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Celebrate summer’s end on a high note by grooving to live blues, R&B, and more at the 26th Edition of Vancouver Island Blues Bash at the Outdoor Stage at Ship Point (in Victoria’s Inner Harbour, 900 block of Wharf St) and at Hermann’s Upstairs (751 View St, above Hermann’s Jazz Club) this Labour Day Weekend!Free Afternoon Performance Series (Noon to 5PM): The following bands will perform at Ship Point starting at noon each day during the Vancouver Island Blues Bash: Saturday, August 31: Mark Crissinger • Blue Moon Marquee Band • Mystery Train w. Wayne Berezan • Bill Johnson Blues Band Sunday, September 1: Checo & The Sweet Soul Choir • Kelly Fawcett & The Maladies • Little Marty & The Juke Joint • David Vest Monday, September 2: Blue Dog Ramble • The R&B Kingpins • Brett Smith-Daniels • Soul ShakersFeatured Ticketed Shows at Ship Point (on sale now!):1. Mike Farris & The Fortunate Few Saturday, August 31 – 7:30pm ~ $32 (tax incl.) “There aren’t many current male singers who use their voices to soar, float and deliver material with the spiritual commitment of Mike Farris.” – Hal Horowitz, American Songwriter Magazine From Nashville, Tennessee, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Mike Farris blends blues, gospel and Stax-style soul. A musical renaissance man, Farris toured as lead singer for rock band Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies and, for a time, fronted blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Double Trouble. After his 2015 Grammy win, “Best Roots Gospel Album” for Shine For All The People, Farris maintains a distinct blues-rock, soul-tinged flavour with his 2018 record Silver & Stone. Farris won the prestigious Americana Music Award for “Best New Emerging Artist”, a Dove Award for “Best Traditional Gospel Album of the Year”, and was featured with Lauryn Hill, Chaka Khan, Cissy Houston, and Ronald Isley at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 16th Annual American Masters concert honoring Aretha Franklin. Mike Farris and the Fortunate Few played Victoria in September 2018 and now return to rock the Blues Bash outdoor stage. 2. Kevin Burt and Big Medicine Sunday, September 1 – 7:30pm ~ $32 (tax incl.) “Burt is a serious songwriter who knows how to craft music to fit his personality, and no one delivers this brand of music better than he does…this guy is a real winner.”– Living Blues For more than 25 years, the harmonica wizard from Coralville, Iowa, Kevin “B.F.” Burt, has been electrifying audiences throughout the Midwest. His soul-inspired stage presence and ability to build an audience rapport consistently gets him likened to artists such as Bill Withers, Aaron Neville, and B.B. King. This self-taught master of vocals, harmonica, and guitar provides smooth, blues-rich vocals to an audience that always cheers for more. Burt was named one of the top 25 unsigned blues bands in the world by the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, which he won for “Best Solo/Duo,” “Solo/Duo Guitar,” and “Harmonica” in 2018. His 2018 album Heartland And Soul was nominated for a 2019 Blues Music Award for “Best Emerging Artist Album.” Don’t miss the Victoria debut of this rising star, whose sheer feel for the blues guarantees to captivate crowds from all walks of life.Ticket Combo:*Save big on ticketed evening performances with a Ticket Combo for only $49! Includes one ticket to Mike Farris & The Fortunate Few and one ticket to Kevin Burt and Big Medicine.*Featured Ticketed Show at Hermann’s Upstairs (on sale now!): Lindsay Beaver plus Blue Moon Marquee Saturday, August 31 – 10:00pm ~ $18 (tax incl.) Former co-leader of the 24th St. Wailers blues-rocking, soul-singing stand-up drummer Lindsay Beaver ascends to staggering heights with her first CD under her own name, Tough As Love, with the prestigious blues record label, Alligator Records. This 2018 album was nominated for the 2019 Blues Music Award “Best Emerging Artist Album.” Beaver has exceeded the expectations of the blues world by melding both striking originals with impeccably selected covers. Though drawing inspiration from Amy Winehouse to Little Richard to The Ramones, from Billie Holiday to Nick Curran, her style is solely limited by her boundless confidence and originality. She last played Victoria in October 2018. Opening for this blues-infused evening is the Blue Moon Marquee duo.Ticket Outlets: Victoria Jazz Society (250-388-4423 or 977 Alston St) and the Royal & McPherson Box Office (250-386-6121 or online at rmts.bc.ca). No service charges at the VJS office!The Victoria Jazz Society respectfully acknowledges the Lekwungen-speaking peoples, the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples and their ancestors on whose traditional unceded territory this festival has occurred for the past 26 years. We give thanks for the opportunity to gather on these historical lands during this weekend to share live blues, R&B and soul.Food Vendors and Beverage Garden Open during Festival Hours!Blues Bash Sponsors: https://jazzvictoria.ca/blues-bash/page/2019-sponsors

Saturday, May 11 from 1-4pm flutist, performer-composer, improviser, and Deep Listening® (DL) Certificate teacher Jane Rigler will present a deep listening workshop at Open Space. It will engage participants in activities exploring sound walk/mapping and graphic notations, informed by Jenni Schine & Jay White's exhibition Field Guides for Listeners. Participants are invited to explore sounds through playful and contemplative activities that include word games, poetry, movement, walking and drawing a “sound map” of their experiences. Bodies, breath, and any other means of making sound are all welcomed… The workshop will be followed by a performance on Sunday, May 12 at 7:30pm, to include recent works for soloist with and without electronics, as well as new work realized during her residency in Victoria. Possible guest artists TBD. Admission is free / by donation.

Join Ensemble Laude for our spring concert, showcasing sparkling pieces from around the world! Gathering brings together Canadian composers such as Don MacDonald, Meghan Quinlan and Stephen Hatfield, along with the premiere of Light, written for Ensemble Laude by John Gordon Armstrong. Medieval songs will also be featured, including Stella Splendens andSumer is Icumen In, as well as new pieces by Part Uusberg and Allison Girvan. Come join us and be part of the magic!

Victoria’s pianist Ashley Wey celebrates the beauty of modern jazz with passion and improvisational joy, bringing the standards freshly back to life. With three critically acclaimed self-produced albums to her credit, the captivating Wey returned to Victoria with her latest ‘Live’: an album filled with inventive ideas and breathtaking artistry. Ashley is a charismatic singer/pianist who lights up the stage with her bright smile and magnificent sounds that open minds and reach hearts. J