Coastal Jazz & Blues Society's fourth annual IronFest takes place from October 26 to 28

Miniseries in partnership with Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival features improvisational and experimental jazz

SPONSORED POST BY Coastal Jazz & Blues Society

Beatings Are in the Body. Photo by Tara Flynn

Coastal Jazz & Blues Society presents the fourth annual IronFest music series from October 26 to 28, in partnership with the Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival.

Over three evenings, audiences will be treated to imaginative jams and improvisational sets from a wide range of world-class jazz musicians, composers, and bandleaders from Canada and the United States, including composer-guitarist Tony Wilson, saxophonist Tim Berne, cellists Hank Roberts and Peggy Lee, and pianist Craig Taborn. The music series, now in its fourth incarnation, has historically featured unique collaborations of improvisational jazz musicians.

“This lineup brings attention to some of the same aspects our audiences have grown to love about these mini off-season festivals—a cast of new and emerging artists and familiar old favourites,” says Cole Schmidt, Coastal Jazz & Blues Society’s artistic programmer, in a release. “We’re also honored to be partnering again with the Heart of the City Festival in presenting some important work and music to do with the Downtown Eastside.”

The Heart of the City Festival aims to promote, present, and facilitate the development of artists, cultural traditions, history, activism, people, and stories about Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Most IronFest performances are scheduled to take place at The Ironworks, located at 235 Alexander Street.

Craig Taborn.

IronFest opens on October 26 at 7:30 pm with Wilson’s The Homeless Project at the Carnegie Community Centre Theatre. The multimedia presentation incorporates original music, film, and narration, shining light on the serious housing struggles people face in the Downtown Eastside and across Canada.

October 27 features two events: cellist Lee, pianist Róisin Adams, and vocalist Erika Angell in their enigmatic project Beatings Are in the Body, and Oceans And, alto saxophonist Berne’s collaboration with accordionist Aurora Nealand and cellist Roberts. Electro-acoustic chamber ensemble Josh Cole’s Kind Mind performs October 28.

Brooklyn-based pianist Taborn closes the fest on October 28 at 9:30 pm at The Ironworks. A piano and electronic-music performer in the improvisational creative scene for over 25 years, Taborn composes for and performs across jazz, new music, electronic, rock, noise, and avant-garde contexts.

Tickets are on sale now at coastaljazz.ca.

Post sponsored by Coastal Jazz & Blues Society.

Josh Cole. Photo by Thomas Hammerton