The Elegance Of Time, a glossy, 256-page coffee table book by Swiss-Iranian photographer Anoush Abrar, honors and illuminates the central tenet of Montreux Jazz Festival: this is an event for musicians to let go and collaborate spontaneously; to surrender to the moment.
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“In the live business, what makes Montreux Jazz so different is the luxury of time that we’re giving to artists,” festival CEO Mathieu Jaton tells Billboard U.K. “That’s where the magic comes out. We want to give them time for creativity and inspiration, and for meeting people. When they’re staying in Montreux for two or three days, we will accept the cost of the hotel and catering et cetera and give them the space to fully be here.”
Released earlier this year to mark the festival’s 60th anniversary, The Elegance Of Time brings together more than 300 photographs spanning the past decade of performances and candid backstage moments, tracing the more recent evolution of Montreux Jazz through Abrar’s lens. Published alongside a new exhibition based in the Swiss resort town, the book features intimate images of artists including Sam Smith, Jon Batiste, RAYE and Benson Boone, capturing a newer slate of acts that have revitalized the concert series’ backstory; this year’s event, which kicked off on July 3, runs through July 18
