In an email to media released today, organizers revealed the first four headliners of this year’s festivities, which will take place June 20-29.
The headliners include indie rock phenoms Tegan and Sara, funky jam legends Medeski Scofield Martin and Wood (with John Scofield making a festival appearance in Saskatoon for the second year in a row), jazz singer and violinist Cassandra Wilson, and Grammy award-winning bluesman Ben Harper and his good friend Charlie Mussselwhite. The shows are split between the TD Mainstage at the Bessborough Gardens and the Broadway Theatre.
Opening acts include Royal Canoe, taking the stage before Tegan and Sara, and The Outer Bridge Ensemble, who will warm things up for Medeski Scofield Martin and Wood.
For those of you keeping track of headliners at home, that’s two jazz acts, one blues act, and one pop act. Great start! You can expect a lot more non-jazzy shows to come down the pipe, but that’s the price we pay for jazz at our festival. It’s an expensive genre, people.
The cost for big ticket headliners seems to be hovering around the $50 mark again. If you’re looking to take in a lot of shows but don’t want to break the bank, think about applying to be a volunteer. You’ll be able to get into any show that isn’t sold out, for the low low price of nothing at all.
Scroll down for more information about the artists announced today, as well as showtimes and ticket info.
Hopefully we can expect more lineup announcements over the coming weeks. Follow us on Facebook for all your 2014 Saskatchewan Jazz Festival news.
The full press release follows.
SASKATOON, March 4th 2014 — The Saskatchewan Jazz Festival is excited to announce the first four performers scheduled to performer at the 28th SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, June 20th to June 29th, 2014.
Artist’s announced include Broadway Theatre headlining performers Cassandra Wilson and the supergroup Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood. TD Mainstage festival headliners announced include Canadian power duo Tegan and Sara along with Ben Harper and Charlie Musslewhite.
“The first festival announcement is a signal that winter is almost over and we can start thinking about summer” said Festival Manager Kevin Tobin. “Today’s announcement makes us want summer to come even faster. With the support the Festival has received from the community, volunteers, sponsors, suppliers, and media we are thrilled with today’s release of these world class artists as we continue to build the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival into one of the premier events in Canada.”
Tickets go on sale at 10am on Tuesday March 11th and available through SaskJazz.com, the festival box office at 701-601 Spadina Cres East, Saskatoon, SK (7th Floor of the Delta Bessborough) or by calling 306 652 4700.
The email sent out by SaskJazz also included the following artist bios and box office information.
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara
Date: Thursday June 26th 2014
Location: TD Mainstage
Opener: Royal Canoe
Tegan and Sara’s 13-year career has seen them build an avid global following of fans and fellow musicians alike. Their unique ability to bridge the pop and indie worlds has allowed their music to cross all traditional boundaries of genre, from being covered by The White Stripes to collaborating with superstar DJs such as Tiesto and David Guetta. Having sold nearly 1 million career albums and toured with acts from The Killers to Neil Young, Tegan and Sara have now released their 7th studio album – Heartthrob – as internationally-celebrated songwriters, performers, and artists.
John Scofield
Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood
Date: Saturday June 21st, 2014
Price: $45 early bird, $55 regular
Location: Broadway Theatre
Opener: The Outer Bridge Ensemble
It’s a match made not above nor below, but rather in some altogether hipper, funkier place. On their new release OUT LOUDER, John Medeski, Billy Martin, and Chris Wood, plus guitar guru John Scofield, make music not of this world, yet rooted in the earth tones of jazz, funk, and blues. Music from the heart, for the mind, and made to shake the earth, not to mention the body.
For the first time ever, Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood will embark on a tour (see dates below), showcasing their collaborative, instinctive sound. Look for them to perform music from OUT LOUDER and A Go Go, with several yet-to-be-released tunes poised to be thrown into the mix. This music comes from a deep, hip, funky place, and Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood are ready to take it out there and everywhere.
Cassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson
Date: Tuesday June 24th, 2014
Price: $50 early bird, $60 regular
Location: Broadway Theatre
Cassandra Wilson is a jazz musician, vocalist, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi. Described by critic Gary Giddins as “a singer blessed with an unmistakable timbre and attack who has expanded the playing field” by incorporating blues, country and folk music into her work.
She signed with Blue Note Records in 1992 and released a landmark album titled “Blue Light ‘Til Dawn” which would pave the way for a new generation of jazz singers seeking an approach and repertoire that challenges the supremacy of the American Standard songbook.
Wilson has continued interpreting in fresh and creative ways vintage blues, country and folk music up until the present day. Her awards include: two Grammys, the Django D’Or, The Edison Music Award, a marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail, and the 2012 Echo Award for Jazz. She also performed one of the leading roles in Wynton Marsalis’ “Blood on the Fields,” the first jazz work to receive a Pulitzer Prize.
Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite
Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite
Date: Saturday June 21st, 2014
Price: $55 early bird, $65 regular
Location: TD Mainstage
Opener: With special guests
Combining funky, groove-laden soul with handcrafted acoustic folk-rock, Ben Harper enjoyed cult status during the course of the ’90s before gaining wider attention toward the decade’s end. Despite finding commercial success with the radio single “Steal My Kisses” in 2000, Harper continued to explore different musical textures during the 21st century, enjoying a solid fan base at home and a considerable amount of fame in Europe.
Mississippi born Musselwhite is one of the most revered blues musicians in the world. The harmonica master has won countless awards during his legendary career including induction into the Blues Hall of Fame and collaborated with innumerable musical giants of the past 50 years including Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Tom Waits, Eddie Vedder and the aforementioned Hooker, just to name to name a few. The two at Australia’s Bryon Bay Blues Festival in 1996. Despite the difference in age and background, the two hit it off immediately.
In the grand but all-too-rare tradition of full-album artist collaborations, Get Up! (Stax/Concord Music Group) featuring Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite is a modern blues classic. The release, Harper’s 12th studio album, surveys gospel, roots, country and R&B; the marriage’s fluid chemistry helping his multi-layered canvas expand as never before.
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Photos: Supplied
I would be willing to do anything or donate any amount of money to get Ben Harper tickets!!!!!!!!!!
306-690-9673