2016 Vancouver International Jazz Festival must-sees, part 2

Nashville's Los Straitjackets perform at this year's Vancouver International Jazz Festival.

Nashville’s Los Straitjackets perform at this year’s Vancouver International Jazz Festival.

Earlier this week we posted about some of the big-stage highlights of this year’s Vancouver International Jazz Festival. In this post, we’re going to look at some of the smaller shows worth checking out.

Keep in mind, there are dozens of shows taking place as part of the festival, which runs June 24 – July 3, and these five are just a small sampling of the local and international artists coming to town for one of the country’s most acclaimed celebrations of all things jazz, and beyond.

Busty and the Bass (Georgia Stage, Georgia & Hornby, June 26, 7:30 p.m., free) – This electrosoul hip-hop collective is a nine-piece formed at Montreal’s McGill University. The young group has swiftly gone from performing at Lee’s Palace in Toronto to selling out that city’s Opera House within a few short months. Last year, Busty and the Bass played three sold-out nights at the Montreal International Jazz Festival.

Montreal's Busty and the Bass performs at this year's Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Kelly Jacob photo.

Montreal’s Busty and the Bass performs at this year’s Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Kelly Jacob photo.

Amanda Tossoff (Frankie’s Jazz Club, 765 Beatty St., June 30 at 8 p.m., tickets $15) – For her latest album Words, the B.C.-raised, Toronto-based pianist, composer, and bandleader has set poems by well-known poets to arrangements drawing from elements of jazz, art song, classical and folk/pop. For the Amanda Tosoff “Words” Project, she’s accompanied by a three-piece band while Felicity Williams provides the vocals.

Pianist/composer Amanda Tosoff brings her "Words" Project to this year's VIJF.

Pianist/composer Amanda Tosoff brings her “Words” Project to this year’s VIJF.

Destroy Vancouver XVII (VIVO Media Arts Centre, 2625 Kaslo St., June 25 at 9:30 p.m., $20/15) – The series lets loose a diverse array of improvisers on various instruments and in different disciplines. This year’s edition features British saxophonist Evan Parker, American drummer Chris Corsano, installation/performance artist Erin Sexton, local audio experimenter Constantine Katsiris, and Selector Records (DJ).

John Korsrud’s Latin Ensemble (Ron Basford Park Stage on Granville Island, July 1, 5 p.m., free) – Hard Rubber Orchestra bandleader and trumpeter John Korsrud leads his Vancouver-based Latin Ensemble through songs by Michel Camilo, Arturo Sandoval, Chucho Valdes and more.

Los Straitjackets (TheBlueShore at Capilano University, 2055 Purcell Way, North Vancouver, June 30 at 8 p.m., $30/28) – Instrumental high-energy rock ‘n’ roll from Nashville – performed in Mexican wrestling masks. How can you go wrong?

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