Kick Off the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival With A Weekend Of Free Music

For many, it’s the official start of summer. The TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival celebrates its 32nd year with a fresh new look for its opening weekend, June 24 and 25. Downtown Jazz, the free celebration of music, food, and community, marks the first large-scale gathering on the newly refurbished Vancouver Art Gallery plaza.

After a long-awaited facelift, the North Georgia Plaza, which fronts the VAG between Hornby and Howe Streets, will open to the public during the first weekend of the Festival. There’s a larger viewing space with improved sight lines for a more comfortable listening experience. Howe Street will be closed to traffic between Georgia and Robson allowing Festival-goers to stroll between stages and catch 30 performances in two days.

The enhanced grounds will feature three stages, family activities, the next generation of jazz talent at the Sounds of Youth Stage, an artisan market, food trucks, two licensed bars and a large LED viewing screen for all to enjoy. The best thing about it? It’s free to attend!

The music starts at noon and goes until 9pm each day. Some don’t miss Downtown Jazz musical acts include:

Les Filles de Illighadad

Les Filles de Illighadad
Saturday, June 24, 2:15pm
Georgia Stage

Hailing from rural Niger, guitarist Fatou Seidi Ghali and vocalist Alamnou Akrouni explore two different sides of Tuareg music: dreamy ishumar acoustic guitar, and the hypnotic, polyphonic rhythms of the tende drum that inspires it.

Five Alarm Funk

Five Alarm Funk
Saturday, June 24, 7:30pm
Georgia Stage

Vancouver-based band Five Alarm Funk unleashes monster horns, crushing percussion, and shredding psych-rock guitars. Their sixth studio album Sweat dropped this spring to wild acclaim. A guaranteed dance party!

Colin Cowan & the Elastic Stars
June 24, 5pm
Robson Stage

The eccentric brainchild of the remarkably active and diverse guitarist/vocalist Colin Cowan. Best known for his bass playing in Dada Plan, Black Mountain, Dálava, and Tiny Pyramids, Cowan’s cosmic folk/psych-pop “songwriting brilliance is undeniable” (Exclaim!).

Nik West

Nik West
June 25, 5:15pm
Georgia Stage

She’s a one-of–a-kind bassist who blends flamboyant charisma and ridiculous chops into one spectacular package. Her former collaborator Prince once said, “She inspires me in the same way that Sheila E. did.” With a bass clef hairdo, a powerhouse voice, and explosive stage presence, Nik West is leading funk into a new era.

The Boom Booms

The Boom Booms
June 25, 7:30pm
Georgia Stage

Think ’70s soul, funk, Afro-beat, R&B, reggae, and Latin vibes—and then stop thinking and just move! Peak Performance Project runners up, The Boom Booms are the sounds of summer, and they’ve got a knack for “spraying a tanker truck of gasoline on a raging dance floor” (Georgia Straight).

Barbra Lica Quintet
June 25, 5pm
Robson Stage

2017 JUNO nominee Barbra Lica’s clear-toned voice and playful personality make her a crowd favourite. A bold torchbearer for the traditions of Ella Fitzgerald and Doris Day, Lica brings modern pop sensibilities to her own ebullient songs. Plus there’s an accordionist in her band. What’s not to like?

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