Background of the Markham Jazz Festival:
The Markham Jazz Festival was initiated in 1998. For the past 10 years, the Markham Jazz Festival has presented diverse and eclectic jazz performers - performers who are not only drawn from the cream of the crop of Canadian jazz artists, but who also come from a wide variety of other countries, including the U.S.A. and Cuba. The Festival's repertoire spans a variety of genres, including traditional, swing, Latin, fusion, world, Dixieland, and contemporary jazz.
In the ten years that the Festival has been in existence, it has garnered a reputation as one of the finer community jazz Festivals in Canada.
Some of the artists who have graced the stage are:
- Guitarist Jeff Healy
- Pianist Oliver Jones
- Rob McConnell
- International jazz star, Fred Hersch
- Violinist Mireille Proulx
- Legendary proto-bopper Michael Pickett
- Jazz vocalists and theatrical stars Lyne Tremblay and Ranee Lee
- Latin trumpeter Nic Ali and "Cruzao"
- Cornetist Warren Vache
- Boogie woogie pianist Michael Kaeshammer
- Dynamic Gospel trio "Revelation Three"
- Jazz song and lyric writer Bob Dorough
- Toronto Mass Choir
- Cimarron with Luis Mario Ochoa
- June Garber
- DEW East
- Tom Van Seters
- Hilario Duran Big Band
- Flying Bulgar Klesmer Band
This year's Festival:
The 2008 Markham Jazz Festival runs from Friday, August 15th. , to Sunday, August 17th. For this, the 11th., annual version, “Hot Jazz, Cool Cats”, mainstage events take place in the picturesque, historic Village of Unionville, and the thriving Main Street of Markham t (on the migratory flight path of their Canada Goose mascot!) – all just about 30 minutes north of downtown Toronto. In Unionville, the "Main Stage" events are located in TooGood Pond park (behind the Varley Art Gallery) and at the Millennium Bandstand. Visitors can enjoy jazz in a park-like setting, or stroll along Unionville Main Street to the Millennium Bandstand, catching other street performances on the way. On Main Street Markham, jazz lovers can enjoy Saturday morning jazz at the Farmers’ Market, and on Sunday afternoon, the street will be closed to accommodate two stages of performers.
To compliment the Main Stage events, "Hot Spots" (a variety of venues in Unionville and Markham) present fantastic jazz artists in a 'Street Festival and Concert Environment'. Festival attendees can wander from venue to venue, soaking up the party atmosphere, the jazz music, and the historic beauty of the villages of Unionville and Markham- a truly a magical experience.
The festival will highlight a large variety of music within the family of jazz. The festival committee has worked hard to recruit a wide range of diverse, interesting and well-known artists who will present jazz in all its forms.
