Summer Music Festival season is here!

Now that we're comfortably into the month of July, it won't be long before the annual summer music festivals are in full swing.  Locally and beyond Niagara, there is lots to see and do this summer under the stars or indoors.  Here are three of my favourites...

The second annual Niagara Jazz Festival kicks off July 23rd and runs for three days at various venues around Niagara.  The brainchild of jazz diva Juliet Dunn and her husband Peter Shea, the Festival began last summer in Niagara and promises to be even bigger and better this year.

There are several series you can tap into, the Main Event events, Club Series, Dinner Jazz, Comedic Jazz, After Dinner Jazz, Live & Learn Jazz and House of the Guitar amongst the series available.  Some will be much more intimate affairs than others, but all should have a high entertainment quotient for jazz lovers in the area.

The series launch is Thursday, July 23rd at Stratus Vineyards on Niagara Stone Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake, with the Gord Sheard Quintet performing, following an opening by the Warren Stirtzinger Duo and the Laura Secord Drum Line.  That event runs from 6 right through to 11 pm.

Highlights on the Friday evening include pianist Michael Kaeshammer at Jackson-Triggs Estate Winery from 5:30 to 10:30 pm, opening with the Ashley St. Pierre Trio, and our very own Vox Violins strolling the grounds that evening entertaining guests as they come and go.  Also on Friday evening, Jim Casson's Dark Orchard performs at Mahtay Cafe and Lounge in downtown St. Catharines and the Bob Shields Duo perform at Corks Eatery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Saturday, the Fiesta Stage takes pride of place from 11 am to 6 pm at Simcoe Park in Niagara-on-the-Lake.  Performers throughout the day include Niagara String Band, Khea Emmanuel and the Latin Vintage Orchestra, among others, and there will even be free swing and latin dance lessons throughout the day as well.

Some of the many artists performing at various venues Saturday evening include Big Rude Jake, The Barbra Lica Trio, Heillig Manoeuvre, Soul Jam and our own Sarah Jerrom Duo.  Venues range from Market Square in downtown St. Catharines to AG Inspired Cuisine in Niagara Falls to Pier 61 Bar & Grill in north St. Catharines.

On Sunday, the Festival wraps up with a Dixieland Jazz Brunch with Dinny & the Allstars at White Oaks Resort, House of the Guitar at The Garrison House in Niagara-on-the-Lake and The Village/Etsy Family Stage featuring the JAZZFM.91 Youth Big Band, Sarah Jerrom Quartet and The Shuffle Demons, among others.

There are far too many events and artists to mention in this space, so for more on the Niagara Jazz Festival, check out their Facebook page or the website at www.niagarajazzfestival.com.  It should be a great weekend of jazz in Niagara later this month.

Meantime for the more classically inclined, the annual Music Niagara festival kicks off July 11th at St. Mark's Church in Niagara-on-the-Lake with an Opening Gala featuring Stephane Tetreault.  The opening weekend includes The Vienna Piano Trio at St. Mark's Sunday evening and the Thorold Reed Band Sunday afternoon at Simcoe Park in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Other performances of note over the almost-month-long festival include A Very British Day at Music Niagara on July 13, Studio de Musique Ancient de Montreal July 18, The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra at the Shaw Festival Theatre July 20 and the Elora Festival Singers at St. Mark's Church on July 24.  In August, The Toronto All-Star Big Band performs on August 3 and jazz guitarist Lorne Lofsky appears August 7 at Reif Estate Winery.

The Finale Gala features the ever-popular Quartetto Gelato and the Hilario Duran Trio at St. Mark's Church on August 8, followed by The John Sherwood Trio at the Epicurean Bistro starting at 9:30 pm.

Music Niagara has been around for a number of years now, firmly establishing itself as THE summer music festival in Niagara, with literally something for every taste.  It presents quality concerts at reasonable prices at a number of interesting locations, large and small.  It is certainly one of my favourite music festivals each summer.

For more on the Music Niagara schedule, check out their website at www.musicniagara.org.

Finally, my favourite music festival outside of Niagara is the annual Elora Festival, running this year from July 10 to the 26 at various locations in and around the lovely town of Elora.  The festival appears to be a week shorter this year at only two weeks, but it is packed with some great performances you won't want to miss if you can make it up that way in July.

The Opening Night Gala features a performance of Handel's Solomon at the Gambrel Barn July 10, featuring the Elora Festival Singers and Orchestra along with featured soloists.  The opening weekend continues with Orphea and the Golden Harp Saturday afternoon at 3 at St. John's Church, and Black Umfolosi at the Gambrel Barn Saturday evening at 7:30.  Sunday will see The Glory of Vivaldi at St. John's Church at 2 featuring the Elora Festival Singers, and Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear with a recital, also at St. John's Church, at 4 pm.

Mid-week events include singer Mark Masri at the Gambrel Barn Wednesday, July 15, and David Baskeyfield, the prize-winning British organist, July 22 at St. John's Church.

The second weekend, July 17 to 19, features a performance of Bach's B Minor Mass at the Gambrel Barn Friday evening, The Next Generationn Leahy on the 18th and pianist David Jalbert Sunday afternoon the 19th at 2 at St. John's Church.

The third and final weekend leads off with the Torq Percussion Quartet at the Gambrel Barn Friday evening, July 24, the Jackie Richardson Trio Saturday evening at the Barn, and a concert I am looking forward to attending, the Nine Lessons and Carols for Summer on Sunday afternoon, July 26 at 2:30 at St. John's Church.

There is a lot of great music packed into three weekends in July in Elora, again with literally something for everyone.  The town itself is one of the nicest to visit, with friendly people wherever you go.  My wife and I always look forward to our summer visits to Elora.

For more on the Elora Festival, call the box office at 1-519-846-0331, or go to www.elorafestival.com.

I have the Elora Festival listings on my calendar page of the website at www.finemusic.ca already, and I will be adding the Niagara Jazz Festival and Music Niagara listings this week, so you can always go to my website to get all the latest information on summer music and theatre happenings in Niagara and beyond.

There are plenty of other music festivals around, ranging from Artpark to the Brott Music Festival to Stratford Summer Music among others, so keep an eye on this space for another update on summer music festivals in the near future.

Have a great week!

July 6th, 2015.