You wouldn’t think Michael Jackson would be the talk of the 24th annual Vancouver International Jazz Festival, but news of his untimely death on June 25, 2009 – the day before the festival opened – was everywhere.
Michael Jackson and jazz music may seem like an unlikely connection, but his roots are in Motown. Still, his overly produced music hardly embraced the improvisation. As a listener, Michael gravitated much more to the sounds of soul and r&b. But his influence on music?
From Miles Davis to Vijay Iyer, “major jazz artists… have found inspiration and fertile ground for experimentation within the late King Of Pop’s oeuvre.” At least one artist – Gypsy Jazz guitarist Robin Nolan – used their time at the 2009 Festival to pay tribute.
At almost a quarter of a century old, Vancouver’s Jazz Festival was coasting along with “a reputation for being a perennially stellar event.” Nearly 2,000 artists descended upon the city with 400 concerts in 40 venues. As usual, the calendar appealed to a wide range of tastes. The theme could have been, in the words of the late, great Michael Jackson, “don’t stop til you get enough.”
The Orpheum hosted Marquee headliners Pink Martini and saxophone legend Sonny Rollins. The Classic Sounds Series at the Centre presented leading stars of jazz, blues and world music, including the David Sanborn Group (writer of the Flashdance hit pop song “Maniac”) plus Vancouver gospel group The Sojourners.
The Commodore’s Urban Groove Series housed most of the festival’s world music and funk/groove/soul acts. The Innovation Series at the Roundhouse presented adventurous, cutting-edge artists from the improvisational scene, while the Ironworks hosted eclectic acts from jazz mainstream to the most adventurous European performers. And of course outdoor stages in Gastown and David Lam Park featured free programming on opening and closing weekend.
There were some exceptional collaborations. Players from Vancouver’s well-known adventurer scene hooked up with European visitors for a concert titled Ice Hockey: Canada vs. Sweden featuring reedist François Houle and saxophonist Swede Mats Gustafson. “Two teams of musicians/players had fun with music that worked as a metaphor for the game on Sunday at the Roundhouse Performance Centre. Players wore uniforms, a referee called penalties and the game/concert went to a musical shootout (which turned into something like a jazz blowing contest). Sweden won 5-4.” (Globe and Mail)
Call it a collaboration, call it a meet-cute: in 2009 Robin Holcomb, the incredible Seattle-based pianist/singer/songwriter, first played with Vancouver improv all-star bassist Torsten Müller and drummer Dylan van der Schyff. This group would cross paths only a few times before performing together again at the Festival in June 2024. What goes around comes around at the Jazz Fest. It’s likely guaranteed we’ll conjure up some historical pairings for the upcoming 40th anniversary calendar.
Coastal Jazz made one questionable change in 2009, perhaps in response to the 2008 financial crisis, or maybe as a proactive measure to save money for the upcoming 25th anniversary. After 23 years, the program guide changed from booklet form to a folded pocket guide. “Our New Look” touted environmental concerns for the decision, proudly counting the number of trees saved in the process. What it lacked in content – artist bios, a welcome letter from the Artistic Director, among other things – it made up for in a reduced ecological footprint. Besides, there was a website for all the festival info. On paper, it sounds like a win. Looking back, we’re guessing it went over like a lead balloon.
Editor’s note #2: Last year we moved artist bios to the website to save on paper, and were quickly reminded by loyal fans: DON’T MESS WITH THE GUIDEBOOK. Point taken! This year we are preparing a commemorative 40th Anniversary program will include everything you love and more. Advertising space is still available. Book your spot today!
2009 was a memorable year for another reason. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, Canada’s federal government installed the Marquee Tourism Events Program to “help events improve their operations and develop world-class programs and experiences that would attract more tourists from Canada and other parts of the world.” The Jazz Fest was a lucky recipient of a staggering $700,000 grant to be used to draw tourists from outside the Vancouver Metropolitan area. It was the first British Columbia event to receive MTEP money, perhaps because it attracted more than half a million people annually, and generated a $48 million economic impact in the province. That was possible at the time, as the Festival had a $3.8 million budget. The bigger the budget, the bigger the impact. Since then, investment in the arts by business and governments has dwindled, a trend that still continues today at a time when we need it most.
Head to our Instagram or Facebook to view the entire 2009 Festival schedule.
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Mark your calendars for the 40th anniversary Vancouver International Jazz Festival this June 20 – July 1, 2025. Catch up on all our festival flashbacks here. Do you have a great festival memory? Share your story with us.
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