Mention the name Woody Allen and the first city that comes to mind is…New Orleans? OK, so the Manhattan movie maverick is more readily associated with the Big Apple than the Big Easy, but when he trades in his camera for a clarinet and surrounds himself with his New Orleans Jazz Band, the transformation in persona is simply astounding.
And where does Montréal fit into this tale of three cities? Well, it takes something quite special to lure the famous filmmaker away from his regular New York jazz haunts. Even as Hollywood was showering him with Oscars one Monday night in the late 70’s, Allen unceremoniously skipped the ceremony so he wouldn’t miss his weekly gig with the band. But the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal truly is something special, an 11-day, non-stop whirlwind of eclectic music featuring some 3,000 artists from 30 countries, and 650 concerts including 450 free outdoor shows that literally stop traffic in the middle of the downtown core. The biggest names in music regularly drop by to fuel the frenzy—an invitation so tempting that even a reluctant star like Woody couldn’t resist.
Festival International de Jazz de Montréal
June 26 to July 6, 2008
