Montreal Music Festivals Guide: Stage Lights & Summer Nights.

For me, the 2023 Montreal Jazz Festival is the “best yet,” praising standout performances by legends like Marcus Miller, who received the Miles Davis Award on stage.

Miller’s medley of Davis’ classics and Al Di Meola’s virtuosic set left me inspired, alongside free outdoor shows by Cinematic Orchestra and Robert Glasper.

The festival’s post-pandemic revival reaffirmed its status as a global jazz mecca.

Montreal Music Festivals Guide (vlog)

Montreal Jazz Festival: A Bassist’s Highlights

For bassists, the event was a masterclass in groove and innovation. The festival’s mix of ticketed and free stages makes world-class music accessible—a model other cities could learn from.

Montreal Intenational Jazz Festival official site

Beyond Jazz: FrancoFolies & Nuits d’Afrique

Montreal’s FrancoFolies introduced Scott to Quebec’s vibrant Trad music scene, where Celtic folk meets punk energy.

The crowds’ fervor for lesser-known local acts (like those at the “microphone Festival”) revealed the city’s deep cultural pride. Later, Nuits d’Afrique celebrated African diasporic rhythms, blending tradition with contemporary flair.

These festivals showcase Montreal’s multicultural soul. From Québécois folk to Afrobeat, they prove the city’s stages are as diverse as its streets—a must-experience for music travelers.

Francos de Montreal official site

MUTEK & the Future of Sound

At MUTEK, Scott immersed himself in experimental soundscapes, including a groundbreaking AI-generated documentary about Brian Eno. The film’s ever-changing edits mirrored Eno’s philosophy of “generative art,” while outdoor installations fused tech with auditory creativity.

For me, MUTEK epitomized music’s cutting edge. Its focus on innovation—from AI to immersive sound art—left me pondering how technology could shape my own bass-driven projects.

MUTEK Festival official site