Montreux Jazz Celebrates 50th Anniversary

MONTREUX, Switzerland (CelebrityAccess) — The Montreux Jazz Festival will mark its 50th anniversary in 2016, featuring a lineup that includes favorites such as Van Morrison, Herbie Hancock and Patti Smith.

The festival this year will take place from June 30 – July 16th in its original home at Montreux Casino, on the shoreline of Lake Geneva. Other artists on the bill for 2016 include Marcus Miller, Neil Young, Lana Del Rey, Jamie Cullum, Santana and Deep Purple, as well as jazz greats such as Charles Lloyd, performing with his new quartet and Angelique Kidjo.

In a nod to the spirit of the age, the festival is also featuring some electronica, with the Montreux Jazz Lab stage showcasing performances by artists such as DJ Shadow, M83, and Beirut.

Launched in 1967 by Claude Nobs, Géo Voumard and René Langel with some assistance from Atlantic Records impresario Ahmet Ertegün, the festival has grown to become one of the leading jazz festivals in the world.

“It’s rare for a music festival to turn 50,” MJF director Mathieu Jaton told Reuters.

“We’re bringing together people close to the DNA and savoir-faire of a festival known for its special creations, this time with a Quincy Jones evening and a Brazilian-African night, but also the young generation like Woodkid, inviting his own guest artists” he added. – Staff Writers