Hands down Montreal's preeminent talent of the Jazz saxophone, Al McLean owns the night in this grand old Jazz city. Mentoring countless students of the music, McLean's brute force, and seemingly bottomless depths as an improviser keep his professional cohorts honest. The bar he sets is sky high, with an equally nimble command of bebop, and more avant garde repertoire rooted in the language of Coltrane. McLean is also a sought after saxophone restoration expert. Specializing in vintage instruments from the first half of the 20th Century, McLean makes the old horns sing. He can be found most nights of the week in Montreal's numerous Jazz hot spots, glittering vintage horn in hand, wowing audiences, inspiring (or unnerving) his band mates.

Al McLean - saxophone / Andre White - piano / Adrian Vedady - double bass / Jim Doxas - drum

Daniel Thouin, Alain Caron, Yannick Rieu Paul Brochu and Coral Egan present a new project based on the music of the first incarnation of Chick Corea’s Return to Forever. The albums « Return To Forever » and « Light as a feather » blend together jazz, latin and hispanic sounds surely can be seen as the composer’s most melodic period.
Pieces such as « 500 Miles High », « Captain Marvel » and « Spain » are now part of the repertoire from the « fusion » era. It’s joyful and naive music that has had a deep impact on musicians everywhere.

Daniel Thouin - Rhodes / Yannick Rieu - saxophone / Alain Caron - bass / Coral Egan - vocal / Paul Brochu - drum

La musique rassemble et nous ouvre sur un monde de moments uniques et spontanés. Un langage universel qui donne lieu à toutes sortes de converses musicales et le jazz s’y prête particulièrement bien! C’est dans cet esprit que Kim Richardson, John Sadowy et Karl Surprenant souhaitent échanger pour les soirées « Jam Vocal Jazz ». Que de la musique, sans frontière, entre amis, tout ça dans l’atmosphère chaleureuse qu’offre le Dièse Onze. On vous attend tous les dimanches, pour un standard ou deux. Apportez vos partitions ou votre tonalité.

Kim Richardson - voix / John Sadowy - piano / Karl Surprenant - contrebasse

Entrée: contribution volontaire

Montalvo Flamenko Jazz (formerly Pachuco Flamenko Jazz) is a project led by Jheinsen Montalvo (El Pachuco), Montreal guitarist, of Salvadorian origin, having learned Flamenco Guitar in Andalusia (Spain) and from international masters. It is a group of variable ensembles: quintet, quartet, trio or duo. Inspired by the flamenco/jazz movement, it features original music after his self-titled EP. The repertoire consists of bulerías, alegrías, tangos and other ''palos flamenco'' with jazzy arrangements which allow the remarkable improvisation of high caliber musicians. We find the spirit and rhythm of flamenco alongside the sophisticated jazz harmony. Set as a duo, guitar-piano, for this occasion.

Cover Charge: voluntary contribution

‘Mondays’ heat up at Dièse Onze jazz club in the company of an all-star lineup, featuring virtuosos from Montreal’s Latin jazz scene. Son, rumba, timba and salsa rhythms drive and an exciting repertoire of original compositions as well as some innovative arrangements of traditional themes drawn from the very heart of Cuba.

Taylor Donaldson is an active member of the Montreal music scene, working as a trombonist, composer/arranger and music copyist. He directs his own 17-piece big band that plays from a growing book of his arrangements and compositions, along with music written by other members of the group. The band's repertoire brings together jazz standards and original compositions in the great tradition of big band jazz. Two sets of swinging, straight-ahead music on the menu for Big Band Tuesdays!

Benjamin Deschamps, Jason Stillman, Annie Dominique, Michael Johancsik, Philippe Côté - saxophones / Dominic Rossi, Andy King, Lex French, Nicolas Boulay - trumpets / Taylor Donaldson, David Martin, Olivier Hébert, Colin Lloyd, Jean-Sébastien Vachon - trombones / Jonathan Cayer - piano / Sébastien Pellerin - bass / Louis-Vincent Hamel - drums

Cover: volontary contribution

Alex Bellegarde’s dynamic Tuesday jam session has become one of Montreal’s hippest weekly jazz events. The first set fires up with Bellegarde and his trio, playing host to a range of well known talents from the Montreal scene as well as musicians from out of town. The jam opens in the second set, to any jazz musician with the confidence to step up and play…there’s an unspoken rule though: “If you can’t keep up, you shouldn’t be on stage”. A great place to play and chill…. the jam continues on into the early hours!

Alex Bellegarde Trio and guest: Masashi Usui - saxophone

Cover Charge: voluntary contribution

If you’re a fan of the acoustic sound of guitars, saxophone and upright bass, then you’re in for a treat. On the menu, authentic swing and a few seldomly heard classic songs. Eclectic Django (for the great Django Reinhardt) perform an American and European repertoire of pre-war jazz, but don’t be surprised if you recognize a classic French tune or two - jazz music permitting all incursions. This early evening event has been animating the Wednesdays of the Dièse Onze for six years already - and there’s no signs of quitting! A friendly Atmosphere, great music and solid musicians are guaranteed - welcome!

François Rousseau - guitare / Mathieu McConnell-Enright - contrebasse / Jody Golick - saxophone / Baptiste Lejeune - batterie

Cover Charge: voluntary contribution

"Soul Therapy" nights, hosted by the collective known as "The Brooks" are being fuelled by groove and improvisation. Standing on some original music and some chosen covers, prepare for a mixture of styles.


Alan Prater - vocals / Alexandre Lapointe - bass / Maxime Bellavance - drums / Philippe Beaudin - percussions / Philippe Look - guitar / Sebastien Grenier - saxophone / Hichem Khalfa - trumpet / Daniel Thouin - keys

Susie Arioli had been singing in jazz clubs in Montreal when she met guitarist Jordan Officer at a jam led by Stephen Barry. Together they started the Susie Arioli Band. Their first big opportunity came in 1998. After a successful outdoor show, they were asked by the Montreal International Jazz Festival to open for Ray Charles. The band's opening set got the attention of Montreal critics, and soon after it released the debut album, It's Wonderful. Arioli has received several Juno nominations. Her second album, Pennies from Heaven, was the last recording of jazz pianist Ralph Sutton. Her third album, That's for Me, was produced by John Snyder. Her fourth album, Learn to Smile Again, was a departure and featured six songs by country songwriter Roger Miller. For the fifth album, Night Lights, she returned to jazz with a collection of standards. All the albums featured guitarist Jordan Officer. In an article in Atlantic Monthly, Arioli was recognized by jazz writer Francis Davis as an emerging jazz talent.

Susie Arioli - vocal / Paul Shrofel - piano / Jim Bland - guitar / Mike DeMasi - double bass

Canadian Juno award winning saxophonist Joel Miller has spent most of his life happily ignoring convention. Be it Jazz, Latin, Classical or Pop, Miller fluidly crosses boundaries, fusing a tapestry of fragments into a new and unique sound. Winner of the 2013 Juno Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Recording, Miller marries his awe-inspiring technique and boundless sense of musical adventure with a pop musician’s desire to make music that moves people. His compositions are inspired by the melodic simplicity and emotional depth of American folk music, and they’ve been praised by Downbeat as “passionate and creative, melodic yet exploratory.”  Miller’s ceaseless drive for originality has led to collaborations with Afro-Peruvian artist Oscar Stagnaro, Latin jazz master Joé Armando, Order of Canada-winning choir director Iwan Edwards, cutting edge percussionist/composer Thom Gossage and ground-breaking New Yorkers Ben Monder, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Geoffrey Keezer and Gary Versace. His most recent album, Dream Cassette, with Sienna Dahlen, was released worldwide in June 2016 to rave reviews, reaching # 1 on Reverbnation in jazz in Montreal, #1 on the CFRC jazz charts and #3 on the !Earshot National Jazz Chart!  He plans to tour this project over the next year to festivals worldwide.

Joel Miller - saxophone / Andre White - piano / Mike deMasi - bass / Valérie Lacombe - drum

La musique rassemble et nous ouvre sur un monde de moments uniques et spontanés. Un langage universel qui donne lieu à toutes sortes de converses musicales et le jazz s’y prête particulièrement bien! C’est dans cet esprit que Kim Richardson, John Sadowy et Karl Surprenant souhaitent échanger pour les soirées « Jam Vocal Jazz ». Que de la musique, sans frontière, entre amis, tout ça dans l’atmosphère chaleureuse qu’offre le Dièse Onze. On vous attend tous les dimanches, pour un standard ou deux. Apportez vos partitions ou votre tonalité.

Kim Richardson - voix / John Sadowy - piano / Karl Surprenant - contrebasse

Entrée: contribution volontaire

Montalvo Flamenko Jazz (formerly Pachuco Flamenko Jazz) is a project led by Jheinsen Montalvo (El Pachuco), Montreal guitarist, of Salvadorian origin, having learned Flamenco Guitar in Andalusia (Spain) and from international masters. It is a group of variable ensembles: quintet, quartet, trio or duo. Inspired by the flamenco/jazz movement, it features original music after his self-titled EP. The repertoire consists of bulerías, alegrías, tangos and other ''palos flamenco'' with jazzy arrangements which allow the remarkable improvisation of high caliber musicians. We find the spirit and rhythm of flamenco alongside the sophisticated jazz harmony. Set as a duo, guitar-piano, for this occasion.

Cover Charge: voluntary contribution

‘Mondays’ heat up at Dièse Onze jazz club in the company of an all-star lineup, featuring virtuosos from Montreal’s Latin jazz scene. Son, rumba, timba and salsa rhythms drive and an exciting repertoire of original compositions as well as some innovative arrangements of traditional themes drawn from the very heart of Cuba.

Based in Montreal, Benjamin Deschamps is a really sought after freelancing saxophonist and composer. We can hear him as a sideman in Rachel Therrien's Quintet, winning groupe of the Grand Jazz Award at the Montreal's Internationnal Jazz Festival in 2015. At the head of his own Quartet, he won the Rimouski's Festi Jazz Grand Award in 2013 and was in the competition for the Montreal's International Jazz Festival TD Grand Award in 2014 and 2017. Now holder of a Jazz Performance Master's degree form McGill University, Benjamin is a very active musician on Montreal's jazz and pop scene. He did many tours at an international level, notably with Jacques Kuba Séguin's group Odd lot in Poland, with the production Forever Gentlemen in France, Belgium and Switzerland and more recently with Garou in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Romania and Azerbaijan. 2017 is a strong year for Benjamin, recently named ''Révélation Radio-Canada Jazz'', he released his second original music record, Demi-Nuit, with the label MCM and is taking part in the Montreal Arts council tour with his quintet to present is new music.

Benjamin Deschamps will be accompanied by 17 musicians

Cover Charge: voluntary contribution

Alex Bellegarde’s dynamic Tuesday jam session has become one of Montreal’s hippest weekly jazz events. The first set fires up with Bellegarde and his trio, playing host to a range of well known talents from the Montreal scene as well as musicians from out of town. The jam opens in the second set, to any jazz musician with the confidence to step up and play…there’s an unspoken rule though: “If you can’t keep up, you shouldn’t be on stage”. A great place to play and chill…. the jam continues on into the early hours!

Alex Bellegarde Trio and guest: Remi Cormier - trumpet

Cover Charge: voluntary contribution

If you’re a fan of the acoustic sound of guitars, saxophone and upright bass, then you’re in for a treat. On the menu, authentic swing and a few seldomly heard classic songs. Eclectic Django (for the great Django Reinhardt) perform an American and European repertoire of pre-war jazz, but don’t be surprised if you recognize a classic French tune or two - jazz music permitting all incursions. This early evening event has been animating the Wednesdays of the Dièse Onze for six years already - and there’s no signs of quitting! A friendly Atmosphere, great music and solid musicians are guaranteed - welcome!

François Rousseau - guitare / Mathieu McConnell-Enright - contrebasse / Jody Golick - saxophone / Baptiste Lejeune - batterie

Cover Charge: voluntary contribution

"Soul Therapy" nights, hosted by the collective known as "The Brooks" are being fuelled by groove and improvisation. Standing on some original music and some chosen covers, prepare for a mixture of styles.


Alan Prater - vocals / Alexandre Lapointe - bass / Maxime Bellavance - drums / Philippe Beaudin - percussions / Philippe Look - guitar / Sebastien Grenier - saxophone / Hichem Khalfa - trumpet / Daniel Thouin - keys

Born in France, classically trained guitarist Christine Tassan moved to Québec in 1994 and has since played with a variety of musicians, namely Charles Papasoff, Jean Viau and Pierrot Fournier. In 1997 she was awarded the FrancoFolies de Montréal's Coup de Coeur prize. Inspired by the music of guitarist Django Reinhardt and European Gypsy jazz, she turned to jazz music, starting with a duo in 2000, followed by a quintet playing acoustic swing in the vein of Reinhardt's Hot Club de France. With her bands Gadjo Swing and les Imposteures, Christine Tassan created a unique repertoire that offers a mix of original Reinhardt compositions, traditional gypsy pieces, swing waltzes and French chansons with a Gypsy jazz touch.

Cover Charge: voluntary contribution