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Upcoming Live Performances
Now that spring has officially arrived (though it seems more like summer around here these days) the 10th Annual Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival will be here in no time. Many of the preparations have been completed but there is still much to do and more announcements to be made. (See the sections below).
In the meantime, there is still plenty of great live music to be enjoyed as we inch ever closer to opening day. Here are a few of our recommendations:
You are also invited to visit the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival's Facebook Profile page to stay up to date with the latest Festival-related news and events. |
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2012 Festival Line-up
 On March 16, Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival Co-Founder and Artistic Director Larry Kurtz led an event at The Edge Wine Bar & Grille to announce the line-up for the 2012 event. And what a line-up it is!!
From the Opening Gala on Thursday, May 31 to the last Main Stage performer on Sunday June 3 this year's musical line-up is certainly worthy of a 10th Anniversary celebration.
CLICK HERE to view this year's musical line-up.
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Be a Blues and Jazz "Tree Hugger"
 To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival, we have commissioned a local wood sculptor to create a commemorative carving.
The carving will stand nearly ten feet high and will be located at the entrance of Alexandra Park - the site of the RE/MAX Main Stage.
We are inviting you to be a part of this celebration and have launched a Tree Hugger Campaign to raise funds for the carving.
People who donate $20 and up will receive a tax receipt from the Town of Orangeville and a special Tree Hugger lapel pin in the shape of the image to the right - which is how the carving will look.
CLICK HERE for details or to make a donation.
Any support received will be greatly appreciated. |
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The Cruise Draw is Back!
 We are very pleased to announce the return of our Draw for an opportunity to WIN a 7-Night/8-Day Caribbean Cruise* for Two with Celebrity Cruises!!
This prize is valued at $4,000 and includes ALL of the following:
- Return airfare between Toronto and Miami
- Transportation to and from the Miami airport and the ship
- 7-nights/8-days accommodation in a Celebrity cruise ship balcony stateroom
* The cruise includes stops in San Juan (Puerto Rico), St. Thomas (Virgin Islands), St. Maarten (Netherlands Antilles) and Miami, Florida.
IN ADDITION to the cruise draw, there will be NINE OTHER DRAWS for the following great prizes:
Tickets are $10.00* each, or $25.00* for three, and can be purchased by contacting the Festival Office at 519.941.9041 or via e-mail at gordmcwilliams@sympatico.ca.
Good luck to all who enter! |
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Monday Night at the Movies: May 7, 2012
 May 7, 2012 will mark the return of the annual Monday Night at the Movies event.
This year's featured film is Music from the Big House, starring award-winning Blues artist Rita Chiarelli.
It captures the story of Rita's pilgrimage to the birthplace of the Blues: Angola Maximum Security Prison in Louisiana.
Before the movie the audience will be treated to a live performance by renowned folk-blues artist Mo' Kauffey.
Tickets are $15 per person and are available at BookLore or by calling the Festival Office at 519.941.9041.
CLICK HERE for more details.
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Back in the Top 100 Again!
 For the second year in a row, the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival has earned the distinction of being recognized as one of Ontario's Top 100 Festivals by Festivals & Events Ontario (FEO).
Each year, FEO recognizes and celebrates Ontario's many top-notch festivals and events via its Top 100 Ontario Festivals program ~ which is sponsored by Via Rail Canada.
The Top 100 designation carries the highest visibility of all of FEO's awards programs.
This achievement is reflective of the ongoing level of support the Festival receives from local government and businesses. It is also a testament to the tireless efforts of a growing army of volunteers, that allow the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival to flourish and improve each year, and the generous support of the Festival's many sponsors.
It is noteworthy that being named to the Top 100 Ontario Festivals for 2012 places the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival in the same company as many much larger events, including: the Tim Hortons Southside Shuffle Blues & Jazz Festival in Mississauga, the TD Ottawa International Jazz Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, the Rogers Cup and Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest.
Not to shabby for an event run by a gang of small-town volunteers!!
For more information Festivals & Events Ontario, visit: www.festivalsandeventsontario.ca.
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CD Review: What's It All About - Pat Metheny
by: Garth Stiebel
 Metheny's latest recording may surprise fans more accustomed to his explorations of modern jazz voicings, à la Orchestrion, in that none of the compositions on What's It All About are of his making, nor are they jazz, at all, by conventional definitions. They are, in fact, popular melodies that have been with him, in some cases, since before he learned to play and have been deep, albeit unconscious influences on all his subsequent work.
These are songs he would play during and after soundchecks, while on tour, and in his words, "Almost every day as I visited one well known tune or another to work through, various visitors or local crew people would come up to me and ask which record was my version of this tune or that tune that they recognized was on, and I would have to say that I had never made a record like that. And over the years, I have had it in the back of my mind that I actually should do a CD of some of some of those tunes at some point". But these are not casual remakes by any means. A careful listening shows multiple modulations, sometimes radical reharmonizations and always poetic meaning in each of these re-imaginings. Metheny's ability to create soundscapes and take the listener on a journey sustained by a single instrument are never more in evidence than on this recording and harken back to the Grammy Award-winning Beyond the Missouri Sky, recorded with bassist Charlie Hayden, some years ago, in the proliferation of original musical ideas from music you might have thought was mined out decades ago. If you are looking for something to hum along to, this CD may not be the ideal purchase. Metheny has said that even he cannot unravel what these songs have meant to him, over the years.
However, for those of us old enough to remember the originals, what he has done will re-light the flame of recollection while for new listeners, Metheny's artistry will kindle an appreciation of the sophisticated musicality to be found in even the most Top 40 of tunes. |
Follow us on Facebook & YouTube If you are not already aware, the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival is on Facebook, and you are invited to join us and stay up to date with the latest photos, videos and upcoming events.
 And now you can also find us on our YouTube Channel, where you can enjoy dozens of performance videos from past festivals. You may even see yourself in the vids. In the meantime, we would like to thank you for your interest in (and support of) our Festival. Stay tuned for more... |
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Mar. 22, 2012 -