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| KC Roberts closes out the show |
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
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| Sultans of String |
"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.
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| Jackie of Jackie and Kim Richardson |
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 - although adjustments were made for Sunday - and some sound issues on occasion, with some delay between acts at times that could have been filled in 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, in the end the
music on
this day was top notch, with a couple local performers even amongst the band members, and, by
adding to the mix 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 to address when that happens might also be a future board consideration. Maybe lose the karaoke 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.
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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!...But 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 company specializing in film/ video / live production and online optimization and have organized shows for events as
large as Canada's largest convention center in Toronto, would have loved the opportunity to put on a
Jazz Festival originally,
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 attended the work shops,
who happens to be the God Son of
Oscar Peterson's brother Chuck, and studied under
Daisy Sweeney, Oscar's sister, had 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. Turns out 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...
Overall though, definitely a good job just 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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| Tshirts sold on Main st! |
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| Joy Lapps |
