Prince is remembered by Montreux Jazz director

Montreux Jazz Festival director Mathieu Jaton said in a statement that he was “devastated” by news of the death of the guitarist and singer, Prince, on Thursday evening. The American artist's agent confirmed that Prince was found deceased at his Paisley Park home in Minnesota on Thursday morning. He was 57. The “Minneapolis kid” had come three times to the Montreux Jazz Festival, recalled festival director Jaton. In 2007, the American musician gave his first concert on the shores of Lake Geneva, where he announced 21 concerts to follow at the O2 in London. Later that night, Prince thrilled attendees with a “mythical” jam at the Montreux Jazz Café for 45 minutes, until nearly one in the morning. “He is the freest musician I know…I still speak of him in the present tense. It was he who decided to come to Montreux,” said Jaton. Two years later, prince returned to give two concerts in the same evening at the Stravinski auditorium, replacing Donna Summer on short notice.