CONTEST: Win Tickets to a Show at the North Shore Jazz Festival

The North Shore Jazz Festival is back with five free shows and three exclusive ticketed performances this summer. Known as a "festival within a festival" because of its partnership with the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, the festival takes over the North Shore from June 21 to 30.

We're thrilled to offer three Tyee readers the chance to win two tickets to any of these three exceptional concerts.

Kenny Barron and Regina Carter — June 26

Witness the sublime fusion of violin and piano as master jazz violinist Regina Carter and legendary pianist Kenny Barron take the stage. Their critically acclaimed album Freefall blends Afro-Cuban rhythms with classic jazz elements and blues, promising an evening of eclectic musical brilliance. Kenny Barron, hailed as one of the top jazz pianists worldwide, is an 11-time Grammy nominee known for his work with legendary musicians like Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard and Stan Getz. NEA Jazz Master fellow and MacArthur “Genius Grant” winner Carter has collaborated with the likes of Wynton Marsalis and Dolly Parton.

Freefall presents not only technical excellence but also emotional richness, captivating listeners with the duo's genuine class and spontaneity. Listen to a track from the album and don't miss this extraordinary musical experience.

Luca Benedetti Trio — June 27

Brooklyn-based guitarist Luca Benedetti is no stranger to Vancouver, where he lived between 2014 and 2016. While in B.C., he co-founded the country jazz outfit Speeding West with local greats Scott Smith, Jeremy Holmes and Nino DiPasquale, and a rotating cast of guests including Paul Pigat and Jimmy Roy. The group was known for their energetic improvisational flights that stretched well beyond their original western swing influences.

Now Benedetti returns to Vancouver for an evening with his supercharged Brooklyn band, featuring bassist Tony Scherr (who has played with Bill Frisell, Norah Jones and Sex Mob) and percussionist Tony Mason (who has played with John Scofield, Joan Osborne and Charlie Hunter). The trio’s 2023 album Ride Awhile showcases a super-tight trio that consistently delivers adventurous original jazz. Check out the clip from a live 2021 performance on YouTube.

Marois Vocal Project: An Homage to Dave Brubeck — June 28

Led by visionary B.C.-based arranger and music director Réjean Marois, the Marois Vocal Project, or MVP, delivers exhilarating instrumental jazz repertoire, with voices skillfully reproducing the sounds of saxophones and brass instruments.

Featuring compositions by legends such as Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Count Basie, MVP’s specialty is the unique vocal technique known as ''vocalese,” for which jazz singers seamlessly adapt instruments to both scatting and singing, the latter channelling the lyricization of jazz giants Jon Hendricks and Mimi Perrin.

For this special North Shore Jazz performance, MVP will pay tribute to Dave Brubeck, including the Real Ambassadors, a collaboration between Dave and Iola Brubeck, Louis Armstrong and others — which used music as a vehicle to explore issues like civil rights, war and diplomacy. To get a sense of their compositions, you can marvel at the way the group’s singing and scatting sound like horn instruments on Soundcloud.

Enter below to win two tickets to one of these three spectacular performances:

About the North Shore Jazz Festival

A cherished component of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, North Shore Jazz brings an array of exceptional jazz performances to the picturesque North Shore. This annual event is renowned for its vibrant atmosphere and world-class talent, making it a must-see for jazz enthusiasts.