Montreal, Monday, July 5, 2010--The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal in collaboration with TD- our brand new major official sponsor and presenter-are today pleased to be awarding the TD Grand Jazz Award to Parc-X Trio. The group was deemed best of 7 other jazz ensembles who took part in the pan-Canadian competition. The jury wanted to acknowledge the talent of all 8 finalists who were of an impressively high caliber. The jury also made a special mention of Cameron Wallis Quartet for the professionalism of the musicians.
The Galaxie Rising Star Award was bestowed for the best composition, the 2011 prize going to Darren Sigesmund for his piece Dance for Leila.
Parc-X Trio will officially be awarded the 2010 TD Grand Jazz Award at a press conference, at 2:30 p.m. today in the Salle Stevie Wonder of Maison du Festival Rio Tinto Alcan (305 Ste. Catherine St. West, 2nd floor). The trio will again be presented his prize at his performance just before the closing show of this year's fest with the Dave Brubeck Quartet tonight at 9 p.m. in the Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts.
Parc-X Trio
The Parc-X Trio cooks up a stew of jazz, world music, classical and pop, piano/double-bass/drums instrumental pieces composed in the very image of Parc-Extension, Montreal's most multi-ethnic neighbourhood. A self-titled debut album drew critical acclaim and prompted Alex Lefaivre (double bass), Gabriel Vinuela-Pelletier (piano) and Mark Nelson (drums) to tour Canada. Festival fans adored them in 2009-just as the jury members, who even gave them a special mention for their originality and performance.
2010 TD Grand Jazz Award
The TD Grand Jazz Award entails:
- The 2010 TD Grand Jazz Award and a $5,000 grant from TD.
- The opportunity to present a second concert on July5 at 6p.m. on the TD stage and an invitation to participate in the opening act of the closing show with the DaveBrubeck Quartet tonight at 9p.m. in the Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts.
- An invitation to take part in the 2011 Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, all expenses paid by the Festival.
- Fifty hours of studio time and mastering at KarismaStudio.
- A licensing deal for the manufacturing and distribution of an album on the EffendiRecords label.
- An invitation to perform at Festi Jazz International de Rimouski, 2011 edition.
- An invitation to perform at the Festival International Jazz & Blues of Zacatecas (Mexico).
Galaxie Rising Star Award
Galaxie is proud to be associated with the TD Grand Jazz Award. This year's Galaxie Rising Star Award is going to Darren Sigesmund for his piece Dance for Leila, considered by the jury to be the best composition presented in this year's contest. In addition to a $5,000 grant, the winner will have his music played on one or many jazz channels offered by Galaxie. By encouraging these upcoming stars, Galaxie is fulfilling one of its heartfelt objectives.
A springboard for Canadian jazz ensembles
Created in 1982 by the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, the Grand Jazz Award has become a springboard for local musicians with bright futures in jazz. Every summer, the awarding of the Grand Jazz Award has increasingly drawn the interest of the general public, as well as observers of the national and international jazz scenes, giving that last big boost to groups or artists on the verge of general recognition.
This year, 8 Canadian groups or artists were in competition for the TD Grand Jazz Award 2010. Besides the winners-Parc-X Trio (Québec) and Darren Sigesmund (Ontario)-, competing this year were: Ensemble Rémi-Jean Leblanc (Québec), The October Trio (British Columbia), Keith Price (Manitoba), Makaya (Québec), Cameron Wallis (Québec) et Rich Brown and Rinsethealgorithm (Ontario).
The 2010 jury was comprised of: Louis Bellavance (Galaxie); Alain Bédard (Effendi Records); Michael Bourne (WBGO.org and Down Beat Magazine), Martin Roussel (Festi Jazz International de Rimouski), and Vicente Rodriguez of the Festival International Jazz & Blues of Zacatecas, Mexico.
Take note that the last year's winner, Amanda Tosoff Quartet, gave a free exterior concert last Saturday, July 3 at 6 p.m., as part of Les Gammes TD series on the TD stage of the Place des Festivals.
