Photo Riad Hamidi, Motion Midi Photography
Jazz is thriving in Sudbury as the tenth anniversary Jazz Sudbury Festival reaches record ticket sales. The 2018 event marks a bright future for jazz in Sudbury as the organization continues to see growth in attendance, funding, and interest.
As everyone was gearing up for the start of the school year, the jazz purists of the region were anticipating the premier event of the year.
From September 5-9, jazz won over the hearts of Sudburians by taking over the city’s streets. Jazz Sudbury Festival collaborated with six local downtown venues to present its intimate events, including the Jazzwalk, Club Nights, Afterhours events and the Jazz Café. Main-stage presentations took place at Grace Hartman Amphitheatre, with community concerts in two locations at Bell Park.
The festival is reporting overall increases in numbers of local and regional artists, marketing reach, and most notably, attendance. From 2017 to 2018, the number of spectators has grown by 35%. It is the largest attendance that the festival has seen in its ten-year history.
“The 2018 edition of the Jazz Sudbury Festival was an excellent opportunity for Jazz Sudbury to broaden its audience, and we did this by offering a diverse roster of artists, representing music and culture from around the world,” says Festival Director, Ashlyne Botelho.
“Arts and music play a powerful role in a vibrant, and healthy community. There is such value in a smile, magic in shared laughter and sheer delight that can come from experiencing new, and perhaps unexpected, musical discoveries.”
3000 attendees were treated to the tenth-anniversary experience on Friday 7 September, and Saturday 8 September. This included the Investors Group Bistro, a Crosscut Distillery Martini Lounge, ten main stage performances, and a stunning fireworks show.
This record attendance comprised a mix of jazz newcomers and longtime devotees. Organizers were even delighted to discover that a young boy had requested to attend for his tenth birthday party. Being a fan of Michael Kaeshammer, the boy came along with a group of friends for the celebration. Having played the festival for the first time in its inaugural year, Kaeshammer returned for the tenth anniversary. These young fans clearly demonstrate that the Jazz Sudbury Festival has a bright future.
Artists entertained with talent and charm as spectators sipped on Crosscut Distillery martinis and snacked on La Fromagerie’s charcuterie cones. With the sparkling lights of the Investors Group Bistro twinkling in the background, attendees watched as each artist found their spotlight on the Mainstage. Jazz was the theme of the weekend, from the fresh young talent of the Anthony D’Alessandro Trio, and the unique soulful sound of Alysha Brilla, to the brassy sounds of Lucky Chops and the Great North All-Star Big Band.
“Performers such as Bobby Bazini, Alysha Brilla, and Lucky Chops prove to be the driving force in attracting new audiences. Celebrating such a major boost in attendance, I believe that we took an important and exciting first step on the path of the second decade,” says Botelho.
Jazz Sudbury prides itself on nurturing the jazz community in the City of Greater Sudbury. This record attendance and steady growth all point to the fact that jazz is alive and thriving in the city.
