Great Performances, Fireworks Bring Montreal Jazz Fest To A Close

By I Jul. 14, 2009

When Stevie Wonder opened this massive 30th edition of the Montreal Jazz Festival—which ended ticketed programming on Saturday night, July 11—he performed a medley of Michael Jackson songs in the rain. Stevie counseled that folk shouldn’t concern themselves about the speculation about Jackson but continue to buy his music. Of the multifarious references to Jackson’s passing during this year’s festival, my favorite was a gorgeous version of the sentimental classic “Ben,” performed by Greg Osby’s (top left) Nine Levels.

Osby has been untrumpeted as a rhapsodist, but his ballads can be killing, not in a way that hits the gut but in a way that makes you appreciate the careful reverence-with-innovation of Osby’s artisty, and the lovely tonality of his alto saxophone. It seems Osby has been looking back of late, because if he doesn’t quite go so far as to channel Johnny Hodges, he must at least have been listening to Benny Carter or even Buster Smith. His “East St Louis Toodle-oo,” a nugget from the Bubber Miley era revealed his dry humor and respect for early alto pioneers, and was made further anachronistic given his band of young guns, namely guitarist Nir Felder, vibraphonist Mike Pinto and pianist Adam Birnbaum.

Though Osby downsized his conception a while back to concentrate on trio contexts, this group are a welcome return to the vibe he created on the superb Art Forum album from the ’90s. Though the general dynamic is of controlled volume levels, intensity is maintained in the percolating collective interplay that Osby pioneered with Steve Coleman back in M-BASE days. Between extended asymmetrical vamp passages and abrupt cues, Osby revealed his experience filtering the wealth of the jazz canon. Wayne Shorter and Charlie Parker compositions stood out in the setlist, no surprise to those who remember how the altoist, a decade or so ago, mentored a new breed of young lions, including such as Jason Moran and Mark Shim, recasting classic Blue Note hits.

Prior to Osby’s late set, Renaud Garcia-Fons completed his Invitation Series trio of concerts with more sublime arco bass work amid the Arabian/flamenco tinge; local 15-year-old singing sensation Nikki Yanofsky managed to make a rendition of “Old MacDonald Had A Farm” sound listenable in front of a massive crowd in the brand new Place Des Festivals; and at the (also new) 350-capacity club L’Astral, poised and rangy vocalist Somi held forth.

At Salle Willfrid-Pelletier Jackson Browne (bottom left) made his first festival appearance, singing gently political songs such as the anti-embargo “Goin’ Down To Cuba.” Casual jaunts to Cuba are no big deal to the Canadians, who were at liberty to invite the Afro-Cuban Allstars and Los Van Van (top right) from Havana to close out the festival with a free concert on the outdoor Rio Tinto Alcan stage. Dancers demonstrated superb moves between sets in front of a crowd packed like sardines on Rue Sainte-Catherine, which snaked round to Rue Jeanne-Mance as thousands gathered for the grand finale with Ben Harper’s Relentless 7 and impressive fireworks. À la prochaine! —Michael Jackson