by SCOTT C

"It's about time that somebody here in Montreal did something other than Mutek, Elektra or the MEG." Wise if contentious words from local DJ and jetsetter Jojo Flores on the fact that Montreal has a little bit of a tech-fest fixation.

No disrespect to the aforementioned annuals, but I think we all know that outside those three world-class progressive music happenings and the many predictable and seemingly disconnected bookings at the big Jazz Fest, there's a lot of room for soulful, funky music in Montreal. Enter the first annual installment of the Montreal FunknSoul Festival, a week of live performances of real soul and funk as well as DJs who specialize in everything from soulful house to Afro-beat. The shows at the FunknSoul fest are situated in a slew of venues (la Sala Rossa, Jello Bar, Karina's, Salon Daomé and Kunta), aiming for what seems a more intimate appeal.

From June 29 to July 3, you can connect the dots between artists like Brooklyn's DJ Smash (of Blue Note fame), France's Franck Biyong and locals Café Soul, DJ Misayo, the scandalous Candy Billions, Christian Pronovost and Toddy Flores. Take special note of Glenn Underground who, inspired by Chicago's original pioneers - Larry Heard, Ron Hardy, Lil' Louis and the like - has produced some of the most respected deep house music of the past five years. There's also Lizz Fields who, classically trained at the famed Philadelphia Creative & Performing Arts High School with the likes of Boyz II Men, Amel Larrieux and the Roots, bridges the gap between Philly beats and European soul. Furthermore, keep an eye out for performances by Toronto's Shane Phillips, Spiritual Life Music man DJ Moka and Montreal's very own Kalmunity Vibe Collective.

"Even though we weren't able to include all the artists that we wanted to this first time out," explains Flores over the phone from L.A., "we wanted to get people interested in the idea of something geared around soulful music." A good idea, and you wonder why it's taken someone so long to act on it.

This year's maiden voyage may seem modest and understated compared to the big guns that other festivals can afford to pull out. But Flores and co-organizers Bic Flores, Kirk Coleman, Mike Mendell, Ted Ponniah, Anouska Davies, Charlie Lee and Eddie Lewis are confident that they can build the reputation and scope of this idea with time and with the interest and support of the all-important sponsors - and the people who have desperately been wanting something like this for years.

For more info, check Listings or go to www.funknsoulfest.com

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