The IJO gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the City of Ottawa

The IJO gratefully acknowledges the support of our supporters and sponsors

In our second full season we're honouring the traditions of the repertory while exploring the frontiers of contemporary music.

Throughout the spring and summer, IJO ensembles will perform at the invitation of four Ottawa organisations:

Mount Calvary Lutheran Church has invited us back to present another Jazz Vespers. Be prepared for a downright righteous performance; our interpretations of gospel-infused jazz are always guaranteed to raise the roof.

The Billings Estate Museum has invited us to return for another Concert by Candlelight and this time we'll present 100 years of music beginning in 1850. We'll perform the music and the dancers from Swing Dynamite will perform the fancy footwork.

The Ottawa International Jazz Festival has invited us back to the festival for the third time. At the request of the festival's Artistic Director, Jacques Emond, we will perform a Tribute to Stan Kenton using a powerful 24-piece neophonic orchestra.

The National Capital Commission has invited us to help celebrate Gatineau Park's 70th birthday with a FREE CONCERT at Mackenzie King Estate. We'll be accompanied by Swing Dynamite who will both perform AND give free swing dance lessons. This is sure to be a great day for the family.

This amazing lineup of concerts will include premieres of four fabulous masterpieces.

The Rebirth of the Cool presents an evening of cool chamber jazz in the intimacy of the National Arts Centre Fourth Stage. An all-new lineup will perform all twelve pieces from the famous Birth of the Cool suite using the original instrumentation of trumpet, trombone, alto and baritone saxophones, French horn, tuba, piano, bass and drums. We'll also premiere eight miniatures composed by Terry Vosbein as well as some other special arrangements all written for this unique instrumentation.

Benny Goodman @ Carnegie Hall will pay tribute to Benny Goodman's famous 1938 concert with a 15-piece orchestra featuring the IJO's resident clarinet wizard David Renaud and vocalist Jozée Devoua.

Whose Solo Is It Anyway? is a daring experiment in audience-directed musical improvisation that will challenge both the musicians and those fortunate enough to be in attendance. Nine musicians from the IJO will improvise an entire evening of music with help from the audience. It's free jazz meets chamber music meets improv theatre. A unique opportunity to hear the musicians of the IJO in an entirely different musical setting.

Masterpieces: Ellington + Peaslee is the season finale and what a concert it promises to be. Three premiere performances featuring 35 musicians:

• The incredible Far East Suite penned by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. One of Ellington's greatest works, this nine-movement feast for the ears will take you on a musical journey through the Middle and Far East.
• The IJO's trumpet soloist Rick Rangno will perform Nightsongs, a haunting beautiful work for solo trumpet, strings and harp penned by master composer Richard Peaslee.
• IJO reedman Mike Tremblay will perform Peaslee's four-movement Chicago Concerto for baritone saxophone accompanied by the unique instrumentation of a big band augmented with a quartet of celli. This work was originally written for Gerry Mulligan.
• A showcase of some of Duke Ellington's most exciting and challenging short works.

The hottest band in town plays for the hottest dance nights.

Swing Explosion Gala is the culmination of a three-day swing dance festival. This is the premiere swing dance of the year and will feature a 14-piece IJO ensemble performing all the hottest swing dance tunes. Get your dancing shoes on because the band promises to be HOT, HOT, HOT!

The Canadian Shag Dance Championships are the highlight of Shag Explosion, a three-day extravaganza devoted to the Collegiate Shag style of swing dancing. A 13-piece IJO ensemble will perform all the hottest swing dance tunes including a redux of our Benny Goodman tribute.

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