Jazz guitarist Julian Lage will bring his quartet to the Chan Centre as part of VanJazz ’26, which runs across the Lower Mainland from Oct. 14 to 25.
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Julian Lage will headline the new VanJazz ’26 music event at the Chan Centre, bringing bassist Jorge Roeder, drummer Kenny Wollesen and keyboardist John Medeski for performances during the festival’s Oct. 14 to 25 run across the Lower Mainland.
Lage said he is “on the road a lot,” but described Vancouver as a “touchstones” stop and noted that “this show has been on the books for a few years.”
He said his day job includes teaching at The New School’s school of jazz and contemporary music in New York, while his night work ranges from his own groups to collaborations tied to John Zorn’s New Masada Quartet and six-string duties in Bob Dylan’s Never Ending Tour band.
Lage said it was a “blessing” to create improvised music with Roeder, Wollesen and Medeski, adding that “with this level of talent, it feels like there are endless options to evolve.”
The guitarist said Medeski’s trio, Medeski, Martin & Wood, was a recommendation, and he also credited Zorn with influencing his approach to playing.
VanJazz ’26 is being conceived by Cory Weeds, the Cellar Music Group label head and Frankie’s Jazz Club presenter, and saxophonist Tim Reinert, described as an Infidels Jazz mastermind; the duo said the event promises “something for everyone.”
Weeds said he and Reinert saw that “our, and others’, efforts were not always reaching one another” and decided to bring them together “under VanJazz ’26,” using multiple venues and partners to reach different audiences.
Reinert said the event’s “banner” approach is meant to draw attention to people and organizations active in the community throughout the year, rather than operating as a stand-alone, traditional festival model.
The organizers said the event’s structure also spreads the financial burden among partners and helps avoid problems that have led to some long-established festivals folding.
VanJazz ’26 is listed as featuring more than 100 performances at venues that include the Chan Centre and the Alliance Française Theatre, along with smaller spaces such as Guilt & Co. and the Zameen Art House.
Among recommended shows highlighted for the event’s 11-day run, Lucian Ban and Mat Maneri: Transylvanian Dance is set for Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. at Tyrant Studios.
A tribute to Vancouver pianist/composer Paul Plimley is scheduled for Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. at the Alliance Française Theatre.
The Jill Townsend Jazz Orchestra will perform on Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. at Frankie’s Jazz Club.
Zappa Nite 2026 is scheduled for Oct. 23 at 8 p.m. at The Rickshaw, presented by Tyrant Studios and the Rickshaw and described as featuring several Vancouver Zappa tributes.
The Ghibli Jazz Orchestra will be staged on Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts.
Myra Melford Splash Trio rounds out the listed picks on Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. at the Alliance Française Theatre.
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