The 45th edition of the Montreal International Jazz Festival (FIJM) will take place from June 26 to July 5, 2025. The organizers have revealed a first part of the concerts which will take place next summer.
Free shows
As every year, the FIJM will present a host of free shows in 2025 in Montreal’s entertainment district. So far, only two of these concerts have been announced. The rest of the programming should be revealed in the coming months.
The Montreal group Men I Trust will perform on the TD stage at Place des Festivals on July 2 at 9:30 p.m. The artist Julius Rodriguez will be in concert on the same date at Studio TD at 10 p.m.
Paid gigs
Several paid concerts will take place in different venues in Montreal including the Maison Symphonique de Montréal, the Théâtre Maisonneuve and the Club Soda.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, the world-renowned New York Jazz Orchestra, will perform on June 25, 2025. American vocalist Samara Joy will be in town on June 28 to present her brand new album Portrait. Saxophonist and conductor Branford Marsalis will be in concert on July 1, 2025. This will be his first show in Montreal since 2009. The jazz group The Brooks is announced for June 29.
Legendary American jazz guitarist Mike Stern will return to the festival next year to present his new album Echoes and Other Songs on June 29, while Canadian jazz singer Holly Cole will perform new repertoire from her album Dark Moon July 2.
Dozens of other shows will take place during the FIJM. For more details on the Montreal International Jazz Festival or to obtain tickets, please consult the following link.
Thank you for joining me today for this interview. The Montreal International Jazz Festival is just around the corner, and we have some exciting news to share with our readers. Today, we are joined by two guests: a jazz enthusiast, Marie, and a music promoter, Samantha. Marie, let’s start with you. As a long-time fan of the Montreal International Jazz Festival, how do you feel about the announced lineup so far? What are your thoughts on the mix of free and paid shows?
Marie: I’m very excited about the announced lineup! It’s always interesting to see which artists are coming to the festival. I appreciate the mix of free and paid shows because it allows everyone to enjoy the festival, regardless of their budget. I think it’s great that they are bringing back some legends like Wynton Marsalis and Mike Stern, but I’m also excited to discover new artists like Samara Joy and The Brooks.
Samantha: As a music promoter, I think it’s fantastic that the festival includes such a diverse range of artists. It’s important to highlight both established and up-and-coming talent in the jazz scene. The mix of free and paid shows is also a great way to make the festival accessible to everyone while still generating revenue to support future events. From an organizer’s perspective, what challenges do you face in planning such a large-scale event?
Samantha: Planning an event of this size is always challenging, especially when it comes to booking artists and ensuring that we have a variety of shows that will appeal to our audience. We also need to consider the logistics of hosting concerts in multiple venues across the city. Another challenge is managing our relationships with sponsors and partners who play a vital role in making the festival a success. Despite these challenges, I believe that the hard work pays off when we see the joy and excitement on our audience’s faces when they attend our shows.
Marie: That’s true. One of the things I love about the Jazz Festival is how it transforms the city into this bustling hub of jazz lovers. What can we expect from this year’s festival in terms of new initiatives or collaborations?
Samantha: This year, we’re excited to announce a partnership with Jazz at Lincoln Center, which will bring even more incred
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