RIP Ken Pickering, creative genius and leader of the Vancouver Jazz Festival

Our great mentor, Ken Pickering, is dead of cancer, too soon, too soon. Ken was for all of us a leader, mentor, music zealot, knowing and loving those fine musical moments of genius and insight; Ken was also loving and kind and the definition of friend. I cannot imagine the sadness for Chris, the love of his life. All of us in the Canadian jazz community feel this immense loss as do artists around the world. Ah, Ken, we love you, Man. Our loss is deep and profound. – Catherine O’Grady, Ottawa Jazz Festival Executive Producer