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Welcome to the Montreux Jazz Club. This was our home for nearly 3 weeks. There was a different act here every night, from Brian Auger to James Williams, Geri Allen, Boz Scaggs, The Bad Plus or the WDR Big Band. Every night we'd do the jam session, which would take place in the jazz club after the main act. Sometimes we also did the 'gig' with the main act as well !
Above and Left: A View from the side of the stage looking out. The club held hundreds of people. It was a huge room - actually it was the foyer of the Stravinski hall (so when ticket holders came out of the hall they were actually standing in the Jazz Club). The club was made more intimate by sealing of the area around the bar and lounges with curtains. Many people sat in these chairs over the weeks and watched the jam sessions - George Benson, Joe Sample, Cassandra Wilson, Jacky Terrasson, Patti Austin, and more...
James Williams, Jamie and Cameron. James Williams and his 'new trio' had two gigs in the jazz club together. This was an absolute amazing one to watch !
The WDR Big Band, performing in the jazz club. Smokin' !!
Bruno, Jamie and Frank
Our Family... (left to right) - Cameron, Fred (stage manager), Jamie, Bruno (sound and stage assistant), Frank (in black shirt - sound engineer), Claudio (in striped shirt - Assistant to the musicians), Me, and (TBA).
Cameron Undy - changing a tyre.
The dressing rooms, and the musicians bar.
The final soiree in the club...
Celine and Anne, playing a jazz suite, composed for piano and cello. This piece was so beautiful.
Yours truly playing 'Lazy River', solo - my last song in the club !
... with Kotaro Oshio. I think 'the' most amazing acoustic guitarist I have ever heard. He was the act in the club, the last night of the festival. He played everything from blues, pop and rock 'n' roll to Japanese folk songs, and even the Bolero. He had the audience in the palm of his hand for the whole performance. He re-tuned the strings for most songs - giving the strings unusual notes, or doubling the pitch of some strings. He must have had several different harmonic and physial approaches to the instrument then. - It would be like taking some of the notes out of the piano and swapping them around with others.
David Pichonnaz - My personal assistant !! This guy was my backbone during the fest, and also throughout the months leading up. He organised my whole life over there, took care of me, and always found solutions to the challenges we met everyday. Thank you brother !
Me, Claude Nobs (Festival director), David Pichonnaz (Special Events Assistant), (Stephanie-Aloysia Moretti (Special Events Co-ordinator) and Fred Bernard (Stage Manager).
