Montreal jazz festival posts lineup
Some artists may appear at Ottawa’s Bluesfest
The lineup for this summer’s Bluesfest won’t be announced until the end of April, but Ottawa music fans eager for a sneak peek at the list of performers may find some clues in this week’s news from the Montreal International Jazz Festival.
The two festivals run at the same time — the Jazz Festival from June 28 to July 7, Bluesfest from July 4 to July 14 — and in years past there’s been plenty of overlap between the acts they book.
So there’s every chance some of the artists confirmed this week for Montreal will appearing at Bluesfest’s opening weekend.
On July 3 the Jazz Festival hosts a double bill featuring Oklahoma songwriter Leon Russell and New Orleans icon Dr. John, whose album Locked Down showed up on a host of music critics’ best-of-2012 lists.
That same night sees performances by She & Him — actress Zooey Deschanel’s side project with M. Ward — and Scottish indie poppers Camera Obscura, as well as a show starring New York soul ravers Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and U.K. R&B man James Hunter.
Another New Orleans act, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, has a July 5 date in Montreal.
The Jazz Fest had previously announced a June 29 appearance by Aretha Franklin, but the timing doesn’t necessarily point to an appearance in the capital for the Queen of Soul.
The Glaswegian chamber-pop act Belle and Sebastian has never played an Ottawa Jazz Fest, let alone as headliner.
Their limited touring schedule over the years has only enhanced their cult status, and though they are now years removed from their best-known work — 1996’s If You’re Feeling Sinister and 1998’s The Boy With The Arab Strap — their later albums have been similarly acclaimed and their followers remain many, and devoted.
B.B. King is the only artist so far confirmed for Bluesfest 2013 — he will close the festival on July 14.
A spokesman for Bluesfest declined to comment on whether any of the Jazz Fest acts would also be appearing in Ottawa.
So for now, all capital music fans can do is cross their fingers.