The semi- finalists in all three Montreux Jazz Festival competitions have been announced. Congratulations all round, and particularly to vocalist and good friend EMMA SMITH. We interviewed her about this and more.

Emma Smith Interview by Emma Smith, LondonJazz

Here are the full lists.

Socar Montreux Jazz Electric Guitar Competition 2013

Quentin Angus (Australia) (1987)
Daniele Cordisco (Italy) (1988)
Marcio De A. Philomena (Brazil) (1987)
Ben Eunson (Australia) (1989)
Tom Hasslan (Norway) (1983)
Matthew Landon (USA) (1990)
Jeff McLaughlin (USA) (1984)
Leandro Pellegrino (Brazil) (1983)
Istvan Toth (Hungary) (1991)
Tom Hasslan (Norway) (1983)

Parmigiani Montreux Jazz Solo Piano Competition 2013

Espen Berg (Norway) (1983)
Florian Favre (Switzerland) (1986)
Fabio Giachino (Italy) (1986)
Chihiro Hosokawa (Japan) (1988)
Alexey Ivannikov (Russia) (1987)
Jerry Léonide (Mauritius) (1984)
Logan Evan Thomas (USA) (1985)
Claudio Vignali (Italy) (1986)

Shure Montreux Jazz Voice Competition 2013

Franzisca Brücker (Switzerland)
Rugile Daujotaite (Lithuania)
Paula Grande (Spain)
Eszter Munka’csy (Hungary)
Wojciech Myrczek (Poland)
Walter Ricci (Italy)
Emma Smith (UK)
Anastasiya Volokitina (Russia)
Kenny Wesley (USA)

For more details, the dates of the competitions etc etc, to be held at the Montreux Palace, here is the page on the Montreux Festival website

The Patti Austin album we talk about in the interview is called “Avant Gershwin”. Hear a taster HERE