A major international festival
The Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival is 18 years old this year.
These two weeks of live music in the setting of Monte-Carlo's Opéra Garnier have been put together by four hands, giving them their distinctive character. The 2024 edition will explore the most inspiring paths of jazz, from tradition to contemporary influences, meeting big band riffs and vibrant vocal phrasing.
Live concerts at the Salle Garnier, plus Before and After concerts in the rotunda of the Casino de Monte-Carlo, specially fitted out for the occasion, and two magnificent jazz-themed cinema events: the screening of the film Ascenseur pour l'échafaud with the support of the Institut Audiovisuel de Monaco, followed by the Whiplash film-concert.
Jazz, the winter artistic event
The Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival always takes place in November. This month, chosen by the festival's founder, is no coincidence. He wanted an event to complement the artistic season at the Salle Garnier, which lacked a winter event in the Principality and a festival dedicated to this music.
The idea was to use an unusual venue to celebrate music as contemporary as jazz and rock.
Since its inception, over a hundred of the biggest names in jazz have performed at the Opéra Garnier, including : Herbie Hancock, Gregory Porter, Chick Corea, Diana Krall, Sonny Rollins and Mélody Gardot.
A springboard
This festival is a veritable springboard for lesser-known artists to make themselves known to the general public.
Many of them have gone on to become true jazz stars, including Avishai Cohen, Raoul Midon, Roy Hargrove and Esperanza Spalding.
Not forgetting trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, who was discovered at the Monte-Carlo Jazz Festival in 2012 and performed at Bercy in 2016.
Opening up to other music...
In order to attract a wider audience, the programmers include in their festival artists who have little or no connection with jazz. Their aim? To democratise jazz. The Festival is open to all musical trends, while retaining its DNA.
In the past, singers such as David Hallyday, Christophe and Quebecer Robert Charlesbois have performed in the Principality during the festival.
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