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The phrase “modest” is clearly not within the Montreux Jazz Competition dictionary. Since its inception in 1967, the Swiss gala has greater than earnt its repute as a mecca for among the world’s most revered artists. It’s a hedonistic playground for pianists, singers and saxophonists alike, the place legends of soul, jazz and blues mingle with rock stars and rappers.
A marvel, then, to seek out that Montreux’s organisers have outdone themselves with yet one more extraordinary programme. Within the first week alone, this lovely city falls beneath the spell of PJ Harvey’s darkish, witchy rock and French digital duo Justice’s effervescent beats. Dionne Warwick charms by storytelling prowess in her pageant debut; Jessie Ware dazzles with a gloriously camp set of disco aptitude and pop pizzazz.
By the pageant’s second week, you would possibly anticipate some sort of lull, however the occasion simply retains going. Summer season thunderstorms raise post-Huge Assault in time for Lenny Kravitz’s headline spot on Wednesday. The perpetually leather-clad singer appears reluctant to depart the newly erected Lake Stage, thrusting his method by “American Lady”, “Consider” and the latest, funkified “TK421”.
Sting’s wiry kind (you may slice gruyere on his cheekbones) cuts a placing determine on stage the next day, after some country-rock rabble-rousing courtesy of Georgia sister act Larkin Poe. The Police frontman wields his bass like a weapon as he performs a crowd-thrilling set of previous hits, from “Each Little Factor She Does is Magic” to “Message in a Bottle”.
Fortunate locals dance from the balconies overlooking the Lake Stage whereas a fleet of boats drop anchor as their passengers benefit from the present in fashion. At 72, the pop maestro nonetheless serves his signature cocktail of rock, jazz and reggae with slick confidence. But even he appears to be like notably satisfied as he rouses one of many largest singalongs of the pageant. Janelle Monae doesn’t fare so nicely. Her better-known songs – the sultry “Pink” and the daring “Django Jane” – go down a deal with, however there’s an sadly mute response when she holds out her mic for followers to chant the refrain of “Electrical Girl”.
Festivals may be worrying experiences for artists – quick soundchecks, strict stage occasions – however Montreux embraces that sense of “something may occur”. As Britain’s brightest new star RAYE skips out, she admits her intention to “drag this out for so long as doable”. What follows is a spine-tingling demonstration of her exceptional voice – the expertise that the 26-year-old’s former label did not acknowledge, to their appreciable detriment.
RAYE is not possible to dislike. She scats, whoops and hollers on a canopy of James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s World”, then brings her viewers to tears with “Ice Cream Man”, her devastating surivor’s anthem about sexual abuse within the music trade. Her band are equally very good, maintaining along with her riffs and ad-libs.
Later, she rocks as much as the pageant’s well-known jam periods at The Memphis, altering out of her white silk gown into an outsized inexperienced jumper and shorts. Her cowl of George Gershwin’s jazz customary “Summertime” speaks to the pageant’s historical past, as does a spell-binding activate “Feeling Good”, full with noodling sax solo. As ever, Montreux hits all the correct notes.
