Jazz Guitar Life has been busy working on the latest round of updates which should hit your computer screen in the next week and a half. And while that is exciting news, I’m also quite excited for the Montreal International Jazz Festival’s Montreal Guitar Show. I know I’ve blogged about this before but there are now more announcements of what is to be expected and who’s participating. I really think that the Festival and the Guitar Show have really outdone themselves this year. According a recent press release from the Festival there are over 100 well known Guitarists involved in either the Montreal Guitar Show portion or the actual Festival itself: Here’s a list of those who will be performing in one capacity or another:

Al Petteway, Hari Sihvo, Ken Bonfield, Peter Janson, Antoine Dufour, Igor Mazzone, Kenny Smilovitch, Philippe Bernier, Bill Garrett, Iván Garzón, Kinloch Nelson, Reno De Stefano, Bill Mize, J.A. Libster, Lou Boustani, Russell Malone, Claude Lassonde, Jacques Desfosses, Martin Tremblay, Stanley Jordan, Craig D’Andrea, Jasmin Lacasse-Roy, Matt Dingo, Steve Groves, Cyril Achard, Jason Fowler, Melissa Greener, Sue Lothrop, Dave Walker, Jean Lamarche, Mike O’Brien, Sylvain Provost, Denny Snyder, Jean-François Hamel, Monte Montgomery, Thomas Carbou, Don Alder, Jean-Luc Thiévent, Muriel Anderson, Valérie Duchâteau, Fabrizio Alberico, Jean-Marc Hébert, Olivier Langevin, Zeb Heintz, François Jalbert, Jean-Paul Bataille, Olivier Pépin, Frank Vignola, Jean-Philippe Guy, Paul Asbell, Greg Clayton, Jonathan St-Amour, Peppino D’Agostino, Al Di Meola, Denis Chang, Lionel Loueke, Térez Montcalm, Alex Cattaneo, Enrico Crivellaro, Madeleine Peyroux, The Kitchen Shakers, Andrew Cowan, Howlin’ Hound Dogs, Matt Andersen, The Lost Fingers, Antoine Dufour, Jeff Beck, Nobuki Takamen, Tony Scherr, Bill Frisell, Jimmy James, Pat Metheny, Zeb Heintz, Bob Walsh, John Butler, Philip Sayce, Brian Setzer, John Campbell, Ray Bonneville, Bryan Lee, John Pizzarelli, Rick Haworth, Buddy Guy, Jordan Officer, Romero Lubambo, Colin Moore, JP Soars, Susan Tedeschi.

As you can see, there are some serious players hitting the various Jazz Festival stages. The cats highlighted in bold I know, the others I do not…yet!! It’s going to be a great Jazz Guitar Summer. Are any of you going to be in Montreal? And if so, who are you seeing? And if you do find yourself in Montreal, send me an email and we’ll grab a coffee. Later all…

Below is the official Press Release with more detailed info that may interest you. Enjoy…:)

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Guitar aficionados will find their cravings more gratified than ever at the 3rd edition of the Montreal Guitar Show (MGS), which will take place on the first weekend of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, from July 3 to 5, 2009, in its new digs at the Palais des congrès de Montréal. This year’s menu serves up mini-concerts, free Guitare Guitare concerts, the Guitarissimo concert series, workshops, lectures, a new section dedicated exclusively to the electric guitar, and loads of thrilling meet-and-greet sessions with today’s mightiest guitar players and great master luthiers. It’s the Montreal gathering for the curious at heart and connoisseurs alike!

Even more guitar!

The MGS, the biggest guitar event in Canada, is moving its activities to its new playground: the Palais des congrès de Montréal, less than 450 metres from the site of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. Inside this bigger, more user-friendly space, the MGS will be able to offer an even bigger spread of activities and concerts all sharing one passion: the guitar. With over 200 musicians, luthiers and specialists from around the world attending, once again the MGS is sure to be the most coveted gathering for all high-end guitar fans.

More than 50 mini-concerts

Anyone who loves virtuosity, flawless technique, and superb instruments will feel right at home in the halls of the Palais des congrès de Montréal, which will also stage some 50 mini-concerts. Some of the foremost luthiers, including Tom Ribbecke, Mario Beauregard, John Monteleone and Christophe Grellier, will be lending their finest creations, each for a 20-minute concert, to renowned local and visiting guitarists like Antoine Dufour, Don Alder, Frank Vignola, Mike O’Brien, Kinloch Nelson and Jean-Luc Thievent.

Some 20 free concerts

Around 20 free concerts will also be staged at the Salon Jeanne-Mance in the Hyatt Regency Montréal in the Guitare Guitare series. Veterans will find their favourite performers in the line-up: Philippe Bernier, Iván Garzón Negrete, Kenny Smilovitch, Ken Bonfield, Steve Groves, Bill Mize, Thomas Carbou, Jean-Paul Bataille, Jean-Philippe Guy, Kinloch Nelson, François Jalbert, Jason Fowler, Craig D’Andrea, Greg Clayton, Jasmin Lacasse-Roy, Denys Snyder, Peter Janson, Melissa Greener, Lou Boustani et Maânouche Swing, Antoine Dufour and Zeb Heintz, at matchless performances given in an intimate atmosphere.

The Guitarissimo series

The Guitarissimo series brings together a host of phenomenal guitar players: Monte Montgomery, Peppino D’Agostino, Russell Malone, Sylvain Provost, Frank Vignola, Olivier Langevin, Don Alder, Muriel Anderson, Valérie Duchâteau and Stanley Jordan. Each of them promises to deliver an unforgettable concert in the Cinquième Salle at Place des Arts.

Tons of workshops and lectures

The Palais des congrès will be made over into a veritable guitar hall of fame for three whole days. Professionals, musicians and luthiers will spell each other off to share their wealth of knowledge and talent. For example, most of the guitarists in the Guitarissimo series, as well as Craig Morrison, Antoine Dufour and Steve Strongman, will be revealing their biggest secrets during workshops where they will share their passion for the instrument, the highlights of their career and their particular technique.

Lectures, given by esteemed luthiers Marc Lupien, William Grit Laskin, Franck Cheval, Tom Ribbecke, Linda Manzer and Charles Fox, as well as collectors and specialists Doctorow and George Gruhn, will discuss a variety of topics ranging from the history of the guitar to the different steps in guitar building, with the odd tip thrown in to help you improve your technique or enhance your collection.

The electric guitar in the limelight

Given the keen interest fans have shown in the electric guitar, the SGM will devote a special section to this instrument. In addition to a room reserved exclusively for it, where luthiers and manufacturers of specialized accessories (amplifiers, effects, pedals, etc.) will be able to showcase their items, the electric guitar will also be the centrepiece in a number of electrifying activities created specially in its honour.

The reference gathering for luthiers, professionals and fans

Above all else, the MGS remains the gathering place for the all-time greats of lutherie and curiosity-seekers, buyers, collectors, specialists, or mere Sunday strummers. The pick of all luthiers, more than 100 of them from Québec, elsewhere in Canada, and the United States, and from as far away as France, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, England, Finland and Australia, will be exhibiting their handcrafted masterpieces, in an exhibition hall specially outfitted for the occasion. You’ll have a unique opportunity to admire-and buy!-the best of everything related to guitar: acoustic, resonator, electric, archtop, chambered, base, gypsy, steel- or nylon-string, classical, bouzouki, mandolin, baritone, resophonic, ukulele, flamenco, Weissenborn, Maccafferi, banjo, romantic guitar, oud, luth, saz, guitar harp, Hawaiian, and the list goes on…

For the complete schedule and other information on the shows, workshops and meetings, please visit montrealguitarshow.com.

The Montreal Guitar Show, presented in conjunction with the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, would like to acknowledge the support of its partners: the Government of Canada, the Government of Quebec, Tourisme Montréal, the magazines Acoustic Guitar, Fingerstyle and Guitarist Acoustic, as well as laguitare.com, France’s Ministry Delegate for Foreign Trade, La Bella Strings, Official Luthiers Forum (OLF), Acoustic Voice (AV) and guitarscanada.com.

Tickets already on sale

Tickets for the Montreal Guitar Show are already on sale. One ticket gives admission to all the activities of the Montreal Guitar Show at the Palais des congrès (except for the Guitarissimo series) from July 3 to 5, 2009, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tickets cost $15, including taxes, and are available at Ticketpro.ca and right at the MGS, at the Palais des congrès ticket office.

Tickets for the Guitarissimo concert series are also on sale. They can be bought at the ticket office at Place des Arts (175 Ste-Catherine Street West), by telephone at 514 842-2112, or online at laplacedesarts.com.

For more information, please visit montrealguitarshow.com or montrealjazzfest.com, call the Info‑Jazz Bell line at 514 871‑1881 or toll-free at 1 888 515‑0515, or subscribe to the Spectra Newsletter to get the early scoop on all the latest information concerning the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, the SIMM and the Montreal Guitar Show at infolettrespectra.ca