TORONTO, June 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- From Bourbon Street to Yonge Street, TD Toronto Jazz Festival, running from June 22 – July 1, kicks off with a celebration of gospel, soul and R&B on opening weekend with free performances throughout Yorkville that includes gospel queen CeCe Winans, the energetic No BS! Brass Band, saxophonist Jake Clemons, the soulful R&B songstress Macy Gray, Shakura S’Aida and 20 additional free concerts all weekend long.
Gospel royalty CeCe Winans is a 10-time GRAMMY winner who has continued to impact gospel and R&B throughout her 35+ year career. A gifted songwriter and singer, Macy Gray has been playing by her own rules since kicking off her musical career with her debut in 1999 and the smash hit “I Try.” No BS! Brass Band fearlessly combine elements of James Brown, John Coltrane, Michael Jackson and Led Zeppelin into their fiercely original sound. Dividing his time as a saxophonist with Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, singer-songwriter Jake Clemons also tours the world with his own music. He brings his latest solo project to the Festival stage in support of his album Fear & Love.
Opening night of the Festival, Friday, June 22, brings a special edition of Friday Night Live at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), where guests can travel through generations of jazz as the museum is transformed into a jazz club. Performances include Clairmont The Second backed by live jazz band JAZZ MONEY, Anomalie, dance group Holla Jazz, Angela Turone Trio, Jesse Barksdale Trio, Woodshed Orchestra and more!
The music continues throughout the Festival with over 165 free shows spread across Toronto at locations including the OLG Stage on Cumberland St., OLG Stage on Yorkville Ave., Heliconian Hall, Church of The Redeemer, Hotel InterContinental, ONE Restaurant, Sassafraz and Yorkville Village The Lane.
The opening weekend lineup joins previously announced artists including Seal, Herbie Hancock, Alison Krauss, Gregory Porter, Holly Cole, Bettye LaVette, Savion Glover featuring Marcus Gilmore, The Bad Plus, Lake Street Dive, Snarky Puppy and more!
The TD Toronto Jazz Festival, one of the premier jazz festivals in North America, runs this summer from June 22 – July 1, 2018.
For more information, visit www.torontojazz.com
Media Contact: Anna Tom publicity@tojazz.com