With this year’s Winnipeg International Jazz Festival postponed, the group responsible for organizing the party is being forced to take a different approach.
Jazz Winnipeg has partnered with the Dalnavert Museum to host a series of “Jazz Age Garden Parties” aiming to create a fun atmosphere for Winnipeg jazz fans amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re taking a hard look at how we can do this safely and respectfully and so being able to do it outdoors was a really big thing for us,” says Angela Heck, Jazz Winnipeg’s executive director.
Sunday marked the organization’s second of six garden parties at the museum. The concerts will take place each Sunday with a 50-person crowd, insuring proper physical distancing.
“It’s a little bit more subdued, a little bit quieter but they’re having a lot of fun out there because they’ve been cooped up for the last 3 or 4 months and they’re just having a blast being able to play live,” says Michael Wolch, the artistic producer for Jazz Winnipeg.
“You can hear it, you can hear the energy and enthusiasm when they get up on stage and play together it’s like they’re playing for the first time,” Wolch continued.
A maximum crowd filled the garden Sunday afternoon to take in a performance from the Zachary Rushing quartet.
“This is the first time since the beginning of March that I’ve played with real live other humans in the same room, and it’s been a total joy,” said Rushing, who leads the group on vocals.
Rushing said he’s never played a concert that felt similar to today’s performance.
“I think anything that you’re doing that’s a little bit out of the ordinary is fun. It’s interesting to see how everything has been managed in terms of social distancing and it’s fun to come in and be in such a beautiful venue like the Dalnavert Museum, it’s incredible, the gardens look incredible, I’m very excited,”
Garden Party number three takes place next Sunday, Aug. 2, when Jennifer Hanson takes the stage.
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