2009 TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival

1,500 Musicians, 350 Concerts, 40 Stages & 10 Days of Jazz
Experience it all only at the TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival!
June 26 – July 5, 2009

Toronto – Monday, April 6, 2009 ~ Make the TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival the
ultimate destination this summer as it kicks off its 23rd edition as the city’s largest music
festival. From a crooner to an orchestra, a guitar genius who tops any celebration of the
guitar, the queen of retro funk to jam-band gods, and hundreds more, this summer’s lineup
has something for every musical taste and budget.

Tony Bennett – Sunday, July 5 (Canon Theatre)
Inimitable crooner Tony Bennett returns to the Festival after 20 years for a special
performance to close out this year’s festivities. With over 50 million records sold and 15
Grammy Awards to his credit, this NEA Jazz Master could easily be called one of the
best friends the great American songbook has ever had. With career highlights that read
like a list of who’s who in jazz and popular music, Bennett has been a musical tour de
force for the past 50 years and is easily this year’s concert not to be missed at the
TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival.

** Two other previously announced headlining concerts at the Festival this year include
saxophone colossus Sonny Rollins (06/26 – Four Seasons Centre) and the Gary Burton
Quartet Revisited with guitar genius Pat Metheny, Steve Swallow and Antonio Sanchez
(06/29 – Four Seasons Centre).

Mainstage Concert Theatre – Nathan Phillips Square
Looking for sheer star power set in an intimate setting? Look no further than the mainstage
tent at Nathan Phillips Square, which is the hub of the Festival. For 10 days, some of the
brightest names in jazz will take centre stage here – British sensation Jamie Cullum
(Tuesday, June 30); grandmaster Dave Brubeck (Wednesday, July 1); Al Di Meola
World Sinfonia’09 (Thursday, July 2); saxophonist Branford Marsalis in a double bill
with the Dave Holland Quintet (Friday, July 3); Curtis Stigers and Eliane Elias
(Saturday, July 4); Japanese saxophonist Sadao Watanabe (Sunday, July 5); as well as
the queen of retro funk, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (Friday, June 26); jam-band
legends Medeski Martin & Wood (Saturday, June 27); zydeco’s most popular performer,
Buckwheat Zydeco (Sunday, June 28); and Kool & The Gang (Monday, June 29)

Other notable concerts
With more than 40 locations participating in the TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival,
jazz is literally at your doorstep, or in this case, at your pew. Church of the Redeemer
joins the Festival as a new venue and features the music of Italian trumpeter Enrico
Rava and one of jazz world’s great unsung new piano heroes Stefano Bollani
(Wednesday, July 1). Alexander von Schlippenbach brings his ambitious project,
Monk’s Casino, to the Festival on Friday, June 26; Monk’s Casino is an arrangement of
the complete works of Thelonious Monk. Delirium (Saturday, June 27) and Motif
(Monday, June 29) are also scheduled to perform.

With a voice that recalls Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt, Susan Tededschi makes her
Jazz Festival debut on Friday, July 3 (Opera House). Crafting elements of classic blues,
rock, R&B, folk and gospel, Tedeschi will be performing music off her fourth album,
Hope and Desire. Madeleine Peyroux (Tuesday, June 30 – Danforth Music Hall), last
at the Festival in 2005, is often likened to a modern day Billie Holiday. Off the heels of
her latest release Bare Bones, do not miss this song interpreter extraordinaire.

Canada Day
Show your patriotic pride and come down to Nathan Phillips Square on Canada Day as
the Shuffle Demons attempt to reclaim their Guinness World Record for most
saxophonists playing O’ Canada together. The festivities all start at 12 noon with a free
performance from Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass; followed by the record breaking
attempt at 3pm. At 5pm, the Shuffle Demons take to the Primus Stage for a free
concert celebrating their 25th anniversary. Groove & Graffiti will also be back for a fifth
year as aerosol artists put paint to canvas in ever popular exhibit. Return in the evening
for an intimate performance from the grandmaster himself, Dave Brubeck; the Brandi
Disterheft Quartet opens. There is no other place to be on Canada Day!

The TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival will also be celebrating the 80th anniversary
of diplomatic relations between Japan and Canada with performances by Japanese
saxophonist Sadao Watanabe (Sunday, July 5 – Nathan Phillips Square) and pianist
Hiromi (Monday, June 29 – Fleck Dance Theatre, Harbourfront Centre).

Club shows
From the east side to the west side, uptown to downtown, clubs make up a vital part of the
jazz festival community. The Supermarket will play host to artists such as British soul
singer Alice Russell (Tuesday, June 30), The Heavy (Friday, June 26) and The Sea and
Cake (Saturday, June 27), wordPEOPLE (Thursday, July 2), and Portuguese vocalist
Joyce (Friday, July 3). The Pilot features names such as Charlie Hunter (Saturday, June
27), Chris Potter (Monday, June 29 & Tuesday, June 30), Russ Little Quintet (Friday,
June 26), saxophonist Bobby Militello (Thursday, July 2), Grant Stewart Quartet
(Saturday, July 4) and Felix Stussi & Give Me Five w/ Ray Anderson (Sunday, July 5).
More details and all participating clubs will be announced at a later date.

The sounds of jazz will have feet tappin’ and fingers snappin’ as the 23rd edition of the
TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival swings its way into summer, running from
June 26 – July 5, 2009. Be a part of the action as more than 1,500 musicians,
performing in over 350 concerts, descend upon Toronto for the city’s largest music
festival. Get jazzed this summer!

All tickets are on sale now. For Tony Bennett call TicketKing at 416.872.1212 or
1.800.461.3333, www.ticketking.com; for all other shows call Ticketmaster at
416.870.8000, www.ticketmaster.ca.

For more information visit www.torontojazz.com

Media Contact:
Anna Tom
publicity@tojazz.com
416.928.2033, x21