14th Annual Markham Jazz Festival:
International Stars, JUNO Nominees, Diverse Jazz Artists and Jazz Hot Spots All About Town!
This year we are presenting 24 different professional jazz groups on three free stages, plus the GALA at the Markham Theatre. More than that, we are hosting two fantastic free clinics – one by Gretchen Parlato (Saturday, 11:30am) and the other by Jeff Coffin (Sunday, 11 am). Both are free, but require advance registration.
Overview:
The 14th Annual Markham Jazz Festival (MJF) promises to keep summer sizzling with an outstanding weekend of jazz music to end the summer festival season August 19-21, 2011. Daytime and evening outdoor performances will be at the Millennium Bandstand, the Varley Art Gallery Patio and the McKay Art Centre Lawn all located on Main Street, Unionville, north of Hwy 7 between Warden and Kennedy Road in Markham. New this year will be a wine/beer garden at the McKay Art Centre stage. The MJF/Varley Kids Zone will be set up for children's activities at the Vendor Bazaar area (opposite the Varley Patio Stage), and Historical Tours of Main Street Unionville will be offered daily at 2:30 pm. Art lovers will be invited to visit the Varley Art Gallery exhibit – free to jazz festival attendees!
FRIDAY, August 19th
On Friday August 19th, the Markham Jazz Festival presents its annual Gala Evening at the Markham Theatre for Performing Arts featuring two internationally acclaimed jazz artists, pianist Bill Charlap and vocalist Gretchen Parlato. Tickets are $55, $45 for Friends of the Festival Cardholders. Gretchen Parlato has been called "the voice of her generation" and Bill Charlap is a renowned interpreter of the Great American Songbook. There are still some tickets available by ordering on-line at www.markhamjazzfestival.com.
Also on Friday, the Millennium Bandstand on Main Street will have two concerts beginning at 7:00 pm. 2008 JUNO-nominated saxophonist/composer Tara Davidson kicks things off with her great quintet. She'll be followed by the16-piece percussion-driven group Samba Squad with guest vocalists Lester McLean, Luanda Jones and DIA.
The rest of the weekend is packed with performances starting at 1: 00 pm on Saturday and
12: 00 noon on Sunday.
SATURDAY, August 20th
Gretchen Parlato will start the Saturday off with a free vocal clinic at the Varley Art Gallery at 11:30 am (registration required), followed by concerts on Saturday afternoon that include: 2011 JUNO-nominee Laila Biali, JUNO-nominated blues singer Suzie Vinnick; global jazz fusion group The Montuno Police; acoustic modern roots trio Three Metre Day with Hugh Marsh, Michelle Willis and Don Rooke; Aline Morales's mix of Brazilian music and pop, and the JAZZFM91 Youth Big Band.
The dinner hour offers eclectic klezmer group Zebrina; drummer Ernesto Cervini's Quartet, with special guest saxophonist Joel Frahm; A Jazz Tribute to the Music of John Lennon, featuring arrangements by Michael Occhipinti, and the vocals of Elizabeth Shepherd, Laila Biali, and Dominic Mancuso. Saturday night concludes with two great performances: the JUNO-nominated blues and soul of The Johnny Max Band, and a performance at the Millennium Bandstand with Grammy winning saxophonist Jeff Coffin and The Mu'tet. Coffin has won a legion of fans around the globe as a member of both Bela Fleck and The Flecktones and The Dave Matthews and he is our Artist in Residence for 2011.
SUNDAY, August 21st.
Jeff Coffin will kick off Sunday with a free 11:00 am clinic that's open to everyone. (Free, but pre-registration is required.)
Sunday afternoon concerts include modern Cuban guitarist Elmer Ferrer; saxophonist John Nugent and singer/guitarist Dawn Thomson; JUNO award winning electric bass player Chris Tarry with New York guitarist Pete McCann, Kelly Jefferson and Barry Romberg; a second concert with Jeff Coffin & The Mu'tet; Brazilian singer/songwriter Luanda Jones; the unique vocal and electronic trio Lal; Turkish fusion band Minor Empire, and saxophonist Scott Marshall's Quartet. The festival weekend closes with singer Kellylee Evans performing music from her 2011 JUNO-nominated tribute to the great Nina Simone.
Artistic Director Michael Occhipinti says this about the 2011 festival's line-up of artists: "I'm thrilled that ours is the first jazz festival in the GTA to be presenting both Gretchen Parlato and Jeff Coffin's Mu'tet. Gretchen and Jeff are dynamic, internationally recognized artists who reflect our festival programming in general, in that they touch on so many different kinds of music. Jazz encompasses many different styles, and we've got the best of it on our stages August 19-21."
Again this year, JAZZFM91's Jaymz Bee will emcee the Friday night Gala Evening and introduce performances at the Millennium Bandstand on Saturday and Sunday.
HOT SPOTS
(participating bars, pubs, restaurants and other groups that feature their own jazz to complement and round out the main stage festival offerings):
There will be Jazz Hot Spots on Main Street, Unionville, jazz at the Hilton Suites of Markham, jazz at Rico's Bar and Bistrio on Hwy 7 on Thursday evening, and a jazz vespers concert Saturday afternoon at Central United Church on Main Street Unionville. Visit our website for more details about the hotspots. It is suggested that you make reservations, where possible. The preliminary Hot Spots schedule is posted under "Schedules".
The Markham Jazz Festival is grateful for the our 2011 major grant providers and sponsors that helped make this annual event possible: Ontario Tourism, Town of Markham, Department of Canadian Heritage, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Ontario Arts Council, SOCAN, Markham Subaru, Markville Shopping Centre, Kylemore Communities, and TD Bank – plus the many other community partners that have contributed to ensure that the 14th Annual MJF will be the best yet!