Lethbridge Jazz Society organizers are getting jazzed about the second annual Lethbridge Jazz Festival, June 14-17.
“There is a good balance of local musicians and imported headliners,” summarized Lethbridge Jazz Society president Don Robb.

Live jazz will be grooving at numerous Lethbridge venues throughout the weekend this year will even include a street party on sixth street south featuring Cool Ray and the Hip Cats from Medicine Hat, Saturday afternoon (June 16).

 But the event begins, June 14 at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery at 7:30 p.m. with the Lethbridge Big Band.
“This is our second year and it worked. We have the major events on Friday and Saturday and late evening events as well,” Robb said.

Robb is especially excited about adding a street party component to the festival with Medicine Hat‘s Cool Ray and the Hip Cats.

“ Medicine Hat did one on the roof of their parking garage, but it was done as a battle of the bands. So we thought we‘d try it here,” Robb said.

 The festival is all about supporting local talent , so the Young Lions, including eight school bands, will be performing on Friday at the Gate at 2 p.m.
 The event not only showcases Lethbridge’s talented local jazz scene, but brings back some old friends and some new ones as well. Saxophonist Verne Dorge returns home, June 16 to play the Sterndale  Bennett Theatre at 8 p.m.. Anna VanderHeide and the Alberta All Star Quartet will be backing him.

 Jazz Society President Don Robb is excited about performing as part of Hippodrome, who are doing their tribute to Motown as well as the Contemporary Jazz Works Orchestra, who will be backing one of Robb’s idols— trumpeter  Marvin Stamm, who has played with numerous notable names in the jazz world including the Benny Goodman Sextet, Frank Sinatra, Stan Kenton, Quincy Jones and even Sir Paul McCartney. He performs June 15 at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre.
“ He’s played with a lot of jazz icons like the Stan Kenton Orchestra and Wes Montgomery,” Robb summarized.

“I’m really excited for Marvin Stamm,” he said.
“And having Vern coming back is outstanding because he’s done so well,” he added.
 There are  a few different venues this year including the Sandman Inn and Plum  in addition to some of the venues used last year like the Yates- Sterndale Bennett Theatre and Southern Alberta Art Gallery, where things begin on Thursday night.
Hippodrome’s tribute to Motown builds on the success of  their tribute to Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, which they performed last year.
They tried out their Motown tribute a few months ago at a gig where it received positive feedback.
“It’s been a busy year organizing the event, so I’m looking forward to  getting out there and playing some music,” Robb said.
 Vern Dorge is excited  about coming home again to play two shows for the festival this year.
 The poplar saxophonist  has his own show at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre, backed by the Alberta All-star Quartet, Saturday, June 16 and will be stepping in with the Contemporary Works  Jazz Orchestra who will be playing with trumpeter Marvin Stamm.
“They were short a saxophonist, so I was happy to step in. I’ve never played with Marvin, but I saw him playing in a jazz club in 1976. So  It will be exciting  to perform next to him,” he said.

 He is  looking forward to his  two performances, especially his solo show.
“It’s with the Alberta All Stars who  are Tyler Hornby on drums, Rubim de Toledo on bass and Michelle Gregoire  on piano, plus vocalist Anna  Vanderheide on vocals.

“We’ll get to play a mixture of styles and some original tunes. There will be some Brazilian jazz, a little bit of jazz and some funk. Because you‘ve got to have the funk,” he enthused.
 He is pleased to see the Lethbridge Jazz Festival  beginning to grow after two years. He last played here two years ago when the Medicine Hat Jazz Festival added a Lethbridge component.

 “it is important  for people to come out and support things like this, because they can really grow. It’s a great addition to the community,” he said. He noted Southern Ontario Jazz Festivals in communities like Mississauga have really taken off and have become a popular tourist attraction. He is pleased to see so much  corporate sponsorship  for Lethbridge’s festival.
“They will find it really does pay dividends,” said.

“It is really exciting. First of all, I get to come and reconnect with old friends and get to know new friends. And I find that generates real positive energy which comes through in the music,” he said.
It doesn’t matter if you are in New York or Lethbridge or Outer Mongolia. Every show is important,” said trumpeter Marvin Stamm from his home in Salem, New York.
He just enjoys playing music with fantastic musicians. He flies into Calgary Thursday afternoon and will rehearse with the Contemporary Works Jazz Orchestra that evening before their show, June 15 at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre.

“They’ll be playing then first half of the show and I’ll be playing the second,” he said. He has chosen several very different pieces to perform  including Duke Ellington’s  version of Juan Tizol’s “ Caravan,” a Cole Porter ballad “Lover Man,”  a swell as Porter’s “I Love You, ” “Salsa De los Gatos ” ( or Salsa of the cats,)  and “Emily,” a waltz by John Mandel from the movie “The Americanization of Emily.”
“There are a variety of styles,” he said adding he chose the pieces based on discussions with the bandleader Don Robb, playing to the strengths of each musician.

“ Each musician in the group is just as important as the piece I play  in it,” he said.

“ It doesn’t matter if you are famous in New York or Toronto or if you play in Lethbridge and nobody knows you, if you play good music and are enthusiastic about it, that’s what it is important,” he said.
 He spent  most of his career as “the kid in  the band,” playing alongside his idols in  the orchestra of luminaries like Frank Sinatra and Benny Goodman.

“ There are so  many highlights. But whenever I played with a celebrity, the highlight was always the other guys in the orchestra. I mean, these guys were my idols. I was usually the kid in the band and I’m playing with my idols and it just doesn’t get any better than that,” he said.

 More information and a schedule of events for the Lethbridge Jazz Festival is available at http://lethbridgejazz.com/events/