Twilight Jazz Series – 40 Years With Music
📅 DATE: Sunday, May 2, 2021
🕑 TIME: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm EST
🏟️ VENUE: Online (Private YouTube stream); Please see menu page for meal pickup address
💵 PRICE: Dinner (Curbside Pickup) and Livestreamed Show: Starting at $29
Livestreamed Show (Regular price): $19 + HST EARLY BIRD PRICE: $15 + HST (until May 1)
Livestreamed Show (Discount for Artists, Arts workers, and Students): $9 + HST
Season Pass (7 Shows): $99 + HST (Show Only), $249 + HST (Dinner and Show)
To donate and help support the festival:
Donations to the TD Niagara Jazz Festival (Registered Charity: #80107-7033-RR0001) help us continue to bring live music to Niagara and beyond. Thank you for supporting the arts!
ABOUT THE SHOW
Since arriving in 1989, Vox Violins have played virtually everything and everywhere in Niagara. Their Celtic-flavoured mix of folk, rock and blues has been heard in the smallest pubs to the grand opening of Planet Hollywood in Niagara Falls (opening for Bruce Willis, no less).
During the ’90s, you could scarcely find a weekend Vox Violins wasn’t playing somewhere. But Bartley says even before the pandemic, the gigs were starting to dry up – a combination of less venues and changing musical climate played a part.
Since the pandemic, the duo has dabbled in online shows and collaborations with other artists, but fans are in for a nostalgic night May 2 when they mark 40 years together for the Niagara Jazz Festival’s Twilight Jazz Series. The livestream will include video clips and plenty of stories gathered over four decades.
“Putting that together is taking some time and I’m down to the wire now,” says Clifford. “If we don’t do it, no one’s going to. We don’t have children!”
Revisiting the clips has reminded him of their strong connection to Niagara.
Please note: All shows are currently ONLINE. When the Province opens up and we are permitted to have gatherings in restaurants this show will take place at the Dalhousie Yacht Club. Dinner and Show Season’s Pass holders will have first right of refusal for a seat/table in the venue. Keep an eye on this page for updates.
DINNER + SHOW: A member of the TD Niagara Jazz Festival team will be contacting you to confirm your curbside pickup time for the evening.
LIVESTREAM: The private YouTube link will be sent to you via email on the day of the show. If you would like to see the show AFTER the air date you can purchase the ‘show only’ ticket and the link will be sent to you for you to view at your convenience.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
This session of the Twilight Jazz Series features VOX VIOLINS with an opening performance by ALEX GEORGE and DEXTER FRANK
VOX VIOLINS
‘Vox Violence, A Curious Creature.’
That was the title of the first article on Vox Violence in 1980 by Jedd House at the Interobang out of Fanshawe College.
Softened to Vox Violins when they moved to Nova Scotia after stints in London then marriage and Toronto where they were scratching out an existence being pretty artsy with their musings. Both musicians brought different spices to the muse that is this ‘curious creature.’ They made the eclectic decision to make their performance choices their own and that holds to this day.
Being open to the wind took them to great places like festivals, warm up gigs, private functions, the EU, pubs in Ireland’s west coast, workshops with great talent, small local rock and roll bands, hosting open mic nights in several venues, TV appearances, TV articles and shows on their lives together, and radio interviews with live music across Canada. With ADMM they traversed the country in many venues and festivals.
Fast forward to 2021, this still ‘Curious Creature’ continues to work the muse, it is just something that they have always done, it is their life, to muse. They have been in their ‘Vox Bubble’ for over 40 years and never been crushed by trends or competition…there really isn’t any…. There is only one Vox Violins and they remain a ‘Curious Creature.’
ALEX GEORGE
Alex George is a violin and mandolin musician from Almonte Ontario. He has been playing violin for 12 years and has a wide repertoire of music from jazz to country, classical to contemporary. He enjoys performing to all ages in all settings – intimate gatherings to festival stages. Alex has performed in the Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy television special A Celtic Family Christmas in 2018, as well as an auxiliary string player with them at Casino Rama in 2019. He is the recipient of the Danny O’Connell Memorial Award, recognized for his role in advancing Ottawa Valley fiddle tradition. Alex was honoured to be a witness at a Parliamentary committee passing legislation to establish Canada’s National Fiddling Day. He is currently studying his Bachelor of Music at Humber College in Toronto.
DEXTER FRANK
Dexter Frank is a musician from St. Catharines, Ontario, currently completing his Bachelor of Music at Humber College. Dexter has been studying, performing and writing music for the better part of 15 years and has a passion for entertainment, creativity and collaborative performance.” Dexter has studied and performed everything from Hard Rock to Jazz to Country and Fiddle Music and has a profound love and passion for each one.
MENUS
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ABOUT THE TWILIGHT JAZZ SERIES
The Shea D Duo (Peter Shea + Juliet Dunn – co-creators of the TD Niagara Jazz Festival) introduced the Twilight Jazz Series to the Niagara Scene in October of 2011. The series features a different jazz ensemble the first Sunday of every month at Mahtay Café and Lounge from 6pm – 9pm focusing on Niagara musicians as well as featured musicians from Hamilton and Toronto.
Some of the past Twilight Jazz performers include: John Sherwood, James Bryan, Barbra Lica, Graham Lear, Reg Schwager, Ashley St. Pierre, Mike Murley, Jim Casson, Heilig Manoeuvre, Kevin Breit, Poco Latino, Kevin Turcotte, Rodger Niznik, Ori Dagan, John Neudorf and many more.
With the TD Niagara Jazz Festival and the ongoing Twilight Jazz Series Juliet Dunn and Peter Shea are thrilled to be able to bring live jazz to the Niagara music scene year-round.
