by LEN DOBBIN

The musician's "rebel" festival, l'Off Festival du Jazz, is now in its fifth year and again has a most impressive lineup of (mostly) local musicians. It began on June 24 this year and among the concerts presented so far have been an evening of jazz and poetry, Jennifer Bell's Altsys in a re-creation of the Miles Davis Birth of the Cool sessions, and Janis Steprans guesting with an exciting Eric Harding Sextet, the same band that has been backing singer Dorothée Berryman.

Plenty still to come, though. In the free 5 p.m. sessions at the Quai des Brûmes, the Kevin Dean organ band with Joel Miller on tenor, Gabriel Lambert on guitar and drummer André White, hits July 2 and on July 3 it's the quartet of reedman Bernard Daigle.

At le Va-et-Vient (3706 Notre-Dame W., in St-Henri), the adventurous Ken Aldcroft Trio + 1 appears on July 2 - the leader is a guitarist and altoman Evan Shaw is part of this band. At the main venue, the Lion d'Or (1676 Ontario E.) at 11 p.m., July 2, it's reedman Richard Lalonde's sextet featuring trumpeter Dave Mossing and guitarist Mike Bérard in an homage to trumpeter Bernie Brien and trombonist Michel Ouellet. On July 3 at 11 p.m., it's the always musically interesting Josh Rager, a pianist/composer, in the company of trumpeter Bill Mahar and guitarist Jim Head.

The whole thing winds up on July 4 with the Mile-End Jazz Quartet + 1 hosting a giant jam session beginning at 8 p.m. and that event is also free.

For more info check Listings, go to
www.lofffestivaldejazz.com or call 570-0722

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