2018 Features New Artists and Venues

From October 23-28, 2018, the Steel City Jazz Festival is growing for its 6th year. This year features Smordin Law Artist-in-Residence, Heather Bambrick at Artword Artbar. The Jazz Connection Big Band will be playing a concert at the Music Hall. And more will be announced soon.

Adrean Farrugia is one of Canada’s great jazz pianists and a member of the Steel City Jazz Festival Board.  He was instrumental in securing Heather Bambrick as the featured artist this year. Farrugia says, “Heather Bambrick is a special singer. Somehow she combines many paradoxical qualities that you’d find in a variety of different artists, but rarely inside of one artist. She’s both funny and light, but also at times deep and heart-wrenching.  Heather is one of the most complete and compelling artists I know of on the scene today.”

Artistic Director Chris Ferguson is looking forward to growing the festival now that it has been incorporated and is building a Board of Directors.  “Over the next five years, we want to continue adding programming that makes the Steel City Jazz Festival more than the sum of its parts” he says. “We want to give new opportunities to Hamilton musicians to perform, compose or record and to invite touring musicians to perform and collaborate alongside Hamilton-based artists.”

Principal sponsors Sandee Smordin and Jeff Laskey of Smordin Law are also back this year. The festival is actively looking for new sponsors who will grow the opportunities to showcase emerging artists and build the Hamilton jazz community.  Ferguson says, “Sponsors help us grow by giving us the security to take risks on new artists, venues and ideas. They allow us to amplify the amazing work of Hamilton musicians.” If you’re interested in helping the festival grow, you can contact Ferguson through the website at www.steelcityjazzfest.com.