Music
The history of Montreux Jazz Festival
The world-famous festival by Lake Geneva is back with another stellar line-up of musical adventurers from June 30 to July 15. Before it all kicks off, here's a glance at its illustrious past.
Since 1967, the Montreux Jazz Festival has led the way in hosting groundbreaking live shows. Until the '70s, the two-week festival was strictly jazz-only, with such icons of the genre as Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Weather Report and Nina Simone all invited to play. It eventually widened its scope, though, and has since played host to the most exciting names in music, from Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd to Parliament-Funkadelic, Leonard Cohen, Wu-Tang Clan and a plethora of influential world music stars. Deep Purple's signature track, Smoke On The Water, was even inspired by their experience of the festival in 1971.
3 min
An animated history of Montreux Jazz Festival
Learn something new with this animated history of Montreux Jazz Festival.
This year's bill is as broad-minded and exciting as ever. Among the legends and contemporary heroes set to play are Mavis Staples, Erykah Badu, Yello, Brian Wilson, Herbie Hancock, Grace Jones, The 1975 Fleet Foxes, Beth Ditto, Bonobo, Max Richter and so many more. We're all invited to join in courtesy of Red Bull TV, which will be live streaming select performances from Montreux Jazz Festival from 8pm on July 7-9 and July 14-16.
Get yourself primed by watching a brief animated history of the festival above, and then scroll down to remind yourself of some of the star names who've performed at Montreux down the years.
Dizzy Gillespie blows at Montreux
© Keystone/Getty Images
Dr John has a blues remedy
© David Warner Ellis/Getty Images
Miles Davis in full flow
© David Warner Ellis/Getty Images
Etta James pipes up
© Andrew Putler/Getty Images
Watch Red Bull TV's live stream from Montreux Jazz Festival from 8pm on July 7-9 and July 14-16.
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