TD Toronto Jazz Festival offers free music series at Shops at Don Mills until June 27

NORTH YORK, ON, June 16, 2015 /CNW/ - The TD Toronto Jazz Festival will return to the prestigious Shops at Don Mills (1090 Don Mills Road at Lawrence Ave. East) for a series of FREE concerts that will showcase the pre-eminent sounds of jazz and delight shoppers and families alike from Thursday, June 18 through Saturday, June 27.  

As every great Canadian can appreciate, open air concerts mark the official coming of summer and there's no better place to soak it all in than at Shops at Don Mills, where fashion, dining and entertainment come outside to play. This year for the TD Jazz Festival, Shops at Don Mills will be transforming Town Square into a summer Oasis music getaway featuring FREE performances by Grooveyard, Justin Bacchus Collective, Happy Pals, Mistura Fina, Tia Brazda, Mike Cado & The Groovemeisters, Marito Marques, The Cookers Quintet, Saxofour, Yuka, Lula All Stars, Chuck Jackson's Big Bad Blues Band, Hogtown Syncopators, Eric St. Laurent Trio and Tanika Charles.

"We're thrilled to offer shoppers a place to sit back and relax with the smooth sounds of jazz in our Town Square," shares Meredith Blake, Marketing Manager, Shops at Don Mills. "Not only is there an amazing line-up of talented musicians performing for FREE each day, but the TD Jazz Festival will also be infused throughout the entire mall with store sales, a licensed food and drink tent, food sampling, and children's activities. Shoppers will also be treated to free swag, contests, and exclusive discounts with our Jazz Festival coupon book.  And should the mood take them, a hidden piano will let the jazz musician in all of us out to play. "

One of North America's premier jazz festivals, the TD Toronto Jazz Festival attracts over 500,000 loyal patrons and features more than 350 performances with over 1,500 musicians performing at more than 50 locations around Toronto.

While at Shops at Don Mills music lovers can also visit Anthropologie, Leigh & Harlow, Oak + Fort, The Eleven, Michael Kors or PANDORA for a little retail therapy or dine at Glow Fresh Grill and Wine Bar, P.F. Chang's, Bier Markt, Linda Modern Thai, Kabuki, Jack Astor's, Fabbrica or Joey Don MIlls Grill/Lounge.  With a four level parkade, there is tons of FREE parking just steps from Town Square.

TD Toronto Jazz Festival Shops at Don Mills Schedule:

Grooveyard
Thursday, June 18 @ 7:00pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
Grooveyard's repertoire draws on everything from classic funk and soul to reggae, disco, jazz, '80's new wave, classic rock, and, when required for weddings, traditional music. The band puts its own distinct stamp on the music it performs and the group is definitely not just another cover band. Flexible in its size (the band performs dance music as everything from its core 5-piece to a 9-piece and usually adds a great female vocalist such as Laura Lynn to the band, along with 1-3 horns), Grooveyard is able to break into smaller groups for different functions (for example, a classical flute/guitar duo for wedding ceremonies, cocktail piano, a jazz trio for dinner music).

Justin Bacchus Collective
Friday, June 19 @ 7:00pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
A spirited mix of funk, soul rock, and rhythm and blues, and propelled by a staggeringly powerful rhythm section, The Bacchus Collective creates one of the most upbeat and lively shows out there. With a unique funk-soul sound and performance lead singer Justin Bacchus excites crowds with the help of his highly accomplished band of players. Dixieland, calypso, Rock'n'Roll, you name it! Tunes by Kid Thomas, King Oliver, Fats Domino, George Lewis, Johnny Cash, Glenn Miller, Hank Williams, Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan and more!

Happy Pals
Saturday, June 20 @ 2:00pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
The Happy Pals New Orleans Party Orchestra is a seven-piece jazz band based in Toronto Canada, playing authentic old-time New Orleans party music. They've been featured every Saturday at Toronto's legendary Grossman's Tavern for over thirty years, and have attracted literally generations of fans.  The Happy Pals play swinging, rocking tunes you can dance, sing or just hang out to – pop standards, blues, hymns, marches, Dixieland, calypso, Rock'n'Roll, you name it! Tunes by Kid Thomas, King Oliver, Fats Domino, George Lewis, Johnny Cash, Glenn Miller, Hank Williams, Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan and more!

Mistura Fina
Saturday, June 20 @ 4:30pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
Mistura Fina features the delicate blending of violão, percussion and vocals, creating an exquisite sense of musical intimacy. Drawing from the tradition of Bossa Nova, the trio also explores contemporary sounds and textures to take you on an unforgettable journey through the Brazilian urban and folkloric soundscape.

Tia Brazda
Saturday, June 20 @ 7:00pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
Much like her attire, Tia Brazda pairs the old with the new- combining elements of vintage jazz and blues with modern pop influences. Constantly playing around Toronto, Tia Brazda and her swingin' band are a cutting-edge new act that you just can't miss.

Mike Cado & The Groovemeisters
Sunday, June 21 @ 2:00pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
Presenting both a combination of innovative and original compositions, as well as, sophisticated and fresh interpretations of well-loved standards, Mike Cadó and The Groovemeisters successfully covers much musical ground. Guitarmeister Mike Cadó, Organmeister Gordon Sheard, Bassmeister Ross MacIntyre, and Drummeister Ben Riley comprise the tight-knit musical unit, exuding an infectious energy that guarantees to thrill any audience.

Marito Marques
Sunday, June 21 @ 4:00pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
Hailing from Portugal, Marito Marques is an accomplished musician and respect composer who takes the sounds of the world into his soul to create melodies that bring the audience together in an unparalleled unity. Taking his influences from African roots music, jazz, and pop, Marito makes compelling music that is as beautiful to listen to as it is nourishing for the soul. In 2013, he released his debut album Magic Everywhere with collaborations from some of the most respected names in music, including Anna Maria Jopek, Gregoire Maret, Mino Cinelu, Ron Westray, Munir Hossn and Yami. His second album "Live at Revolution", released on Nov 11th, 2014 is a three tracks recorded live in studio alongside his Canadian quartet and quintet, Marito Marques is on drums, Robi Botos on piano, Kelly Jefferson playing the saxophone, Michael Shand on keyboards/piano, and Ian de Souza and Alex St. Kitts joining in on bass.

The Cookers Quintet
Monday, June 22 @ 6:00pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
The Cookers Quintet are a Toronto-based jazz combo, with a sound firmly rooted in the '50s and '60s hard bop movement.The Cookers core members each bring their own unique qualities to the band's sound. Saxophonist Ryan Oliver's fat, full tenor tone might bring to mind heavyweight Dexter Gordon, but it's blended with sophistication and subtlety. Oliver shares the front line with Tim Hamel, a trumpet player that can bring a hot, uptempo number to a boil and then carry a ballad with lyricism and beauty minutes later. The rock solid foundation of all this is bassist Alex Coleman, who's clearly grounded in the Ray Brown/Paul Chambers school of keeping the bass steady and swinging. Rounding out the group is pianist Richard Whiteman, a veteran of the Toronto music scene, and Joel Haynes on drums. Born out of a weekly residency where the group cut their teeth on the classic, hard swinging music of Horace Silver, Art Blakey, and Hank Mobley, it didn't take long before they were writing tunes of their own. We wanted to have tunes that would be swinging, straight ahead, and arranged for a quintet. Essentially, fun tunes with great rhythms and memorable melodies that even non-jazz lovers would be attracted to,

Saxofour
Tuesday, June 23 @ 6:00pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
The quartet is common in jazz, but a quartet consisting only of saxophones—four layers of common sound—is difficult to pull off well. Founded by the Vienna Art Orchestra's Wolfgang Puschnig, Austria's Saxofour has been active and acclaimed since their 1991 appearance at the Austria Vöcklabruck Jazz Festival, performing more than 200 sets throughout Europe and frequently accompanying Portuguese singer Maria João. Switching between different saxophones and clarinets, the group's members play experimental jazz and free improvisation. In particular, though, they have an affinity for pieces considered classical to the jazz canon. They avoid relying on conventional duets between alto and baritone; their goal is to keep the music sounding new. This leads to a certain madcap sound that recalls the soundtracks of early film comedies, but changes quickly and nimbly due to the freedom of Saxofour's basic form.

Yuka
Wednesday, June 24 @ 6:00pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
Yuka is a hard-hitting, dynamic instrumental funk band that has been packing dance floors across the GTA since the group's inception in 2007. Yuka possesses a unique brand of energizing funk music taking direction from a wide variety of influences both classic (James Brown, The Meters) and modern (Soulive, Sharon Jones). The sixpiece band plays hypnotic dance grooves underneath slick, lyrical horn lines that are accessible without being boring. This combination of elements whips crowds into a musical frenzy, and can lead to frequent chants of YU-KA YU-KA heard throughout the audience. With one EP and one full length album under their belts, look out for big things from Yuka as they continue with their quest to bring stellar instrumental music back to the forefront.

Lula All Stars
Thursday, June 25 @ 7:00pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
True to their name, this high energy salsa big band, led by Sean Bellaviti and Luis Orbegoso, delivers the very best of Lula Lounge, Toronto's premier world music venue. Featuring topflight vocalists and soloists backed by an A-list lineup, performing original, all-Canadian salsa compositions, the band is comprised of musicians with roots from across the Americas. A hit with audiences of all ages at Sunfest, Nathan Phillips Square, Cultura and Brampton Jazz Festival, the irresistible rhythms of Lula All Stars brings all the excitement of Canada's uniquely multicultural, urban salsa scene to any stage.

Chuck Jackson's Big Bad Blues Band
Friday, June 26 @ 7:00pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
Legendary Canadian blues crooner, Chuck Jackson cleverly pays tribute to Big Joe Turner on his 2012 album, A Cup of Joe. Featuring twelve of Turner's most widely known hits including "Corrine Corrina," "Cherry Red," and "Lipstick, Powder & Paint," the album expertly navigates the waters of blues and early rock and roll, churning out a traditional R&B record reminiscent of 60s-era classics.  As the lead singer of the Canadian blues outfit Downchild, their last release, Can You Hear the Music, won a Juno for Blues Album of the Year at the 2014 JUNO Awards, adding to the long list of nominations and awards he has received both with Downchild and as a solo artist. Winner of two Maple Blues Awards for Male Vocalist of the Year and a Lifetime Achievement recipient in 2002, Chuck Jackson is one of Canada's most revered blues vocalists and his talents shine on A Cup of Joe.

Hogtown Syncopators
Saturday, June 27 @ 2:00pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
Hogtown Syncopators with Terra Hazelton (Vocals/Percussion), Drew Jurecka (Vocals/Violin), Jay Danley (Guitar/Vocals), Richard Whiteman (Piano) & James Thompson (Bass).

Eric St Laurent Trio
Saturday, June 27 @ 4:30pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
For the Eric St-Laurent Trio, music is a conversation; a raucous dialogue between the artists and their audience built on infectious beats and ever-expanding influences. Playing the original compositions of guitarist, Eric St-Laurent, and joined by the unique and highly virtuosic rhythm section of Jordan O'Connor (double bass) and Michel DeQuevedo (percussion), the trio utilizes eclectic elements such as Afro-Cuban rhythms, rock guitar, cinematic soundscapes and blues phrasing to unleash a subversive and distinctive new sound.

Tanika Charles
Saturday, June 27 @ 7:00pm – Shops at Don Mills Town Square Stage
Tanika Charles made a name for herself singing back-up for Bedouin Soundclash, Zaki Ibrahim, and Isis (Thunderheist). "Silly Happy Wild," from her 2010 EP What! What? What!?, was number one for four weeks on Canadian Radio. From that point, Tanika Charles, aka Mz. Chawls, was asked to open up for international acts such as Nneka, Mayer Hawthorne, Macy Gray and Johnny Reid, among others. Her songs also landed high profile placements in TV shows such as, Less than Kind (HBO Canada), Saving Hope (CTV), SEED (City TV), and Rookie Blue. Which led to a guest spot on Global TV's 'Bomb Girls.' In the midst of these remarkable accomplishments, Tanika Charles has established her incontestable status as a powerful solo artist and continues to do what she loves: perform solo shows to cultivate and connect with a growing fan base, while receiving radiant recognition. 

About the TD Toronto Jazz Festival
Discover the sounds of jazz as over 1,500 musicians entertain more than half a million fans when the TD Toronto Jazz Festival returns from June 18 to June 29, 2015. This 12-day showcase of music features the best in local, national and international talent playing a diverse range of genres. With over 350 concerts across more than 40 locations, the Festival is the place to be for any music lover this June!

About Shops at Don Mills:
Shops at Don Mills is a high-quality retail and commercial destination where fashion, dining and entertainment come outside to play. The first Urban Village in Ontario to integrate residential and commercial environments, Shops at Don Mills is truly a breath of fresh air. Located on the southwest corner of Don Mills Road and Lawrence Avenue East, just two blocks west of the Don Valley Parkway, Shops at Don Mills has free parking and is easily accessible by public transit via the following bus routes: 25 Don Mills; 54 Lawrence East; 162 Lawrence. To learn more about the centre's exceptional shops, restaurants, services and community events hosted at the Town Square, please visit www.shopsatdonmills.ca.

About Cadillac Fairview:
Shops at Don Mills is owned and operated by The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited, one of North America's largest owners, operators and developers of commercial real estate. Cadillac Fairview focuses on developing and managing high quality office, retail and mixed-use properties in Canada and the United States, as well as international investments in real estate companies and investment funds. With a portfolio valued at more than $28 billion, Cadillac Fairview and its affiliates own and manage nearly 36 million square feet of leasable space at 66 properties across North America, including some of Canada's landmark developments, such as Toronto-Dominion Centre, Toronto Eaton Centre, Pacific Centre and Chinook Centre. Cadillac Fairview is wholly-owned by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, which invests to secure the retirement income of 311,000 active and retired teachers in Ontario.

SOURCE Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited

or for interview requests for Shops at Don Mills, please contact: Vanessa Jenkins, Account Coordinator, North Strategic., 416-206-8765, [email protected]; Meredith Blake, Marketing Manager, Shops at Don Mills, 416-491-9711 ext. 238, [email protected]; Anna Tom, Toronto Jazz Festival, 416-928-2033 x21, [email protected]