Oscar Peterson Jazz Fest returns in February
Award-winning jazz artists from across Canada and the U.S. will reconvene in Niagara-on-the-Lake and St. Catharines this February for the second annual Oscar Peterson International Jazz Festival.
Named after the iconic Montreal-born pianist and co-founded by his wife Kelly, the three-day festival returns Feb. 15 to 17 with a line-up that includes lauded composer Christine Jensen, Grammy-winner Bill Charlap and a Canadian Jazz Master Award presentation to the family of late trumpeter Kenny Wheeler.
Much like last year, the festival will offer unique concerts by pairing artists together. The ‘jazz summit’ on Feb. 16 will feature seven artists on stage together, including Grammy winner Joe Lovano and vocalist Niki Haris, while the Music With No Borders show Feb. 17 is an ensemble that includes pianist Kenny Barron and tenor saxophonist Kirk MacDonald.
“This is an opportunity to hear groups of musicians who don’t usually play together, concerts you will not hear anywhere else,” said Renee Rosnes, artistic director.
The 8 p.m. opening night show by the Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra, with Ingrid Jensen, will be at the Niagara United Mennonite Church on Niagara Stone Road.
The Feb. 16 lecture and performance by Charlop (1 p.m.) takes place at Cairns Recital Hall in the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, followed by Singin’ & Swingin’: A Jazz Summit at the same venue’s Partridge Hall at 8 p.m.
Feb. 17 has the Music With No Borders show at Stratus Vineyards at 1 p.m., with the Canadian Jazz Master Awards Gala Dinner also at Stratus at 6:30 p.m. In addition to Wheeler, the night will honour clarinetist, composer and educator Phil Nimmons.
Single tickets range from $55 to $100. All shows, along with three-day festival passes, go on sale Wednesday, Nov. 21, at www.opjazzfest.org or by phoning 289-8689177.