News Release
Harvest Unveils Full Festival Schedule for 20th Edition of Festival
April 28, 2010
Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival organizers unveiled today a complete headliner schedule for the 20th anniversary edition of an event that has grown to become Atlantic Canada's premier annual music event. Brimming with top international and national acts, the program for the September 14th-19th event is designed to celebrate in a way that will get the attention of music fans across the region.
Among the marquee acts announced at today's press conference were headliners Maria Muldaur, current Grammy winner for jazz vocals Kurt Elling, Juno winner Jane Bunnett's African-Cuban Blues Project, Roomful of Blues and Champion & His G-Strings.
"We want to celebrate our 20th anniversary in a big way that's in line with our long-term goals for the Festival. This schedule takes us to a new international level to be sure, but we're also staying true to our roots as a community festival," says Festival chairperson Brad Wasson. "We couldn't be more excited. It's one of the reasons we're releasing the schedule now and putting tickets on sale much earlier than past years."
In a first-ever Early Bird Sale, the Festival will put approximately 50 per cent of all tickets and passes up for grabs at 9:00am on Saturday, May 15th. Tickets will be available online at www.harvestjazzandblues.com and www.ticketpro.ca as well as by phone at 1-888-311-9090. The remaining tickets and passes will go on sale Saturday, July 17.
"We know this year's line up is going to draw significant interest in the City and outside Fredericton, so we wanted to get the word out early," says Festival music director Brent Staeben.
Already announced by Festival organizers are headliners Gregg Allman, Jonny Lang, John Hiatt, Big Sugar and The Trews, Kermit Ruffins & The BBQ Swingers, and Elliott Brood. The 2010 Festival, Fredericton's largest annual event, will showcase more than 350 musicians in 100 performances on 23 stages in just four historic downtown city blocks. There will be four free public stages with 49 free performances in addition to more than a dozen street buskers each evening.
Other major acts announced today include Homemade Jamz Blues Band and Hill Country Revue, both from Mississippi, and Eden Brent, winner of the 2006 International Blues Challenge; Lousisana's Johnny Sansone and New England Blues artist Samuel James.
Canadian acts announced include Garrett Mason, Little Miss Higgins, Rich Aucoin, Meghan Smith, Michael Pickett, MonkeyJunk, as well as indie rockers Beast, The Acorn and Two Hours Traffic.
"I think after 20 years, we've certainly come of age," says Staeben. "We've managed to attract some of the greatest living performers in North America and we've also seen our local and regional acts develop into international-class performers. We love the talent we've been able to sign this year. From top to bottom, in every show, we hope we've nailed it."
More than 35 per cent of the Festival's schedule is filled with local New Brunswick performers, including 2010 International Blues Challenge winner Matt Anderson, David Myles, Ross Neilson, Share, Keith Hallett, Thom Swift and The Downtown Blues Band, which is the only band to play all 20 Harvest Festivals.
As a special anniversary event, the Festival has created the Harvest 20th Anniversary Jazz Orchestra, a collective of many of the finest jazz musicians to come out of New Brunswick in two decades. The Orchestra will debut newly written works and will join Canadian chanteuse Meghan Smith on stage Saturday night of the Festival.
"When the Festival was founded 19 years ago, we started with a commitment to provide a stage for local performers to shine, and we've never veered from that. Harvest remains a community-based Festival," said Staeben. "To see what some of our local talent has accomplished across the country and around the world in recent years is astonishing. We're so proud to watch their success and be a small part of it."
More information on this year's Harvest schedule and the 2010 performers can be found at www.harvestjazzandblues.com.