by LEN DOBBIN

In 2000, a group of Montreal musicians who felt they weren’t getting a fair shake from the city’s International Jazz festival began one of their own, one that’s been quite a success in its own right. This year, close to 50 groups will be presented in four locations spread around the city as the fourth edition of this alternate festival, l’OFF Festival de Jazz, runs June 26 through July 6. Concerts take place at the Lion d’Or (1676 Ontario), St-Henri’s Va-et-Vient (3706 Notre-Dame W.), the Focaccia (2077 University) downtown and, for free shows, Quai des Brumes (4481 St-Denis). Tickets run from $8 to $24.

At the Lion d’Or, the price of admission gives you a chance to catch two different groups, one at 8:30 p.m., the other at 10:30 p.m., in a great, vintage Montreal showplace. Opening night on June 26 is entitled Hommage aux précurseurs and spotlights the veterans. In the early show, you’ve got people like Boogie Gaudet and Leroy Mason, Tony Romandini, Yvan Landry, Skip Bey and Paul Lafortune, artists who have appeared with the likes of Buddy DeFranco, the Canadian All Stars and Paul Bley over the years. The nightcap at 10:30 p.m. offers Maurice Garceau and Colin Biggin, Richard Ring, Pierre Leduc, Michel Donato and Richard Provençal, who have shared the stage with Red Mitchell, Pepper Adams, Charlie Mariano, Bill Evans and Oscar Peterson during their careers.

On June 27, it’s guitarist Ken Aldcroft followed by the exciting hard bop of No Name Jazz Sextet, featuring the likes of Alexandre Côté, Aron Doyle and Roberto Murray. On June 30, flautist Francois Richard’s quartet with Geoff Lapp, Frédéric Alarie and a world-class drummer in Michel Lambert are followed by the adventurous Jean Derome joined by another multi-reedman, Louis Sclavis, a native of Lyons, with Bruno Chevillon and Pierre Tanguay.

On July 1, you get two groups led by top-notch trumpeters - the Charles Ellison Sextet, which includes trombonist Kelsley Grant and the wonderful tenorman Noubar Karadjian (who puts me in mind of Wardell Gray), followed by a quartet co-led by Guido Basso and Dave Turner.

On July 2, the Philippe Hudon-directed Montreal Jazz Big Band plays two shows, the first spotlighting music in the Afro-Cuban jazz genre with John Sadowy on piano, the second highlighted by vocalists Johnny Scott and Anne Carrière. Closing night has Karen Young joined by musical cousins Sylvain Provost and Norman Lachapelle at 8:30 p.m. and a homage to Charles Mingus featuring a wonderful ensemble directed by bassist Normand Guilbeault, one that includes Derome, Tanguay and Mathieu Bélanger.

Moving on to La Va-et-Vient, which I find a bit smoky, I can recommend Joel Miller with Fraser Hollins and Maxime St. Pierre (June 30), Ivanhoe Jolicoeur with Ugo Di Vito (July 2) and Bill Mahar with Jennifer Bell, Josh Rager, Dave Watts and Jon McCaslin (July 4).

Pianist Jean-François Groulx, a past "concours" winner, appears at Focaccia with Yannick Rieu, Lachapelle and Tanguay on June 29, and the Frank Lozano Quartet with Miles Perkin and the exciting young Greg Ritchie closes the run there on July 5 at 11:30 p.m.

Among the free, dinner-hour shows at Quai des Brumes, I would recommend the trio of Daniel Lessard on June 28, with the leader on piano (he’s best known as a bassist), Joel Prenovault and Michel Berthiaume.

So there you go. Grab one of the OFF Fest programs, make your choices and hear some of the very best musicians, players who make this city’s jazz scene an exciting one all year round!

More info at 570-0722 or www.LOFFfestivaldejazz.com

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