It's been five years since musicians were left stranded at the Calgary airport, wondering where their ride was after Calgary's jazz festival was suddenly and unceremoniously cancelled.

Shortly after that turn of events, the jazz community gathered to discuss what was needed to move forward, and Jazz YYC was born.

After years of nurturing a year-round scene, the group is hosting Calgary's first jazz festival since 2010 this week.

"We're so excited about it," said Jazz YYC president Deb Rasmussen. "I like to say 'no more festival envy.'"

When the previous festival folded, Rasmussen said the message from the local community was clear.

"People said 'we want to have a vibrant jazz scene in Calgary that goes 12 months a year. We'd love to have a jazz festival, but we don't want to have a jazz festival if it means two weeks of jazz and 50 weeks of jazz drought.'"

Since then the group's membership has increased from 40 people to about 500, and it has presented shows on a regular basis, including weekly shows at Lolita's Lounge in Inglewood.

This week

As for this week's festival, there are mainstage events at the Ironwood Stage and Grill, late night shows at Lolita's, free live shows on June 21 throughout Inglewood from noon to 6 p.m., and educational programming in partnership with the National Music Centre.

For more information visit Jazz YYC.