Key Visual by Katsuhiro Otomo

The Montreux Jazz Festival was started in 1967 by Claude Nobs in Montreux, a town on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Held from early to mid-July, it has grown into a major music festival attracting over 250,000 visitors annually. It features not only jazz but also rock, blues, reggae, soul, world music, and more, with top artists from around the globe performing together across genres.

Montreux Jazz Festival Japan 2015, following the spirit of the original Montreux festival, will focus on "jazz" while embracing a diverse range of musicians, bands, units, and DJs, without being confined to specific musical genres or styles.

The key visual was created by Katsuhiro Otomo, the renowned manga artist known for works like "Domu" and "AKIRA." Inspired by Tokyo, the event's host city, it depicts a tiger and a dragon facing off at a mythical shrine. Otomo commented, "I don't really like to explain my work (laughs), but since it's being held in Tokyo, I was very conscious of making it distinctly 'Japanese.'"

This key visual will be used on the official website, flyers distributed mainly in Tokyo, and posters. Merchandise featuring the artwork is also planned to be sold at the venue.


Gilles Peterson, one of the performers, shared, "I used to go to Montreux in Switzerland when I was young and soak in the energy of jazz. Andy Narell, Michel Urbaniak, Michel Petrucciani...—...I learned so much from everyone. Ten years later, it feels natural to be included among the performers in Japan. I'm looking forward to a wonderful night."

Toshio Matsuura, who calls himself a "local representative," expressed his enthusiasm: "I am incredibly honored to celebrate the Tokyo edition of Europe's largest jazz festival, which has continued for half a century, and to be able to perform on stage as a DJ and with my bandHEXat such a momentous time. As a representative of the local scene, I want to showcase Japan's creativity to everyone with all my might."



Montreux Jazz Festival Japan 2015
Dates | Thursday, October 1st; Friday, October 2nd; Friday, October 9th - Sunday, October 11th; Monday, October 19th - Sunday, October 25th
Venues | LIQUIDROOM (Ebisu), HARENTARA SORANI MAMETE (Daikanyama), UNIT (Daikanyama), BLUE NOTE TOKYO (Minami-Aoyama)

Performance Schedule
Opening Night by ARBAN
Date | Thursday, October 1st
Time | Doors open 19:00
Venue | LIQUIDROOM (Ebisu)
Performers | GILLES PETERSON, TOSHIO MATSUURA, MOCKY, CHASSOL, MAMA!MILK
Price | Advance ¥6,500, Door ¥7,000 (plus separate drink charge)

RAINBOW DISCO CLUB
Date | Friday, October 2nd
Time | Doors open 23:30
Venue | LIQUIDROOM (Ebisu)
Performers | PSYCHEMAGIK, EDDIE C, 77KARAT GOLD, TORU HASHIMOTO, CHIDA, KIKIORIX, SISI
Price | Advance ¥3,500, Door ¥4,000

HARENTARA SORANI MAMETE
Date | Friday, October 9th
Time | Doors open 19:00 / Performance starts 20:00
Venue | HARENTARA SORANI MAMETE (Daikanyama)
Performers | FLO MORRISSEY, ICHIKO AOBA
Price | Advance ¥4,000, Door ¥4,500 (plus separate drink charge)

ARBAN Club
Date | Saturday, October 10th
Time | Doors open 23:30
Venue | UNIT (Daikanyama)
Performers | GILLES PETERSON, EARL ZINGER, MELANIE DE BIASIO, TOSHIO MATSUURA presents HEX, YOSI HORIKAWA, CALM, SHHHHH, DJ QUIETSTORM, RIGHTEOUS, KILLER-BONG, NAO, DJ K.E.G
Price | Advance ¥4,000, Door ¥4,500

DBS 19th Anniversary "MALA & COKI -Digital Mystikz"
Date | Sunday, October 11th
Time | Doors open 23:30
Venue | UNIT (Daikanyama)
Performers | MALA & COKI, GOTH-TRAD, HELKTRAM, DJ INZA, SIVARIDER, DJ DON, TETSUJI TANAKA, SHINTARO
Price | Advance ¥3,300, Door ¥3,800

MJFJ PREMIUM LIVE FEAT. DAVID SANBORN -TIME AND THE RIVER-
Dates | Monday, October 19th - Thursday, October 22nd
Time | [1st] Doors open 17:30 / Performance starts 18:30, [2nd] Doors open 20:15 / Performance starts 21:00
Venue | BLUE NOTE TOKYO (Minami-Aoyama)
Performers | DAVID SANBORN
Price | ¥10,800 per set

MJFJ PREMIUM LIVE FEAT. JOHN McLAUGHLIN & THE 4TH DIMENSION
Dates | Friday, October 23rd - Sunday, October 25th
Time | October 23rd [1st] Doors open 17:30 / Performance starts 19:00, [2nd] Doors open 20:45 / Performance starts 21:30
October 24th & 25th [1st] Doors open 16:00 / Performance starts 17:00, [2nd] Doors open 19:00 / Performance starts 20:00
Venue | BLUE NOTE TOKYO (Minami-Aoyama)
Performers | JOHN McLAUGHLIN & THE 4TH DIMENTION
Price | ¥8,800 per set