TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival unveils online lineup of more than 100 concerts, June 25 to July 4
Ravi Coltrane, John Beasley’s MONK’estra, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Talking Pictures, and much more from BC and around the world
Sax star Ravi Coltrane plays the music of his legendary parents, John and Alice.
John Beasley’s MONK’estra pays tribute to Thelonius Monk.
AFTER HAVING TO CANCEL the 2020 TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival due to the pandemic, the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society is back for 2021 with an online array of more than 100 virtual concerts.
Shows for the 35th edition of the fest stream from June 25 to July 6. Streaming packages go on sale April 26 at 10 am, with single stream tickets on sale May 3 at 10 am.
Plans are also in the works for limited in-person attendance, if health orders allow for small gatherings.
This year’s roster boasts streams from as far away as New York, Amsterdam, and Paris, plus a wealth of BC talent, free online workshops, and more.
The 10-day International Streaming Series kicks off June 25 with a performance from Chicago by percussionists Hamid Drake and Michael Zerang. June 26 and 27 will take audiences to New York, with a tribute to Bud Powell, featuring Helen Sung, Steve Smith, and Lonnie Plaxico, as well as a solo performance by pianist Fred Hersch. On June 28, it’s back to Chicago for innovative guitarist Jeff Parker & the New Breed. On June 29, Irreversible Entanglements navigates black power and trauma, while on June 30, John Beasley’s Grammy-winning MONK’estra explores the music of Thelonious Monk and their own original compositions. July 1 extends the poetry of Camae Ayewa (aka Moor Mother) from Irreversible Entanglements with bassist Luke Stewart and percussionist Tcheser Holmes. July 2 sees Chicago’s AACM’s third-generation all-stars play their own compositions as Artifacts. July 3 sees jazz royalty Ravi Coltrane playing the music of his parents John and Alice Coltrane, with harpist Brandee Younger. The series wraps up on July 4 in Philly, with the Sun Ra Arkestra.
Elsewhere, the Innovation Series at Ironworks streams nightly at 9 pm, kicking off with violinist Josh Zubot on June 25, followed by the killer Vancouver improvisation trio of guitarist Gordon Grdina, clarinetist François Houle, and drummer Kenton Loewen the next night. Elsewhere in the same program, watch for The Watermill Project, combining Korean traditional music and jazz, led by vocalist Sara Kim; pianist Paul Plimley and his trio; guitarist Tony Wilson and the Longhand Trio; Limbs of the Star; and Waxwing. Note that July 3 sees a rare appearance by Talking Pictures, led by guitarist Ron Samworth.
Snotty Nose Rez Kids hit the Performance Works Series.
Over on the Performance Works Series, nine ticketed, streamed concerts take place at 8 pm each night, launching June 25 with Haisla hip-hop sensations Snotty Nose Rez Kids, followed the next night by Dálava’s delirious mix of free jazz and Czech folk melodies. Other standouts on the same program: soulful singer Khari Wendell McClelland, blues and swing masters Blue Moon Marquee, Vancouver neo-soul star Tonye Aganaba, the Peggy Lee Band, and jazz-pop fest favourite Jill Barber.
Also announced today are the ticketed programs for Pyatt Hall and Frankie’s Jazz Club—home of the straight-ahead, bebop, and modern jazz. The 10-concert Pyatt Hall Series streams nightly at 7 pm, and shows at Frankie’s start nightly at 7:30 pm—the latter venue scheduled for in-person attendance, unless restaurant restrictions are extended, in which case the concerts will be streamed.
The Pyatt series kicks off June 25 with sax-master and local jazz impresario Cory Weeds and his Quartet in a tribute to Harold Land. Elsewhere, check out vocalist Katherine Penfold, Ben Dwyer and his sax-legend father Phil, Triology—the Vancouver dream team of Jodi Proznick, Miles Black, and Bill Coon—and guitarist Bill Coon. Highlights at Frankie’s include pianist Sharon Minemoto, saxophonist Jerry Cook and his quartet, Korean-Canadian drummer Jamie Lee and her trio, and Jen Hodge All Stars.
There’s much more; find the full lineup announced so far here, and watch for more announcements to come.
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