Mathieu Jaton, a graduate of the prestigious École Hôtelière de Lausanne, shares behind-the-scenes insights into the festival on the eve of its 59th edition – taking place just next door to the Saanenland.

He may look like a young man, but Mathieu Jaton has been skilfully orchestrating the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival – a true national treasure just an hour from Gstaad – for 26 years now. This is an interview with a personality that embodies team spirit.

What is your connection with Gstaad?
Gstaad has always been part of the Montreux universe, but also part of the hotel world, which I have belonged to since my studies at EHL. Gstaad is home to some of the world’s leading hotels, notably the Gstaad Palace – Andrea Scherz was very close to Claude Nobs – and the Alpina, with which I was lucky to collaborate with. Our proximity is reinforced by the MOB, which puts Montreux just an hour by train from Gstaad. And what a magical journey through the mountains! During the trip, you can see Claude Nobs’ two chalets, Le Grillon and Le Picotin, now managed by the eponymous foundation. For me, Gstaad and Montreux are two towns that resonate together, somewhere between a seaside resort and a winter sports resort. On the musical level, we are also in discussions with the Menuhin Foundation to democratise classical music and forge links across the Lake Geneva and Saanenland region.

How does the festival fit into the city?
We are very fortunate that the entire population is excited about the festival, despite nearly three months of work in total, including set-up and dismantling, which does not go exactly quietly. Once again, this year, we will have the sublime lake stage at the Place du Marché, which has a bird’s eye view of Lake Geneva and the mountains. Magical! It’s an incredible spot that we will be using for the second year in a row following the closure of the Stravinsky Auditorium. The city has invested tens of millions in renovating the Centre des Congrès, which is scheduled to reopen next year. So, we’ll have to make the most of this lake stage this summer because it’s clearly the last year. I love this idea of ephemeral, like the concert in the Stade de la Saussaz for Elton John or the stage right ON the lake during Covid …

What are the highlights of the festival for you?
Paradoxically, it’s not the showbiz, the glitz, or being backstage with the artists. What thrills me is the magic of humankind: the moment when the first artist of the festival takes to the stage, and the 2500 staff members who have just arrived that afternoon at 2 p.m., ready to take over the audience. Everyone is in place, it gives me goosebumps … It’s crazy to hand over the keys to the festival to 2500 people, many of whom are unknown to me, but who are very proud to be there: drivers, VIP, backstage staff, security, access control, etc. All these people come to support the 40 fulltime employees who work 11 months a year to prepare the festival with the artists, agents, managers, sponsors, authorities, etc. Going from 40 to 2500 people from all over Switzerland and Europe to convey the spirit of the Montreux Jazz Festival is phenomenal! All kinds of people are represented in an incredible mix: students and retirees, music lovers and amateurs alike, they infuse an incredible team spirit to make the festival the most beautiful, astonishing moment possible. That’s what Montreux Jazz is all about!

How do you prepare physically and mentally for these 16 crazy days?
After 26 years in the business, I’ve learned to deal with the situation. Obviously, at 50, I don’t handle it the same way I did at 25 … It takes a lot of discipline; we’re not festivalgoers: drinking, partying until 5 a.m. is a no-no, even if we do end up becoming night owls. What matters is consistency, establishing an almost athletic routine, also in terms of schedules. In the morning, I get up and go straight to the pool, before a hearty breakfast/ brunch at 11 a.m. to get me through the day. In fact, during the year, I never have more than one business lunch a week, and I drink … water!

Which artists are not to be missed this year?
I would say Chaka Khan, who is making her big comeback to Montreux at the opening of the festival after 14 years! The Queen of Funk, winner of 10 Grammys, will be celebrating both her 50-year career and the legacy of Quincy Jones in a unique, tailor-made concert on July 4! The Chicago diva has left a deep mark on the soul and R&B scenes with hits such as “Ain’t Nobody” and “I’m Every Woman”. She has worked with a multitude of artists: Ray Charles, Whitney Houston, David Bowie, to name but a few, and of course Quincy Jones, who invited her to several big hits, including “Stuff Like That”. She promises an electrifying evening, reminiscent of the atmosphere on stage of those legendary concerts organised by “Q” in Montreux.

I would also like to mention the incredible Grace Jones on Saturday, July 12: an avant-garde icon who oscillates between disco, pop, R&B, reggae and new wave. Grace Jones is a work of art … she gave us an exceptional concert seven years ago. For the duration of one song, nearly ten minutes, she danced non-stop with a hula hoop! Today, everyone is asking me if she will repeat this feat … She will be on stage with Yseult, her “French heiress”, an extraordinary and unclassifiable artist of the new generation.

SASKIA VON ALTHISHOFEN

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