Our 2017 festival puts the focus on celebrating the incredible music talent in PEI and Atlantic Canada, beginning with an intimate jazz show held Wednesday June 21st at the historic St. Paul’s Church with presentations to honour Doug Millington, this year’s Doug Riley Artist.
“Doug Riley Artist” is a designation awarded each year to an Island musician who exemplifies the spirit of dedication to musical excellence and to developing the jazz and blues community as personified by Doug Riley, the late, great keyboard master, composer, producer and arts exponent who chose PEI as his home.
As this year’s Doug Riley Artist, Doug was showcased with the Island Jazz Messengers on Wednesday June 21st at St. Paul’s Church with a program of original hard bop sextet music, music made famous by Doug Riley and Ella Fitzgerald and featuring three past Doug Riley artists, Ian Toms, Sean Ferris and Deryl Gallant.
On Saturday June 24 at 4:30pm Doug lead’s PEI’s premier big band, the Charlottetown Jazz Ensemble in their performance in the Free Concert Series on Victoria Row, and at 11pm Saturday night Doug will host the Late Night “Doug & Friends Jam” at the Pourhouse for the final event of the festival.
Help us celebrate our 100% East Coast Jazz & Blues talent here in Atlantic Canada.