Legendary country artist Willie Nelson, who turns 80 in April, will play Massey Hall as part of this year’s TD Toronto Jazz Festival, organizers announced Tuesday.
Willie Nelson & Family open the 10-day festival June 20 while comedian and banjo player Steve Martin, along with his band the Steep Canyon Rangers, will bring activities to a close on June 29.
Jazz prodigy Nikki Yanofsky will perform June 25 at Koerner Hall during the festival, which will stage concerts at 60 locations throughout the city. It is expected that half a million fans will attend.
Mainstage concerts at Nathan Phillips Square will feature Mavis Staples/Dr. John, John McLaughlin and Fourth Dimension, Bob James, David Sanborn featuring Steve Gadd, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and the James Hunter Six with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings.
Nelson teamed up with trumpeted Wynton Marsalis on 2008’s Two Men With The Blues and will celebrate his milestone birthday with the release of a new album Let’s Face the Music and Dance, to be released in April.
At the other end of the age spectrum, Yanofsky just turned 19. She first appeared at the Festival in 2007 and has become a phenomenon in the jazz world, and is best known as the voice behind the song “I Believe” at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
Bob James
David Sanborn
Dr. John
James Hunter and Sharon Jones
Jaron Freeman-Fox and the Opposite of Everything
John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension
Mavis Staples and Dr. John
Nikki Yanofsky
Sarah Jerrom
Shannon Graham and the Storytellers
Sharon Jones And the Dap-Kings
Steep Canyon Rangers
Steve Gadd
Steve Martin
The James Hunter Six
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Willie Nelson & Family