by Mike Lisching
The 2025 incarnation of Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (FIJM) was an unforgettable ten-day journey, weaving together iconic headliners, genre-bending acts, and an electric urban atmosphere. From Nas’s symphonic ILLMATIC to Thundercat’s intergalactic funk and Esperanza Spalding’s otherworldly exploration, the festival celebrated jazz’s past while boldly pushing its future — and all for audiences both packed in and roaming the Quartier Des Spectacles.
Unlike many large ticketed festivals throughout the United States, there is an incredible volume of free music across more than five outdoor stages and a few indoor venues. Any given day, attendees can party with tens of thousands of fans at the headlining TD Stage for artists like PJ Morton and Men I Trust, and also visit the indoor, intimate listening room of Le Studio TD to experience the sultry vocal Jazz of Tyreek McDole or the rhythmic exploration of Thai drummer Salin.
The TD venues are complemented by two outdoor stages (Scène Rogers, Rio Tinto) in the Parterre Du Quartier des Spectacles that alternate shows. This year, those stages are graced by familiar American artists like Fantastic Negrito and Kelly Finnegan, as well as incredible artists from all over the world. Listeners can choose from tasty bites available around the stages, claim a bit of open grass, and enjoy blues, soul, and world music.
My personal favorite stage was the “Pub Molson”, which brought fresh Jazz sounds to an intimate yet incredibly lit environment. A variety of artists flowed through this stage throughout the week – from the intensity of LA-based Dolphin Hyperspace, to the deep soulful sounds of London’s Theon Cross (tuba). I found myself transfixed by the performances and taking notes on all the albums soon to be released that were being showcased on the Montreal stage.
While there is certainly enough free music to satiate your musical soul, the festival also includes a variety of ticketed experiences at prestigious indoor venues, including:
- Salle Wilfrid‑Pelletier – which hosted NAS, Thundercat, and Ben Harper this year.
- Maison Syphonique – which hosted Avishai Cohen Trio with symphony, and Wynton Marsalis.
Not to be diminished, the local Clubs are alive every night in the Quartier Des Spectacles. Club Soda, MTELUS, and Gesù hosted more intimate jazz-adjacent shows Nai Palm, Kiefer, Bonobo and RJD2.
Whether you came to dance, reflect, or explore, there was something to uncover at every turn. And true to its spirit of openness, the festival offered something for everyone—including interactive zones, family-friendly programming, and magical first concerts for kids discovering live music under the summer sky.
True to its frequent tradition of celebrating milestones as the world’s largest jazz festival, this year’s Festival of Jazz marked the 100th birthday of jazz icon Oscar Peterson with a series of moving tributes. The Oscar Peterson Centennial Gala at Maison Symphonique featured Robi Botos and the Centennial Jazz Orchestra performing a lush, orchestral version of Canadiana Suite—a standout moment of the festival. A free outdoor photo exhibit, Through Oscar’s Lens, offered a rare glimpse into Peterson’s personal world through his own photography. The documentary Oscar Peterson: Black + White rounded out the tribute, celebrating the life, artistry, and legacy of one of Montreal’s greatest musical voices.
Two acts on the TD Stage this year checked all the boxes, from electrifying to showstopper, to Avant-garde:
Elisapie’s “Uvattini” performance wasn’t just a musical act—it was a cultural bridge. It transported the spirit of Nunavik to Place des Festivals, weaving tradition with contemporary storytelling. The set was built from songs from her 2023 album “Inuktitut” An album built of songs she has a strong emotional connection to, but also “stolen songs from the white people”. Songs were interpreted and translated to Inuktitut. The night included versions of Fleetwood Mac’s, “Dreams”, and Zepplin’s “Going to California”. Songs were familiar, nostalgic, and foreign all that the same time. Her moving stage presence and the communal spirit resonated deeply—evoking deep emotions on an unforgettable night.
Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews turned the TD Stage into a New-Orleans-style street party for more than 20,000 festival-goers, headlining Montréal’s biggest outdoor stage for the first time. Backed by the relentless funk-rock engine of Orleans Avenue, he blasted through a 90-minute “supafunkrock” parade—spotlighting crowd-shakers like “Do To Me,” “Hurricane Season,” and the riff-heavy “Fire & Brimstone.” At one point, Shorty led his horn line down the stage steps and deep into the sea of fans, roaring a Mardi-Gras-flavored “When the Saints” and proving why his shows feel equal parts concert and second-line procession. The swaggering brass lines, muscular grooves, and Shorty’s dual-wielding virtuosity on trombone and trumpet made the night an unforgettable, high-octane tribute to his Treme roots and to the festival’s love of boundary-breaking jazz.
Extending the energy of all these artists, the culmination of the festival was the second-to-last night. It began on the TD Stage that pulsated with color and rhythm as Colombia’s Monsieur Periné enchanted the evening crowd. With their signature mix of French jazz swing and Latin cumbia, fronted by the charming vocals of Catalina García, they delivered upbeat, dance-ready anthems—most notably a breezy rendition of “Tu m’as promis”—to the delight of festival-goers. Later that night, the vibrant energy shifted to Scène Rogers for Kes, the powerhouse soca band from Trinidad and Tobago. They launched into a high-voltage set—songs like “Hello,” “Endless Summer,” “Mood,” and “Savannah Grass”—fusing island rhythms with strings and percussive flair. Kes kept the audience on its feet all night. Together, these performances captured the festival’s global scope, seamlessly channeling “joie de vivre” and cultural fusion on one of its most memorable nights.
This year marked the 45th edition of the Montréal Jazz Festival, and the milestone was celebrated with global flair, deep emotion, and joyful discovery. With artists and patrons from every corner of the world, the festival once again proved why it’s the world’s premier jazz gathering.
See you next year!
Album Recommendations
A small group of “new to me” and noteworthy albums from over 250 artists that showcase the variety and incredible talent hosted by FIJM.
- Theon Cross – Affirmations – Live at Blue Note NYC (2025)
- Elisapie – Inuktitut 2023
- Men I Trust – Equus Caballus (2025)
- Avashai Cohen – Seven Seas (2025)
- Sophye Soliveau – INITIATION (2023)
- Salin – Rammana – (2025)
- Dolphin Hyperspace – What is my porpoise? (2024)
- Brandon Woody – For the Love of it All (2025)
- KES – We Home – (2020)
Photo Gallery
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