I am very sorry to hear about what has transpired this fall season with the Aurora council and their recent decision. As an artist who has performed at the festival for the last 2 years and has seen first hand the amazing community impact this festival has had on the Aurora and York region you have my full support to keep this festival in the hands of the people who have created, grown and nurtured this grass roots festival, namely you both and all the volunteers!!

Count on my support!

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To the organizers of the Aurora Jazz Festival and Aurora Town Council

I have attended the Jazz festival since it’s inception in 2009 and was chosen last year to perform at the event. One of the unique features of this festival is it’s high percentage of local artists chosen to perform at the event. I believe it is 70-80%, which is extremely high for a festival of this calibre. In addition to serving as a showcase and a tremendous opportunity for local talent, the event is attracting top musicians  that are well established in Canada and internationally.

What I like about this festival the most is that previous to this, I had to travel to Toronto to the Beaches Jazz Festival and TD festival, to Montreal for the Jazz festival, and Guelph for Hillside Folk fest to see a festival of this calibre.  Aurora Jazz fest grew from an idea into an event that is looked forward to by myself and thousands of people in York Region. It has grown through hard work, perseverance and a strong belief in the arts being developed and nurtured on a local level.  There has never been a Jazz Festival prior to this.  There has never been a festival in town over a weekend that has drawn people of all ages into a family orientated event that is so well run, I feel completely safe and satisfied with my young children in attendance. In fact, the first year we stayed three hours past their bed time and my daughter danced safely on stage with George Oliver. This was a thrill we will never forget.

The St Kitts, have been gracious ambassadors of this festival and I am very disappointed and disturbed by the method in which this festival is being taken from them.  No-one else prior to this had the wherewithal, ambition and fortitude to take a risk with their own personal finances to put on an event of this magnitude. I like that the St Kitts are from Aurora. I like that they chose the town I grew up in and have lived in for over 40 years to mount and sustain this rich and compelling festival. I like that throughout the festival you can walk up and say hi and be treated like an old friend. The last thing I want to see is another corporate event show up and turn this grassroots family event into a big money driven enterprise lacking in heart and spirit. The admission is $5.00. This is unheard of these days. I would pay $20 or more, but every year the price remains the same and it is a testimony to their drive and passion for this event in seeking corporate sponsorship to keep the admission low and the event accessible to all.

 I believe a referendum and vote is in order for a decision that so greatly affects the town and it’s citizens. I have all the confidence that the result would be unaminously in favour of keeping it just the way it is.

Yours Truly

Glenn Marais

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AURORA JAZZ+ FESTIVAL – “Lights Out” in Aurora

Is this a hostile take-over of community developed event?

 Call to Canadian Creative Community

Founders, Sponsors, Partners, Musicians, Artists, Volunteers & Patrons

Tuesday, October 23^rd, 2012 – Aurora Council members passed a Motion to effectively take the festival from its founders and non-profit volunteer organization without discussion under the guise of fair practice and equitable access to other groups.  The Town Council voted to put the established venue and dates of the Aurora jazz+ Festival up for grabs.  AJF organizers booked Town Park for 2013 – April of 2012.

Aurora Councilor Buck’s Motion Concludes: “Now therefore be it hereby resolved that   Town staff be directed to prepare an invitation to compete for facilities of the Town Park for the purpose of a music festival on the August holiday weekend in 2013.”St. Kitts Music Inc. headed by Sher & George St. Kitts founded, sponsored, promoted and produced the Aurora jazz+ Festival in 2009-2010.  The Aurora Festival of the Arts (non-profit) produced the 2011/2012 festival.  In 2012 Sher St. Kitts was its GM.  George St. Kitts has worked as Artistic Director 2009-2012.  St. Kitts Music Inc. family business invested heavily to establish this festival.

The festival was recognized as a Top 100 in the Province of Ontario in 2012 by Festivals & Events Ontario.  The Aurora jazz+ Festival is the only music festival in York Region to be so recognized in 2012.

This festival is now firmly established in Aurora’s heritage Town Park on the August civic long weekend.  From 2009-2012 thousands of volunteers & entertainers have assisted founders and non-profit create and develop this grassroots festival showcasing 80% York Region talents. Over 15,000 patrons have attended and many now plan to attend annually.  Aurorans stay home, inviting friends and family to enjoy the festival.  Tourists from all over Ontario also attend.

This questionable motion by Aurora’s Council ignoring the fact that a Top 100 festival has already been established on the date and in the venue they have chosen MUST be exposed for the grab that it is – it is certainly not a case of ‘fair practice’.

 Help us protect festivals celebrating Canadian art, music and culture from being destroyed by actions such as this one by Aurora Council members.  Help protect the dreams created by founders, devoted art/music lovers, volunteers and citizens.

Please send emails of support to: george@aurorajazzfest.com

Contact:  Sher St. Kitts 905 841 6893    www.aurorajazzfest.com  www.stkittsmusic.ca

Murray Foster is a member of the Newfoundland Celtic-pop group Great Big Sea, and was a founding member of the Toronto group Moxy Fruvous. He’s produced shows for CBC radio, written articles for magazines such as NOW and DRIVEN and written and directed several short films. He starred in a theatrical production of the play “Toronto Noir” in the Summerworks Theatre Festival in 2009, and he is currently writing and directing a feature-length film about a fake British pop band called The Cocksure Lads.

MIKE FORD BIO

Mike is a Juno-nominated Franco-Ontarian solo artist, has released 4 acclaimed albums of Canadian history -inspired songs, been described as being “rabble-rousing and Pythonesque” and “essential listening” by the Globe & Mail, created his own one-hour national CBC Radio Labour Day special (with Age of Persuasion’s Mike Tennant), toured as a member of The Arrogant Worms, sung at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa for The Vigil Project, performed and MC’d at festivals coast-to-coast, created an ever-growing repertoire for his Canada Needs You School tours, and sailed across the Great Lakes on a working Lake Boat with David Francey, from which the two wrote and recorded their new album SEAWAY.

Mike is known to many for his former life in the folk/rock/vaudeville Moxy Früvous, with whom he headlined festival stages all across North America and Europe and sold over ¼ million albums.

COCKSURE LADS BIO

The Cocksure Lads, a ‘fake’ 1960’s British pop band, is the brainchild of two former members of the Toronto band Moxy Fruvous – Mike Ford and Murray Foster.

The band was conceived in the 1990’s when Ford and Foster, just for fun, began writing songs that parodied the 60’s British ‘Merseybeat’ sound (think Herman’s Hermits or early Beatles). They imagined these songs could be part of the repertoire of an imaginary band, and so they gave this band a name: The Cocksure Lads.

Ford and Foster continued to write Cocksure Lads songs purely as a labour of love until by 2010 they had twenty-five unrecorded Cocksure Lads songs.  Worried that the world would never hear the music of their beloved band, they went into the studio in early 2010 and recorded ‘The Greatest Hits of The Cocksure Lads, 1963-1968.’

Since that time that have begun to perform the songs live (with bad British accents) around the Toronto area and have even begun work on a feature film about the band called “You Gotta Stay Cocksure,” slated for release in 2013.

The Cocksure Lads CD is available on iTunes and at maplemusic.com.  For more info, search ‘The Cocksure Lads’ on Facebook.

Festival growth –Three (3) stages this year – Introducing the Enbridge Stage (mobile); the Long & McQuade Stage (Band Shell) and the MasterCut Stage – in the Baseball Diamond!

Introducing more interactive activities in the Park:  Fly a Kite… Shoot a Ball….  Walk on Water…. Try a Guitar…  Make a Drum… Embrace the Drama and try Improv…  Paint with Judy,   Read My Lips… (make-up)  Create a Mandela! Laughter and Zumba!

Breaking News Stories –

 * The Honourable Minister Michael Chan – Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport will attend the 4th annual Aurora jazz+ Festival  8:30 pm Saturday  - August 4th – accompanied by MP Lois Brown and other local dignitaries

* Canadian legendary band – The Cocksure Lads will perform at 9pm Sunday August 5th – featuring Murray Foster (bassist for The Great Big Sea)   Surprise!!

1) Walk a Block - The Greening of the Festival this year includes encouraging patrons to walk a block from the Go Station to the Park rather than drive.

2) GO to the 2012 Festival! GO Trains and Buses now come to Aurora on festival weekend.  Encourage friends and family from the GTA to take the Go!  Torontonians – escape the big city hustle and enjoy the green in Town Park.  It’s just a GO ride away.

3) Aurora jazz PLUS is the Only Top 100 music/art Festival of York Region for 2012.  We celebrate our Independent Entertainers and Artists, salute our local arts and culture, care for community charities and bring arts and culture alive in the heart of York Region…

4) Festival introduces Peace in the Park on Sunday August 5^th at noon – sponsored by The Gathering Place.  We invite you to the festival early and bless the arts in York Region.

5) Free Art & Music Workshops offered at the Aurora Cultural Centre on Sunday, August 5th from 11- 1pm enjoy a Music Workshop with My Jam Space – Gaga-Rock; Theatre Aurora presents “Intro to Improv” Get into the Act!; and Embrace the Artist within with visual art paintings “Black &  White & Colour ” with artist Judy Sherman; Sound your own environmentally friendly drum with Enviro-Drums presented by Jeff Salem of Drums In You!

6) Saturday August 4^th Festival at the Aurora Farmers Market -10am  Aurora jazz+ Festival presents – Laughter Yoga with Melanie Moulin- laugh with us!  ..Followed by a Free Zumba Class with Sandra Corrado , then relax and enjoy the dance of talented Jaymor Dancers.

7) Want to Walk on Water?  What a Ball is in the Park!  Kids up to 18 years…enjoy!

8) Drum Circle – Be part of the Largest Ever Drum Circle in York Region – on Sunday August 5^th – bring your drum and be there around 4-4:30  – presented by Shaw Percussion, Rhythmic by Nature…Suzanne Smoke..With help from Jeff  Salem of Drums In You.

9) Mandela:  David Rankine invites you to help complete the festival’s 2012 Mandela – community dreams come alive in our spiritual Mandela – check it out and take part!

10) Paint-Inn – Express your self – do some interactive art in the Park with festival artists.

11)  Meet a Ham… York Region Amateur Radio Operators are on site…They would love to teach you how to communicate around the world and be ready for any emergency.  They have classes coming up for you!

12) The Festival is Tap-d  in with York Region Water Truck on Site!  Keeps us green – bring refillable bottles or buy one in the park.  Thank you Tap-d  in!

13) Line-Up Musical Stars  i.e. New York Chart Topper Smooth Jazz Guitarist – Rob Tardik has new album out; local singers Stacey Kaniuk, Julian Troiano, Jamie Miller; local bands Six Ways to Sunday, Manatee Band,  After Hours Big Band and North of Dixie!  Toronto Bands – Juice, K.C. Roberts, Sounds Caribbean and the Astro Droids.. .  Musical Concert by Boogie Boy Blues providing interactive music for the kids on Sunday….

14) Visual Artists – So many stories to tell about the talented Visual Artists we have in the area and their classes, workshops and all that jazz…  Judy Sherman, Eva Folks, Deborah Campo, Graham Ames, Quincy Morrison….David Rankine and the list goes on.  Visit a Visual Artist and support local artists.

15) The Two Charities we Support – Safehaven and CCAA – They do so much for so many in our communities. This year we are also supporting Sick Kids through the Big Grill donations.

16) Hope to have a booth with Aurora Minor Hockey Association Shoot out area… TBA

17)  Doggies in the Park – Paws in the Bath…dog water stations, products & care – …Doggie Blankets &.Cookies will also be available in the park.

18)   Hippo Garden – Cooling Station ….TBA we are working on providing patrons a great place to cool down.  Hope to have a misting station for you to stay cool!

19) Aurora Seniors will be on hand assisting at our Community Booth – Come and get more information about what is happening in the area!   Thank you ASA!

20)   Economic Impact Study being done by Enigma via Festival and Events Ontario funding from OTF.   We will know how the festival impacts the area economically to assist in garnering more federal, provincial and municipal support.

21) Announcing –an ATM machine on site to assist our patrons and our vendors!

22) The Aurora Festival of the Arts 2012 Board – We enjoy a fabulous Board of Directors and Advisory Board who are actively dedicated to the festival.  We’re also pleased to be working with several Interns this year: Our Administrative Assistants: Steff, Leigh, Serena, Andrew and Allison!

We are grateful:  Thanks to Sponsors &Community Support, to all Community members who have been there for the arts/festival since the beginning.  Canadian Heritage – Building Communities Grant; Enbridge Gas  – All of our Sponsors!  Please see sponsors page!

Thanks also to Local leaders like MP Lois Brown and MPP Frank Klees  for their continued support of the festival and the arts and for taking part in the Who Dunn-It Art Gallery!

Thanks to all our dedicated Volunteers and Festival Friends!

Next Year 2013 our Fifth Year!!  Aurora jazz+ Festival  August 2, 3, 4 & 5 – A four  (4) day event – Celebrating Arts, Music & Heritage in Town Park – Friday to Monday!!

Growth:  King Festival is coming - Father’s Day – King City

Blessing the Aurora Jazz+ Festival and York Region Arts

$5 per day kids 12 and under Free

Park at Go Station – Walk a Block

Bring Hat/Sunscreen – Blanket/Chair

Lots of Food Vendors on Site & Shopping

ATM on Site

Accessible Site and Washrooms

Sunday – Peace in the Park at Noon – Bless the Arts & Festival

Check out Free Art & Music workshops on Sunday August 5 – 11:00 am – 1:00 pm at the Aurora Cultural Centre

See Workshop Registration and information below:

11-noon Music/Guitar:Gaga-Rock by Mike Lanteigne of My Jam Space 6-17 years
11-noon Vis Arts/Painting on Canvas: Black and White and Colour - Intro by Judy Sherman – Teens-Adults
noon – 1pm Drums/Create & Play: Enviro Drums by Jeff Salem – Drums in You  Teens – Adults
noon – 1pm Theatre – Improvisation: Introduction to Improv - by Theatre Aurora   All Ages

Make your own drum to beat at the Aurora jazz+ Festival Drum Circle on Sunday

Sincerely
Sher St. Kitts
General Manager – AFA
905 841 6893