Each summer, the Montreux Jazz Festival is held for two weeks along Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Developed by Claude Nobs in 1967, it has since become a must-attend event that produces unforgettable moments and remarkable experiences. It's no wonder why this festival continues to be so popular!
The Montreux Jazz Festival welcomes over 250,000 attendees to its picturesque setting every year. From exquisite acoustics at renowned concerts to complimentary stages featuring a variety of musical genres - this event promises an unforgettable experience for performers and spectators alike! With ambitious programming options and a welcoming atmosphere, the Montreux Jazz Festival is something you don't want to miss.
From Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin to Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye, and Leonard Cohen, the stage of Montreux witnessed incredible historical performances. Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" immortalized this place in its lyrics, while David Bowie and Freddie Mercury chose it as their refuge for recording timeless albums. All these names helped write the legend of Montreux!
Jazz and Blues form the core of the Montreux Jazz Festival; however, many other genres have established their rightful place in this storied event. In recent years, renowned artists such as Muse, Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar, and Pharrell Williams (to name a few) graced the festival with their presence at Montreux while paying homage to the legendary musicians that preceded them. Ed Sheeran's emotional ballad accompanied by Alicia Keys' soulful tunes, Adele's effortless vocals, or Rita Ora's powerhouse performance - each act celebrated its unique style, adding another chapter to our story!
Since its inception, the Festival has diligently documented all of its concerts to create a special collection of audiovisual archives containing 11,000+ hours of live music. This remarkable archive is now listed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register as an endorsement for future generations.
