Vancouver Jazz Festival founder Ken Pickering dies of cancer | The Province

Christine Fedina and Ken Pickering are seen in a recent photo posted to Fedina's Facebook page. Pickering, the founder and artistic director of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, died Friday, Aug. 10, 2018. Facebook / PNG
Ken Pickering, the co-founder and longtime artistic director of the renowned Vancouver International Jazz Festival, has died.
His partner Christine Fedina broke the news on Facebook, saying Pickering had stopped cancer treatments recently and passed away peacefully Friday morning.
“I lost the love of my life, my soulmate, my everything, my dear sweet Ken in the early hours of this morning,” Fedina wrote.
“Sadly the cancer had spread to the point where treatment was no longer possible. Please know that he was supported with absolute clear love as he transitioned and was peaceful and accepting with tremendous grace.”
Pickering helped launch the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society in 1985. As presenter of the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival, the society has showcased groundbreaking musicians in jazz and many other disciplines for more than three decades at venues all over downtown.
It became the biggest not-for-profit music presenter in B.C. and drew attention to the Vancouver music scene around the globe.
Tributes and condolences have poured in from all over the music world.
Jazz pianist Paul Plimley wrote that Pickering was an “amazing human being who had the greatest love for music, people and life itself …
“Vancouver has been changed forever with Black Swan records starting in 1975 and even more so, the Vancouver Intl Jazz Festival, which had its debut in 1985. We’ll always remember Ken with love and affection. He did so much for many thousands of musicians.”
American jazz pianist Marilyn Crispell echoed those sentiments, calling Pickering’s death “a terrible and devastating loss for all of us who knew and loved Ken, for Vancouver, and for the world music community.
“Ken had a huge heart, a passion for life, music and people.”
Fedina asked for privacy as she deals with the loss. She said a celebration of Pickering’s life will be planned at a later date.
Read more on Ken Pickering’s life and legacy from Stuart Derdeyn later this weekend.
 
 

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