Call for local musicians to participate during the 2012 Brampton Global Jazz & Blues Festival

Are you a MUSICIAN? You have a fantastic opportunity to get involved in the Art in Jazz - Global Jazz & Blues Festival. Art of Jazz will transform downtown Brampton into a hotbed of rhythm, improvisation, harmony and sophistication. With 4 days of major concerts, themed program, workshops, jam sessions, film debuts and more, this unique community celebration will be a meeting point for international jazz greats and music lovers alike. The Festival will be presented August 9th to 12th inclusive.

We would love to see our local musicians get involved.


SUBMISSIONS INFORMATION


Due to the high volume of applications to the festival, we recommend that submissions be thorough and complete. Please do not send originals as submission packages will not be returned under any circumstances.


Only the successful applicants will be contacted.


Electronic and mailed submissions will be accepted.


Please include the following details/documents with your submission to ensure you receive the attention you deserve:
1. A brief description of your music, including style, influences, etc.2. A list of all group members' names and instruments.
3. Contact details including: Contact Name/ Phone(including area/country code) /Email Address /Mailing Address
4. Bio information
5. Website address


FOR ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS:
6. 1-5 above, plus, an EPK or email containing links to audio files.


FOR MAILED SUBMISSIONS:
6. 1-5 above, plus, a clearly labeled, playable CD or CDR.

PLEASE FORWARD ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS TO
jazz@artofjazz.org.

PLEASE FORWARD MAILED SUBMISSIONS TO:
Art of Jazz
197 County Court Blvd # 100
Brampton, ON L6W 4P6


Contact Marty Starkman with questions regarding your submission at mstarkman@rogers.com

Just... beautiful

Latinfest was awesome! I got to Garden Square probably about 5:30 p.m. and it, my friend, was PACKED. I have never seen it so full in my life. This is me going to Garden Square almost every Saturday last year, a few Saturdays this year and some Sundays too. I said what's up to Karen Clouter. She was there painting the kiddies for free. Check out the little bumblebeee on her arm. Can you see the bumblebee? No? Trust me, it's there and pretty

Latinfest was a sensory feast if I ever saw one. Crafters and vendors selling colourful Latin goods and works. Churros made on-site with the chocolate goodness! Tacos, burritos and other familiar salivating yumminess. I wasn't there for long but I wished I was able to stay longer. If only for the dancing.

The thing that got me, or gets me rather, the most is the dancing. I'm not going to pretend I can tell the cha cha from the salsa from a meringue or a paso doble – though wait. I think I could tell the paso doble from the others. You have to catch the foot work from the couple demoing the dance moves. They weren't the only ones dancing though, couples were showing their smooth moves all over the place. You can catch more of them from the youtube vids I posted.

The band that provided the music for a lot of the couples while I was there was called Salsotika. Their sound and particularly distinct rhythm section was also caught by me on the video.

Here's my facebook photo album of the event. :) Let me know if it doesn't show up. :)

You can catch me next at Rock Against Cancer on the 22nd. Come out and support the fight against cancer. It's a good fight.

My first attempt at a panoramic shot...

Currently listening to: Paolo Nutini – Keep Rolling; The Streets – Your Song; Streetlight Manifesto – We Are the Few; Regina Spektor – Samson; Kathleen Edwards – Sweet Lil Duck

different locale, different spirit

Well, that was quite a trip. Just got home from Chinguacousy Park. It was Communities in Bloom's Community Showcase. A really good place to see some of the services Brampton holds. BAC had their own booth, or should I say... a stage. We had our annual graphic novel of the arts in which some of our member groups perform. Last year's attendance had a longer list of performers but we did what we do at the council and kept on.

The set up was ideal and perfect this year. We were uphill with a small picnic house was the stage while some rafter benches were arranged in a slight 'V'. From the Brampton Library's reading of "Tacky and the Winter Games", by Bonnie-Kay Norman, Emily Norman Rebecca Norman and Sarah D'Cunha, to pump the public up for the upcoming Olympics to the lovely Sonia's artists from her Synergy Performing Arts Academy , like her hip hop dancers Samani and Anjan Puri, pianist Kristy Isidro and Omega Mighty performing her own single "Tainted". Later Anjan even performed a Charlie Brown monologue for the audience.

*said like a hokey game show host* AND THAT'S NOT ALL, folks!

Peel Panto Players' Joe Rose and Rose Brown parodied that television show Antique Roadshow, making the audience at least crack a smile with their antics.

Elizabeth demoed the art and discipline of the beautiful dance-form Nia to our audience. Janella and intern Therese joined in from the audience.

Yours truly even sang a few times. Again me with the nervous but mayhaps a good way to promote. I wish though I got to see the Rock School do their thing. They along with a couple of other local talents, Minus One and Bottoms Up were at the other side of the park. I will get to check them out next Saturday though at Rock Against Cancer . I better see you! Say hi to I!

Currently listening to: Mirah – Archipelago; The Clash – The Prisoner; Danko Jones – Something Better; Alicia Keys & Usher – My Boo (Reggae Remix!)

Where were *you* on the night of July 23rd, 2009?

I didn't get a chance to explore Brampton's 3rd annual Communities in Bloom Downtown Street Festival as much as I would have liked but from my spot on the first floor, my senses told me that there was quite a bit to do, watch, taste, listen and buy. The tinkling of steel drums, the clap of clogs upstairs made me a little envious of those visiting and not boothed. Unusually - and thankfully - the booths weren't on the street this year because of the “inclement weather conditions” and tents were removed as tables were positioned in Rose Theatre.

I saw Dale O'Hara there. Well, more than a glimpse. She was directly across from me so I could wave at her lots. Dale was there promoting Acres of Glass, which is a company biography of the Dale Estate and how it intersects with Brampton's history. It's interesting to watch older people walk by her booth, stop in their tracks and chat with her about the Brampton they remember growing up, a kind of compare and contrast. A place and its memories can anchor people like that.

Another one of my neighbours was the Brampton Clean City Committee. Joey and Vince, manning their table were awesome, especially with the theatrical way they appealed to kids with their waterless tattoo's. I'm glad that Brampton is putting money into educating kids about the environment and their role in conservation, especially with events like the Peel Children's Water Festival, which I learned about from Christina, another booth neighbour with the Region of Peel.

I'm learning a lot from this job so far. I thought a booth would be better but I like approaching people and talking to them, but I'm still not hearing from anyone. Mayhaps, I'll connect more with people at the next Communities in Bloom event, which is the Community Showcase on August the 13th at Chinguacousy Park. Things kick off at 6 p.m! I'm hoping to see peeps there. It's music, food and people. What's not to love?

If you see me, don't be afraid to come up and say hey. :)

The calm before the storm of people that afternoon.

While you were sleeping....

Savannah Festival of Rhythms was quite the event this past Sunday. The beautiful shiny weather was a bit reluctant to show but I'm guessing the sun couldn't help but beam once it heard the Latin rhythms that started the concert with a bang.

Those rhythms belonged to Anacaona, a 14 piece, all- lady Cuban band that rocked it out. The sun wasn't the only one unable to resist the beats as smatterings of the crowd took to their feet.

Next on stage was rhythm and blue singer Virgil Scott. If you don't know, he will undoubtedly tell you he's been in the entertainment business for 44 years and now you do know.

Last, but never least, Canada's diva Jackie Richardson and the utterly cool jazz sounds of Kollage came together to impress the crowd.

You know, I didn't know Brampton had events like this. This is Savannah's 7th year and that kind of shocks me. It's a well-run event. Not only were the performers top notch, but there were local artisans with various items from semi-precious jewellery to friend voodoo dolls to stain glass creations and not to mention the Service Canada Centre for Youth's booth. Oh! There were fantabulous visual artists displaying their work from abstract to realism and everything in between and if all that's not enough to set you going every year. The Savannah Festival is in support of sickle cell awareness. In a city of almost half a million, I would have expected - or dreamed of - seeing more people. How *does* one get the word out in this town?

This is the part where I talk about youth, being a youth liaison and all because I didn't get a strong feeling of youth there. Don't get me wrong. I saw youth there: kids running and shouting around, tweens and teenagers chillaxing on whatever was handy and young adults checking out the booths. Hey Kelly! It wasn't a youth event though maybe a family event, but not solely for the young 'uns. Perhaps the mysterious interjection is right, which is why I didn't get the young, bright vibe but some of the kids I did see, seemed taken aback or aloof and that worries me. I don't want to sound old but "when I was a kid everything was new, exciting and fresh!" Okay, you gotta imagine me shaking my finger and saying that in a voice like that old neighbour man from Family Guy - perks it right up.

I don't know. Anyone agree? Disagree? What makes you less aloof? What events would you like to see Brampton putting out there?

Catch more video clips on youtube.

Or become a fan of Brampton Arts Council on Facebook.