Upstairs at Ten - Maintaining a Tradition

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Clubs in this city that feature jazz on an almost nightly basis are few and far between; those that have been at it for a decade are even fewer. And when that happens, it is just cause for celebration. Such is the case of Upstairs, a fine venue and restaurant located in the heart of downtown Montreal, at 1254 Mackay Street. Its current owner and operator, Joel Giberovitch, will mark this first decade at its premises by holding a festival week all of his own and introducing a new series thereafter. Starting September 14, there will be five days packed with top fiight jazz talent, highlighted by the appearance of renowned American jazz diva Sheila Jordan, rising star vocalist Coral Egan and local stalwarts Michel Donato, Ranee Lee, Kevin Dean, Charles Ellison and Yannick Rieu, all performances followed by a late-night jam session. In October, there will be a monthly invitational series on Wednesday and Thursday nights, with Michel Donato as first resident artist, followed by pianist Wray Downes, bassist Normand Guilbeault and guitarist Richard Ring. Committed to maintaining the consistent standard he has set for itself. Giberovitch, whose goal is "to make this a home for the Montreal jazz community," has turned his venue into an oasis for fans and musicians alike, devoting it to the presentation of "the best live jazz Montreal has to offer, and always with the greatest respect for the music." *

For up-to-date listings, and general information, check out its website: http://www.upstairsjazz.com

Concours Jazz

Le 16 août dernier, le comité de lecture du premier concours annuel de jazz de La Scena Musicale s'est réuni pour évaluer les soumissions. Marc Chénard, rédacteur de la section jazz, Charles Collard, collaborateur, et Réjean Beaucage, rédacteur en chef adjoint, ont choisi à l'unanimité le texte reproduit ci-dessous. L'auteur, Félix Hamel, se mérite le coffret de trois disques « Monk's Casino – The Complete Recordings of Thelonious Monk » sur étiquette Intakt. Félicitations au gagnant et merci à tous les autres participants.