Montreal jazz festival kicks off with Stevie Wonder, new HQ

Montreal is in party mode Tuesday as the city's annual jazz festival launches its 30th anniversary edition with a massive free concert by Stevie Wonder and celebrates the opening of its new permanent headquarters in the city's Quartier des spectacles.

Organizers welcomed Wonder at a press conference Tuesday afternoon and presented him with the festival's Spirit Award, which honours a performer for musical excellence, innovation and an undeniable influence on the international stage. Wonder is the fourth recipient, joining past laureates Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Paul Simon.

"It is truly an honour to be here at the Montreal jazz festival," Wondersaid.

"Obviously the influence of jazz has consistently been there in the world of music and so I'm truly honoured to be a recipient of this honour," he said, adding that he felt "so proud of Montreal lifting up the spirit of music."

He also discussed his friend Michael Jackson, who died Thursday."The most important thing is the music and the legacy he has left behind for us to celebrate," Wonder said. "The songs we have sung and danced to, and celebrated and cried to."

The legendary American musician will take the stage Tuesday night at the brand new Place des Festivals site. Giant screens will relay the show to other major stages as well, artistic director and festival co-founder Andr Menard told CBC News.

Fans were already lining up for a spot late Tuesday morning, reported CBC's Anna Asimakopulos, who added that rain or shine, organizers said they expect 100,000 people to show up for the concert.

Otherheadliners taking Montreal stages Tuesday night include beloved hometown piano great Oliver Jones, celebrated trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and the award-winning Maria Schneider Orchestra.

New home inaugurated

On Monday night, the festival opened the doors to its new permanent home, known as the Maison du Festival, on Montreal's Ste-Catherine Street.

"From year to year, we had to reinvent the spaces we occupied with all the organizations. Now we can concentrate on programming instead," said Menard.

"I expect Montrealers to appropriate this place as much as they appropriated the jazz festival. It's a big source of pride for Montrealers. They defend the festival, they protect it. They bring families from abroad to see the festival. I think this will be all year round a place for people from Montreal, and for tourists as well, to converge for the sake of good music."

As in recent years, the festival will present more than 150 concerts jazz, blues and a host of other musical genres in the coming days.

This year's performers range from more traditional acts like Tony Bennett, Ornett Coleman, Dave Brubeck and Pink Martini to non-jazz artists such as Kool & The Gang, Vieux Farka Toure, The Dears and Divine Brown. There will also be a concert to mark the 50th anniversary of Miles Davis's seminal album Kind of Blue.

The Montreal International Jazz Festival continues through July 12.