Music, Muses & All That Jazz: Montreux Jazz Festival- Where Santogold Meets Buddy Guy Who Brings Surpise Guest Billy Gibbons
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Artist:
A Traveler's Journal of Montreux By Day and By Night
Nestled on the edge of Lake Leman (evidently the locals do not call the lake "Lake Geneva"), Montreux Jazz Festival has held court since 1967 in an idyllic, mystical setting that only adds to the enchantment of the music emitted from its grounds. On any given day, you can watch one of the world's greatest jazz artists' voice quake in one corner, while a world-reknown DJ spins in the basement below, as Europeans mix with Americans over cocktails on the grass, and couples gaze at the lapping lake as the sun sets. To call it heavenly only half describes the experience.
The pristine view.
Chirping little ones...
To begin, there exists a small village in the hills, about 15 minutes away from the center of the city- where I am staying in a hotel "familiale" that has been passed down four generations thus far. Each day, the son or father drives me "gratuit" to the festival- stopping by a different route of vineyards and clifftops along the way and explaining the facets of their region with gusto. Compared to my rapport with the rat-infested dens of NY city, I am envious of their infinite pride for their homebase. I've also promised not to release the name of the town, since such would result in the instant degredation of familial charm - like a lamb of virtual slaughter (as my friend recommended the place in secrecy).....
Regardless, each of the small villages surrounding Montreux has mostly one lane-winding roads and the cliffs host wood-and-tile Chalets- the type where the doors are always open and wood fires burn all day long. It is in these environs, when a local boy raises his thumb by the side of the road- the next car with a family inside stops, and says "Vas-y" which translates as "Come On" in the verb tense you use in french only to people you know. I speak of a real instance, in which I was astounded by the humble and trusting nature of that action. The family didn't ask where the boy was going, they just smiled and allowed him to hop inside the car like family. In most US cities, that would be a death sentence. Here, it is quotidien. Further romanced, I continued up the road (as an uphill jog turned into an uphill stroll), the woods smelled of something sweet like honeysuckle, as the lake shone and glistened emerald-blue below. True, a simple life, yet magnificent due to its natural environs, a small room of ones own on this cliff would do- so as to enjoy a last puff of life perhaps after life of ephemeral thrills.
One of Santo's Girls
By the time I first set foot in Montreux, I was in the best of spirits- and ready to be whisked off my feet by music. The first act I saw was delightfully not jazz- rather the ingenue Brooklynite Santogold- who's thrilled me since CMJ 2007...and continues to astound. On her current tour, she's brings with her two dancers, always wearing matching gray-white uniforms and white raybans - looking like Virgin Airline flight attendants circa 2015. Santo was technicolor as usual- and while the crowd was definitely more subdued than on our native land, she revved them up with hits like "Lights Out" and "Creator."
Santo dayglo
Spotlights on her.
Next up I met up with some locals to check out UK's electro raging "Roundtable Knights" in the nightclub in the dance hall.. Though Montreux may seem idyllic, the locals informed me it's not always as safe as it appears...as demonstrated by the ashtray harnessed to the table via wire above. Like bars on windows, such is a telltale sign not to leave your purse unattended or saunter off with strangers.......
Regardless, the music wore on as my hesitance and alcoholic tolerance wore off. They killed it. Or atleast they had us dancing till sunrise.
Any good festival, like any good whiskey, attracts its share of crazed, senile diehards. In Montreux, this German fella had been sleeping on the rocks by the lake for 3 days straight - whilst hoisting a VIP all access pass negotiated most probably through illegal means. At the time of this picture, he'd been surviving off bottles of whiskey and music for 3 days straight but was dangerously low on alcohol supplies when he began slurring in my direction. His face was as expressive as his words- let's put it that way.
Day two I decided to dedicate to Jazz. well jazz-blues. ok just blues...Which is of course close to impossible because being an indiepixie, I couldn't miss a solid dose of indie rock as well. So I headed first to Lightspeed Champion....the indie rock prince with a way with the guitar and a predilection for wearing furry contraptions on his head...
Lightspeed ahead....
And THEN I devoted the night to blues.Starting with Ryan Shaw.
Then Robert Cray. man can he wail and emote without words on that guitar of his. He cries with his fingers.
The prize of the night was most definitely, without question, Buddy Guy, the legend, the icon, the man who at 72 years old is not only still performing with the ardor and zeal of a teenager but the professionalism and style of deity. Again, the thing I think that is phenomenal about blues-soul is it has a way of conversing with the audience- in sporadic forays and riffs, beats, and frenetic strides of pulsing sound.....Not to mention , Buddy is a pro at making people laugh - whether they speak English or not. There he was chatting away, walking and playing through the crowd, stopping and flirting with a young chick till she blushed, and winking away with contentment. Here's a man with passion and talent for whom performing, the art of bringing music to life onstage- under bright lights- to make the music and the people surrounding it- dance and release, has never grown old and has never settled with age or distinction (as it has for even some of the younger rock-myths that have been brought into the music stratosphere by blog-nets over the past few years). Despite the decades of abuse and over-use, he and his guitar are still raw and nibble and teething for attention and teasing and shrugging and smiling and jesting and alluring.....as though they were newly-born.
Best yet? He brought up a surprise guest. Billy Gibbons. Yeah that's right of ZZ Top. The legend. Um i think I lost feeling in my feet at this point.
They together riffed and frollicked and joked and I am sorry but you had to be there. When two legend start to riff- so that their guitar serves as the catch line to each of their jokes (they even began a 'your-mommas-so' banter)....it's a moment you never forget.
Here's the man himself backstage post show. He had just stopped by bc he heard Buddy was performing
The point is, there are festivals that exist solely for the enjoyment of the music. And then there are festivals that are experiences all unto their own. This one is one of them. Go for the love of life as well as the love of sound, for the love of rock as for the love of jazz, for the love of sun and sea, and for growing old, and smelling sweet things, and relishing a cold beer on a warm bench, and for pretty much everything in between.
And on that note, I am off for a hike in the mountains :)
cheerio, much love,
IP
Locating MOG account...
Comments (17)
Thanks for the review of the festival! I'm gonna see Buddy Guy this Sunday, now I'm even more stoked than I already was. :) He's fantastic. Robert Cray as well.
The thing about Buddy Guy is that he still only hands off one guitar solo to his second guitarist, the rest he still does himself. That's amazing, especially at his age.
Umm, I'm jealous ....... to say the least.
Nice review!
Great review Indie! I love Robert Cray. He's got style!
Cool shot of Billy Gibbons! Love it.
I enjoy the way you write so much. There are so many phrases and quirky little linguistic detours that make me smile or pause in admiration...and you take cool photos as well! Plus, it's Montreux! Makes me want to be back in Switzerland gazing across the lake.
Nice to wake up to one of your blogs, girl.
Have a blast on your hike! You're in one of my fave places in the world. Thanks to a friend's house, i used to ski in Vilar every spring and spend time in Montreaux. While doing the Festival one year, i flew over those mountains on a helicopter ride and then biked down the same mountains i was used to skiing. It's pretty awesome. Take more photos!
Watch out for that German dude, though.........
great report indie
i had no idea all you guys knew so much about Montreux. I just wish I had been here in the 70s when Montreux Jazz Festival was small, intimate and in the casino....when you would leave at sunrise after a night full of real jazz.
Or when Bowie was living here, recording...
Regardless, jazz is few and far between here now....
even the guys above- aren't really jazz. they are blues. Jazz just ain't commercial enough these days to keep a festival of this size going any more....
i just saw brubeck recently, and he was the shit.........at 87 no less
...so true...
Jazz, in Europe at least, can have a musician still living large though by playing smaller venues consistently...
i know. i love how Montreux is so intimate as well. Even now, as a hugely corporate affair, compared to its naissance in the 60s...
Go see Buddy live. I bid you!
I saw Buddy at the Blue Note a while back, and he tore it up! Amazing show, and really, there's not a bad seat in the place - and I was down front, so close I had to wipe _his sweat off me too... LOL!!! I'm not surprised that he's blasting it out at his age - he and the music feed off each other, but ultimately wins out, and is just energize by it - by no matter how much energy he expends.
Wish i was there...
ha ha that's an amazing image. some people probably kept the towels they wiped their faces with that night :)
It's just really thrilling to see anyone so much in their element and so 'vivant' at that age.
I really urge everyone to go to Montreux at one time in their life at least....
I am in Liege Belgium now about to hit up Les Ardentes (which goes till about 5 am) so wish me luck...
:)
FAY
Best of luck! - and I haven't been to Montreux yet - but I will go soon - purely on your recco...
Cheers!
man. wish i was there.
Buddy Guy is beyond cool. Nobody inserts funny anecdotes in between songs better than that guy. no pun intended as puns are lame. just like mike myers.
lovely