Whistler, B.C., Hosts Jazz on the Mountain

Kevin Eubanks will headline the inaugural jazz festival. // (c) 2011 WhistlerJazzFest.com

Canada’s newest jazz festival, Jazz on the Mountain at Whistler, is set to debut in Whistler, British Columbia this September.

Taking place from September 2 to 4, 2011, Jazz on the Mountain at Whistler will combine top international and Canadian jazz artists with the picturesque and intimate setting of Whistler’s pedestrian village. More than 30 free and ticketed shows include a Solo Series, Afternoon Series, Master Class Series and a lively street festival.

“We’re pleased to welcome Jazz on the Mountain at Whistler to the resort’s exciting events line-up,” said Arlene Schieven, Tourism Whistler’s vice president of marketing. “This inaugural festival will cap off a season of celebrations that are fast establishing Whistler as the place to be for extraordinary sport, music and cultural events.”

Guitarist Kevin Eubanks, the former leader of the NBC Tonight Show Band for 18 years, will be the festival’s first Artist-in-Residence. He will perform solo, with his quartet and via spontaneous stage and in-person appearances in Whistler Village all weekend long. Other artists include American guitarists Stanley Jordan and Russ Freeman, as well as Canadian jazz guitarists and educators Stan Samole, Lorne Lofsky and Greg Lowe. Contemporary jazz groups Spyro Gyra and The Rippingtons, as well as the quartet of vibraphonist Gary Burton from Boston and the trio of Montreal pianist Oliver Jones, will also appear at the festival.

"You don't have to be a jazz fan to enjoy our offerings," says Jazz On The Mountain At Whistler founder and producer Arnold Schwisberg. "From the jazz newcomer who will warm to the contemporary sounds of The Rippingtons or Spyro Gyra, to the dedicated fan who can appreciate the purity of approach by jazz veterans Gary Burton or Oliver Jones, we have something for everyone. In addition to the concerts, families can enjoy our jazz street festival with face-painters, acrobats and jugglers."

The Whistler Olympic Plaza, the site where global audiences gathered to see the best athletes in the world step up to the podium during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, will serve as the main ticketed venue for the festival. There will be four concerts daily from noon until 10 p.m. Tickets provide guests with in and out privileges and are valid for all shows each day. This venue will also feature the Jazz Bistro presented by the Globe and Mail and the North Shore Credit Union, and sponsored by Heineken, Appleton Estates Rum, and WineOnline.

Whistler boasts more than 200 retail shops, 90 restaurants and bars and a vast range of accommodations. Early Bird pricing will be available prior to August 1 with three-night packages, including accommodation and event tickets, starting at $294 per person. As of August 1, 2011, packages will start at $329 per person.

Visit www.whistlerjazzfest.com.