Festival International de Jazz de Montréal is one of the biggest jazz festivals in the world. It is held annually in Montreal, Quebec during the summer season (usually the beginning of July) and attracts artists from around the world and is typically attended by hundreds of thousands of people who are attracted by the electric atmosphere. Many parts of the city's downtown core are closed to traffic for two weeks as outdoor shows are free to the public on many stages. Attendance at some shows is over a hundred thousand. Jazz is a musical art form characterized by blue notes, syncopation, swing, call and response, polyrhythms, and improvisation. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

Shows are held in a wide variety of venues, from relatively small jazz clubs to the large halls of Place des Arts. Some of the outdoor shows are held on cordoned-off streets while others are on terraced parks. View of the Place des Arts esplanade. ...

Resources

• Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (http://www.montrealjazzfest.com)