Oliver Jones, Oscar Peterson, Ibrahim Ferrer, k.d. lang, Dianne Reeves, the Colin James Band and George Thorogood are the first artists confirmed for the 25th Festival International de Jazz de Montreal, to be held June 30-July 11.

Prior to the annual summer series, Diana Krall will headline the festival-related 25th Anniversary Gala June 29 at Montreal's Bell Center. A host of as-yet-unannounced special guests are also promised.

As part of the festival itself, Montreal's Place des Arts will play host to most of the shows confirmed so far. Lang will be joined by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra July 7, while 76-year-old Ferrer will play the venue the following evening. Reeves will perform there July 9 and the double-bill of the Oliver Jones Trio and the Oscar Peterson Trio will be featured on July 10.

James and Thorogood are slated to perform July 7 at the city's Metropolis.

Canada's TicketPro will begin pre-sales for the announced events today (Dec. 5), with general public sales slated to begin tomorrow. The central festival ticket office at Spectrum de Montreal is also offering a reduced price package for the Krall, Reeves and Jones/Peterson concerts.