Nestled on the edge of Lake Leman (evidently the locals do not call the lake "Lake Geneva" as I thought), Montreux Jazz Festival has held court since 1967 in an idyllic, mystical setting that only adds to the enchantment of the music emitted from its grounds. On any given day, you can watch one of the world's greatest jazz artists' voice quake in one corner, while a world-reknown DJ spins in the basement below, as Europeans mix with Americans over cocktails on the grass, and couples gaze at the lapping lake as the sun sets. To call it heavenly only half-describes the experience.

Above is the pristine view from my hotel.

Awoken by chirping little ones...

I am staying in a small village in the hills, about 15 minutes away from the center of the city- in a hotel "familiale" that has been passed down four generations thus far. Each day, the son or father drives me gratuit to the festival- stopping by a different route of vineyards and clifftops along the way. I'm promised not to release the name of the town over the internet (as my friend recommended the place in secrecy), but if any of you want to go next year, send me a message and I'll whisper it via email...Regardless, each of the small villages surrounding Montreux have mostly one lane-winding roads, the cliffs hosting wood-and-tile Chalets- the type where the doors are always open and wood  fires burn all day long. Yesterday I saw a boy raise his thumb by the side of the road- and the next car with a family inside stopped, and said "Vas-y" which translates as "Come On" in the verb tense you use in french only to people you know. I was astounded; they didn't ask where he was going, they just smiled and allowed him to hop inside like family. As I continued up the road (as an uphill jog turned into an uphill stroll), the woods smelled of something sweet like honeysuckle, and the lake shone and glistened emerald-blue below, and I thought this seems like the place one may will oneself to stop off for one last glimpse and whiff, whilst on the final ride to heaven's gates......

So lets just say that by the time I first set foot in Montreux, I was in the best of spirits- and ready to be whisked off my feet by music. The first act I saw was delightfully not jazz- rather the ingenue Brooklynite Santogold- who's thrilled me since CMJ 2007...and continues to astound. Since CMJ, she's brought on two dancers, always wearing matching gray-white uniforms and white raybans - looking like Virgin Airline flight attendants of 2015. Santo was technicolor as usual- and while the crowd was definitely more subdued than on our native land, she revved them up with hits like "Lights Out" and "Creator."

Santo's girls

Santo dayglo

Spotlights on her.

Next up I met up with some locals to check out "Roundtable Knights" in the nightclub upstairs... Though Montreux may seem idyllic, the locals informed me it's not always as safe as it appears...as demonstrated by the ash tray harnessed to the table above.

They killed it. Or at tleast they had us dancing till sunrise.

Montreux also attracts diehards like this german fella who's been sleeping on the rocks by the lake for 3 days straight - surviving off bottles of whiskey and music evidently. His face was as expressive as his words- let's put it that way.

Day two I decided to dedicate to Jazz. well jazz-blues. ok just jazz...Except I couldn't miss a solid dose of indie rock as well. So I headed first to Lightspeed Champion....the indie rock prince with a way with the guitar and a predilection for wearing furry contraptions on his head....

lightspeed champions many fans...

Lightspeed ahead....

And THEN I devoted the night to blues.Starting with Ryan Shaw.

Then Robert Cray. man can he wail and emote without words on that guitar of his.

but the prize of the night was most definitely, without question Buddy Guy, the legend, the icon, the man who at 72 years old, is not only still performing with the ardor and zeal of a teenager but the professionalism and style of legend. Again, the thing I think that is phenomenal about jazz is it has a way of conversing with the audience- in sporadic forays and riffs, beats, and frenetic strides of pulsing sound.....Not to mention , Buddy is a pro at making people laugh - whether they speak english or not. There he was chatting away, walking and PLAYING through the crowd, stopping and flirting with a young chick till she blushed, and winking away with contentment. Here's a man with passion and talent for whom performing, the art of bringing music to life onstage- under bright lights- to make the music and the people surrounding it- dance and release - has never grown old and has never grown distant and has never settled with age or distinction. He and his guitar are still raw and nibble and teething for attention and teasing and shrugging and smiling and jesting and alluring.....

Best yet? He brought up a surprise guest. Billy Gibbons. Yeah that's right of ZZ Top. The legend. Um i think I lost feeling in my feet at this point.

They together riffed and frollicked and joked and I am sorry but you had to be there

Here's the man himself backstage post show. He had just stopped by bc he heard Buddy was performing.

damn.

ok so basically the point is, there's festivals that exist solely for the enjoyment of the music. And then there are festivals that are experiences all unto their own. This one is one of them. Go for the love of life as well as the love of sound, for the love of rock as much as for the love of jazz, for the love of sun and sea, and growing old, and smelling sweet things, and relishing a cold beer on a warm bench, and pretty much everything in between.

And on that note, I am off for a hike in the mountains :)

cheerio, much love,

IP