Hailed by the Guinness World Book of Records as the biggest festival of its kind, the Jazz Fest (June 29 thru July 9, 2006) starts cooking at 8 p.m. on June 28 at Salle Wilfred Pelletier, Place des Arts, with nothing less than a pre-festival birthday concert performed by the King himself. Yes, the King, as in BB, the octogenarian who just launched his 36th album for this auspicious occasion, including duets with Eric Clapton and Elton John.

The thrill is on. This crown jewel of a city, of some 3.5 million inhabitants, is busy rolling out the red carpet to receive the blue blood and high priests of jazz, blues, and rock n soul, with a musical lineup as diverse as the city itself. From Wayne Shorter to McCoy Tyner. Ravi Coltrane to Radiohead. Bonnie Raitt to Paul Simon.

Yes, sir. The saints are marching in. And everyone who professes a love of music and a love of Louisiana wants to be in that number. Montreal is riding with the King. And the Queen. Etta James performs on July 1 at 8 p.m. at Salle Wilfred Pelletier, Place des Arts and is expected to show up in her famous tour bus with her two sons. Not to mention the likes of producer and composer Allen Toussaint and Quebecs own producer, singer and songwriter, Daniel Lanois, who lives in New Orleans and has worked with everyone from Dylan to U2. He will be performing alongside EmmyLou Harris on July 6 at 8 p.m. Again, Salle Wilfred Pelletier.

Some 2 million visitors are expected to attend the greatest show on earth. Thats equivalent to more than half the number of people who actually live here. All of whom, either addicted to music and/or Montreal the City of Festivals - have been vying for airline tickets and hotel reservations, alongside Grand Prix aficionados. Yes, Montreal plays host to that too. This weekend. Then theres the St. Jean Baptiste Day celebrations, Quebecs National Holiday.

Indeed, the local press has warned that, not unlike the lyrics of John Sebastians Summer in the City, anyone who ventures to Montreal this summer might very well suffer the dizzying effects of sensory overload. Who knows what can happen when you travel to the heights of the festival world?

But only a city with this much soul could get a festival of this size and stature off the ground with the elan that epitomizes Montreal - the second largest French-speaking city on the globe. And, unlike a lot of musical events, the Jazz Fest is furthermore a family affair. Dont miss Funk Night - La Nuit du Funk - with Family Stone Experience (minus Sly) and Maceo Parker at the Metropolis on June 30 at 8:30 p.m.

Several city blocks in the heart of the city centre will be cordoned off for this annual traffic-stopping extravaganza. Parking in the vicinity and on the festival site is not impossible. But the metro, as we call the subway or underground here, is your best bet. If you are on wheels, park at a nearby metro station and just march in. On time. Sorry, bikes and blades are prohibited in the concert area for reasons of security.

This years festival - which will showcase some 2,500 artists in some 500 concerts, 350 of which are free of charge - pays tribute to New Orleans. The Crescent City, so named because of its location on the bend of the Mississippi River. Louisianas Canadian cousins, north of the Mason Dixon Line, starting with Festival President Alain Simard, not only deemed it timely to use the festival to turn the worlds moral compass toward the very birthplace of jazz so tragically hammered by the ravages of Hurricane Katrina almost one year ago and hung out to dry - but to salute the Crescent City and express their solidarity.

And the children of New Orleans and their musical soul mates the world over, artists and audiences alike, have come together thanks to the generous time and presence of the music world, the sponsors, and Montrealers, whose loyalty to this jazz institution helps to keep Montreal at the top of the bohemian index, alongside New York and San Francisco.

Hurricane Katrina, which almost swallowed New Orleans whole, was the largest urban disaster in American history. Close to two thousand persons were killed. And countless others were left homeless, in search of shelter because of flooding that swamped 80% of the city. Katrina literally decimated the Big Easy, and reduced the population to less than two-thirds its original size.

Allen Toussaint and Ani DiFranco (originally from Buffalo, New York, but living in New Orleans) were some of the more fortunate. They survived. But they lost homes, instruments, master tapes, equipment, archives. Reminiscent of one of the greatest love stories of all time. Between B.B. King and Lucille. His Gibson guitar.

Allen Toussaint and his New Orleans Horn Section perform with Elvis Costello & the Imposters July 3 at 8 p.m. at Salle Wilfred Pelletier of Place des Arts. The two collaborated on The River in Reverse, a collection of songs composed post-Katrina. Ani DiFranco performs at the Spectrum on July 8 at 6 p.m. Reprieve, her latest disc, interrupted midstream because of the hurricane, is due out in August.

So for the love of jazz, the love of whats just, get ready to trade in your beignets for bagels and baguettes. Your bourbon for Labatt bleu at your local dpanneur. That would be Quebecois for convenience store. And your black-eyed peas and bread pudding for poudine. Its all good. Dont forget that Montreal is also the gastronomical capital of the world. And, if you have a hankering for Louisiana or Cajun-style cooking, we have that too. Check out Grand Bayou Caf Bar in the Plateau, Bayou Brazil on St. Denis or Baton Rouge, in Place Desjardins, right across the street from Place des Arts.

Day one of the festival (June 29) kicks off with New Orleans own Neville Brothers in a mega-show at 10:00 p.m. accompanied by Allen Toussaint and friends. And its free of charge. Right after 12-year-old child protge, Nikki Yanofsky, of Montreal.

There is no general admission to the festival. Tickets for the paid concerts are available either online at www.montrealjazzfest.com or at the door. But dont delay. Theyre moving faster than Michael Schumacher. The complete schedule is listed on same site and festival programmes are already available at festival-located Info Jazz Bell kiosks.

A Friend of the Festival pass, which can be purchased for only CDN$12, is, among other things, the ticket to the nightly MOVADO jam sessions at the Hyatt Regency at 1255 Jeanne Mance Street. A very cool venue for anyone whos hot. Smaller stages and clubs around the city also take centre stage, often a stones throw from the festival hub. The proceeds from the pass go to keeping the music and the festival alive.

Food and beverages abound on the festival site and vicinity. Likewise for festival souvenirs. And, as I said, Montreals reputation as one of the culinary capitals of the world is not for naught. So, do the eat beat between shows.

Why so much blues at a jazz festival, you ask? Because the blues is the mother of jazz. The mother of R&B. The mother of rock n roll. Without the blues, thered be no jazz. No R&B. No rock n roll.

But jazz lovers de rigeur, fear not. Youll have the chance to listen to every conceivable jazz genre under the sun, played by both the masters and the more recently inducted into performing mode. Everyone from Brubeck to Pat Martino. No doubt youve done your homework. You dont need me to tell you. Your biggest problem will be making up your mind as to what to see with all that jazz. Thats always the major complaint at this mother of all festivals.

Welcome to French Canada. Where jaser gives the word chat a whole new meaning. And Robbie Robertsons Acadian Driftwood reminds us of our historic bonds with New Orleans. With Louisiana. Reminds us that art is often born of suffering. But that arts role and responsibility is also to relieve suffering by raising consciousness. Katrinas victims will not go unnoticed. Not if we can help it. Musicians and music lovers from Montreal and le monde entier are gonna make a lotta noise.

Hold on. Im coming.

A demain. Till tomorrow.