Manitoba Music
Winnipeg International Jazz Festival Unveils 2013 Line-up
With a few layers of snow still stubbornly on the ground, it's a pretty good time to start dreaming about the summer. The Winnipeg International Jazz Festival is doing its part to help the dream along with the unveiling of its 2013 line-up of artists.
Winnipeg’s largest downtown music festival, which runs June 13-23, will feature nearly 100 performers taking over various city stages, drawing thousands of concert goers for a wide range of events spanning just about every genre, from jazz standards to R&B, hardbop to hip-hop, roots and blues to indie rock and klezmer, latin jazz, and just about everything in between.
This year's fest boasts over 50% Manitoba music in the clubs and theatres and on the outdoor stage. Jazz Fest kicks things off in the heart of the Exchange District with a free opening weekend at Old Market Square, June 13-16. The Cube will feature a diverse line-up, including jazz and soul on Thursday, Latin Jazz on Friday, indie rock on Saturday, and closing out with some Sunday night funk.
The local line-up includes Boats, Cannon Bros., Marco Castillo, Collage-à-trois, Doug Edmond, Amber Epp, Keith Price, Jeff Presslaff, The F-Holes, Guerrillas of Soul, Hana Lu Lu, Tim Hoover, Sol James, Mahogany Frog, Mama Cutsworth, Mariachi Ghost, Romi Mayes, Moses Mayes, Mira, Nathan, The Noble Thiefs, Curtis Nowosad, Brooke Palsson, Erin Propp, Red Moon Road, Royal Canoe, The Lucas Sader Project, Al Simmons, Sweet Alibi, Trio Bembe, Monika Wall, and Helen White. Click here for the complete line-up.
The Theatre Series welcomes a range of international names, including George Benson, The Roots, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and Bettye LaVette.
Jazz Fest's groundbreaking Club Series features everything from rock to electronic to post-bop, including Hollerado, BADBADNOTGOOD, The Gaslamp Killer, Orgone, Questlove, and many more.
For those looking to connect with festival artists to boost their music skills, Jazz Fest also offers free workshops. Taking place at the Manitoba Conservatory, the TD Jazz Labs will feature sessions and talks by the likes of guitarist Suzie Vinnick, saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, gospel group The Sojourners, and more.