Alderney Landing and Prismatic is playing host to an exciting line-up of performances during this year’s Jazz Festival.
Take a look at the four fabulous concerts, and then make plans to jazz it up!
Brian Blade performs Music from *Mama Rosa* at Alderney Landing Theatre, Dartmouth, Wednesday, July 8 at 7:30 PM. The multi-talented veteran is already widely respected in the jazz world as the drummer, composer and leader of Brian Blade and The Fellowship Band, which has released three albums during its decade of existence. He is also known as the drummer for many heroes of the music world, including Daniel Lanois, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Wayne Shorter, Seal, Bill Frisell, and Emmylou Harris. A personal record from respected jazz drummer and composer Brian Blade, Mama Rosa gives audiences a taste of Blade’s introspective singer-songwriter side—it’s intimate, tender and soothing.
Ranee Lee with the Blue Engine String Quartet performs at Alderney Landing Theatre Friday, July 10 at 7:30 PM. Montreal’s Ranee Lee really does it all; she’s an award-winning actress, songwriter, playwright, author, and respected educator. Her commanding pipes have earned her a spot as one of Canada’s best-known and most popular jazz vocalists. For this special performance, Lee teams up with Halifax’s chamber music masters, the Blue Engine String Quartet. Composed of Symphony Nova Scotia’s Jennifer Jones, Anne Simons, Alexandra Bates, and Hilary Brown, the Blue Engine String Quartet have been collaborating and performing with a sprawling list of musicians since 1997 — from Denise Djokic, Philippe Djokic, Lynn Stodola and Peter Togni to Jill Barber, Jenn Grant, and Mary Jane Lamond.
Kenny Werner Trio performs at Alderney Landing Theatre Sunday, July 12 at 7:30 PM. Ten years ago, world-class pianist and composer Kenny Werner made his first appearance at the Halifax Jazz Festival. Fans described the concert as “magic,” and no doubt it was. Known for his prolific output of compositions, recordings and publications, Werner’s creativity continues to impact audiences around the world. Quincy Jones has said this artist is, “Perfection, 360 degrees of soul and science in one human being. My kind of musician.” Werner received the 2010 Guggenheim Fellowship Award for No Beginning No End, a musical journey exploring tragedy and loss, death and transition, and the path from one lifetime to the next. Hearing Werner’s trio live in an intimate and sonically crafted venue is a rare treat that will be nothing short of magical.
Students of the Creative Music Workshop (CMW) perform Sunday, July 12 at Alderney Landing Theatre, 1:30 PM. The grand finale of the 11 day Creative Music Workshop (CMW) is a FREE show. CMW offers a place where student musicians and a faculty of internationally known musicians come together each year to explore the endless possibilities of improvisation. Each concert will be fresh and on the edge, premiering new written music, collaborations between faculty and students, and offering a showcase for CMW students to share what they have been creating in a community environment.
Tickets for these performances are available online at www.ticketpro.ca , over the phone at 1-888-311-9090 or at the Alderney Landing Box Office located on the 2nd level of the building, above the market, and directly below the pedway that connects Alderney Landing to Alderney Gate (library). The Box Office Monday to Friday, 9:15 AM to 5 PM.