Music: The World of Jazz

Etta James: Prizewinner of the 2006 Ella‑Fitzgerald Award

 

The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal announced the awarding of the 2006 Ella‑Fitzgerald Award to internationally renowned singer Etta James. The prize will be presented on stage at her performance tonight at 8 p.m. in the Salle Wilfrid‑Pelletier at Place des Arts as part of the Pleins feux General Motors series. Etta James is the eighth recipient of the Ella‑Fitzgerald Award, created in 1999 for the 20^th anniversary of the Festival. The prize is awarded to jazz singers whose improvisational skills, originality and uniqueness of voice have been universally praised on the international scene.  Discovered by Johnny Otis when she was just 15, Etta James has become a veritable legend over a career that’s spanned 5 decades.  Her stunning vocals and generous delivery have influenced any number of other great singers, from Bonnie Raitt to Janis Joplin and Diana Ross. But the woman who’s considered to be the greatest living exponent of blues and R & B has a lot more than just that to give, lending her vocal skills to many other musical genres. Her creative and unforgettable re-settings of the songs of Simply Red, John Lennon, James Brown, Prince and Marvin Gaye are something to behold. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is ranked alonside Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Ray Charles in the pantheon of great American singers. In accepting the prize, Etta James will be following previous Ella-Fitzgerald prizewinners Al Jarreau (2005) Tony Bennett (2004), Bobby McFerrin (2003), Dianne Reeves (2002), Diana Krall (2001), Dee Dee Bridgewater (2000) and Diane Schuur (1999).

Brad Mehldau prizewinner of the Miles Davis Award

The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal gave this year the prestigious Miles Davis Award to renowned pianist and composer Brad Mehldau. The prize was presented to the artist on stage last night when he delivered a Festival pre-opening concert. Brad Mehldau becomes the thirteenth winner of the Miles Davis Award, which was created for the 15th edition of the Festival to recognize internationally acclaimed jazz artists whose body of work has contributed significantly to the renewal of the genre.  Bradford Alexander Mehldau was born in Florida in 1970. A child prodigy, he studied classical piano from the age of 6, discovered rock like any teenager and then moved on to jazz.  He worked the New York scene for a while before recording Moodswings with saxophone player Joshua Redman and his quartet.  He then created the Brad Mehldau Trio, racking up 10 more albums, both solo and in various formations, both live and in studio.  He wrote a few film scores, as well, including Eyes Wide Shut and Ma femme est une actrice.  The pianist and composer made his mark by integrating pop and jazz, on stage and in studio, and although he sometimes appears to be distancing himself from jazz with interpretations of Radiohead or the songs of Lennon and McCartney, on closer listening you realize he's simple exploring new horizons, searching within himself for new vehicles of expression. Brad Mehldau is the latest in a series of Miles-Davis prizewinners.  He follows Dave Holland (2005), Keith Jarrett (2004), Joe Zawinul (2003), Chick Corea (2002), Michael Brecker (2001), Charlie Haden (2000), Cassandra Wilson (1999), John Scofield (1998), Herbie Hancock (1997), Wayne Shorter (1996), Pat Metheny (1995) and John McLaughlin (1994).