Toronto just celebrated the 20th edition of its main jazz festival. Just a few months ago, this festival won the Â?Jazz Festival of the yearÂ? award at CanadaÂ?s National Jazz Awards. Part of the reason has to be the ability of organizers to attract key artists for a jazz festival as opposed to a music festival that might have a large number of acts more appropriately described as world beat. The Toronto Star indicated in its July 2nd edition that the festival has a $3.5 million dollar (Canadian) budget in comparison to MontrealÂ?s $20 million. It helps that Montreal gets funding from all levels of government for political reasons. Sponsorship is also a constant necessity to put up a major event. Gone were the traditional afternoon live performances in Toronto this year that were a bridge between lunchtime shows and the evening marquis headliners.
read more...
