When the Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival launches its 16th annual weekend on Friday, June 10, three local divas will be full of joy and ready to sell out their gig. Definitely Diva, the trio of Lynne Dickson, Wendy Hibberd and Patrice Pollack, will be singing from their new, freshly-pressed CD.
"People take a year to make a CD," said Dickson. "We took two months. I've never had so much fun."
The three have sung together for nearly six years, and despite the diva name, they enjoy each other's company. Each diva gets a chance to lead the others.
"When divas sing, it can be all about me, but we made sure that didn't happen," Dickson said.
The album is 14 tunes, plus medleys, ranging from old-time audience favourites such as I've Got Rhythm to songs of this century, such as KT Tunstall's Black Horse. Vancouver-based Miles Black, Timothy Stacey and Joe Fountain helped lay down the tracks.
The kick-off show is on June 10 at 8 p.m. at the former The Club site in Lower Gibsons. Minors are allowed and the women will be performing with their band: Reg Dickson, Warren Allen, Ken Dalgleish, Barry Taylor and Trish Windsor. Tickets are $20, available at all outlets selling Jazz Festival tickets.
Saturday's main festival event in Dougall Park opens with Mimosa. Karen Graves is on sax, flute and vocals, while Anna Lumiere performs on left-hand bass and keyboards and writes most of the music and lyrics. Vocalist Rebecca Shoichet and drummer Nino diPasquale from Vancouver join them.
Graves and Lumiere live on the Coast and both will show up again during the festival. Graves performs with Blair Lewis at Sita's Restaurant (across from Elphinstone Secondary School) on Tuesday, June 7, at 6:30 p.m., and Lumiere is part of the Blackstrap Melissas performance on June 12.
"Mimosa is our home town band this year," said festival organizer Linda Williams. "They start the afternoon, and we've got a good mix coming up with the Jodi Proznick Trio as it includes Black and Bill Coon, two favourites who come to the Coast often, but are never heard together. For more hard-hitting jazz, we'll have the Cory Weeds Quintet with full-on brass and horns."
Saturday in Dougall Park closes with vocalist Dalannah Gail Bowen and the Sojourners. That evening, two dances give you a choice - you can get mellow with the Creek Big Band at The Club or dance your socks off with Tanga, a 10-piece Afro Latin high-energy band at Roberts Creek Hall.
Sunday's events in Winegarden Waterfront Park are free. They start at 1:30 p.m. with the Blackstrap Melissas, and continue with the Steve Giltrow Quartet, followed by the rich tones of Katherine Penfold with her band.
Although Friday is the official launch of the weekend, this jazz festival is noted for its preview week of performers from June 4 to 9 playing at local venues.
Shows start June 4 with the Pinsonnault Trio at Gibsons Public Library at noon. Guitarist Paul performs along with his two young sons, Leo and Angelo, who are promising musicians. More music is at Gramma's Pub, Benjamin's, Chasters, Leo's, Molly's Reach and other venues throughout the week. (Reservations are recommended.) A first time venue will be the Gibsons Public Art Gallery this Sunday, June 5, at 2:30 p.m. when the Jacquie Allan Trio performs.
A more detailed schedule of Jazz Week (June 4 to 9) and the festival (June 10 to 12) is in today's Coast Reporter and at www.coastjazz.com.
