Breadcrumb Trail Links
From world-class concerts to free shows and a full day of music in Victoria Park, Jazz Fest will kick off festival season in fine form
Published Jun 23, 2023 • 5 minute read
Photo by Tony Caldwell /Postmedia
Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
Article content
For Kent Sangster, the TD Edmonton International Jazz Festival can be summed up in the phrase, “It’s not who you know, it’s who you don’t know.”
“That’s a marketing slogan that they use at the Rochester International Jazz Festival, which is owned by a friend of mine,” says the executive director of the Edmonton festival, which has slimmed down from 10 days to five for this year’s edition, running in compact fashion from Wednesday to Sunday. “It’s perfect for what we do here, which is an attempt to keep it fresh on our part. I’m lucky in that I have a direct pipeline to new and up-and-coming acts through Grant MacEwan music students, who keep me up to date on these things.”
Advertisement 2
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
- Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.
- Get exclusive access to the Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.
- Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.
- Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
- Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
- Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.
- Get exclusive access to the Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.
- Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.
- Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
- Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
REGISTER TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account.
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
- Enjoy additional articles per month.
- Get email updates from your favourite authors.
Article content
Headline News
Thanks for signing up!
Article content
Among the acts Sangster is excited to see this year’s is Franco-Swiss saxophonist Léon Phal, who draws as much from R&B and hip hop as he does from more traditional jazz. It wasn’t a heads up from a young student that turned him on to the rising musician, though. Sangster first encountered Phal at last year’s Jazzahead! Festival in Bremen, Germany, where Edmonton’s trombone sorceress Audrey Ochoa was also being spotlighted.
“It’s a tenor and trumpet frontline and they’re definitely playing new jazz, drum-and-bass live electronica,” says Sangster about Phal, who opens for bass phenom Nik West Friday night at the Starlite Room. “There’s some looping but it’s mostly live, and the horn lines kind of remind me of Freddie Hubbard. So it’s like that hard bop thing but it’s all drum-and-bass. I think it’s going to resonate really well with people here, we just need to make sure we can get them in the room.”
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Play Video
Article content
Advertisement 3
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
We all like to see a local success story, and multi-instrumentalist Efajemue, who grew up in Edmonton, is a good one. Currently working as a session drummer and educator in Los Angeles, the JUNO-nominated musician has been playing hip hop, jazz and funk in bands like Ruckus and the Efa Etoroma Jr. Trio. He’ll be opening Thursday night at the Starlite Room for The Bad Plus, a veteran four-piece as well known for their exploded avant-garde stylings as their covers of popular music standards like Tom Sawyer by Rush and Karma Police by Radiohead.
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Play Video
Advertisement 4
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
For those more attuned to mainstream jazz, Chris Botti is probably the most exciting act booked this year. The trumpet player has gone neck and neck with Kenny G in the smooth jazz category, straddling both the jazz and pop charts with a series of hugely popular albums that have also grabbed a number of Grammy wins and nominations. He’ll be at the Winspear Thursday night, providing a glossier sheen to the enterprise.
“I describe it as an extremely well-scripted movie,” says Sangster. “It’s beautiful, it’s absolutely beautiful. I’ve seen this show once as a patron and he knows exactly what he’s doing. People leave and they’re really entertained. It’s very showbiz, he’ll walk into the audience and just play solo trumpet.”
Sangster greatly respects Botti as a force in the mainstream, but he’s especially thrilled that vocalist Veronica Swift will be appearing with him.
“She’s one of the finest jazz vocalists on the planet,” he exclaims. “I don’t know how you can sing bebop jazz any better. I mean, this is Ella Fitzgerald level we’re talking about. We just found out she’s in the band and that’s incredible value.”
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Play Video
Advertisement 5
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
In the air of Victoria Park
Jazz in the Park sits in a self-contained bubble in Victoria Park on Sunday, the last day of the festival.
“I’m pretty proud of this lineup. The first act, Mary Ancheta, is really hip, her band plays funky, contemporary band instrumentals. There’s the Lowdown Brass Band from Chicago, a salsa band from Vancouver and a singer named Caity Gyorgy who sings like Sarah Vaughan or any of those legends. Rubim de Toledo has a new world-music project and Endea Owens is a brilliant bass player who worked in the band on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. She’s coming with her group The Cookout. Then we have The Way Back Whens and The Brasstactics roaming around during breaks.”
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Play Video
Advertisement 6
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
There’s barely enough space to mention such notable events as the Arlo Maverick-hosted Lyricist Lounge at the Temple behind Starlite on Friday, or the Jazzfest Jams, taking place from Wednesday to Saturday at the Chateau Lacombe with up-and-coming local artists hosting and possibly surprise guests from the marquee acts. Free programming has always been an important part of the festival’s mandate, and this year sees La Cité Francophone, the Ice District and Bellamy’s Lounge hosting acts like The Mbira Renaissance Band, Colleen Brown Band and Joshua Banks Trio. The condensed schedule and extra venues means there will be no festival passes this year, only individual tickets for each show.
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Play Video
Advertisement 7
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
A certain amount of pragmatism is needed to run a five-day festival devoted to jazz and its many musical strains and mutations, along with a large dose of optimism. Sangster has plenty of both traits, especially on taking over leadership of the festival in 2006 after the implosion of Jazz City, their direct antecedent. A saxophonist and a jobbing musician himself, he’s aware of the precariousness of any arts endeavor, and the reminders come fast.
Like during last year’s Jazz in the Park, where Sangster came across the Journal’s music writer Roger Levesque huddling in a drizzling rain that had persisted through the last three days at the festival.
“There were very few people there and I saw him in front of the stage encased head to toe in this rain gear,” says Sangster. “He was in this weird, cool little igloo-type thing and he sat there the whole day. We chatted afterwards. He said, ‘I know this might be a lot of effort but promise me that you’re going to continue this.’ Roger had the perspective. The next day the sun broke out and we had 750 people out there and it was awesome.”
PREVIEW
TD Edmonton International Jazz Festival
When Wednesday to Sunday
Where Various venues
Tickets Free and ticketed events with a full schedule and prices at edmontonjazz.com
Article content
Share this article in your social network
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
Join the Conversation
Advertisement 1
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.