Attention jazz fans! Make sure your week is clear from June 23 to July 2 because the TD Toronto Jazz Festival is back. The festival is Toronto’s second largest annual music festival, with a wide variety of performances ranging from straight Jazz to fusions of Blues, R&B and Funk.
Canadian legend Randy Bachman is set to launch the annual Jazz fest on Friday, June 23. Bachman is expected to play with guests Walter Trout and Laila Biali at The Concert Hall, located at 888 Yonge Street.
The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin will also be performing at this year’s festival. Her concert at the Sony Centre on Saturday, July 1 will be one of the final shows for the 18-time Grammy Award winner, as earlier this year she announced her retirement from music at the end of 2017.
The John LaBarbera Big Band will also be “celebrating Buddy Rich” at The Concert Hall. John LaBarbera has recorded with a significant amount of jazz legends, but is best known for his major contribution to Buddy Rich’s repertoire.
Other big names include Joss Stone, who is set to play at the Danforth Music Hall and both Gregory Porter and Mavis Staples at the Koerner Hall in the Telus Centre for Performance & Learning.
This nine day celebration will see over 100 free concerts in Yorkville, with show times beginning at noon and continuing until 10 p.m. Other venues are also scheduled for performances, such as the Phoenix Concert Theatre and Church of The Redeemer.
This year marks the 30-year anniversary of the festival, which began in 1987 and saw headlining legends such as Miles Davis, Tony Bennett and Roberta Flack. The event has also made major contributions to the GTA economy, and has seen over 11 million visitors since its founding. Over 33,000 artists have played over the years, pushing strong focus on the talent of Canadian musicians.
