Saskatchewan Jazz Festival begins Friday

The SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival in Saskatoon kicks off its 25th year this Friday (June 24), with over 140 performances on the schedule for the 10-day festival, reports Canada Tourism News.

This year’s lineup includes the Sheepdogs, Macy Gray, Aaron Neville, Béla Fleck & the Flecktones, Arrested Development, and Tegan and Sara. In total, the festival will offer over 176 hours of live music between its 40 ticketed and 76 free events.

"The growth of the festival has been remarkable, enabling us to bring world-class artists to Saskatoon as well as showcase our local talent," said Kevin Tobin, the festival’s artistic director. "The mix of musical genres offered is designed to attract, engage and inspire a growing and diverse audience within and beyond the borders of Saskatoon and Saskatchewan."

Jazz pianist Oliver Jones, who performed at the festival last year, has been tagged to write an original piece for the event. Jones will perform his Saskatchewan Suite on June 26, with help from the 17-piece Metro Jazz Ensemble.

For festival details, schedule and ticketing information, see the Tourism Saskatoon official site.