Markham Jazz Festival August 18-20

'The World of Jazz'

Friday, August 18- Sunday, August 20

Toronto, ON - The Markham Jazz Festival (MJF) is in its' 9th year and is bigger and better than ever with 'The World of Jazz'.

Known as one of the finest jazz festivals in Ontario, MJF has presented diverse and eclectic jazz performers who are not only drawn from the cream of the crop of Canadian jazz artists, but, come from a wide variety of other countries including the U.S.A. and Cuba. The Festival's repertoire spans a variety of genres, including traditional, swing, Latin, fusion, world, and contemporary jazz.

The theme for the 2006 Festival is “The World of Jazz." The festival will highlight a large variety of music within the family of jazz. U of T graduate, conductor, teacher and accomplished musician Josh Grossman has been hired as the MJF Artistic Director. Well known to the Markham and Toronto area, he's won a Markham Jazz Festival Youth Jazz Award and promises an exciting line-up with a wide range of diverse, interesting and well-known artists who will present jazz in all its forms.

The festival has extended their boundaries from Unionville Main Street east to Main Street Markham, and west to Warden Avenue. Most of the festival events will take place in the picturesque, historic Village of Unionville, just twenty minutes north of downtown Toronto. The “Main Stage" events are located at the Millennium Bandstand and the Varley Art Gallery patio. The festival opens with a Gala at the Varley Art Gallery on Friday evening with a rare appearance by the incomparable Bob Dorough. The rest of the weekend features superb jazz that appeals to a universal, all-age audience.

To compliment the Main Stage events are “Hot Spots:" many restaurants and pubs in Unionville and Markham that present fantastic jazz artists in a 'Street Festival and Concert Environment'. The main street of Unionville is closed off Saturday evening so that Festival attendees can wander from venue to venue, soaking up the party atmosphere, the jazz music, and the historic beauty of the village of Unionville.

Please join the MJF for a truly a magical experience. The MJF welcomes sponsors and volunteers.

Markham Jazz Festival

'The World of Jazz'

Friday evening, August 18th

Saturday, day and evening, August 19th

Sunday afternoon, August 20th

MEDIA CONTACT: Cat*PR - Catherine Fawcett 647-895-4310 - [email protected] www.catpr.ca