Lethbridge Jazz Festival features both established and new acts

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The streets will be alive with the sounds of jazz music for the Lethbridge Jazz Festival, June 10-18.
As usual this year’s festival features jazz for all tastes.Past president Don Robb announces the line up for this year‘s Lethbridge Jazz Festival. Photo by Richard Amery
“There is straight ahead jazz, blues and gospel. There is something for everyone,” promised Lethbridge Jazz Society president Josh Davies, who just ended his first year as president.


“We try to find a balance between well known artists like Tommy Banks who has been playing for quite a few years and  artists who are on the rise,” he continued. Davies teaches trumpet at the U of L and sometimes plays  with local R and B and pop band Hippodrome.
 This year’s jazz festival  includes some familiar faces who have played previous years including Tommy Banks, who will be performing with Jens Lindeman at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre, June 17.  Tickets for that show are $35.
 Another familiar face, Kat Danser, returns to play the Owl Acoustic Lounge, June 17 as well at 9:30 pm.. Tickets are $20 for that show as well.


 This year’s festival features some other familiar faces including Ottawa born blues musician Sue Foley who brings her band to the Slice, June 18. Tickets are $20.


 Jazz in the Park, June 18,  features some of the festivals highlights performing in Galt Gardens throughout the afternoon including the Sandwich Quintet, Hippodrome, the Groove Apostles, Kat Danser, Papa King Cole and  the Boogie Machine plus the Sue Foley band.
There will be music throughout the downtown on the streets as well as part of the Suppertime Jazz program at several downtown eateries.

As usual youth will be a prominent part of the jazz festival as 240 youth in 12 different school based jazz ensembles will be part of the Young Lions concert, which opens the festival at the Gate, June 10.
 And Calgary based crooner and  CBC radio personality Tim Tamashiro plays the Sterndale Bennett Theatre, June 18 at 7:30 p.m.
“We’re really excited about  that. He’s worked in radio and will be great to have. He’ll talk about jazz,” he said.

 

Randy Epp is sure to be part of the Lethbridge Jazz Festival this year. Photo by Richard Amery
This year’s Sweet Inspiration Gospel concert at the Southminster Church features Dee Daniels, who performs  on Wednesday, June 15.
“We have to traditional jazz music and  build up the new at the same time,” he said.


 He is excited to bring Tim Tamashiro to town, June 18 at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre. Tickets for the show, which begins at 7:30 p.m. are $35


“ We’re also trying to focus on local acts because there is a lot here that people might not be aware of,” said Davies, who is a part of  the Starlight Lounge program at the Lethbridge Lounge, June 16 at 7:30 p.m..  It features a local orchestra performing a show based on old time radio shows.


“ It’s a local band. We do a wonderful show, We play old ’30s and 40s  songs. . It will be such an exciting evening. We’re doing a top 40 radio show with the Lethbridge Big Band and some special guests. It will be vocal based,” he said.
 He is excited about this year’s extended festival.


“ We’ve got the biggest and the best. We work on this event all year so we encourage people to come and check it out,” he said.

 A version of this story appears in the June 1, 2016 edition of the Lethbridge Sun Times
 – by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 01 June 2016 10:37 )