de Montreal— better known as the Montreal Jazz Festival — the question is deceptive in several ways. A majority of the performances at this 10-day summer music marathon in the French-speaking province of Quebec’s largest city are completely free of charge. And while the 2024 lineup will feature such jazz favorites as pianist Jason Moran and saxophonists Joshua Redman, Chris Potter and Melissa Aldana, it will also showcase a broad array of other styles.
This year’s roster includes everyone from synth-pop group Future Islands, San Diego neo-soul band Thee Sacred Souls and the proudly arch country singer Orville Peck to blues veteran Cedric Burnside, eclectic songstress Norah Jones and such hip-hop favorites as Andre 3000, Killer Mike and Freddie Gibbs. Better yet, more than two-thirds of the 225-plus concerts at this year’s edition — which runs June 27 through July 6 — are free. Performances are held on six outdoor stages and at 10 indoor venues, which range from intimate nightclubs to historic theaters and the concert home of the Montreal Symphony.
The festival’s eight hours of daily live-music offerings begin at 5 p.m. each day.
That gives festivalgoers ample time during the day to explore this 382.
