The TD PEI Jazz and Blues Festival is returning to Charlottetown for its 15th year from June 26 – 30, 2019. Taking the city once more by artistic storm, the festival is placing emphasis on the celebration of equality in all its forms.
Kicking the festival off will be a special screening of Rumble, a documentary about the impact of Indigenous Peoples in music, at the Florence Simmonds Performance Hall. The screening will be open to the public donation at the cost of a small donation, and it will also feature guest speakers from the Indigenous community.
Music performances will begin on the June 27 at St. Paul’s Anglican Church with Americana folk night, and the following three evenings will boast themes of country rock, R&B and Soul. And though the festival will be held in multiple locations across the city, the main stage will be located on Confederation Landing.
Among the 140 musicians to perform will be Grahame Rhodes as the 2019 Doug Riley Artist, Jimmy Rankin, Erin Costello, Catherine MacLellan, THE BEACHES, Earle & Coffin, Garrett Mason, Myles Goodwyn & Friends of the Blues, Reeny Smith and Alan Syliboy’s Thundermakers as well as Summer and Bray of The Mountain Faith Band from North Carolina.
The festival places emphasis on east coast musicians, Indigenous artists and culture, diversity and gender parity as its points of celebration. Saturday’s festivities will be in celebration of Women in Music, including an Aretha Franklin tribute performed by the Island’s own Catherine MacLellan.
“Festivals should be sensitive to the gender bias that exists when planning their program. This special evening featuring women who are the best in artistic talent is simply about featuring the best of artistic talent who happen to be women!” says festival chair Jim Power.
In addition, the afternoon of the Sunday will be dedicated to showcasing Indigenous art. For the afternoon the festival will be host to over two dozen Indigenous artisans, traditional storytelling and Indigenous music, including a tribute to Gary Sappier by his blues band and a performance by Alan Syliboy’s Thundermakers.
Advance passes will go on sale in limited quantity on Friday, March 29.