The Edmonton Jazz Festival Society instills in audiences the appreciation of jazz music as a diverse art form, connecting regional audiences with provincial, national and international jazz artists.
About the Edmonton Jazz Festival Society
The Edmonton Jazz Festival Society is dedicated to providing a professional and supportive environment for jazz artists to perform, collaborate, and celebrate with the people of Edmonton, jazz music from across the globe.
Formed in 2005, the Edmonton Jazz Festival Society produces an annual International Jazz Festival, supports and presents the Edmonton Jazz Orchestra, and supports and presents the Jazzworks education outreach programs to support the jazz tradition in Edmonton.
Festival Lineup
The Edmonton Jazz Festival lineup is TBA for 2025. Stay tuned!
In 2005, a small group of musicians, business owners, and the Edmonton Jazz Society (operating society of the Yardbird Suite) combined to produce the 60-event Yardbird Jazz Festival, and created the Jazzworks Small Creative Workshops as an educational component of the festival directed towards youth and emerging musicians.
To ensure the continuation of the work started with the 2005 Yardbird Jazz Festival, the Edmonton Jazz Festival Society (EJFS) was formed in November 2005 to provide the mandate and structure to support the international jazz festival tradition started in 1980 by Jazz City.
The second major development for the Edmonton Jazz Festival Society was the conception and presentation of the Edmonton Jazz Orchestra, founded by Kent Sangster, which made its debut in the 2006 Yardbird Jazz Festival.
The Edmonton Jazz Orchestra consists of 18 Edmonton-based musicians who compose, arrange, and perform big band jazz, drawing from jazz history while creating new works. A small but growing staff and volunteer board, driven by their love for jazz music in Edmonton, are dedicated to providing a first rate international event.
With the support and partnership with more 30 Edmonton based organizations, the EJFS is able to ensure the Edmonton International Jazz Festival maintains its flagship status among the many festivals for which Edmonton is so famous.
Whenever our band is on the road, I love to connect with locals at each stop we make and discover new local artists, shops and cafes. It’s part of the adventure of touring.
September music spotlight features new music and where to catch live music in BC and Alberta from bands we love. These bands are on tour this fall as live music comes back!
