All that passion and all that jazz

As the lights go down on another outstanding fortnight of music at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Mathieu Jaton, the festival’s CEO, is taking it all in. Now in its 59th year, the festival has once again delivered. The Lake Stage, set against the glittering backdrop of Lake Geneva and the distant Alps, has hosted iconic acts such as Raye and Alanis Morissette, alongside diverse emerging talent, and more than 250,000 revellers.

For Jaton, helming the festival has been the honour of his life. “The festival is flowing through my veins, and so is the spirit of Claude Nobs, Behind the dramatic setting and headline acts of the Montreux Jazz Festival lies a legacy built on emotion and deep friendship the festival’s legendary founder,” he says. “I try to channel his legacy and his passion for music, hospitality, welcoming people and bringing joy to the audience.” Nobs, who founded the festival in 1967, was a mentor to Jaton for more than two decades. Nobs asked Jaton to run the festival and keep its spirit alive shortly before he passed away in 2013. It’s a spirit Jaton has understood since he was 18 years old, when he first worked in hospitality for the festival. One early memory is of Nobs asking him to help George Clinton’s drummer during a memorable set. “The guy was playing for six hours in a row, and he was so tired. Sometimes he’d relax his arms, and I’d give him towels and a bottle of champagne. That was my first dive into the festival – and when you live something like that, you will never quit.”

Jaton became general secretary of the festival when he was 26, and worked closely with Nobs for the next two decades. The pair often stayed awake late into the night discussing what makes the festival unique, including its dedication to the artists and commitment to generous hosting. Jaton describes what Nobs created as a “bubble of freedom”, in which artists are given the space to explore and express their creative passions without constraint. The challenge for Jaton has been to maintain this principle while safeguarding the festival’s future. “One month before Claude passed away, we had a very sweet discussion, and he looked at me and said, ‘You know, I chose you because I know that you will keep the DNA of what I created, but you will also move it towards the future.’” When Jaton took over as CEO, that future was uncertain. The costs of putting on a festival were rising and threatened the sustainability of Montreux and its unique essence. “There is no curfew at Montreux. You want to play for three hours? Play for three hours. This is, of course, totally irrational financially. Other companies or festivals say, ‘No, we will stick to the budget.’”

Jaton took the decision to set up the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation and, through it, to run educational activities and masterclasses, which were expensive but vital to the festival’s philosophy. He then set up a dedicated company to harness the Montreux brand and its archive of live music to generate year-round revenue. “I want the brand to be as strong as it can be, but also financially viable so that if one day I leave, I’m handing over something that is sustainable for the next 50 years.” Jaton believes passionately that elevating new and diverse artistic talent is central to the festival’s appeal. Montreux has nurtured many of the biggest artists right at the beginning of their careers. “When we announced Ed Sheeran for the first time in Montreux, journalists looked at me as if to say, ‘Who?’” explains Jaton, who believes in fostering special relationships with artists. “We never sign an artist. We will never make money on an artist. Our foundation is about supporting and helping artists entering the music business.” Since 2022, Julius Baer has backed the foundation, as well as an initiative called MJF Spotlight, which hosts a festival stage for emerging artists and a digital portal to promote them.

Over its 50-year history, the festival has hosted unforgettable sets from Nina Simone to Miles Davis and Elton John. It’s an artistic legacy so rich that the festival’s archive of performances is recognised by Unesco’s Memory of the World Register. What sustains it all is sheer enthusiasm. “If you want to create this platform of creativity, you need to be so passionate – you must be as passionate as the artists themselves.”

This content was paid for by Julius Baer and produced in partnership with the Financial Times Commercial department.