TORONTO, Canada (Toronto Sun) - Ray Charles, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Joshua Redman,
Dianne Reeves and
Wynton Marsalis are some of the major stars booked to play this year's du Maurier Downtown Jazz Festival, the 17th edition of the annual jazzathon.
While the official festival runs from June 20 to 29, the dates have been stretched to accommodate a few special presentations, including Marsalis' concert with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra at the Hummingbird Centre on June 19 and Reeves' appearance at the long-awaited Carlu, aka the restored Eaton Auditorium, on June 12. And after the major festival ends, there will one more show: Jason Swinscoe's Cinematic Orchestra at the Phoenix on June 30.
In between, a number of familiar names appear at the outdoor stage in Nathan Phillips Square, the Hummingbird Centre, the Goethe Institute, the Sheraton Centre and numerous downtown clubs, including the Montreal Bistro, the El Mocambo, Grossman's, the Rex and many more.
As well as local jazz performers Phil Nimmons, Molly Johnson, Bernie Senensky, Richard Underhill, Melissa Stylianou, Rob McConnell, Lorne Lofsky and Mike Murley, the festival dips its toe into other genres by presenting the Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir, blues singer Mighty Sam McClain and rock/jazz band David Clayton Thomas and Blood Sweat & Tears.
In a nod to critics who complained about the festival's reliance on traditional jazz in the past, organizers have booked some more adventurous acts for the Next Wave series, including Swedish saxophonist Fredrik Nordstrom, Dutch pianist Frank Van Bommel, Italian saxophonist Carlo Actis and New Yorkers Medeski, Martin & Wood. As well, the du Maurier Nightlife Series features jazz/electronic/dance hybrids like the Glen Hall Trio and K-Os. For more information, go to www.torontojazz.com.
A month later, from July 24 to 27, the 15th Beaches International Jazz Festival features pianist Hilario Duran, blues singer Rita Chiarelli, Cuban nine-piece all-female band D'Talle and the Downchild Blues Band at the Alex Christie Bandshell in Kew Gardens, plus many others at various venues in the neighbourhood. It will also get going early, with a New Orleans mini-festival called Parti Gras at the new Distillery Historic District on July 19 and 20. All Beaches jazz events are free, and info is available at www.beachesjazz.com.
Or check out the new umbrella Web site for local jazz events at www.torontojazzlive.com. It provides links to both the above festivals, the new Distillery Jazz Festival (May 22-June 1) and a handful of local jazz clubs, plus info on VIA Rail packages.
As of presstime, representatives of Downtown Jazz and the Beaches jazz festival said that neither event had experienced any cancellations or ill effects from SARS-related panic. The inaugural Uptown Jazz Festival, which was scheduled for July 4-6 at Mel Lastman Square, has been cancelled, however, apparently because of SARS
