At this morning's media launch, the Halifax Jazz Festival announced their whopping summer 2012 lineup. We are still super stoked about Charles Bradley, the “Screaming Eagle of Soul”, at the festival tent. He’ll take you on an emotional trip back to old school funk and soul, and he’ll be performing with Nova Scotia’s very own neo-soul singer, the sultry Cyndi Cain, on July 13, at 8pm.
You can expect to be mind blown by contemporary hip hop trio Deltron 3030 on July 12; they'll be bringing a complete horn session and one full choir (26 people! Um, whoa). On the same bill is Maestro Fresh Wes, and a special performance by Dinuk Wijeratne, (beloved composer-conductor-pianist) and Skratch Bastid's new collaboration, WijeratneWorks. The Deltron 3030 after party at La Trinidade & the Listening Room at 11pm keeps the party going with DJ Gordski, The Extremities, Uncle Fester and Toronto's Fresh Kills.
Funk soul band Osaka Monaurail are pumping it up all the way from Japan to perform with Halifax’s The Mellotones on July 11, 8 pm at the festival tent. And Alejandra Ribera, a Toronto-born wild child who adventured all around the world, including the mountains of Slovenia (where she studied under a witch doctor), will keep you pleasantly surprised at The Company House on July 10, 9pm. But if you’re looking for something more soothing, head to The Carleton, where the local Ladies in Blues showcase, featuring Pam Barr, Linda Carvery and Krisanne Crowell, pays homage to women in jazz and blues on July 11 at 9pm.
Friday, July 13 because Maria Osende Flamenco Company will be dancing at the Neptune along with jazz/modern choreography duo Threnodies featuring Susanne Chui. Like Jell-O, there’s always room for The Beatles, which is why you should check out Shine On: The Universe of John Lennon and John Chiasson’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on July 9 at 8pm at the festival tent; the two bands will be re-inventing classic Beatles songs jazzically with their horns, percussion, piano and voice.
Oh, did we mention there will also be free concerts every day and evening starting July 7 from noon at the festival tent? Showcasing artists like Sudanese-immigrated duo KOJO, who play the thumb-piano lokembe; Joe Murphy and the Water Street Blues Band, Aurora Scott, and many more, Halifax Jazz Festival just has so much jazz to give they've let the free jazz love spill over into the evening for the first time. See the full schedule and band list at halifaxjazzfestival.ca.