Volunteer John Early keeps things flowing backstage at the Bess Gardens.

Over 250 volunteers devote their energy to create a fantastic festival every summer, and we’re inviting you to join our team!

Festival Volunteers help with a ton of different things, including artist hospitality, transportation, taking tickets, setting up venues, selling merchandise, and much more. And to say thanks for putting in the hours, volunteers get a Festival Pass and a swanky crew t-shirt.

For the full scoop on how to apply, visit our volunteer page.

The application deadline to perform at the 2010 SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival has now passed. We wish to thank you for your interest. Over the next few weeks we will be contacting only those musicians and bands that will be offered a performance at this year’s Festival.

Happy new year! The confetti is cleaned up and the new year is in full swing. That means we’re ready to accept applications from Saskatchewan musicians who would like to perform at the 2010 SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival.

If you’re an artist from the land of living skies, you can submit your application online or by mail:

Online
• Click here to download the application (pdf).
• Open the file, fill out the form, and save it (click File > Save As).
• Compose a new email, attach the file, and send it to sask.jazz@sasktel.net.

By mail or fax
• Click here to download the application (pdf).
• Open the file, print the form and fill it out.
• Mail the form to 701-601 Spadina Cres E, Saskatoon, SK S7K 3G8.
• Or send by fax: 306.934.5014.

Important: Make sure you are using the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

The deadline is Wednesday, February 10, 2010. Supplementary materials (stage plot, music, concert reviews, etc.) can also be sent by email or post.

We’d like to thank everyone who joined us at the Remai Arts Centre to enjoy the John Pizzarelli Quartet on a crisp Thursday evening. John and the band impressed and amused us, with what seemed to be limitless musical talent, and a fondness for witty stage banter. Pizzarelli also seemed pretty fond of Saskachewan — stepping into the airport on his way out of town, John’s departing words were “Go Riders!”

Be sure to check out the photos from John Pizzarelli show on Flickr.

If you didn’t get enough Pizzarelli last night, you can always find him online at JohnPizzarelli.com.

And if you’d like to hear about our next concert, it’s easy to stay in the loop. Just sign up for our email newsletter, and we’ll let you know about our off-season concerts, other events happening in town, and the lineup for the 24th SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival!

Thanks to all of you who made the 2009 SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival a tremendous success. From sold out shows to packed free stages the 2009 Festival will go down as one of the best.

We would like to thank the all the musicians, sponsors, volunteers, venues, and of course the tens of thousands of music fans who made this year’s Festival the biggest and best yet!

Be sure to join our newsletter and be the first to hear who’ll be playing at the 24th annual SaskTel Saskatchewan Festival, June 25 to July 4, 2010. Have a great summer!

Sonny Rollins: Stay and Play Packages
By Uniglobe Travel

This Grammy winning artist has had a career that has spanned six decades. As a saxophone player who grew up in Harlem and played with the likes of Bud Powell and Miles Davis, it is often said he is one of last left of a true Jazz era. You now have a chance to see this legendary artist in concert.

Packages can be booked through Uniglobe Travel at 934-3400 or www.uniglobecarefreetravel.com. Book now as seats are limited.

Independent tour to the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival
Sonny Rollins – July 2, 2009

• Ticket to Sonny Rollins (prime seating)

• Accommodations at ParkTown Hotel (based on double occupancy)
• Breakfast at ParkTown Hotel

Cost: $190.00 + GST per person

Planet S announced the winners of this year’s Best of Saskatoon poll yesterday, and we were named Best City Festival for 2009!

We’d like to send a huge thanks to all of our friends, fans and volunteers who sent in their ballots and helped us claim this honour for the second straight year.

And while we’re at it, we’d like to congratulate our lovely sponsors CFCR, CTV and 2nd Ave. Grill, as well as Festival venue Amigos, for scooping up awards in their respective categories.

Be sure to pick up a copy of Planet S to see the complete list of this year’s winners.

One of Canada’s finest musicians, pianist Oliver Jones will perform in Saskatoon on April 11 at the Broadway Theatre. The concert is produced by the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival and is presented by Elwood Flynn Ltd.

We’re always looking to host world class jazz artists throughout the year, and Oliver Jones is without a doubt a world class artist. Because of the incredible support the Festival has had from music lovers in recent years, we’re able to put on a show such as Oliver Jones outside of the summer Festival dates.

As for Oliver, his six-decade musical career has been rich and varied, and intertwines with the proud history of jazz in his native Montreal. Oliver’s unmistakable finesse, lightning-fast technique, powerful lyricism and rollicking rhythms skyrocketed him to the top of the Canadian jazz scene. After a brief but much-publicized retirement, Oliver chose to name his new opus One More Time. It’s one of his best recordings to date, and we’re thrilled to have him bring his inexhaustible talent to Saskatoon this spring.

Reserved seating tickets are $32 in advance or $37 on the day of the event (plus service charge) and are available at the Broadway Theatre box office at 715 Broadway Ave., Saskatoon or by phone at 306-652-6556.

We’d like to thank those of you who took the time to visit us on Facebook and show your support of the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival. We now have 140 fans and counting. Thank you!

And if you haven’t already, here are five reasons to visit our Facebook page:

1. Watch videos of performances by icons like Sonny Rollins.
2. Tell us who you’d like to see perform at this year’s festival in the discussion forum.
3. RSVP for upcoming shows such as Oliver Jones.
4. Listen to songs by artists in the 2009 Festival lineup.
5. View and comment on photos from last year’s festival.

Thanks, and see you on Facebook!

Rob Maguire is the Marketing & Sponsorship Director of the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival. He also writes a blog on nonprofit communications.

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