Current News

Experience Guelph Jazz: the new season‏

1. 2009 Guelph Jazz Festival: Experience public jazz
2. Premier's Awards for Excellence in the Arts
3. Volunteer: get a FREE ticket to a festival performance

---

1. 2009 Guelph Jazz Festival: Experience public jazz

Today we're announcing the 2009 Guelph Jazz Festival, our 16th anniversary season, which will take place Thursday Sept. 9 to Sunday Sept. 13. Following our successful program last year, we're again seeking to push the boundaries of creative and improvised music.

We're thrilled to invite you to experience public jazz. Brand new this year are the Outstallations - a special series of outdoor events designed to reach new audiences and present unconventional music in Guelph's public spaces. The three Outstallations are:

• Three Parades - counterpoint parades of musicians converging and diverging on downtown streets
• Acoustic Orienteering - a soundscape walking tour of interacting musicians and the public in city spaces
• Percussion in the Park - featuring music created spontaneously by professionals and kids using found instruments and playground equipment

This year's Festival is also excited to welcome:

• the legendary World Saxophone Quartet from the U.S., playing Hendrix Experience
• Inuit singer Tanya Tagaq, with Jesse Zubot and Jean Martin
• a who's who of New York improvisers with Joëlle Léandre of France
• Top Canadian musicians headlining the day-long Upper Wyndham Street Jazz Tent (FREE admission) on Saturday, including Jane Bunnett (playing with Guelph's own KidsAbility Youth Ensemble), Michael Occhipinti's Sicilian Jazz Project, The Shuffle Demons, Afrobeat specialists Mr. Something Something, and closing with Odessa / Havana (a Latin/Klezmer hybrid that has won multi awards including World Music Group of 2008)
• a talented lineup of Quebec musicians, including Jean Derome, Lori Freedman, Joane Hétu, and others
• Local favourites including Rebel Rhythm, The Woodchopper's Association and Jah Youssouf (the Malian kamal n'goni, or hunter's harp, wizard who lit up the 2007 Festival), and the aptly named Tall Boys (Kevin Breit, Matt Brubeck, and Jesse Stewart)

For our full concert line-up complete with artist bios, photos, and music clips visit guelphjazzfestival.com. The festival includes both free and ticketed concerts and events. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, July 15.

2. Premier's Awards for Excellence in the Arts

For the second consecutive year, the Guelph Jazz Festival was shortlisted for the Ontario Premier's Awards for Excellence in the Arts and took its place of honour among five other distinguished nominees, all from Toronto.

The awards were presented last night in Toronto. The winner in the Arts Organization category was Toronto Artscape, a non-profit urban developer that creates affordable artist spaces. We also congratulate media artist Ron Mann, who won in the Individual Artist category.

Although disappointed not to win the Premier's Award, we were honoured to be one of the finalists for the second year in a row (out of 168 nominees), and the only non-Toronto arts organization to be shortlisted for the $50,000 prize this year.

3. Volunteer: get a FREE ticket to a festival performance

Volunteer this year and experience making a valuable contribution to one of Canada's top leading-edge artistic festivals. Whether you'd like to help out in our office, on a committee or at the Festival itself, we have a place for you.

It's a lot of fun, and all it requires is a minimum of six hours before or during the Festival. Shifts vary in length, depending on the location of your volunteer assignment and your specific duties. In return, each volunteer will receive:

• a Festival volunteer t-shirt
• one complimentary ticket to a Festival concert
• and an invitation to our post-Festival volunteer party

If you'd like to volunteer, go to the volunteer page of our web site, and fill out the PDF application. You can also contact the newest member of our team, Volunteer Coordinator Raphael Rotor, at 519-763-4952 or .