PEC Jazz Festival

New Creative Director takes the helm of the Festival

The twenty-third edition of the Prince Edward County Jazz Festival will take place under the guidance of Colleen Allen, who is replacing festival founder Brian Barlow. “Brian is a friend and colleague, and I play in his band, and he has set things up so beautifully for the festival. My intention is to take the good work Brian has done and build on it. This is one of the largest festivals in the County and the only truly jazz festival in the country,” she said. Ms. Allen is no stranger to the festival, and has a deep connection to it. She has played numerous times, appearing last year with Manteca. She received her music education at Humber College and has built a successful career as a freelance musician. She plays saxophone, flute and a number of woodwind instruments. “My love is playing jazz, and I’ve been lucky enough to play with some great musicians. I’m grateful for the life I’ve had and continue to have.” She intends to maintain the format of the festival, with main stage performances and events at satellite venues. As in previous years, there are no-charge events as well as ticketed performances. The festival opened with the PEC Youth Jazz Ensemble and Big Smoke Brass at Huff Estates Winery yesterday, and runs until Sunday.

The satellite venues are chosen to reflect the arts, food and wine—as well as beer and cider—of the County. “It’s an opportunity to showcase the diversity and depth and breadth of what’s available in the County in terms of the arts and food and music. It places the lens on jazz as a centerpiece to tie all of this together, so people get a sense of how much we love the music, and how broad the scope of jazz is,” said Ms. Allen. An important part of the festival is the focus on youth engagement, and young talent is invited and paired with mentors to help them develop their skills. “It’s how the music grows and evolves by including young musicians and, shall we say, apprenticing.”

This year’s main stage venue is St. Mary Magdalene Church, and Ms. Allen has chosen the performers who will best complement the venue and not compete with it. “I’m so excited to play in there. They have a beautiful piano, and it’s going to be piano-centric performances.” There’s been a deliberate choice to feature local musicians such as Brian Legere and Lenni Stewart. “We’ve made a priority of local musicians as well as bringing in Canadian and international talent. There is an opportunity for growth, but the impetus for me is to continue the story that Brian [Barlow] has started. That includes diversity in terms of the music, the styles of music, and the musicians. I feel lucky to be jumping in at a point where the festival is really healthy and thriving. It’s a wonderful opportunity for me to be included in this. The team is great and I’m really looking forward to spending a week playing and listening.” For more information about the festival, please visit pecjazz.org.