The Guelph Jazz Festival has announced a lineup for its 19th annual festival in September that includes musicians from South Africa, Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Israel, India and Brazil, as well as the United States and Canada.
In announcing the lineup Wednesday, artistic director Ajay Heble said he’s particularly excited about a rare North American appearance by the South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim. He’s “arguably one of the greatest and most influential living piano players and composers in jazz,” and he’ll perform a solo show at the River Run Centre on Sept. 8, Heble said.
Another highlight of the Sept. 5-9 festival will be Norwegian trumpeter Nils Petter Molvaer, appearing in a trio, he said.
A double bill show at the River Run will offer two takes on John Coltrane’s Ascension album, recorded in 1965. “We’re interested in looking at, and listening to, the state of jazz and improvised music, some 47 years after Ascension,” Heble said in a news release. After an 11-piece ensemble from Toronto performs Coltrane’s original version, a new version of the work will be presented by “a large ensemble of some of the world’s finest improvisers,” he said.
Another highlight this year, he said, will be an evening featuring solo recitals in a local church by Guelph’s Ben Grossman, who plays hurdy gurdy and electronics, and by Montreal-based saxophonist Colin Stetson.
The festival starts with a three-day jazz colloquium at the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre.
For the third year in a row, there will be an all-night Nuit Blanche on the Saturday night. The Nuit Blanche lineup is to be announced later.
The festival’s free, open-air Saturday jazz tent is moving this year from Wyndham Street North to the new Market Square in front of city hall. Highlights in the tent will include Toronto saxophonist Michael Stuart and Gordon Grdina’s Haram, “an invigorating and energetic 10-piece Arabic avant-garde ensemble,” Heble said.
Tickets for the festival go on sale today (June 21) at the River Run Centre. Along with individual tickets for this year’s ticketed shows, festival passes and Saturday passes are being sold.
For more information, visit guelphjazzfestival.com