The phrase ‘what goes around, comes around’ typically refers to the universal law of karma, as in – what you reap, you sow. It can also refer to the cyclical nature of trends, as in – “those flared jeans Kendrick Lamar wore during the Super Bowl were so 2000.” From programming to venues to state of affairs, our 2011 flashback proves that when it comes to the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, what goes around really does come back.
The 26th annual Jazz Fest hit at a precarious time for arts organizations and events in Vancouver – not unlike today. In 2011 the economy was still reeling from the fallout of the 2008 financial crisis. There were funding cuts at the provincial and federal level, and tourism support coming out of the Winter Olympics was long gone. Vancouver Magazine wrote, “Music festivals around the world have suffered in recent years from the effects of a struggling economy.”
Yes, friends, we’ve been here before.
As a result of funding changes, Coastal Jazz had lost about 30% of its budget from the year before, when it celebrated its 25th anniversary. While hardly a dire situation – it was still operating with a cool $3.4 million – it was the first time the organization had felt financial pressure. A slightly smaller festival ensued. “We don’t have as many concerts as we normally would,” Coastal’s executive director, Fatima Amarshi, explained to BIV News at the time. “The festival is the same number of days as last year…we will have a fabulous range of concerts happening throughout Vancouver.”
Same, girl. Same.
These sentiments are so familiar, they might as well have been referencing today. Budgets come and budgets go – and hopefully come back around! – but the point of what we do remains the same – bringing people together over great live music.
Back to 2011.
“From trombone hot shots and Swedish saxophonists to Cajun fiddlers and pioneering Chinese erdu players, this year’s Vancouver International Jazz Festival may be the most eclectic event of the summer.” (Georgia Straight)
The festival’s headlining performers that year were an eclectic collective – Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis (back again!), Madeleine Peyroux, Steve Earle, and the soulful singer/songwriter, smokin’ guitar slinger and occasional big band leader, Colin James. Vancouver’s music scene was thriving, and the calendar offered a hefty dose of familiar local favourites like Brad Turner, Dawn Pemberton, Peggy Lee, François Houle Trio, Tony Wilson, Paul Plimley and Fond of Tigers, which had recently won a Juno for instrumental album of the year.
The Vogue Theatre was back after a long absence with a classic wide ranging program that included Vancouver native, Darcy James Argue and his 18-piece large ensemble “Secret Society”, Blonde Redhead, Trombone Shorty, Lucinda Williams and The Bad Plus (back again!), to name a few.
Performance Works featured pianist/vocalist Laila Biali, hip hop-inspired pianist Robert Glasper with a trio, and former E.S.T. bassist Dan Berglund’s new project Tonbruket. The Swedish band was arguably the most ballyhooed unit in European jazz, but the untimely death of its leader Svensson in 2008 set Berglund on a new path, with echoes of his former group blending with progressive rock influences to create stirring music that spans genres and defies categorization.
The Festival has always been known for programming exciting collaborations, and this one was highly anticipated – Gordon Grdina’s Nordic Sextet: The Listening. In it, Vancouver’s ubiquitous guitarist/oud player Gordon Grdina and cohorts — bassist Tommy Babin and drummer Kenton Loewen — hooked up with a Scandinavian powerhouse troika — saxophonists Mats Gustafsson and Fredrik Ljungkivst along with bassist Ingebrigt Håker-Flaten.
Mats also appeared with Montreal‘s saxophonist Colin Stetson (of Arcade Fire) for a genre-defying Performance Works show, a collaboration that led to the release of Stones a year later. The four track album was recorded live at the 2011 Vancouver Jazz Festival, “during which Stetson and Gustafsson (figuratively) fused their powerful lungs and improvisational minds for a performance that was, reportedly, wholly synergistic.” (Tiny Mix Tapes)
Will any of the above artists come back around this year? It is our 40th anniversary. In true flashback form, I consulted my Magic 8 Ball and the answer was…No doubt about it.
More show announcements coming! Stay tuned.
Head to our Instagram or Facebook to view the entire 2011 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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