London, Tuesday 9 June – To celebrate its 60th edition, Montreux Jazz Festival has announced The Elegance of Time, a new photography book by acclaimed Swiss-Iranian photographer Anoush Abrar, featuring more than 150 intimate portraits captured behind the scenes at one of the world’s most celebrated music festivals.
The 256-page hardcover volume offers a rare glimpse into the moments before and after performances, documenting nearly a decade of encounters with artists including RAYE, Quincy Jones, Sting, Grace Jones, Sam Smith, Janelle Monáe, Nile Rodgers, Chaka Khan, Carlos Santana, Lionel Richie, Seal, Jon Batiste, Jacob Collier, Lil Nas X, FKA twigs, Pulp, Benson Boone and many more.
Since becoming the Festival’s backstage photographer in 2018, Abrar has enjoyed unique access to artists away from the spotlight, creating portraits that capture both the intensity and intimacy of life at Montreux. The Elegance of Time brings together these photographs alongside stories from the Festival’s history, exploring the moments, relationships and creative freedom that have defined Montreux across generations.
The book includes previously untold stories behind some of Abrar’s most memorable photographs, from photographing RAYE alongside her Swiss grandfather – an image later used for the cover of her album Live at Montreux – to documenting Quincy Jones’ final evening at the Festival.
At the heart of the book is the Festival’s distinctive relationship with time – a theme explored through around thirty stories spanning decades of musical history. From late-night jam sessions and extended artist residencies to landmark performances that have shaped the Festival’s legacy, the book reflects the atmosphere that has made Montreux a unique destination for artists since 1967.
Anoush Abrar said: “The Montreux Jazz Festival opens up a field of possibilities. It’s no coincidence that so many artists agree to play along. The aura of the Festival convinces them to leave a trace of their visit. But I believe it is above all thanks to the Festival’s quality of hospitality, inherited from Claude Nobs—know-how that has been passed down for decades.”
Mathieu Jaton, CEO of Montreux Jazz Festival, said: “Giving each encounter the time it needs, leaving room for improvisation and the unexpected: it is in this notion of time, inherited from Claude Nobs, that a certain elegance resides in Montreux. In this soothing setting, between lake and mountains, many artists choose to stay a few days longer, agree to adapt their tour to more intimate venues, dare what they wouldn’t attempt anywhere else, and are free to play late into the night. Here, time does not constrain; it opens.”
The Elegance of Time will be available to purchase from tomorrow, Wednesday 10 June at montreuxjazzshop.com
About Anoush Abrar
Born in Tehran and based in Switzerland, Anoush Abrar is internationally recognised for his immersive portrait photography. A two-time finalist of the Taylor Wessing National Portrait Gallery Prize, his work has been exhibited globally and has earned numerous international awards.
Book Information
