Robert Cray dished out his delicious blues on the The Tonight Show with Jay Leno this summer. Check out the video for a taste of what’s in store when the Robert Cray Band performs at the Broadway Theatre on October 4.

Beating the box office rush is a great reason to get your tickets before the Festival begins this Friday. So is saving money by taking advantage of our advance ticket prices.

But tomorrow we’re giving you one more irresistible reason to buy your tickets ahead of time.

On Tuesday, June 22, the first 100 visitors to the Jazz Festival box office will get a delicious, free mini cupcake, courtesy of The Cupcake Corner.

I’ve had more of these little taste bud bombs than I care to admit, and take it from me, they’re delectable. I’m partial to the chocolate cupcake with the chocolate mocha icing and the little coffee bean on top … but I digress.

So be sure to drop by our box office in the lobby of the Delta Bessborough hotel (601 Spadina Cr. E). We’re open from 10AM — 5PM.

You can also reach our box office by phone at 1.800.638.1211, or simply buy your tickets online. But trust me — the cupcakes taste much better in person.

We’re thrilled to announce that Grammy Award winner Macy Gray will perform on Friday, July 2 as part of the 24th annual SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival.

The R&B and soul artist, well known for her distinctive raspy voice and a singing style influenced by Billy Holiday and Betty Davis, will make her first appearance ever in Saskatchewan at the Subway Mainstage in the Bessborough Gardens.

If you’re not familiar with Macy Gray, the video below might jog your memory.

Macy will headline a bill that also includes Kid Koala’s The Slew, which features the world class DJ and the ex-rhythm section of the band Wolfmother. The concert filling the spot in the schedule that was left vacant when DJ Champion had to cancel due to illness.

Tickets for this all ages show go on sale on Wednesday, June 2 at 10am, and are $40 in advance and $50 the day of the concert. Tickets are available through the Festival Box Office, located in the lobby of the Delta Bessborough Hotel, Saskatoon, by phone at 1.800.638.1211 or online at saskjazz.com.

We’re thankful for funding from Canada’s Economic Action Plan that allowed us to bring Macy Gray to Saskatoon.

Over the course of six weeks, Canadian jazz festivals are being highlighted on Sirius/XM satellite radio, and this weekend it’s Saskatchewan’s turn! Canada Jazz Festivals Coast to Coast highlights the jazz festival season in Canada, starting out west in Vancouver and ending up in Montreal.

The program airs three times a week on Real Jazz (Sirius 72 / XM 70), and is hosted by Sasaktoon’s own Shelly Loeffler, president of the Saskatoon Jazz Society and radio host on Magic 98.3 and JazzAvenue.ca.

This week’s episode featuring the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival airs Saturday, May 29 at 11AM, Sunday, May 30 at 6PM and the following Saturday, June 5 at 10PM (all times CST).

The SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival is sorry to announce the cancellation of the Friday, July 2 performance by Champion & his G-Strings.

For a full ticket refund, please call the Festival Box Office at 306.652.4700 / 800.638.1211, or drop by Monday to Friday, 10am – 5pm, in the lobby of the Delta Bessborough Hotel, Saskatoon.

The SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival will be making an announcement shortly on a possible replacement performer for the date. We apologize for any inconvenience and the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival wishes a speedy recovery for Maxime Morin, aka DJ Champion.

STATEMENT FROM THE MANAGEMENT OF CHAMPION

Maxime Morin, aka DJ Champion and his management team are very sad to announce the cancellation of all confirmed concert dates, up until and including the concert scheduled for July 3, 2010.

DJ Champion is currently facing a health matter that requires him to stop all activities in order to regain his strength. Disappointed to be bearing such news, DJ Champion hopes to start touring again as soon as his health condition enables him to.

Our aspiration is to bring you better news about DJ Champion as soon as possible, and we thank you for your understanding.

The Delta Bessborough Hotel is extending a special rate of $119 to Jazz Festival ticket holders during the ten days of the Festival, June 25 to July 4, 2010. Not only is this historic building conveniently placed along the river in downtown Saskatoon, but our Subway Mainstage Series happens in the hotel’s backyard, the Bessborough Gardens. Meanwhile, our Club Jazz venue — where you’ll find 10 days of free music and other family entertainment — is just a few steps to the south in Kiwanis park.

In order to qualify for the special rate, you’ll need to provide proof of jazz festival ticket at the time of check-in. Be sure to quote rate code SJ2 when making your reservation.

Rooms can be booked online at deltahotels.com or by phone at 1-888-890-3222.

Photo by D’Arcy Norman.

Today the lineup for this summer’s Jazz Festival becomes even more diverse, as the menu expands to include big names in bluegrass, electro and gospel, offered up with a side of flamenco guitar and jazz piano.

Blind Boys of Alabama

Champion & His G-Strings had Festival fans dancing in 2007 with a mesmerizing concoction of electric guitars, techno beats, incredible vocals and contagious melodies. Champion and his band will be back in the Bessborough Gardens on Friday, July 2, touring in support of a new album, “Resistance”.

Gospel legends The Blind Boys of Alabama, whose career spans over 60 years and just as many albums, bring their funk, soul, blues and gospel sound to the Gardens on Saturday, July 3. They are joined on the bill by Saskatoon’s Dr. Don and American pianist and singer Marcia Ball, who delivers an infectious brand of southern boogies, rollicking roadhouse blues and intelligent, heartfelt ballads.

Ricky Skaggs

Ricky Skaggs and his band Kentucky Thunder will close out the Festival on Sunday, July 4. Well known in the country music world, the music that first shot Skaggs to fame is bluegrass, and his 1999 album “Bluegrass Rules!” set a new standard for the genre.

At the Broadway Theatre, the Jazz Performance Series will host two premier pianists at once, as Renee Rosnes and Bill Charlap bring their impassioned, eclectic and extraordinary piano duets to Saskatoon on Tuesday, June 29. Later that week, Strunz and Farah — two of the world’s most gifted acoustic guitarists — are joined by their four-piece band to conclude the series with flamenco flair on Saturday, July 3.

And just to jog your memory, we’ve already announced concerts by Chick Corea, The Roots, Los Lobos, Downchild Blues Band, Roy Hargrove and Joshua Redman.

Tickets for these shows are now on sale. For more info or to buy tickets online, visit our online box office.

Today is Earth Day, and to celebrate we’re announcing that we’ll be offering courtesy bike valet parking during this year’s Jazz Festival.

The bike valet service will be free of charge to the public, and will be available during all concerts in the Bessborough Gardens, which includes shows by The Roots, Los Lobos and Downchild Blues Band.

The valet will be run by our friends at Road Map Saskatoon, a local organization that builds awareness of the environmental, social and economic benefits of sustainable practices.

Bike valets work pretty much like a coat check. You just ride up to the valet, where an attendant will give you a numbered tag and park your bike in our secure area. When you’re ready to leave, you just show us your tag and we’ll get your bike for you. It’s that simple.

We hope that the free service will encourage the use of bicycles and other forms of sustainable transportation, while helping to reduce traffic congestion during the Jazz Festival. Cycling is already a popular way to get around Saskatoon, and we wanted to help make it as convenient as possible. If you have a bicycle, we encourage you to ride it down to our events this summer, where we’ll watch your bike while you take in the music.

The bike valet will be located south of the Bessborough Gardens in Kiwanis Park. We’ll also take your skateboards, rollerblades, strollers, scooters and any other self-propelled means of transportation. (Well, maybe not hang gliders.)

We’ll post the schedule for the bike valet next month, along with some other bicycle-related surprises!

Photo by Orin Zebest.

We’re excited to announce the first six concerts of the 2010 SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival! The first weekend features a healthy dose of jazz and blues, seasoned with some eclectic hip hop, soul and tex mex.

The first few days will see three big shows on the Subway Mainstage in the Bessborough Gardens:

• The Downchild Blues Band and Powder Blues Band will kick off the Festival on June 25.
• The Roots bring their jazzy approach to live hip hop to Saskatoon on June 26.
• Chicano rockers Los Lobos return on June 27 after playing to a packed Gardens in 2008.

Across the river, the Jazz Performance Series will heat up at the Broadway Theatre:

• Chick Corea will perform two sets of solo piano on June 26.
• Roy Hargrove brings his quintet to town on June 27.
• Joshua Redman’s new project James Farm will light up Broadway on June 28.

Tickets are now on sale for all six events, so be sure to visit our box office for details. The full Jazz Festival program will be announced on May 20. Sign up for our email updates and you’ll be among the first to hear the lineup!

The deadline for volunteer applications has now passed.
We will contact applicants in late April. Thanks!

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.