I haven’t been writing anything on this blog for quite a long time now due to personal reasons, but I really wanted to take some time just to pay tribute to a great man who passed away on Thursday.
Claude Nobs was the founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival which first took place in 1967 on the shores of the Lake Geneva. Although I never had the privilege to meet him personally, his work, enthusiasm and love of music resonated deeply in my heart.
He was the one who first brought Aretha Franklin to Europe. He was the one who notably invited Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette to the very first Montreux Jazz Festival. He was the man referred to as ‘Funky Claude’ in Deep Purple’s ‘Smoke On The Water’ about the fire incident at the Montreux Casino in 1971. But, more importantly, Claude Nobs made the Montreux Jazz Festival regarded as one of the very best music festivals in the world, “the Roll’s Royce of festivals” according to his longtime friend and collaborator Quincy Jones. ‘Thank you for taking us where we never thought we could go’, reads a statement on the Montreux Jazz Festival website. Everyone from Ray Charles to David Bowie, Santana and Bob Dylan, played some of their best concerts in Montreux. Miles Davis famously played a number of times at the festival, up until July 1991, just months before his death.
The last time I saw Claude Nobs, he was introducing Chicago Blues after a performance by Bob Dylan last summer. And as ever, he was very enthusiastic and had a talent for conveying his love of music better than anyone else. 2012 was no exception to the golden programming of the festival, with legendary acts such as Buddy Guy, Van Morrison, Herbie Hancock and Pat Metheny taking to the stage, along with up and coming artists such as Emeli Sande and Janelle Monaé.
I had the chance to grow up and live not very far from what I consider to be the most amazing music festival I ever experienced, and I am so thankful to Claude Nobs for all the incredible work he has done over the years to put music to the front and unveil the full potential of the beautiful region that is Montreux and the Lake Geneva.
Here’s to the man whose labour was never vain.
Here’s to the 2013 Montreux Jazz Festival.
May you rest in peace, Funky Claude.
Enjoy some of Montreux Jazz magic below with Miles Davis’ last performance at the festival in 1991, conducted by Quincy Jones.
Through the smoke rings of my mind 