A North Shore Jazz presentation, in partnership with the 2017 TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival

Walk down the tree-lined streets of the New Orleans Faubourg Marigny neighborhood on a hot sultry night, and chances are good you'll hear John Boutté's voice floating out of one of the area's nightspots. Maybe it’ll be a soulful version of Sam Cooke's “A Change Is Gonna Come”, Annie Lennox’s “Why” or one of the bayou-blended tunes co-authored with his Marigny pal Paul Sanchez. No matter the song, it will stop you in your tracks, for Boutté – who was born into a large Creole family that goes back seven generations in Louisiana – lives and breathes the heart and soul of New Orleans. With Jeremy Holmes (bass), Chris Gestrin (keyboards), Jerry Cook (sax), Liam MacDonald (drums) and Scott Smith (guitar).