Jazz
July 2014Montreaux Jazz Festival
In 2014, Montreux will be celebrating its 48th two-week-long annual jazz festival. As one of the world's leading jazz festivals it draws fans from all over the world and has featured a wide and eclectic range of artistes, from Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie to New Order and David Bowie (the programming has extended its reach beyond jazz although it remains its prime focus).
Montreux is on the 'Swiss Riviera' on the banks of Lake Geneva, within easy reach of Geneva airport. The main festival venue is the Convention Centre, which has two major stages (the Stravinsky Auditorium and the Miles Davis Hall), the smaller Montreux Jazz Café, and some open-air stages. There are also performances in the original venue, the Casino, plus small-scale shows on boats plying the lake.
The headliners in 2013 were Orthodox Celts, Prince Rogers Nelson, Deep Purple and Leonard Cohen whilst in 2014, guests will enjoy the likes of Amy MacDonald, Jack Savoretti, Norma Jean Martine, Ayo, Ólafur Arnolds and Agnus Obel amongst many others.
