Juno Award-winning Manteca, above, will open the 25th Anniversary TD Markham Jazz Festival tonight with a show at the Markham Museum. Over three days, starting Friday night, jazz fans can check out the offerings of, below, from left, Molly Johnson, Jaymz Bee, Irene Torres and Queen Pepper and bottom, from left, Alex Pangman & The Sweet Hots, Caity Gyorgy, ES:MO and Gigi Marentette, KC Roberts & Adam Bowman.
Skiddle dee dee bop bop – jazz is back in Markham. And the scene gets hoppin’ tonight as Juno-award winning fusion-pioneers Manteca take to the stage at the Markham Museum to kick off the 25th anniversary TD Markham Jazz Festival.
The only paid ticket of the festival, Manteca hits the stage at 7 p.m.It’s the perfect primer for the festival, which rolls into heavy rotation starting Friday night at the Millennium Bandstand with Emily Steinwall, just-named winner of the 2022 SOCAN Songwriting Prize, performing at 7:30 followed by MJF “alum” Shakura S’Aida, one of the most dynamic blues artists you’ll ever see, at 9:30.
Saturday sees talent on all three stages starting at noon.
On the Bandstand stage at 1 p.m., catch Josh Grossman’s Toronto Jazz Orchestra. Then it’s guitar marvel Eric St-Laurent at 3 p.m. followed by ES:MO – Elizabeth Shepherd and Michael Occhipinti at 5. Attila Fias takes to the piano from 7 to 8:30 ahead of a performance by legend Molly Johnson, with Robi Botos on piano and Mike Downes on bass at 9.Wander up to the Varley Art Gallery Patio to hear bassist Richard Whiteman, then Caity Gyorgy, 2022 Juno winner for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year. At the McKay Wine & Beer Garden, savour the summer vibe with Carlo, Jessica Lalonde and Adrean Farrugia, Virginia MacDonald with Laura Anglade, and Alex Pangman and the Sweet Hots.
On Sunday, the festival continues on all three stages. From Irene Torres to Gigi Marentette to Queen Pepper to Sammy Jackson and many more, the sounds are sensational. The festival wraps with pianist/composer Amanda Tosoff featuring vocalist Emilie-Claire Barlow.
For the complete listings of who’s where and when, please click here.
