Outdoor concerts and a continued emphasis for students to deepen their knowledge of jazz highlight the 16th annual South Delta Jazz Festival and student workshop.
Hosted by the Delta Community Music School, the festival runs from July 2 to 6.
The one-week program is designed to give students a chance to immerse themselves in their love of jazz music, while allowing the musicians to become better jazz performers.
The workshop, open to those 12 and up, places students in classes and ensembles according to their ability and experience. They spend most of their time playing music in small groups and learning jazz repertoire and improvisation. Daily concerts and master classes with guest artists help to inspire, excite and motivate.
Workshop faculty are professional musicians from Greater Vancouver and beyond who love teaching and are experienced educators.
Full-time faculty include: Jennifer Scott (voice and piano), Len Aruliah (sax), Rob Kohler (bass), Brad Muirhead (trombone), Stephen Robb (reeds, piano), Kevin Lee (trumpet),Ron Samworth (guitar) and Stan Taylor (drums).
Delta Community Music School music director Stephen Robb said the strength of the festival continues to be the diversity of the classes offered and the quality of faculty who return year after year.
“We have a consistent faculty and guest artists and have a slightly different focus, so it stays fresh every year,” said Robb. “That helps keep it interesting and allows students to come back year after year. The success factor is keeping it fresh. Jazz means a lot of different things to different people, so the secret there is the faculty has a lot of different strengths and we complement each other so well.”
Besides the workshops, the students also have an opportunity to perform at a final outdoor concert as well as a jam session in a local café. There are also concerts featuring many of the faculty members and for the first time all of those concerts will be held outdoors at the music school allowing for more of the public to enjoy the music. The school is located in a heritage house adjacent to the McKee Seniors Recreation Centre and Boys & Girls Club in Ladner.
For more on the festival visit: www.southdeltajazzfestival.com.
Concert lineup:
Tuesday, July 2, noon, outside the school -- Stephen Robb on keyboards and reeds with the festival faculty
Wednesday, July 3, noon, outside the school -- Drummer Stan Taylor with festival faculty
Wednesday, July 3, Jazz at the Park, 7 p.m., Diefenbaker Park in Tsawwassen -- Advanced workshop students with Bossa Diaz
Thursday, July 4, noon, outside the school -- Bassist Rob Kohler with festival faculty
Thursday, July 4, 7 p.m., Petra's by L'Aromas in Tsawwassen -- Open jam session with workshop students and faculty
Friday, July 5, noon, outside the school -- Jennifer Scott with festival faculty
Friday, July 5, 7 p.m., Jazz Collective Gala Concert, All Saints Anglican Church – Festival faculty led by Brad Muirhead. Tickets $15 at the door;
Saturday, July 6, noon, outside the school – Student workshop combos in concert
