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# At the folk fest, jazz is ‘in’
- URL: https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/folk-fest-jazz-2022/
- Published: 2022-05-05T13:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2025-12-10T22:07:04.000Z
- Description: How many artists dropped the J-word in their blurbs
- Author: Will Chernoff
- Tags: Free Weekly

## The word 'jazz' in folk festival artist blurbs

The Vancouver Folk Music Festival announced 36 artists from their 2022 lineup yesterday; the festival will take place from Friday, July 15th to Sunday, July 17th.

Of those 36 artists, 5 of them included the word *jazz* in their promotional blurbs.

And I'll tell you who they are. But first, here's why I found that interesting...

One thing that gives you a jump-start as an artist is your first concise press quote. 

When I co-founded my band (who are releasing [their second album](https://open.spotify.com/album/6IRcFGtHXy6FXB4smS1MGn?ref=rhythmchanges.ca) and playing tomorrow night) in 2016, the quote was (emphasis mine for you here), "*This is a hot example of Celtic music and *jazz* fused together by superb musicians*."

With the band, I took that energy to the Vancouver folk fest – as well as other national festivals – and every little venue this province had to offer us.

We kept using the quote even after our music shed its jazz influence and became more folk-rock.

But as far as I recall, we were the only band at any given festival who had the J-word in our bio and blurbs.

Debbi Salmonsen – who is the director of the Vancouver folk fest – said in a press release that I just got, "*This year our 'folk music' definition has really spread its wings into many roots genres.*" She exhorts us to welcome all the music traditions that are fit for the stage, including jazz.

Maybe, in just this one aspect, our often backward-looking and retrospective band was ahead of its time.

### The 5 artists who used 'jazz' in their bio

- [**Lache Cercel Roma Jazz**](https://thefestival.bc.ca/artists/lache-cercel-roma-jazz/?ref=rhythmchanges.ca), who even have it in their name.
- [**Robben Ford**](https://thefestival.bc.ca/artists/robben-ford/?ref=rhythmchanges.ca)(USA). Frankly, I think of this legend first for being on-stage at the Vancouver jazz festival's Miles Davis – Wynton Marsalis [founding myth](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lULPlHCmzQM&ref=rhythmchanges.ca) gig.

Robben Ford - "Bound for Glory"

- [**Russell DeCarle**](https://thefestival.bc.ca/artists/russell-decarle/?ref=rhythmchanges.ca)(Ontario). Not hearing the "obvious touches of jazz" from the blurb here at all.

Russell DeCarle live

- [**SINNOI**](https://thefestival.bc.ca/artists/sinnoi/?ref=rhythmchanges.ca)(South Korea). Very cool, love it!

SINNOI - "Simbangkok"

- [**Witch Prophet**](https://thefestival.bc.ca/artists/witch-prophet/?ref=rhythmchanges.ca)(Ontario). Also very cool, the sum of a multi-decade crossover lineage from hip-hop and *The Low End Theory* to Lauryn Hill to neo-soul to retro-soul.

As an addendum, **Christine Tassan et les Imposteures** (Québec) also made this lineup after getting a [jazz Juno nomination](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/2022-jazz-juno-award-predictions/) this year – but they didn't drop the word in their blurb.

Not everyone who referenced jazz really backed it up. That said, if I have anything left in the tank after this year's jazzfest, [SINNOI](https://sori.nyc/sinnoi?ref=rhythmchanges.ca) and [Witch Prophet](https://www.witchprophet.com/?ref=rhythmchanges.ca) will be two artists drawing me to Jericho Beach Park in July.