By Tim Reinert
The 2023 Vancouver International Jazz Festival is right around the corner. In previous years, the announced line-up has sparked conversations and debates among the city’s loyal music lovers. Topic number one at this time of year?
What Is Jazz?
For every fan that is in love with a specific year’s schedule, you’ll find one that…isn’t, to put it mildly. So if you’re programming a festival like this, the trick is to straddle the line between critically acclaimed artists that will please the die-hards, and time-tested evergreen acts that will fill a big room with casual jazz fans. The problem with that second category, is that those artists don’t always fit the standard definition of what critical audiences think Jazz is.
My two cents? Who cares.
I care less about whether or not a specific act is “jazz” or not, than I care about whether or not a diverse and well-programmed festival will have a broad range of acts. If you count the club shows, there are over 150 musical groups or artists performing at this year’s festival. Is it really reasonable to expect one person to like them all? Of course not.
With that in mind, I decided to turn my ears to some of the more crowd-pleasing acts at this year’s festival – bands that prove that popular can also mean good.
The Nightcrawlers
Ocean Artworks
June 25, 8:30PM
This band of local heroes has been pleasing crowds with their classic 1960’s greasy organ sound for close to 20 years at this point. Co-led by drumming god Jesse Cahill & local impresario Cory Weeds, this band is perfectly suited for the casual outdoor vibes at Ocean Artworks. Admission is $10 at the door.
Mary Ancheta Quartet
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
June 29, 8:30PM
Mary Ancheta has been the secret keyboard sauce behind dozens of top shelf R&B, funk, and hip-hop projects over the decades, and has opened for everybody from Bjork to Ziggy Marley. Her current band is a contemporary spin on the classic organ quartet, and they just released a brand new EP in anticipation of their upcoming summer tour. She’ll be opening for BADBADNOTGOOD, which is probably the most logical double bill in the history of this Festival. Speaking of which….
BADBADNOTGOOD
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
June 29, 8:30PM
This Toronto band has exploded since the last time they played Vancouver, and have gone from being the “jazz band that plays hip-hop” to one of the most recognizable & fun groove acts in the country. Tickets for BADBADNOTGOOD with Mary Ancheta Quartet are $39-$69 plus service fees.
Jonny Tobin
Ocean Artworks
June 30, 8:30PM
Tobin might not be a household name in Vancouver, but he’s arguably one of the most popular artists in town, with his music being streamed by hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. His keyboard-based beats are as thought provoking as they are toe tapping, and it’ll be the surprise of the festival if his show doesn’t end in a dance party. Admission is $10 at the door.
The Bad Plus
Vancouver Playhouse
June 27, 7:30PM
This group’s jazz bonafides aren’t really in doubt. But they come from an era where jazz acts could still get signed to major record labels, and the fans they developed back then have stuck with them through several line-up changes. This show will see the Vancouver debut of their latest iteration, which features Chris Speed & Ben Monder. Tickets are $40-$65 plus service fees.
Brekky Boy
Downtown Jazz Georgia Stage
June 24, 3:45PM (FREE SHOW)
This Australian Jazz Rock Trio reminds me of other cross-over groups like EST & GoGo Penguin. Their catchy electric piano groove will be a perfect fit with the hustle & bustle of the Downtown Jazz Georgia Stage. No charge.
Chris Botti
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
June 28, 7:30PM
Chris Botti is arguably the most famous trumpet player in the world today, and has worked with everybody from Tony Bennett to Joni Mitchell. He’s won GRAMMYS, Platinum Records, and has topped the Billboard charts many times. You know what else he is? A heck of a trumpet player, and a master showman. If being thoroughly entertained is your goal, his show at the Queen E is a guaranteed winner. Tickets are $49-$99 plus service fees.
Listen to more on this topic from The Infidels Jazz Show on Mixcloud.
