Guelph Jazz Festival in the Parks

This year, with the goal of presenting uplifting live music experiences safely and festively, the Guelph Jazz Festival will include an exciting and novel structure of free, outdoor live music events, ‘GJF in the Parks.’

In association with the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition and some of its affiliate Neighbourhood Groups, the GJF will present live music in the following City parks:

Thursday, 16 September, 4:30-7:15pm: York Road Park, Mollison Park, Norm Jary Park
Friday, 17 September, 4:30-7:15pm: York Road Park, Mollison Park, Brant Park
Saturday, 18 September, 2:30-5:15pm: York Road Park, Brant Park, Norm Jary Park

** for locations, please see google maps, embedded at the bottom of this page **

These sites have been chosen to spread our live music presentation outside of the downtown core, and to make it more accessible to a wider range of Guelph residents.

As part of the program, each site on each day will host a different thematically related program of three groups: 

‘Old Jazz Made New’ (jazz traditions re-envisioned by Canadian artists):
Revival Ensemble plays Ellington’s Far East Suite (12-piece band reimagining a classic)
Togetherness! (Montreal quintet playing jazz by master South African composers)
Teri Parker’s Free Spirits (tribute to unsung giants, Mary Lou Williams and Geri Allen)
16 September, Mollison Park • 17 September, Brant Park • 18 September, York Road Park

‘Percussion International’ (drums and more):
Ensemble Jeng Yi (traditional Korean percussion, plus zither and dance)
Aline Morales’s Baque de Bamba (Brazilian song and percussion)
Amadeo Ventura’s Spoken Rhythms (Afro-Cuban percussion combined with poetry)
16 September, Norm Jary Park • 17 September, York Road Park • 18 September, Brant Park

‘Pops said All music is folk music’ (new visions of folk music):
ETHIO AZMARI (Ethiopian songs for voice, masenquo, drums, with dancers)
Boxcar Boys (Dixieland, Balkan, and klezmer played with brass-band gusto)
Turkish Music Ensemble (songs for voice, ney, baglama, and percussion)
16 September, York Road Park • 17 September, Mollison Park • 18 September, Norm Jary Park

For the comfort and safety of our attendees, each site will feature a stage and a snow-fence enclosure to strictly limit capacity, and patrons are invited to bring a folding chair or a blanket to sit on the grass. Contact tracing will be required for all attendees prior to entry, and volunteers will be on hand to help to ensure safe physical distancing on site. No food or drink will be served on site. The Guelph Jazz Festival is thrilled to have the opportunity to present live music again, and we are working with WDG Public Health and the City of Guelph to do so in a manner that is both safe and festive.

Presented in partnership with the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition, Two Rivers Neighbourhood Group, Kortright Hills Neighbourhood Group & Onward Willow Neighbourhood Group.

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