Pocket Concerts 2022

The Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation celebrates 15 years of supporting and accompanying emerging talent. For the occasion, it invited back seven artists who enjoyed further success after taking part in one of the piano, voice or guitar competitions. The pocket concerts will allow the public to rediscover these exceptional talents in high-profile solo performances. 

As for the pianists, Alfredo Rodriguez from Cuba who was spotted by Quincy Jones in Montreux when he won the piano competition in 2006, needs no introduction. He has since played three trio concerts at the Montreux Jazz Festival, where he also participated in several Quincy Jones projects. Another Cuban, Rolando Luna (2007 winner) has become one of his country’s most prolific artists and has collaborated with many artists including Ibrahim Maalouf and the Buena Vista Social Club. Frenchman Paul Lay (winner in 2007) has released seven albums and received several awards including the Django Reinhardt Award for French Musician of the Year in 2016. Now based in New York, the Franco-Malagasy Mathis Picard (winner & Academy 2014) has conquered the US with his large ensemble, The Sound Orchestra. 

Two winners of the voice competitions are also represented. Spanish singer and composer Paula Grande (winner 2013 & Academy 2014) has released three albums as a soloist, toured South America and founded the group Las Karamba. With Swiss, Japanese and Polish roots, Yumi Ito (winner & Academy 2015) blends jazz, art-pop and neo-classical on her album Stardust Crystals, named one of the top 10 releases of 2020 by Jazz Thing magazine. 

Finally, Israeli guitarist Yoav Eshed (winner & Academy 2014), now active on the New York scene, has released four albums and won several awards. 

Free access, no reservation.