Get ready to “Groove Together,” Winnipeg.
That's the theme to this year’s TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival and audiences will have plenty of opportunity to do exactly that.
10 days of music featuring local, national and international musicians in ticketed and free events in the heart of the city.
Founded in 1989, the stacked festival presents a wealth of outstanding talent, and is considered by many to be an unofficial summer kick-off, highly anticipated by attendees, performers and administrators alike.
“Like Christmas Eve,” says Jazz Winnipeg Artistic Programs Director Zachary Rushing when asked to describe the feeling the day before the festival's launch.
As always, a plethora of performers to take in at a number of venues throughout the historic Exchange District, beginning with jazz trumpeter and in-demand cross-over musician Keyon Harrold at the Royal MTC John Hirsch Mainstage with special guests MC Black Milk, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Chris “Daddy” Dave.
Other performers over the 10 nights include Postmodern Jukebox, Rêve with Preston Pablo, Emmet Cohen Trio and Sun Ra Arkestra.
This year’s special guest artist is Angélique Kidjo, performing Saturday, June 17 at the Burton Cummings Theatre.
“I have described her to people unaware of her as ‘the Elvis of Africa,” says Rushing. Kidjo is a 5-time GRAMMY-award winning singer-songwriter, actress, and activist noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos.
“Her music is full of joy, life and celebration,” says Rushing. “We are beyond thrilled to be able to welcome her.”
Another highlight is sure to be the “Spirit of ‘73 Series” taking place at the Fort Garry Hotel Club Room.
“We’ve invited four local bands to cover entire records that came out that year in modern jazz stylings,” explains Rushing. The dinner-and-a-show or cocktail-and-a-show style performances feature Vox Populi, Apollo Suns, Ego Spank and Erin Propp + Larry Roy.
As always, one of the hallmarks of the festival is the free, outdoor concerts taking place at the Cube in Old Market Square.
“There’s jazz, there’s jazz-adjacent musics; there’s local, there’s international artists – it’s definitely worth checking out the lineup,” says Rushing.
Find the full TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival lineup, plus individual tickets and festival passes, at: www.jazzwinnipeg.com
A direct link to the full schedule can be found here: JAZ+brochure+2023_SCHEDULE_REV01.pdf (squarespace.com)