The Montreux Jazz Festival celebrated its 50th edition with a lot of specials and new concepts. For example the collaboration with Images Vevey was strengthened, and notably, the Montreux Jazz Digital Project together with the EPF Lausanne – saving and restarting every audio and video file from the last fifty years could be presented during its final phase.
The program was as always huge, distinguished, broad and generous. More than three free concert zones were attendable this time, sound on boats, in the hills, on the trains – PJ Harvey and Patti Smith on stage at the same evening, José Gonzales in a new venue, Jean Michel Jarre reduced to the max and so on.
To attend a show by Jean Michel Jarre for the first time is quite an enlightenment. It feels like seeing a visual state of the art show today, and at the same time you remember that he did that the same way 30 years before.
The Montreux Jazz Festival 50, an event of all-time density, is still the Swiss happening of the year. Santé on the next 50 years and thanks a lot for the invitation!