Jazz takes centre stage in August
Cape Breton Jazz and World Music Festival back for seventh year
Although this year’s schedule isn’t expected officially for a few more days, Carl Getto of the Cape Breton Jazz and World Music Festival, did give a few hints about who to expect at this year’s event during a recent conversation with the Cape Breton Post.
Critically acclaimed jazz pianist Holly Arsenault, who’s originally from Cape Breton, and Micah Barnes, former member of the Nylons singing group, will bring their New York Stories tour here on Thursday, Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion.
The show will feature classic vocals and piano with songs from such New York-inspired songwriters like Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Carole King and Burt Bacharach.
Also expect a return performance from the Bill Stevenson Trio. The group has performed at the festival before, although no date has been released yet.
“This year will be our seventh and each year we get a little bigger,” said Getto, the festival’s founder and organizer.
“This year we’re moving to the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion on the (Sydney) waterfront and we’ll be using the room adjacent to Flavor (On the Water).”
Getto says the move into town is geared towards attracting more residents and locals to the annual event, which will run this year from Aug. 2-11. In addition to the ticketed indoor events, Getto expects there could be an outdoor event as well and will announce the details at a later date.
As well, the festival will have a blues component during the first weekend of August.
In the past, the festival has hosted numerous Canadian Juno Music Award winners and performers from other parts of Canada, the United States, Cuba and South American, as well as local musicians.