Photo by Bashkim Hasani
Jillian McKenna brings The Jillian McKenna Project to Medicine Hat JazzFest on June 25 for a 10:30 p.m. show.
@MedHatJazz
THE JILLIAN MCKENNA PROJECT
With just a few days remaining until the beginning of JazzFest, the anticipation grows throughout the city. Now is the time to take a look through the brochure and really plan out your week. And if you’re not sure where to start, remember JazzFest 101 in the front of the brochure that is there to give you some ideas in three categories, Jazz Light, Jazz Funky and Jazz in the Tradition.
If you talk to someone who has been going to JazzFest for a few years about their experiences, chances are they may well say that some of the most magical, the most spell-binding moments of JazzFest happen during the late series. These are the shows that start at 10:30 p.m. (9:30 p.m. on Saturday) and tend to feature those musicians who are really digging into the music – exploring the various nooks and crannies of jazz and in many cases, are the up-and- coming artists on the world scene.
Is 10:30 p.m. too late to think about going to a jazz concert? Consider this. You’re in New York City. You’ve been to a play or a concert or out for a meal and you’re on your way back to your hotel. You hear jazz music coming from the open door of a club. You pause and look inside. A group is tearing it up on the band stand. The room is full of people listening, a glass of wine on many tables, some people have their eyes closed. You look at your watch and it’s 10:30 p.m. You may decide to head off to bed, but chances are, you’ll stop at the club! There is something about the later hours that draws responses from the musicians and audiences alike that just doesn’t happen earlier in the day. Well, those same musicians, from that above NYC scenario, are going to be in Medicine Hat next week. And the late series is one of the gems of the festival that more and more people discover every year.
Here is one of the features from this year’s late-night series and one that also falls under the JazzFest 101 category of Jazz in the Tradition.
Jillian McKenna is a young bass player/composer/arranger from Hamilton, Ont. who is attracting attention from the established jazz world. In 2015 she moved to New York City on a scholarship to attend the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in Manhattan. It was there that she had the opportunity to work with a number of esteemed artists including Peter Washington, Reggie Workman, David Wong, Ben Williams, Matt Wilson, and Joel Frahm. Since returning to Canada, she has formed The Jillian McKenna Project that includes her former teacher at Mohawk College, Adrean Farrugia. Since then, she has been playing at festivals and venues across the country. Her music is firmly rooted in traditional jazz, and yet incorporates contemporary flavours and twists and turns and make it uniquely her own.
The Jillian McKenna Project performs in the Esplanade Studio Theatre on Tuesday, June 25 at 10:30 p.m. Joining her are Adrean Farrugia on piano and Mackenzie Read on drums.
If you haven’t been to JazzFest, this is your chance to see what all the buzz is about. It truly is about the experience.
Tickets as well as full festival passes are available through all Esplanade ticket outlets. You can listen to all JazzFest artists on the Spotify Playlist called Medicine Hat JazzFest 2019. JazzFest can be followed on Twitter and Instagram @medhatjazz and Facebook and YouTube by searching for Medicine Hat JazzFest. Brochures can be found at the Esplanade, the tourist centre, the public library and coffee shops around the city.
Lyle Rebbeck is executive producer of JazzFest.
