Quartz - Festival International De Jazz De Montreal (Quebec Jazz Rock)

Quartz was formed in August 1982 by percussionist Mathieu Léger and bassist Warren Stolow, both formerly of L'Orchestre Sympathique, who teamed up with Michel Martineau on clarinette and Ivanhoé Jolicoeur on trompet and flugelhorn. They played at the Festival du Grand Café in October of that year, and did a few shows in France. They were soon joined by Sylvain Provost on guitar. On July 8, 1983, at the 4th Montreal International Jazz Festival, the group won the Yamaha Award (Concours de Jazz Yamaha) for best performance. The show was recorded and is featured on the group`s only album, one of the best jazz albums to be released in the `80s. Quartz toured Quebec and the Maritimes before morphing into various other jazz ensembles during the remainder of the decade. In 1992, Mathieu Leger formed Lezimpoly, and recorded two more great jazz albums during the ensuing years.

Caji