Recently I attended
The Newmarket Jazz + Festival, and, comparing it to the inaugural previous year, it was a much better experience, with the talent
top notch! Where last year I was critical that I'd spent almost a full day attending without hearing any Jazz, this year
I heard some and more, as well they were clear about it being
JAZZ +, which, as a theme guy, helped me absorb and accept other genres into a Jazz Festival.
The unique mix, from instrumentals only, to vocal bluesy acts, to
experimental newish sounds was very cool to die-hard music fans like me,
and judging by the crowd reaction, and that of one of the organizers,
George St. Kitts,
who certainly wasn't trying to hide his enthusiasm for the performers, I
wasn't alone in my thinking. I had no choice but to notice
St. K
on occasion as he was on the 2nd stage semi-between myself and the main
stage so I couldn't miss him. But that just tells me that he really
enjoys the music too, and
feels it, and you do indeed
need that element to have a good festival - organizers looking to attain really good music - not just
"filler" - and one that carries a vibe backed up by the hosts enthusiasm such as they showed.
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| George St Kitts got one too! |
So great job
George, himself an
R&B Singer, whom I worked a gig with some years ago for
Feds' United Way drive, my first gig
as Elvis as I recall and I did poorly, stumbling on a lyric of a song I was using without karaoke also for the 1st time. Ha. The
Elvis
die-hards noticed, and I swear I heard a collective groan. I never made
that mistake again. Ha. But George saved me that day as he was "spot
on" and I recall him making the time to come over when we were all done
and say it was pleasure working with us and enjoyed us (myself and
Ayoub Beebejaun, now a Fireman in Newmarket, singing the song
TPE had created and which we co-wrote,
Light The Way), which I'm sure in my case, he was just being polite. Ha.
The Feds services raised a record $ amount that year for The
United Way drive through sales of our C.D. and efforts from others like
George. I would only imagine the
Sheri
(St Kitts) is an extension of that same character and kudos to them
both for putting this together, along with their board, and of course
the grants people for making it possible. Indeed they have proven
capable of putting together a credible showcase of talent. It is theirs
now to shape, as they have certainly proven worthy with the opportunity
given.
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| Picturesque Main St Newmarket |
That being said, there were some
minor glitches with the former
Aurora Jazz Festival
organizers' event which could be improved, including stage locations on
Main St affecting a few businesses - mind you adjustments were made for Sunday - and some audio issues on occasion,
with some delay between acts at times that could have been filled with recorded music meantime and piped out through the house system -
especially through the rain delays. And it still feels a little
confining at times at
R.W.C., but , as I say, the
music on
this day was top notch, with a couple local performers even amongst the band members, and, by
adding visual artists, they created atmosphere in a positive
way. And being
Jazz + totally within theme still! The outdoor
activity & kids areas for performers were nice.. until it rained...so a
back up plan perhaps also be a future
board consideration. Maybe lose the karaoke-like feature on Main too as it cheapens
it a bit, and add a true
marquis, name performer.
I checked in with some of the
shops on nearby
Main St and the ones I'd spoke with had
busier
days than most during the event - particularly hospitality
establishments and retail outlets. Some were utilized in some form by
the festival organizers which was good and I'd like to see more of that
- using local wherever possible - so Newmarket businesses also profit.
After all someone does make money here! And Businesses shouldn't be shy
about wanting some nor organizers about assisting to that end..
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| Suspended Play on Main St |
The year we held our Annual
Youth Road Hockey Event on Main St, we had performers set up not only on the street, but stationed
inside
the hospitality houses, and maybe that is an area that can be worked on
for next year as well which will help keep out-of-towners engaged.
Cafe Hesed for example
has a piano in
it already, so it would be easy to set them up with a daily performance
etc. All the bars, cafes, and restaurants should be involved where
possible, and if it was me as an owner I'd be booking performers in
anyway and opening my bar until 2 am! Don't wait for nearby
events to include you - show an interest and willingness and I'm sure
they will.
TPE as an entertainment and promo production specialist for film/ video / live production
and online optimization and have organized shows for events as
large as Canada's largest convention center in Toronto, originally would have loved the opportunity to put on a
Jazz Festival,
and had actually considered it years ago when after my first ever
Yuk
Yuks performance I'd met Pianist / Composer
Ken Skinner of
The Jazz Mongers (Marooned etc) - who
happens to be the God Son of
Oscar Peterson's brother Chuck, and studied under
Daisy Sweeney, Oscar's sister, who asked me to look into it. His father Kenny Sr. was also a pianist playing with
Charlie Biddle,
Dougie Richardson,
Nelson Symonds Ken kept repeating the terms
new market
as if it were an omen as I recall and he was truly exited - a man who'd
also lead a hard life I think, and looking for a rainbow... maybe
re-find a lost passion.
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| Don't shoot! |
We became
friends then and my kids came with me for dinner at he and his wife's
place ( was single Dad ) and we discussed some ideas, but at the time we
had not the
Riverwalk Commons in Newmarket, theorizing perhaps
Fairy Lake Park for host site and so
the idea kind of died but I always thought it would work in
New Market. Ken was right after all!
Now he'd be a good fit for
Cafe Hesed - located on
Main St and already equipped with a piano - so maybe I'll just inject
myself next year by setting up performers in the local Main St. venues need be!
Ha...
There are a few empty spaces on Main that'll likely fill up before next year, including a
new fish house, and I'm sure the now empty bank will find a tenant by then, and, together with the already good mix of quirky businesses and delicious eatery's, with options to sit in or quick bite on site and mixed with visual beauty of main St., you have all the elements for an event such as this to grow!
Overall though, definitely a good job with perhaps some
overkill on the advertising -
reduce that and maybe turn some volunteers into paid labour instead -
after all isn't there a non-profit / give back element cause for all
this too?
Build it and they will come.
TP's rating an A minus!
Check out more pics from this event on the
TPE Production's FB Page.
TP out!
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| More Quincy Morrison Art |
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| A Place to unwind on Main St! |
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| Good Vibes got good vibes from the Jazz+ Fest selling their T-shirts |
I had limited time to attend this year, but had a good time when I did and had also volunteered to help set up Main St. for the Saturday which included live street entertainment, vendors, games, and activities for the kids, as well as street-eats. Meantime the morning Sat Main St portion of the event also allowed for farmers market attendees to wander up should they wish after 9am, making for a festive atmosphere with the various patios and street grills set up and ready to roll.
After intros, the volunteers set the tents up and put the chairs out whilst directing vendors to their spots, blocking off the road and setting up booths and activities for their own businesses and associations - all with a 7am call. Lol. Well as close as one gets with that on volunteer gigs. At any rate, the half dozen or so die-hards got it done while others took their shifts as they showed up, a true team effort, as not all could stay - myself booked out for 2:30 pm.
So more inclusion of those restaurants & cafes, beyond the Saturday, intertwined as part of the festival, is what is needed. In 2015, the Jazz+ Sunday had live entertainment at River Walk but if you walked up to Main St. you'd never know it was part of it. Patios sat fairly empty at times, no street players, no patio jams, no visible connection to the Newmarket Jazz + Festival - but I'd like to change that with more, advertised, feature performers, hosted at various Main St locations throughout the fest, thereby drawing more customers - and more late night goers - onto main during the festival to spend some disposable income there as well. Why not end the night rocking on at a place doing live on Main? And with patios also being more accessible to wheelchair users.
