L’OFF JAZZ 25th Anniversary | Michael Formanek featured in 3 concerts: ONJ , trio, duo

Interview by Alain Brunet
Genres and styles : Avant-Garde / Free Improvisation / Jazz

Additional Information

Upright bass virtuoso, improviser, composer, arranger, professor, recording artist. American jazzman Michael Formanek has been applauded for all his involvements and great creative contribution for the advanced music forms including great writing and great improvisation. Born and raised in the Bay Area, actually based in Portugal he lived in many places, New York and Baltimore where he has been teaching at The Peabody Institute (Johns Hopkins University). Since the 70’s he has been among those contemporary musicians with an insatiable curiosity and open mindedness. Highly respected by his peers and jazz connaisseurs, there are still many mélomanes who could embrace his music universe. 

This is exactly why L’Off Jazz, now redesigned in seasonal smaller presentations for its 25th anniversary, presents this ambitious spotlight on Michael Formanek, mostly with Montreal musicians. At Gesù with Orchestre national de jazz (ONJ) on Thursday October 3rd, with Drome trio at Dièse Onze on Friday October 4th, including Montreal’s saxophonist Chet Doxas (now based in New York) and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza, and finally a duo at Patro Vys, on Saturday  October 5th with Montreal’s excellent guitar player Steve Raegele. Alain Brunet reached Michael Formanek touring on the West Coast, a few days before his staying in MTL.

Publicité panam

Latest 360 Content

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Hayti Lives by Vox Sambou, “Duty to Reflect His Times”.

Hayti Lives by Vox Sambou, “Duty to Reflect His Times”.

Francis Choinière and his OPCM celebrate 10 years with Mahler

Francis Choinière and his OPCM celebrate 10 years with Mahler

The Space is a Headliner: The Story of Exposé Noir

The Space is a Headliner: The Story of Exposé Noir

Pro Musica | Sergey et Lusine Khachatryan, l’Arménie classique et… tout l’univers classique

Pro Musica | Sergey et Lusine Khachatryan, l’Arménie classique et… tout l’univers classique

Maria Gajraj : not your average organist and organ music. And that’s a wonderful thing!

Maria Gajraj : not your average organist and organ music. And that’s a wonderful thing!

Chanson québécoise franco | Louis-Dominique Lévesque Remembers

Chanson québécoise franco | Louis-Dominique Lévesque Remembers

FIMAV | Érick D’Orion, Sound Installation Explorer

FIMAV | Érick D’Orion, Sound Installation Explorer

23rd Piknic Electronik: All About The May Program!

23rd Piknic Electronik: All About The May Program!

Bryan Cheng and the OSL invite discovery

Bryan Cheng and the OSL invite discovery

Stereo Africa Festival – Ali Beta, The Troubadour Who Plays Afro-jazz

Stereo Africa Festival – Ali Beta, The Troubadour Who Plays Afro-jazz

Blair Thomson, Half Moon Run arranger for the OSM: Chapter 2!

Blair Thomson, Half Moon Run arranger for the OSM: Chapter 2!

FIMAV | Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, the museum of tremors

FIMAV | Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, the museum of tremors

A Place To Bury Strangers on Building Sonic Weapons and Playing Shows That Feel Like Car Crashes

A Place To Bury Strangers on Building Sonic Weapons and Playing Shows That Feel Like Car Crashes

Stereo Africa Festival, Through the Eyes of Montrealer Saphia Arhzaf

Stereo Africa Festival, Through the Eyes of Montrealer Saphia Arhzaf

A party with post-punk Brooklynites TVOD

A party with post-punk Brooklynites TVOD

FIRE! Orchestra at FIMAV: Power Trio Meets Canadian Community of Avant-Garde Players

FIRE! Orchestra at FIMAV: Power Trio Meets Canadian Community of Avant-Garde Players

Jazz at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal explained by Modibo Keita

Jazz at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal explained by Modibo Keita

Classica 2025 Presented by Marc Boucher: The Art of The Piano with Serhiy Salov and Jean-Philippe Sylvestre

Classica 2025 Presented by Marc Boucher: The Art of The Piano with Serhiy Salov and Jean-Philippe Sylvestre

Classica 2025 Presented by Marc Boucher: Women’s Cellos

Classica 2025 Presented by Marc Boucher: Women’s Cellos

Subscribe to our newsletter