Swinging at JazzFest
JazzFest is one week away! Time to get out the brochure or visit the website and plan your week if you haven’t. And many of you have! Those festival passes remain the popular way to experience this world-renowned festival that comes to our city each year! They’re selling at a good clip!
It’s a bit of an anniversary! The first Jazz Picks column was written on May 8, 1997. Twenty years ago! That first column featured the great Shirley Horn with one of her truly classic albums, “Here’s To Life.” This week’s column represents column No. 572! Thanks to the Medicine Hat News for continuing to support jazz and JazzFest through all of these years! And to you the community who reads andgives positive feedback about this column. Thank you!
Have you ever watched a movie that featured people dancing to swing music? Perhaps the Bennie Goodman Band was on the stage. Or Tommy Dorsey. And you’ve thought that it looked like so much fun and that it would be great to be able to do that! You’re in luck!
This year JazzFest is introducing a swing dance to the week’s events and offering free lessons from members of the local Swing Dance Club! Score!
And the band on the stage will be Winnipeg native Brad Shigeta and his Swingtime Band! They were the No. 1 pick from the local swing dancers.
Shigeta is a graduate of McGill University and has been a part of the Banff Jazz Workshop. Shigeta lived and performed in New York City for about 20 years, playing with the likes of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and the Lincoln Centre Jazz Orchestra. He has recorded and toured with the likes of Tony Bennett and Wynton Marsalis.Through it all, Shigeta has maintained his love for swing and big band music.
JazzFest is thrilled to discover a swing dance component to the Medicine Hat Ballroom Dance Club, and have collaborated to present lessons and a swing dance in the newly renovated Beveridge Landmark Events in downtown Medicine Hat.
Saturday, June 24, will be a night for dancing. The parkade show gets underway at 6:30 p.m. at the transit terminal with two fabulous dance bands, Vancouver native and former Medicine Hatter, Teresa Riley and the Bourbon Rebels along with local favourites Kool Ray and the Hip Katz. Then just two blocks away at 9 p.m. in the Ballroom of the Beverdidge Landmark Events, Brad Shigeta’s Swingtime Band! Swing dance lessons happen at 2 p.m. in that same building and are free to anyone with a ticket for the dance or a JazzFest pass!
Put on your 1930’s best, or come in Tshirt and jeans. This night is all about fun!
There are still volunteer opportunities if you would like to get involved in this community festival and have a chance to get behind the scenes and maybe even meet the band! Email volunteers@medicinehatjazzfest.com for full details about how to get involved and get one of the coveted CREW T-shirt.
Full JazzFest details can be found at www.medicinehatjazzfest.com Follow JazzFest on Twitter and Instagram at @medhatjazz. You can also find the Facebook page under the title, Medicine Hat JazzFest.
Brochures are available all over town, including coffee shops, the Esplanade, the Tourist Centre, the Cultural Centre and the Public Library.
Tickets and passes are available at all Esplanade ticket outlets including www.tixx.ca.
Lyle Rebbeck is producer of Medicine Hat JazzFest.