Local artists get ready to hit the stage at the Winnipeg International Jazz Festival

The largest music festival in downtown Winnipeg is back, with the International Jazz Festival bringing together dozens of artists from around the globe, to celebrate their 35th year running and while the over weeklong festival is usually solely held at the Old Market Square, Director of Programming Zachary Rushing says the goal this year was to involve more of the surrounding area with, their new programming called exploring jazz.

“The idea is that you can sort of have a mobile feast of music over the next two days,” said Rushing.

“It gives you the opportunity to see lots of jazz in various venues all within walking distance downtown and in the exchange district here.”

Rushing says over the next nine days, they are expecting 40,000 people to visit the festival and encourages everyone to check it out.

“We have jazz music that leans more towards contemporary music, hip-hop, RnB, so I would say let go of your expectations and just come and really explore jazz.”

One of the artists performing this year at the Royal Albert Arms is artist Hera, who has immersed herself in the local creative platforms including music, theatre, film, and fashion, since moving to Canada from the Philippines in 2011.

“I’ve attended it every year since, and to play in it is kind of a cool thing, I mean it is really cool I remember when I got the email I was like wow, and then I texted the band like are you available for this time will you play with me, so yah it was really fun,” said Hera Nalam, an artist.

Session Drummer Paul Klassen and the rhythm section have backed Hera since 2022 but have formed a sister band called The Astronomics to better explore a wide variety of music in the melting pot which is neo-soul.

The group debuted at last year’s Winnipeg International Jazz Fest and is once again back with a brand new setlist, this time at Bijou Patio.

“We’ve had so much more experience playing together not just in Astronomics, but just around the music community, we all gig in different bands together and so we have gotten even more locked in as a band and were very excited to bring that one stage tonight,” said Klassen.