As a music fan and a bisexual woman, I have to say this bit of news has me stoked!

A mainstay of the Toronto festival circuit, the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, running from June 19 – June 28, has announced that it will co-host the opening ceremony at Nathan Phillips Square in collaboration with World Pride on Friday, June 20. Featuring Canadian R&B singer-songwriter and actress, Deborah Cox, the free opening ceremonies will kick off ten days of packed entertainment from World-Pride 2014 and the Jazz Festival as they take over Toronto this June.

“Each year, Pride and the TD Toronto Jazz Festival bring some of the season’s biggest and best shows to Toronto,” states Josh Grossman, Artistic Director, Toronto Downtown Jazz in a press release. “I’m excited to know that in 2014 we’ll be presenting one of those shows at the same place and the same time. What better way to kick off two of Toronto’s biggest festivals than with a co-presented, free performance, at Nathan Phillips Square.”

What better way, indeed!  Deborah Cox, the R&B songstress behind hit tune “Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here” and an alumni of the Lilith Fair tours, has a powerful voice and tremendous presence.  It will make for a stellar opening in the vein of last year’s Smokey Robinson/Martha and the Vandellas combo.

Tickets are on sale now for the previously announced Koerner Hall Series: Hiromi: The Trio Project, Buika and Measha Brueggergosman.  The full lineup of the TD Toronto Jazz Festival will be announced later this April.

For more information visit www.torontojazz.com