Montreal Jazz Festival offers mix of big names, local talent and free shows

The 38th edition of the Montreal International Jazz Festival kicked off this week and runs until July 8.

The event features hundreds of artists fromaround the world as well as a crop of Quebec talent who will be performing at different venues across the city.

Here's a roundup of some of the most anticipated local, celebrity and free actscoming up at this year's festival.

Quebecers on stage

Bobby Bazini,from Mont-Laurier, Que., is known for his pop-folk style with rock and blues influences. The French Canadian has three studio albums out now, and is booked to perform his show,Summer is Gone, atSalleWilfrid-PelletierJuly 7 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets:$42 to $62.

After appearing on La Voix, Quebec's answer to reality TV show The Voice, Charlotte Cardinhas been generating buzz in Montreal and beyond. She performed at Osheaga last year and the Montrealerhas a new album due out this summer. She's performing three shows atMtropolisJune 30, July 1 and 2 at 8:30 p.m. Tickets start at $33.

Urban Science isagroup of singers, rappers and beatboxers that performs regularly on the local scene with weekly jam sessions. They will be playing three free shows at the Savoy du Mtropolis(59 Ste-Catherine StreetEast) July 6,7 and 8 at midnight.

Folk quartet and Montreal staple The Barr Brothersheld the main stage at the festival two years ago and are back with a new collaboration, performing with husband-and-wife duoBassekouKouyatand AmySacko, from Mali, July 7.They will be at Thtre Maisonneuve at 8 p.m. with tickets starting at $47.

Free shows

Canadian alt-rock band from Burlington, Ont.,Walk Off The Earth, is set to perform at the TD stage in the place des festivals July 4 at 9:30 p.m. The group is best know for its covers of popular songs by artists like Ed Sheeranand Justin Bieber, garnering millions of views on their YouTube page.

Quebec duo DavidMlis and FrancescaComoare the artists behindfolk pop group Coco Mlis. They will be performingsongs from their new album, The Riddle, for free at the Rio Tintostage July 1, at 8 p.m.

And Montrealmultilingual hip-hop group Nomadic Massive will help close the festival on July 8 atClub Jazz Casino de Montral at the corner ofBleury Street andRen-LvesqueBoulevard.

You can follow Nomadic Massive on their summer cross-country tour here.

Headliners

Bob Dylan will be playing at the Bell Centre with his band June 30. The legendary singer-songwriter and Nobel prize winner recently released his 38th studio album, Triplicate. The American artist has sold more than 125 million albums worldwide. Dylan will be at the playing at 8 p.m. with tickets ranging from $62 to $137.

Canadian Juno-award winning singerSerena Ryder is set to playMtropolison the last day of the festival, July 8. Ryder recently sat down with CBC arts reporter Nantali Indongo about her long road to the top of the Canadian music scene.

• If it weren't for 'Blossom', we may not have Serena Ryder

The O'Jays are putting together a nostalgia-laced show atSalleWilfrid-Pelletier, July 6. TheAmerican R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1958 and they've been making music ever since. The rock and roll hall of famers will be performing with The Four Tops, a quartet from Detroitwho helped to define the city's Motown sound duringthe 1960s.

The two iconic groups will play at 7:30 p.m. with tickets ranging from $88to $118.

And finally,Feist will play the same hall at Place des Arts on July 4, promoting songs from her new albumPleasure, her first project released after a six-year hiatus. ThePolaris Music Prize winner will perform at 7:30 p.m. with tickets starting at $57.

• Feist explains the 'necessary stripped back' sound of her new album, Pleasure

Honourable mentions

The festival will be putting on a special orchestra event featuring the music of the Academy Award winning film La La Land. The movie, starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, won awards for best score and best original song.

The music will be performed by a symphonic orchestra under the direction ofErikOchsner atSalleWilfrid-Pelletier July 2. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets range from $78 to $103.

Ontario band The Strumbellas will be playingMtropolis, July 6. The indiegroup won a Juno award in 2016 for their single, "Spirits" which helped propel them to mainstream success in Canada and the U.S. They will play at 8:30 p.m. with tickets starting at $39.

A powerhouseof Canada's music scene,TanyaTagaq, will perform at Club Soda July 7 a 10 p.m. Thethroat singer from Cambridge Bay, Nunavutwas also a recipient of the Order of Canada. Tickets start at $38.

Lisa Simone, daughter of Nina Simone, released her debut album at 52 years old and is set to perform withMichael Kaeshammer atThtre Maisonneuve July 6. Simone offers up smooth and powerful vocals on her 2014 album,All Is Well. She plays at 8 p.m. with tickets starting at $42.