Festival picks for the weekend,
A quick look at 10 noteworthy shows this weekend at the Montreal International Jazz Festival:
SATURDAY Beth Hart (7 p.m., Club Soda, $28.50). The singersongwriter and pianist from Los Angeles, who is making her jazz festival debut this year, has shown a great facility in leaping from genre to genre in her career, working with everyone from bluesman Joe Bonamassa to rocker Slash.
Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite (7:30 p.m., Salle Wilfrid Pelletier of Place des
Arts, $79.50 to $97.50). Soulful singer-songwriter Harper teams up with the blues harmonica ace Musselwhite to perform the pair’s 2013 album Get Up!, which was released on the legendary Stax Records label and won the 2014 Grammy Award for best blues album.
Stacey Kent (8 p.m., Théâtre Maisonneuve of Place des Arts, $45 to $54). The acclaimed jazz vocalist from New Jersey saw The Morning Tram, her first release on the seminal jazz label Blue Note, go platinum in 2007 — a rare feat for a modern jazz album. Her latest release is the 2012 live disc Dreamer in Concert.
Random Recipe (9 and 11 p.m., TD stage, free). Initially a duo featuring only beat boxer Fab and singer Frannie Holder, Montreal’s Random Recipe beefed up its sound by adding musicians Liu-Kong Ha and Vincent Legault for their wellreceived sophomore album, 2013’s Kill the Hook.
Danilo Pérez with Brian Blade and John Patitucci (10 p.m., Théâtre Jean-Duceppe of Place des Arts, $47). Pianist Pérez, drummer Blade and bassist Patitucci are best known in jazz circles as members of legendary saxophonist Wayne Shorter’s quartet, but they’ll be playing as a trio during their intimate set at Jean-Duceppe.
SUNDAY Pink Martini with the Von Trapps (3 p.m. and 8 p.m., Théâtre Maisonneuve of Place des Arts, $45 to $54). The genre-stirring “miniorchestra” headed by China Forbes and Thomas Lauderdale remains a popular attraction at the festival. For these shows, they’ll be joined by the Von Trapps, a group made up of descendants of the original Von Trapp Family Singers.
Ambrose Akinmusire with Bill Frisell (6 p.m., Gesù — Centre de créativité, $49.35). The 32-year-old Oakland, Calif., native is one of the most buzzed-about young jazz musicians of the day. The trumpeter is playing three shows at the festival, with Sunday’s performance featuring guitar virtuoso Frisell at the intimate Gesù.
Buika (8 p.m., Théâtre Maisonneuve of Place des Arts, $45 to $54). The Spanish flamenco/jazz singer is making her festival debut this summer. A published author, Buika has collaborated with jazz heavyweights Chucho Valdés and Pat Metheny, and has contributed to the soundtracks of the films of fellow Spaniard Pedro Almodóvar.
Diana Krall (9:30 p.m., TD stage, free). The second big blowout of the fest features one of the biggest names in contemporary jazz performing her first free outdoor show at the festival, with whispers that Krall’s husband, Elvis Costello — also playing at the festival Sunday night — might just make a cameo.
John Roney Trio (11 p.m. Salon Inspiration of the Hyatt Regency Montréal, free). The nightly improv sessions at the Hyatt are beloved by jazz aficionados and casual fans alike, and promise regular surprise drop-ins by musicians playing the festival. This year’s edition is anchored nightly by pianist Roney’s adventurous trio.
For tickets and more information, visit montrealjazzfest.com. All prices include taxes.