Hey all. The 29th edition of the Montreal International Jazz Festival is now over and it was a blast…:) I’ll do a wrap up post later but for now I wanna draw your attention to the Montreal Musical Instrument Show or the French acronym SIMM. This was a four day event (July 3-6, 2008) that brought together local music instrument retailers and manufacturers with a music-making public. Once again, like the Montreal Guitar Show, the public was encouraged to check out the many vendors attending the show while providing the opportunity to try and buy. There were some great guitars “begging” to be played and there was even a silent auction of really beautiful one of a kind guitars for the bidding. I really had to struggle to find the strength to not buy everything I laid my eyes on…:)

If you find yourself at the Montreal Jazz Festival next year, the MMIS (SIMM) is definitely an event not to be missed. Along with the Montreal Guitar Show, the Montreal Jazz Festival provides its audience with a wonderful opportunity to check out instruments and gear that for the longest time were only available to “those in the know” or by direct invitation. Thanks to Jacques-Andre Dupont and the Montreal Jazz Fest, this is no longer the case.

I have included below the official copy for the Montreal Musical Instrument Show (SIMM) and also a series of images that will hopefully give you an idea of what was a available.

“The SIMM is now heading into its 4th year! Not yet four years old, but already mature! The Montreal Musical Instrument Show, presented by General Motors of Canada, is devoted more passionately than ever to promoting music making as it pursues its quest to bring music within everyone’s reach! Still free of charge and open to all, the SIMM is a unique event that brings together the many people whose lives are involved in music, be they musicians, instrument manufacturers, music aficionados, artisans, novice musicians or big names in the music world, in other words, all those who love music and musical instruments.

In real terms, the SIMM means a full four days of discovering and trying out the best musical instruments and accessories showcased by exhibitors of the top brands, at Complexe Desjardins. What better way to indulge your senses than wandering about and feasting your eyes on these musical marvels against the backdrop of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, or than seeing, touching and listening to the best offerings of the music world, and attending workshops and get-togethers with renowned artists or free concerts, in short, diving right into the heart of music!

And the thrill just keeps growing, thanks mainly to the even greater involvement of General Motors of Canada! With the number of interactive activities soaring from 70 to nearly 150, with an expanded schedule allowing certain activities to run the full length of the Festival, with the extremely popular SIMM GM Tent located right on the Festival site and encouraging little and big folk alike to actively try out instruments, never before has the discovery of music and music making been such fun! Learn how to play the guitar in just one hour! Or perhaps the saxophone? Or the harmonica? Not only is all this possible, but it’s a blast! Not to mention the much sought-after jam sessions where emerging musicians let loose to their heart’s content! Or the free shows featured on a daily basis, the intimate get-togethers in the Meet the Artist series and workshops with the greats of the music world, the famous Blues Camp offered free of charge to lucky teens, the auction that helps fund the SIMM, a non-profit organization, in order to ensure the future and development of its youth activities—and offer the public some incredible finds!—and the latest brainchild, the Montreal Guitar Show, a totally separate show devoted entirely to the most popular of all instruments and to the expert craftsmen who design them.

In this spirit, the SIMM considers it important to recognize not only the talent of musicians, but also that of the artisans who make musical instruments their art, with a passion that at times revolutionizes the world of music. The SIMM, with the Festival’s help, therefore created the Tribute Award in recognition of the exceptional contribution made by certain individuals to the advancement of music making. The first edition paid homage to the famous creator Jim Marshall, whose amplifiers are world-famous. Last year, it was the turn of Robert Godin, creator of the famous guitars that bear his name. This year, we were awed by the amazing Ikutaro Kakehashi, founder of Roland Corporation and BOSS and one of the main players in the creation of the MIDI.“

XXL-Guitar table

Nice row of solid-bodies

This group of Guitars courtesy of Archambault Music

The cool travel Guitar by iMarch Guitars

Some nice Godin Guitars

Some nice Jazz Bodies at the Ibanez/Tama Booth

A clinician getting ready for a Roland MIDI Guitar demonstration

Holy Guitars! from FMG Guitars

A wall of Guitars courtesy of Steve’s Music

Chapman Stick wiz Steve Adelson showing off…:)

Steve’s evil twin

A cool line of Guitars from Indie Guitars

“The lick was this LONG!!!” - Wizard Amps

Guitars galore

A view from the escalator going up

An upstairs view

Mac stuff to enhance your creativity

More upstairs views

A Guitar to match the color of this dude’s hair…how lucky is that!

Some cool Guitars from retailer Archambault Music

Display of the gorgeous, one of a kind Guitars being auctioned off silently