Autumn of Music 2nd edition from 27 to 30 October 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Montreux, 6 October 2021
A festival presented by the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation
From 27 to 30 October 2021, the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation presents its autumn festival at the Petit Palais, opposite the Fairmont Le Montreux Palace, featuring free public concerts by emerging Swiss artists, workshops and jam sessions. In addition, the 7th Montreux Jazz Academy will host six young talents under the guidance of renowned mentors: Shabaka Hutchings, Edward Wakili-Hick, Alexander Hawkins, Jowee Omicil and José James. The Academy concert will round off the event in style on 30 October.
Last October, the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation created its own festival in the middle of a pandemic. The objective: to bring together artists and their audiences in an intimate setting that fosters interaction, creativity and discovery. Based on the success of this initiative, the Foundation is pleased to announce the second edition of its Autumn of Music festival, from Wednesday 27 to Saturday 30 October 2021. The event will be held in the sumptuous setting of the Petit Palais, located opposite the Fairmont Montreux Palace.
Autumn of Music is a hybrid festival, split into two parts: the first for the public through a programme of concerts and free educational activities; the second reserved for artists through the Montreux Jazz Academy. The event embodies the main objectives of the Foundation, which is of public interest and whose role is both to support young talent and to promote universal access to music.
7TH MONTREUX JAZZ ACADEMY
The Montreux Jazz Academy is a residency for musicians based on the transmission and explo- ration of new artistic approaches. For its 7th edition, the Academy will be under the direction of three of today’s leading figures on the buzzing UK jazz scene: saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings, drummer Edward Wakili-Hick (both members of the Sons of Kemet) and pianist and organist Alexander Hawkins (collaborator of South African legend Louis Moholo-Moholo). The trio of musical directors will be backed by two mentors: multi-instrumentalist Jowee Omicil and singer José James - both of whom were on the Festival’s bill last summer.
These renowned artists will accompany six musicians selected by the Foundation. Among them are two laureates from the Montreux Jazz Talent Awards: Matt Brown, the 2019 winner with his duo Run Logan Run, and Meskerem Mees, who won the competition this year. Four young talents, active on the Swiss jazz scene complete the selection: Fabian Mösch, Louise Knobil, Daniel McAlavey and Djamal Moumène. Their programme will be intensive and thrilling, to say the least. Mornings will be devoted to practical workshops with music industry and media experts designed to help them manage their careers. In the afternoon, the young talents will work together on their own compositions, revisited for the closing concert.
CLOSING CONCERT: 30 OCTOBER 2021
The closing concerts of the Montreux Jazz Academy always have an element of the unexpected. Over the course of an evening, the six participants and their mentors exchange music in novel, ephemeral groups. The guiding theme being the original compositions of the young talents, revisited for the occasion with great scope left for improvisation.
SWISS RISING TALENT
The Swiss Rising Talent concerts highlight six emerging artists. The selection reflects a multilingual, eclectic and talented Swiss scene. The concerts will take place from Wednesday to Friday, at 8 and 9:15 pm. In order of appearance: Chelan’s neo-soul groove, Evita Koné’s versatile rap, ELÆNA’s multifaceted jazz, mischgewebe’s dark, danceable electro, Roxane’s captivating pop, the Woodgies’ folk harmonies.
During their day in Montreux, artists will be able to enjoy the creative buzz of the venue, take part in the Montreux Jazz Academy’s hands-on workshops and leave with a professional video recording of their performance, which will be used for promotion and social networking.
WORKSHOPS, JAM SESSIONS & MUSIC LISTENING SESSIONS
The stage of the Coupole will be animated each evening by a programme of workshops and jam sessions, reflecting the values of community, transmission and exchange that are dear to the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation.
The workshops - scheduled between 6 and 7pm - will be an opportunity for the public to meet Academy mentors Shabaka Hutchings, José James and Jowee Omicil. They will talk about their background, their relationship with music and their creative process.
Between 7 and 8pm, there will be a unique opportunity to listen to the original recordings of the Montreux Jazz Festival concerts! The Music Listening Sessions will immerse the public in the music of four iconic concerts: Nina Simone in 1981, Deep Purple in 2011, Leonard Cohen in 1976 and Gilberto Gil in 1978. From the source to the loudspeakers, the concerts will be broadcast exclusively in analogue with the finest equipment, allowing the audience to immerse itself as closely as possible in the original performance. These audio sessions are organised in collaboration with the Claude Nobs Foundation, EPFL and NAGRA and each one will be narrated by a journalist.
Finally, the famous Montreux jam sessions will rock the stage of the Coupole every evening from 10 pm until midnight (Wed-Thurs) or 2 am (Fri-Sat) with a high-flying backing band and the participation of musicians from the Montreux Jazz Academy.
Sanitary measures tickets & reservations
In order to enter the Autumn of Music Festival, spectators will have to present their Covid certificate and an identity document.
• Admission to the Swiss Rising Talent concerts are free. It is possible to reserve a seat. Reservations open on Monday 25 October at noon on mjaf.ch.
• Access to the Workshops, Music Listening Sessions and Jam Sessions are also free and does not require a reservation.
• Access to the Montreux Jazz Academy Concert is paying. Tickets are on sale on mjaf.ch.
About the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation
Recognised as being of public utility, the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation (MJAF) supports the next generation and promotes exchange through a universal language, music. Founded in 2007, the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation pursues two main objectives: to discover and support young talents at the start of their careers and to provide access to music for everyone. Throughout the year, the MJAF generates major discoveries and encounters through its artistic residencies, outreach activities and talent development programmes.
Autumn of Music 2021
27 to 30 October 2021
Petit Palais
Avenue Claude Nobs 2
1820 Montreux
Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation
mjaf.ch
