Festival Wrap #1 - Photography by Chris Cameron / Peter Gannushkin

July 4, 2011 (by: Ken Pickering)

A post festival showcase with the beautiful work of our long time festival photographer, Chris Cameron and our guest photographer from NYC, Peter Gannushkin from the final days of this year's festival.

Chris Cameron (photo: PG)

Peter Gannushkin and family at RH - good times! (photo: Ken Pickering)

Gord Grdina (photo: CC) 

Did I mention that his Nordic Sextet and Haram were highlights.. he also rocked with "The Crackling"

Kris Davis, Ingrid Laubrock, Tyshawn Sorey: Paradoxical Frog (photo: PG)

Another festival highlight -  heard this great trio 3 times now and they're moving from strength to strength - serious talents deserving of wider recognition. Inspiring - many folks thanked me for making this one happen. 

Fredrik Ljungkvist (with Grdina, Atomic etc..) one of our favorite saxophonists, period! (photo: PG)

Mats Gustafsson & Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten (photo: CC) - Wow, these guys always come to play!

Hard to believe that the festival has come to it's ultimate conclusion. So much good music to digest over the 10 days of the TD VIJF. The final long weekend at Granville Island (Canada Day) and Saturday/Sunday at David Lam Park and the Roundhouse just kicked ass. The program built to a crescendo with the grand finale coming on Sunday evening - 2 shows by one of the heaviest jazz bands around - the Swedish/Norwegian "Atomic" (to full houses and standing ovations) and a very special evening of flamenco by one of the greatest guitarists in the world, Paco de Lucia & Band. Just a brilliant evening.

Atomic @ the Roundhouse (photo: CC)

Havard, Ingebrigt, Fredrik, Magnus, Paal

Atomic (photo: PG)

Paco de Lucia @ Orpheum (photo: CC)

The excitement at David Lam Park was palpable throughout the weekend - great food, warm audiences and fantastic music make for a magical combination. The Pacific Northwest is a very special part of the world (not only for it's physical grandeur, but for culture and the arts) and we're honoured to have the opportunity to contribute to that reality year after year. The weather (almost fully) cooperated and allowed us to showcase the best of what Vancouver can be when the music, culture and sheer magnificence of this city come together in such a singular way.  This is what it's really all about - we've been through some recent tough times in Vancouver, but the Jazz Festival has consistently proved over a 1/4 century that large groups of people can come together in a public gathering with the right intention to share the love through music!

High School Jazz Intensive with Nicole Mitchell (photo: CC)

Award winning musician Nicole Mitchell comes in from Chicago (each year) and consistently does an amazing job over her 9 day intensive with the students - hand picked from some of the lower mainland's finest young musicians. The charts that Nicole brings to the HSJI range from Duke Ellington to Anthony Braxton and the kids are up to the challenge. Special thanks to Zaena Campbell and Bob Rebagliati.

Tom Fun Orchestra from Cape Breton at David Lam Park for the finale on Sunday night! 

(photo: CC)

Aerial shot of David Lam Park (photo: CC)

I'll follow up on some of the programming threads - Hopper Pass, Innovation Series and other elements in upcoming blog pieces. You can also look forward to some less professional (but still awesome)  behind the scenes photography of festival staff at work and play, casual shots of artists chillin' back stage, sound checks and low key moments throughout the fest, mostly taken by various festival staff (including a few on my trusty Iphone). Until then I'll leave you with a few more nice ones by Peter Gannushkin.

More awesomeness on the bass saxophone (contact miked) - a solo set @ RH - characterized by one scribe as a gateway drug. Colin Stetson will lead impressionable young music lovers to all sorts of circular breathing madness (Evan Parker, John Butcher etc). Great songs - a festival highlight. 

Colin will tour with Bon Iver. (photo: PG)

The Thing tears it up at the Roundhouse - as always - Paal Nilssen-Love, Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten, Mats Gustafsson. (photo: PG)

One of our favourite musicians and people - the inimitable Tony Wilson at the Ironworks. (photo: PG)

Havard Wik & Francois Houle at the Roundhouse reprising their meeting from a couple of years back (this duo was in the studio recording for Songlines on the previous day) - a beautiful chamber concert with a number of gorgeous pieces including one by Benoit Delbecq. (photo: PG)

That's it for now. A heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated in this festival in any way. It was a great experience. Stay tuned!  ken