Coastal Jazz & Blues Society Announces Dates for Virtual 2021 Festival International Streaming Series & Innovation Series at Ironworks 

The TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Vancouver's signature Festival, celebrates its 35th edition this summer from Friday, June 25 to Sunday, July 4.

After cancelling the 2020 Festival due to COVID-19 uncertainty, the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society will present a modified 2021 Festival with a program of over 100 virtual events - all in accordance with the Provincial Health Office's guidelines. Plans are also afoot for limited in-person attendance, should health orders allow for small gatherings.

The 2021 TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival includes performances by British Columbia's plethora of talented artists; streams from New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Amsterdam, and Paris; free online workshops; club performances; and a continued partnership with North Shore Jazz. All streams will be available until midnight on July 6, 2021.

Announced today, the 10-day International Streaming Series includes 10 ticketed concerts taking place at 10:30pm PT:

• June 25 kicks off the series with a performance from Chicago by percussionists Hamid Drake and Michael Zerang.

• June 26 & 27 will take audiences to New York, with a tribute to Bud Powell (Bouncin' with Bud) featuring Helen Sung, Steve Smith, and Lonnie Plaxico, as well as a solo performance by pianist Fred Hersch, respectively.

• On June 28, it's back to Chicago for innovative guitarist Jeff Parker & the New Breed.

• On June 29, the searing narration of black power and trauma that is Irreversible Entanglements.

• On June 30, John Beasley's Grammy-winning MONK'estra explores the music of Thelonious Monk and original compositions.

• July 1 extends the poetry of Camae Ayewa (aka Moor Mother) from Irreversible Entanglements in with bassist Luke Stewart and percussionist Tcheser Holmes.

• July 2 sees Chicago's AACM's 3rd generation all-stars play their own compositions as Artifacts.

• July 3 is jazz royalty Ravi Coltrane playing the music of his parents John and Alice Coltrane with an assist from harpist Brandee Younger.

• The Festival's International Streaming Series ends its cosmic journey on July 4, when space (aka Philadelphia) is the place with the Sun Ra Arkestra.

Also announced today, the ticketed portion of the Innovation Series at Ironworks, streaming nightly at 9pm PT:

• June 25 begins the series with a performance by a quartet led by violinist Josh Zubot.

• June 26 combines guitarist Gordon Grdina, clarinetist François Houle, and drummer Kenton Loewen for an improvised evening.

• June 27 features The Watermill Project, combining Korean traditional music and jazz into a harmonious whole, led by vocalist Sara Kim.

• On June 28, impish pianist Paul Plimley and his trio make a joyful noise.

• On June 29, guitarist Tony Wilson leads the Longhand Trio, plus Josh and Jesse Zubot on strings.

• On June 30, Limbs of the Stars, led by Fond of Tigers' Stephen Lyons, brings its post-rock accented sound.

• Tommy Babin's Benzene mix full bore free improv with modern out-rock on July 1st.

• July 2 sees Waxwing in a conversational collaboration between Peggy Lee, Tony Wilson, and Jon Bentley.

• July 3 sees a rare appearance by Talking Pictures, led by guitarist Ron Samworth.

• The final performance from the Innovation Series at Ironworks features two duos: drummer Kenton Loewen and trumpeter JP Carter, plus Not for Proper, Loewen's duo with pianist Lisa Cay Miller.

Ticket prices for all individual streams are $11 (plus applicable fees and service charges). A streaming package for all 10 performances within the Innovation Series at Ironworks is available for $50 (plus applicable fees and service charges). Full ticketing details, including pricing for various streaming packages, can be found at www.coastaljazz.ca.

Further details regarding the 35th edition of the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival, including free shows, will be announced in the coming weeks.

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