Page
Zoe Szuch Local drummer and percussionist James
zszuch@medicinehatnews.com Evangelos has performed in the festival
at least six times with various bands over
Volunteers at the Medicine Hat Jazz
the last several years.
Society are gearing up for the 13th He said the festival showcases world-
annual Medicine Hat Jazz Festival which renowned acts that he would have never
will encompass the city for a week in been otherwise exposed to, even as a
June. professionally-trained jazz musician.
The Jazz Society was established 19 “It’s an exceptional opportunity,”
years ago and initially only held series Evangelos said.
concerts a few times a year. In 1996, the
More and more people attend the
Jazz Society decided to host a two-day
festival each year because, according
event showcasing a few out-of-town
to Rebbeck, often times people like the
artists.
intimacy of the festival as well as the
“It was a huge success, so it just grew high calibre of musicians who perform.
from there,” said festival producer, Lyle
“I think year after year we add more
Rebbeck.
loyal fans who even go so far as to book
“It soon became a three-day festival, their annual holidays the week of the
MEDICINE HAT NEWS
then a five-day festival and now we’re at Jazz Festival.”
FILE PHOTOS
a full seven-day festival.”
“It’s fun, it’s different, it’s unique, it’s
It is all about the music at the With venues varying in range from something they don’t usually get on a
annual Medicine Hat Jazz
the 700 plus soft-seat state of the art weekly basis here in Medicine Hat and
Festival. Each year, the week
Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre, to it’s world class music,” Rebbeck said.
of music showcases about 50
musicians, caters to 6,000 fans
the open air parkade of the downtown
The 2009 Medicine Hat Jazz Festival
and injects over $250,000 into
bus depot, to the Historic Clay
kicks off June 22 and runs until June
the local economy. The 2009 District or the countless local bars and
28. For more information visit:www.
Medicine Hat Jazz Festival kicks
restaurants, the jazz festival takes place
off June 22 and runs until June
medicinehatjazzfest.com.
in nearly every nook and cranny of the
28. For more information visit
www.medicinehatjazzfest.com.
city. The musical extravaganza attracts
approximately 6,000 attendees, has a
budget nearing the $200,000 mark and
Sty
l
l
i
ish O
f
f
f
f
i
ice
utilizes 75 to 100 volunteers each year.
The City of Medicine Hat conducted an
economic impact study on the 2003 Jazz
Festival and concluded the festival has
Furn
i
iture
a gross economic impact of more than
$250,000 a year.
“And the festival has grown exponentially
(in size) since then,” Rebbeck added.
The Medicine Hat Jazz Festival is one
of only 14 cities across the country
which is affiliated with Jazz Festivals
Canada, a national non-profit arts
service organization. Rebbeck, who has
produced the festival for over a decade,
said this allows the Medicine Hat Jazz
Festival to network and collaborate with
other centres to get top notch performers
from around the globe.
“Here in Medicine Hat we have many
of the same performers that you would
hear in Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto
or in any of the large centres with big
festivals.”
40261729•03/24/09
The Medicine Hat Jazz Festival
522D Maple Avenue SE
showcases about 50 musicians each year,
Medicine Hat
even though the committee receives
more than 300 hard copy performer
403.526.6475 submissions and hundreds more via
www.desknfile.net
email.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71