The summer of 2001 turned out to be the second hottest year on record, and that may have had something to do with that year’s Vancouver International Jazz Festival, which continued to impress. “VIJF reinvents itself with fusion and funk,” wrote The Vancouver Sun, referring to bands like Metalwood: Vancouverites Brad Turner keyboards, trumpet and Chris Tarry bass along with Toronto saxophonist Mike Murley and NY Ian Froman drums; and Bloomdaddies, featuring ex-Vancouver reeds player Seamus Blake and fellow NY sax man Chris Cheek. The two bands played the Commodore together, on same bill as John Scofield Band. Talk about hot.
For the first time, the event no longer included “du Maurier” as their title sponsorship was due to expire (a result of new restrictions on the tobacco industry), and the name was being phased out. No matter – the ten-day program was strong with 390 shows at 50 venues.
Performance Works hosted the New Groove Series booking fusion and funk acts. A blend of jazz and electronics also showed up with Englands Cinematic Orchestra and Toronto trio The New Deal.
Big band lovers were indulged with Legends of the Bandstand, a quintet of jazz elders featuring Hank Jones, Curtis Fuller, Gary Bartz, Ray Drummond, and Louis Hayes. Other legends included the prolific Buddy Guy repping contemporary blues at the Orpheum and Buena Vista Social Club presents Orquesta Ibrahim Ferrer with special guest Rubén González. The Festival’s European program presented a number of unique projects and collaborations between European and North American musicians, including New Orchestra led by renowned British bassist Barry Guy. Smoky-voiced crooner John Pizzarelli Trio lit up the Vogue (and also featured the Sharon Minemoto Quintet) while the smoky chanteuse, Molly Johnson, appeared on a free stage in Gastown.
Coastal Jazz had always pushed for a diverse roster in its annual festival, and in the process earned a reputation for intelligent, adventurous programming. In 2001 it stretched its musical genres, booking country-pop singer Emmylou Harris at the Orpheum and rock band Wide Mouth Mason at the Commodore. Artistic Director Ken Pickering defended the choice to The Vancouver Sun.
“We have to survive. Jazz doesn’t sell tickets, that’s the reality of it. Booking high-level acts that sell a lot of tickets is probably the biggest challenge we have. Every jazz festival in the world has to meet those challenges, and that’s why you see a lot of non-jazz on their stages.”
The non-jazzifying of the Jazz Festival has always been a major topic of conversation, most recently with the presentation of hip hop acts like Wu-Tang Clan and Killer Mike. Coastal Jazz continues present jazz in all its creative forms, as well as artists – even those loosely connected to the genre on the surface – whose music is an important voice of our time.
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Mark your calendars for the 40th anniversary Vancouver International Jazz Festival this June 20 – 29, 2025. Catch up on all our festival flashbacks here.
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