Jazz music has been around for centuries, and it has evolved into a genre that is beloved by millions of people around the world. Jazz festivals are held in many countries, and they attract thousands of people who come to enjoy the music and the atmosphere. The largest jazz festival in the world is The Montreal International Jazz Festival in Québec, Canada, which attracted 1,913,868 people to celebrate its 25th anniversary in July 2004. The Java Jazz Festival is held every month of March in Jakarta, Indonesia and is considered the largest jazz festival in the Southern Hemisphere. This event features popular Indonesian jazz artists such as Yura Yunita and international jazz artists such as Arturo Sandoval and Stevie Wonder.
It's no wonder why so many people travel from all over the world to attend this festival. The Montreal International Jazz Festival is held annually from June to July in the city of Montreal. It has been a continuous jazz festival since the early 1980s and has broken the world record, with the Guinness World Record 2004 for being the busiest jazz festival entertaining more than two million people. It presents more than 3,000 artists from more than 30 countries who perform in more than 650 concerts on 20 stages, including indoor concert halls and free outdoor stages.
During the jazz festival, parts of Montreal are closed for ten days from noon to midnight to allow for the various outdoor shows being held at different locations at the same time. An alternative festival, known as the “Montreal Off Jazz Festival”, is also held annually in Montreal. The annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which was first held in Congo Square in 1970, now attracts nearly half a million attendees to the festival site. Listeners can enjoy all musical genres, from jazz and gospel to R&B and rock from the multiple stages of the fairgrounds. Since its creation, the Monterrey Jazz Festival has donated its profits to music education.
The Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz is known as New England's largest free jazz event. Held in mid-July in Hartford, Connecticut, more than 50,000 jazz enthusiasts come to the festival to enjoy three days full of quality jazz music. Some of the biggest names in the world perform on the main stage of Bushnell Park while regional and local artists also make notable selections at the Trinity Street Market. Now in its sixth decade, the festival offers 20 acres of magnificent oak-lined grounds for fans to enjoy with movies, lectures, exhibitions, food and drinks, an international shopping bazaar and 8 live jazz entertainment venues. The Cape Town Jazz Festival is one of the most anticipated musical events in South Africa, attracting fans from all over the world to this coastal city for two days of excellent musical and educational programming. The Montreux Jazz Festival opened on June 18, 1967 and was founded by Claude Nobs, Géo Voumard and René Langel with the considerable help of Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun of Atlantic Records.
This event has been held since 1979, making it one of the most distinguished jazz festivals in Europe and around the world. The XJAZZ Berlin Festival creates a new and unique type of jazz that can only be found there. For jazz fans of the younger generation or those who enjoy the evolution of jazz, head to Berlin, Germany in May. One of its unique aspects is Jazz in the 'Hoods with performances in each of them. Although it has a strong jazz flavor, this festival attracts artists and jazz fans from related genres such as funk, soul, experimental music and R&B. The biggest advantage of Eltham Jazz Food & Wine Festival is that it's a free and child-friendly event so this jazz festival could take your Australian holiday to the next level. As far as I can remember Claude Nobs organized Montreux Jazz Festival in 1967 which was an important event with unforgettable performances and captivating stories.
In years since then this festival has hosted some of most iconic live performances in jazz. Jazz in Marciac held every year in a charming century-old town in southwest France turns a very small town into great jazz venue. The first San José Jazz Festival took place in 1990 for two days in August at Plaza de Cesar Chavez which attracted 10 000 attendees. The Blue Note is a legendary jazz club run by Danny Bensusan who is largely credited with reviving New York City's jazz scene; if you're not able to attend festival you can catch live performance at club seven nights a week. Now in its eighteenth edition Rochester International Jazz Festival has grown to host more than 320 shows over course of its week including record of more than 100 free shows and more than 1500 artists from around world performing at 20 diverse venues downtown Rochester New York. The best place to enjoy latest and greatest jazz is at Montreal International Jazz Festival which is held annually in Montreal Quebec Canada. For this year's edition festival has moved to The Gunnery Washington Connecticut move that coincides with conclusion of four-week Litchfield Jazz Camp.
