Type: Live Music
Location: 11 Tommy Banks Way
Phone #: (780) 432-0428
Website: www.yardbirdsuite.com
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The Yardbird Suite, is the only facility of its kind in Canada, that is volunteer-run and offers jazz full-time. Every weekend between the middle of September and the end of June (with the break for Christmas/New Year) a new jazz experience unfolds in the Suite's casual and intimate atmosphere. Operated entirely by volunteers, the Suite provides a variety of performance styles.

Did you know that Yardbird Suite is the title of a famous Charlie Parker tune? This cleverly adopted name honors the bop tradition that the Society sprang from.

Since its creation in 1957, the Yardbird Suite has become the premiere venue for jazz in Canada. In addition to average 75 concerts per performance season, the Yardbird currently hosts weekly Tuesday night jam sessions, sponsors the Littlebirds Big Band, and provides rehearsal space.

Our programming has enabled local musicians to play with some of the world's luminaries of jazz. In partnership with the CBC and Radio-Canada, we have broadcasted nationally. In the past we have provided jazz appreciation courses, weekend workshops with visiting musicians and sponsored various bands.

"The Suite" as it is fondly known, is operated entirely by volunteers. That includes programming, production, bar service, transportation, maintenance, finances, food, fund-raising, promotions, not to mention the photography, layout, copy, and distribution of the brochures and newsletters. People from all walks of life donate their time, talents, and attention to the support of live jazz music in Edmonton. Students, seniors, carpenters, accountants, lawyers, artists, engineers, bio-chemists, and bartenders. If you're a whiz with computers or with carpentry tools, or if you've always wondered what it would be like to meet Steve Lacy at the airport, then we have go a job for you.

Early incarnations of the Yardbird Suite were run by musicians. Edmonton has been blessed with many great jazz musicians. Notable "volunteers" included Tommy Banks, Phil Shragge, Terry Hawkeye, Zen Magus, Dale Hillary, Bobby Cairns and many others.

In 1957, the original Yardbird Suite was located on Whyte Avenue right where Divine Decadence store is presently located.

In 1959 Yardbird relocated to Jasper Avenue. When the Steak Loft moved from its original location on Jasper Ave and 98th Street into a new building further west on Jasper, the Yardbird Suite moved into the vacated Steak Loft premises. The Yardbird Suite operated in that location pretty well as the present operation is run, with the exception of the fact that the volunteers in those days were all musicians and their wives and girlfriends. It ran most often five nights a week.

In 1967 an old VW garage across from the old CP station on the south side became our new location.

In 1973 the EJS re-organized and staged concerts at the Captain's Club, Palm's Cafe and SUB.

In the fall of 1984, with a crew of dedicated jazz volunteers, the Yardbird Suite opened in its current location, now known as 11 Tommy Banks Way.