The Downtown Brampton BIA is super excited to sponsor the World of Jazz Festival set for September 6th & September 7th, 2019.  Enjoy the festival kick-off concert featuring The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra on Friday evening at the Rose Theatre. Saturday’s programming will take place in Garden Square 1:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Additional venues in the downtown core include Vivian Lane featuring a Family Fun Zone and Community stage, as well as a late night jazz jam at Wendel Clark’s.  The Downtown Brampton BIA would like to congratulate local business leader Joe Asensio at JN Realty and Artistic Director Carmen Spada for bringing jazz to Brampton’s downtown core!  

 

 

American legend, pianist, and bandleader, William James “Count” Basie personifies the grandeur and excellence of jazz. The Count Basie Orchestra, today directed by Scotty Barnhart, has won 18 Grammy Awards, appeared in several movies, television shows, and at every major jazz festival and major concert hall in the world. Some of the greatest musicians in jazz history, such as Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Frank Foster, Thad Jones, Sonny Payne, Freddie Green, Snooky Young, Frank Wess, and Joe Williams, began their careers with the Count Basie Orchestra. This 18-member orchestra is still continuing the history started by Basie of stomping and shouting the blues, as well as refining those musical particulars that allow for the deepest and most moving of swing.

 

Featuring guest vocalist Melba Joyce. Joyce’s career has spanned three decades of sharing top billing with such giants of the music world as Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughn, Louis Jordan, Lionel Hampton, Tony Bennett, Joe Williams, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and many others.