Steve Turre in Concert
The Vancouver Island University Jazz Studies department presents jazz trombonist extraordinaire Steve Turre in concert on Monday, November 16, 2009, at 8:00 pm.
The concert will take place in the Malaspina Theatre on the VIU campus.
Mr. Turre will be accompanied by VIU faculty members Bob Murphy on the piano, Ken Lister on the bass and drummer Jesse Cahill.
In addition to being in the orchestra on NBC's Saturday Night Live show, Mr. Turre's performance credits read like a who's who of the jazz world. Among countless others, he's performed with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and Dizzy Gillespie, and he's currently a major jazz voice in his own right.
http://www.steveturre.comThis is an event not to be missed. The Vancouver Island University Jazz Studies Program is committed to providing its students, as well as the Nanaimo Community the opportunity, to hear and see world class jazz artists.
On Tuesday November 17, at 10:30 Mr. Turre will conduct a two hour clinic and master class that will be free and open to the public.
It will take place at the Malaspina Campus of Vancouver Island University in room 105 in building 320.
Tickets are $20 general and $17 for students and seniors and will be available at Tom Lee Music and Fascinatin’ Rhythm and at the door. Special group rates are possible.
For more information contact Greg Bush at gregory.bush@viu.ca or by phone at 250 753-3245 ext: 2107
Spaghetti Fundraiser
I would like to invite you to the Friends of the Nanaimo Jazz Society's Spaghetti Dinner fund raiser. We applied for the BC 150 grant (a grant that celebrates the 150th birthday of BC). We are running this event to raise funds for sound recording equipment and an Artist in Residence event. The sound equipment will allow students to record tapes for auditions as well as bring a new element of music study - recording engineering - into the Jazz Studies program at Wellington.
The Artist in Residence program will bring all jazz students at Wellington together with bassist Christian Fabian and alto saxophonist Cleave Guyton Jr., both from New York and both members of the Lionel Hampton Jazz Band. Students will have an opportunity to participate in clinics, master classes and concerts from November 27th through 29th. They will work with professional charts and receive instruction from these professional recording artists.
Earning the money to make this possible occurs by having 100 volunteers contribute five hours of volunteer labour for the Spaghetti Dinner. Many parents have stepped forward to prepare food, sell tickets, take tickets, clear plates and wash dishes. Now we need students to practice extra hard for this earlier-than-usual performance, perform and volunteer at the event to make up their five hours.
Just as importantly, we need an audience. The spaghetti will be great, and you get in the door for only $15 for people 11 and older; $8 for ages 6 to 10 plus performers, and free for those under 5. The music will be fantastic with big bands from Grades 9 through 12 and combos on stage. All the funds raised from the dinner will also be used to support both the Artist in Residence program, music stands and the recording equipment. Friends of Nanaimo Jazz Society also hopes to purchase a tent so we can arrange gigs for student performers and protect them from the elements.
Tickets can be purchased from Jenny Webb at 758-1869 and Sybille Jones at 758-0536. I look forward to seeing you out on October 30th for a great family event - good food and good music and the opportunity to support the enrichment of music education.
Regards
Tanya Lebans
President, Friends of Nanaimo Jazz Society
About the Society
Our mission is to promote arts and culture through music and to provide a nurturing environment for young jazz musicians to reach their full potential
With generous help of local businesses, musicians and educators, the City of Nanaimo and many volunteers, we provide music enrichment programs such as clinics and workshops, mentoring opportunities, bursaries and merit awards, and jazz-filled events highlighting Nanaimo’s rich musical and cultural heritage. Our work is focused on developing Canada’s future generations of musicians, composers, arrangers and producers. We support young musicians who have the interest and desire to improve their level of musicianship.
By bringing world-class professional musicians to our own backyard, clinics and workshops become more affordable to a greater number of young and aspiring musicians. When young musicians are able to interact, learn from and associate with professional musicians they only hear about or see on television, they are challenged and encouraged to take their music to the next level. And with opportunities to perform alongside professional musicians, our next generation of musicians receive invaluable introduction into what it takes to be succeed in the bigger picture.
In the past 3 years, our clinicians have included musicians and educators like Ingrid Jensen, Brian Lillos, Jodi Proznick, Phil Dwyer, Brad Turner, Christian Fabian, Jesse Cahill, Christine Jensen, Steve Kaldestad, Tilden Webb, and most recently — Ken Lister, Hugh Fraser, Dave Robbins, Ross Taggart and Cam Ryaga.
The groundwork to organize a community-based music society began in mid-February 2005. By early January 2006, twenty-eight founding members, among them noted Juno-award musicians Christine Jensen (Montreal), Phil Dwyer (Toronto/Qualicum), and Buff Allen (Vancouver), veteran jazz instructors Bryan Stovell and Steve Jones, retired Nanaimo band instructor Gerald Taylor, and Wellington Secondary School music director Carmella Luvisotto endorsed the society’s constitution and bylaws.
On the 28th day February 2006, the Friends of Nanaimo Jazz Society was officially registered in British Columbia as a non-profit society.
In the fall of 2005, a planning committee composed of volunteers and founding members came together to organize the society’s first community-based fund-raising jazz event. The organizers wanted an event that promoted Nanaimo as Vancouver Island’s Festival City that highlighted the city’s rich and vibrant jazz community, and capitalized on the legacy and inspiration of great musicians such as Diana Krall, Ingrid and Christine Jensen and others. More importantly, it had to be an event where young musicians could learn from, associate with and perform with professional musicians.
Jazz Affairs
Paris — 2009
The multitalented Jason Marsalis headlined the 2009 Jazz Affair, the annual fund raising event hosted by the Friends of Nanaimo Jazz Society held at Beban Park Social Centre on May 29th. With the sidemen including Vancouver's Brad Turner (trumpet), New York's Christian Fabian (bass) and former Wellington student Adam Cormier (drums), the evening delivered stellar jazz performances. Marsalis, the youngest of the famous New Orleans-based Jazz family, plays both vibes and drums. His work has been compared to the late Lionel Hampton. The evening's list of entertainment also included the big band sound of Decadence, and the senior bands and combos from Wellington Secondary School. People wishing to purchase a meal at the Jazz Affair enjoyed the food stylings of Mrs. Riches and a well-stocked silent auction was available for people's buying pleasure.
View PhotographsOld Havana — 2008
Our 2008 event Old Havana Jazz Affair was a huge success. It took place on May 30, 2008 at the Beban Social Center. Principal clinicians and performers included, among others, US piano sensation Gerald Clayton, Canadian veteran bassist and educator Ken Lister, 2008 Juno Saxophonist of the Year Phil Dwyer, and local 19-year old drummer Adam Cormier.
Also performing were Decadence, Wellington Secondary School combos Upbeat and Don’t Doo Dhat, NDSS combo The Five Fingers and the Wellington Secondary School Grade 11 and 12 jazz bands.
New Orleans — 2007
Encouraged by its first jazz affair, the Society went on to produce yet another successful fund-raiser The New Orleans Jazz Affair on June 1, 2007. Principal clinicians were bassist Christian Fabian, Juno-awardees Phil Dwyer on saxophone, Brad Turner on trumpet and keyboard, and young Nanaimo drummer and Malaspina student Adam Cormier. Decadence, a local band led by Steve Jones captivated the audience with their eclectic mix of music. Young and upcoming vocalist Emma Love returned from studies on the east coast to help raise money for young musicians.
Manhattan — 2006
On April 13 2006, the Society launched its first fund-raising production The Manhattan Jazz Affair with saxophonist-arranger-composer Christine Jensen as guest artist and principal clinician. The event raised several thousand dollars for clinics and workshops as well as music scholarships and bursaries donated by local friends.
Other Ventures
Musicians in Training
In the summer of 2005, the Society introduced Musicians in Training, a self-motivated after-school extra-curricular program that runs into the summer months. This allowed young musicians to volunteer their time and earn practice hours playing before public audiences in the community. Young musicians as young as 13 participated in various gigs around town, at the city waterfront, in civic and charity events.
Around Nanaimo
The Society promoted a greater recognition and appreciation of music in the community through participation in local events such as the Nanaimo’s Marina Boat Festival, Save On Dragon Boat, TheatreOne, Vancouver Island Symphony, and others.
Cultural Capitals of Canada
Last year, the Society was one of a number of principal arts and cultural groups that participated in Nanaimo’s 2008 Cultural Capital of Canada celebrations. As a principal cultural group, the Society, through the leadership of founding members Steve Jones, Carmella Luvisotto and Bryan Stovell, produced Capturing the Music — School Jazz Program at the Port Theatre on April 22, 2008.