Smoke On The Water …

Do you remember this song of Deep Purple? It was a homage to Claude Nobs, founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival. Claude died last night.
Claude Nobs earned the mention as “Funky Claude” who rescues children in Deep Purple’s 1973 song Smoke On The Water. The song is about a fire that burned down the Montreux Casino, where the festival was held, during a Frank Zappa concert in 1971.
Claude founded the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1967. The festival became a fixed point in my yearly agenda. In July I always had been in Montreux. Where else could you hear, sea and even meet artists such as Miles Davis and Carlos Santana, Keith Jarrett and Frank Zappa. And many, many others.
Rest in peace, Claude. We are missing you.
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