It will be a homecoming for
Holly Cole this summer. The Halifax-born singer will be one of the headliners
at the 22nd annual Atlantic Jazz Festival taking place at venues across the
city from July 11 through 19.
“You will definitely be
interested in what I have been able to conjure up this time around,”
artistic director Adam Fine said at Friday’s festival launch. “Although we
aren’t the largest festival in the sea, we usually get the pick of the litter.”
Cole – who released a
self-titled jazz CD last year – will perform at the festival main stage tent on
the corner of Spring Garden Road
and Queen Street
on Sunday, July 13.
Other main stage acts
include festival opening act Orquesta Tipica Imperial from Argentina on Friday, July 11, and
Syl Johnson – writer of the famous tune Take Me To The River – on Saturday,
July 12.
“I still like to think of it
as a giant seven dimensional puzzle, and I consider it a small miracle that we
are able to get all the artist schedules together and the programming
together,” added Fine, who is marking his second year as artistic director.
The festival will also
feature performances by bebop jazz legend Sheila Jordan, who is returning to the event after an eight year absence, New York-based Pyeng
Threadgill, and Icelandic jazz guitarist Bjorn Thorodson.
United Kingdom pianist John Taylor, who is a member of the band
Azimuth, will lead off a music series in the Common Room at the Holiday Inn.
There will also be a focus
on the Middle East, Arabia and Persia,
with musicians like Simon Shaheen, Rachid Taha and Dinuk Wijerante – known to
many for his work with Symphony Nova Scotia.
To reduce its environmental
footprint, the festival will not be printing its magazine this year. Instead it
is placing performer bios online. A small pamphlet, detailing shows and
locations, will be printed.
For more information, visit www.jazzeast.com
