This Issue - · PDF fileEdmonton Jazz Society’s Littlebirds Big Band in the 1990s and has been a full ... created new repertoire as inspired by Miles Davis ... John Taylor

fall 2017

march2017

Photo: Dan Brubeck

This Issue...3 Benny Sharoni Quartet

4 Devin Gray New York Trio

5 Dan Brubeck Quartet – Celebrating the Music and Lyrics of Dave & Iola Brubeck

6 Dean Mcneill’s Lost In The Stars: Music for Trumpet, Fugelhorn, Strings, & Rhythm Section

7 The Edmonton Jazz Collective plays Charlie Austin

8 Pat Bianchi Trio

9 Yardbird Suite Jazz Orchestra

10 Assaf Kehati

11 Rubim De Toledo Cd Release

12 Harry Allen’s All Star New York Saxophone Band featuring Vincent Herring, Grant Stewart and Gary Smulyan

13 Elliott Sharp

14 Johanna Sillanpaa

15 Step In Trio

16 Azar Lawrence Quintet featuring Al McLean

18 YARDBIRD SUITE BLUES: Arsen Shomakhov Trio

19 Yardbird Suite All Stars: 100th Birthday of Thelonious Monk

20 Champian Fulton And Cory Weeds

21 Tuesday Night Sessions

22 Oded Tzur Quartet

24 Paul Shihadeh’s Holiday Reunion

25 Thursday Showcase

26 MacEwan University Faculty Jazz Ensemble

27 Yardbird Festival of Canadian Jazz

2 FALL 2017

www.yardbirdsuite.com

Yardbird Suite Jazz is a registered trademark of the Edmonton Jazz Society (1973).

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Edmonton Jazz Society’sBoard of Directors

2016 • 2017Francis Remedios • President

Dominique Roy • Vice PresidentStuart Crosley • Treasurer

David MacFarlane • SecretaryAdrian Albert • Vice President Programming

Board MembersMonique Bielech • Craig Brenan

Pam Josey • Jasiek Poznanski • Sergio Rodriguez Dave Babcock • Reg Wilkes

Yardbird SuitePROGRAMMING • Adrian Albert, Nico Arnáez,

Dave Babcock, Dan Davis, Julie King, Jasiek PoznanskiPRODUCTION • Lisi Sommer

TUESDAY NIGHT SESSIONS • Dan DavisLITTLEBIRDS DIRECTOR • Joel Gray

JAZZ FOR KIDS DIRECTOR: Sandro Dominelli & Brandy Dominelli

FINANCE • Suzanne MorterSOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTIONS • Reg Wilkes • Sergio Rodriguez

TRANSPORTATION • Alan SpenceHouSe MANAGeR & VoLuNTeeR

COORDINATOR • Pam Josey

our Volunteer House ManagersSue Cameron • Shannon Charney • Jan Doll Julie Janczyn • Pam Josey • Gail Kelly Tracy Kolenchuk • Len Penner • Marilyn Rude Collette Slevinsky • Rhonda Smith • Karen Voller

Yardbird Suite NewsletterThe Yardbird Newsletter is published fourtimes per year by the edmonton Jazz Society.

EDITOR • Adrian Albert • Jasiek Poznanski

GRAPHIC DESIGN • Kim Deley, Critical Path Marketing Communications

DISTRIBUTION • Monique Bielech, Bill Harper

PRINTING • IoN Print Solutions Inc.

TicketsTickets for Yardbird Suite shows are available at Tix on the Square and at the door on the night of the performance.

fall 2017

march2017

www. yardbirdsuite.com 3

CROSS-BORDER JAZZ SERIES

Benny Sharoni Quartet

WHEN...From Boston, Edmonton

FRIDAY • SEPTEMBER 22MEMBERS $22GUESTS $26DOORS 7 PM - SHOW 8 PM

Benny Sharoni - saxophonesChris Andrew - pianoRubim de Toledo - bassSteve Langone - drums

bennysharoni.com

Originally from Israel and now based in Boston,

tenor saxophonist Benny Sharoni is a U.S.

bandleader, composer and arranger who is

a mainstay on the international jazz scene. A

straight ahead player who fuses together the

classic bop influences of Sonny Rollins, Dexter

Gordon and Steve Grossman (among many

others), Sharoni flavors his music with Latin

rhythms and an energetic drive that delights

audiences worldwide. He demonstrates

fervent skill on his horn that instantly lifts him

above the pack, but that’s only one element of

his winning formula. Sharoni is also

a player committed to unfettered

expression; reaching an

audience through taste,

beauty and infectious swing.

Benny’s recordings, “Eternal

Elixir” and “Slant Signature”,

captured the hearts and ears

of jazz listeners and critics,

earning tremendous acclaim

in the jazz world

“…a soaring tenor sax monster…”

~ George Fendel, Jazz Scene

4 FALL 2017

Devin Gray is an artist interested in multiple

musical directions and one who strives for

quality and sincerity in his work. His exciting

energy has compelled him towards many

different musical directions and projects.

Considered by his contemporaries as cutting

edge, Gray shows promise as an artist that will

not only move the music forward, but one who

will share his unique musical vision with the

world of music.

Devin Gray’s fresh approach to modern

drumming has enabled him to play with

many of America’s great jazz musicians.

He has performed and recorded with

innovative musicians of contrasting styles and

backgrounds such as David Liebman, Tony

Malaby, Ingrid Jensen, Michael Formanek, Nate

Wooley, Stephan Crump, George Garzone, Chris

Speed, Drew Gress, Sam Rivers, Ralph Alessi,

John O’Gallagher, Ellery Eskelin, Kris Davis,

Matt Mitchell, Uri Caine, Andrew D’Angelo, Bill

McHenry and many others.

Devin has been fortunate to perform in many

places around the globe and continues to

make peace with his audiences. He is a top call

young drummer in many modern jazz circles in

New York City as well as multiple cities on the

East Coast of America.

Making his first appearance at the Yardbird

Suite, Devin Gray will be accompanied by

saxophonist Chris Speed and bassist Drew

Gress, both of whom were here with the

Claudia Quintet in June, one of the highlights

of the 2017 TD Edmonton International Jazz

Festival.

INTERNATIONAL JAZZ SERIES

Devin Gray New York Trio

WHEN...From New York

SATURDAY • SEPTEMBER 23MEMBERS $22GUESTS $26DOORS 7 PM - SHOW 8 PM

Devin Gray - drums Chris Speed- saxophoneDrew Grass - bass

devingraymusic.com


Dan Brubeck is a renowned jazz drummer

whose original style, distinctive solos,

and mastery of odd time signatures and

polyrhythms have earned the respect of critics

worldwide. Dan’s previous CD “Lifetimes”

with the Brubeck Brothers Quartet received

exceptional critical acclaim.

On his brilliantly realized new album

“Celebrating the Music and Lyrics of Dave &

Iola Brubeck,” Dan Brubeck introduces his

parents’ remarkable and surprisingly little-

known songbook. Dan has an extensive history

of performing and recording alongside his

famous pianist father Dave Brubeck and had

long wanted to explore some of the songs and

textual settings that his parents collaborated

on over the years.

The 2-CD set on Blue Forest Records happens

to be Dan’s recording debut as a leader. Vocalist

Adam Thomas brings a soulful sweetness to

the classics as well as to unexpected gems like

“Since Love Had Its Way” and “Summer Song,”

both created with Louis Armstrong in mind,

the minor blues “Lord, Lord,” and “Strange

Meadowlark,” a superlative piece that could

easily become a standard. The quartet doesn’t

avoid the best-known numbers, offering

memorable versions of the oft-interpreted

“Blue Rondo a la Turk” and Paul Desmond’s

enduring hit “Take Five.”

CANADIAN JAZZ SERIES

Dan Brubeck Quartet – Celebrating the Music and Lyrics of Dave & Iola Brubeck

WHEN...From Vancouver, Seattle

FRIDAY • SEPTEMBER 29MEMBERS $22GUESTS $26DOORS 7 PM - SHOW 8 PM

Dan Brubeck - drumsAnton Schwartz - saxophoneAdam Thomas - bass and vocalsTony Foster - piano

danbrubeck.com

6 FALL 2017

An Edmonton native and now a longtime

resident of Saskatoon, Dean McNeill is a

versatile trumpet player/composer who

regularly performs in both the classical and

jazz idioms as a soloist and as an ensemble

leader. He was the second director of the

Edmonton Jazz Society’s Littlebirds Big Band in

the 1990s and has been a full Professor at the

University of Saskatchewan for many years.

On the classical side, McNeill was featured as

a guest soloist of the New Edmonton Wind

Sinphonia’s composition “Kalla” by Allan Gilliland

which won the 2013 Western Canadian Music

Awards Classical Composition award.

One of his many jazz projects was the CD

“Complete Rebirth of the Cool”, a project

headed by composer Jeff Presslaff, which

created new repertoire as inspired by Miles

Davis’ landmark recording “Birth of the Cool”.

This project was successfully presented at the

Yardbird Suite by McNeill and Presslaff.

He has performed alongside many notable

musicians such as Tommy Banks, Jon

Balantyne, David Braid, Dee Daniels, Phil Dwyer,

Mark Frewer, Hugh Fraser, Wycliffe Gordon,

Kelly Jefferson, Molly Johnson, Ingrid Jensen,

Oliver Jones, Jens Lindeman, Bob Mintzer, P.J.

Perry, Denzal Sinclaire, Brad Turner, and Carol

Welsman, among others.

This very special evening of intimate music

features arrangements by Phil Dwyer (from

Guido Basso’s Juno Award winning CD “Lost in

the Stars”) as well as selections by Juno Award

winning composer David Braid.

A portion of the concert proceeds will benefit

the Joy McNeill Music Scholarship.

THE BEST OF ALBERTA JAZZ SERIES

Dean Mcneill’s Lost In The StarsMusic For Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Strings, & Rhythm Section

WHEN...From Saskatoon, Edmonton

SATURDAY • SEPTEMBER 30MEMBERS $24GUESTS $28DOORS 7 PM - SHOW 8 PM

Dean McNeill - flugelhornChris Andrew - pianoJohn Taylor - bassJamie Cooper - drums

Kate Svrcek, Neda Yamach - violin 1Christine Yu, Alison Stewart - violin 2Miriam Ferguson - violaIan Woodman - cello

deanmcneill.com


The Edmonton Jazz Collective unites a group

of professional jazz musicians in a unique

ensemble that showcases its members’

individual voices. The musicians are all regular

performers on the Edmonton jazz scene and

include seasoned veterans as well as recent

post-secondary performance graduates.

For this event, the Edmonton Jazz Collective

will be featuring the music of Charlie Austin.

In a career spanning four decades, Charlie has

performed across western Canada in a variety

of settings including the Tommy Banks Show

on CBC television and the ITV Concert Series

in the 1970s and 1980s. Perhaps even more

importantly, Austin taught in the MacEwan

University Music Program for over thirty

years where he influenced generations of

Western Canadian jazz musicians. He is also

the author of “An Approach to Jazz Piano”, a

comprehensive jazz piano text sold around

the world. Now retired from teaching, Charlie

Austin continues to perform, teach, record and

inspire.

The Edmonton Jazz Collective is an initiative of

the Edmonton Jazz Festival Society.


The Edmonton Jazz Collective plays Charlie Austin

WHEN...From Edmonton

FRIDAY • OCTOBER 6MEMBERS $20GUESTS $24DOORS 7 PM - SHOW 8 PM

Charlie Austin - piano Josh McHan - bass Mark Segger - drums Kent Shores - guitar Raymond Baril - saxophone Remi Noel - trombone Doug Berner - trumpet

gordongrdinamusic.com/gordon-grdina-quartet/

8 FALL 2017

Grammy nominated organist and winner of

Downbeat Magazine’s 2016 Rising Star poll,

Pat Bianchi has established himself as one of

the premier organists on the international

scene today. His command of the instrument,

harmonic prowess, rhythmic intensity and

versatility are rivaled by few.

His most recent release “A Higher Standard”,

featuring Byron Landham and Craig Ebner,

exemplifies Bianchi’s superiority and finesse in

the organ trio setting, bringing jazz standards

to a completely ‘higher’ level.

When Pat is not leading his own trio, he

performs regularly with jazz guitar icon Pat

Martino and also continues to perform with

NEA Jazz Master and saxophone legend Lou

Donaldson.

Originally from Rochester, New York, Bianchi

began playing organ at the age of seven and

was playing his first professional gigs by the

age of eleven. Pat was mentored by numerous

musicians on the Rochester music scene and

graduated with a Bachelors of Music in Jazz

Piano Performance from the Berklee College

of Music.

He has performed with such greats as Red

Holloway, Terell Stafford, Peter Bernstein,

Dakota Staton, Ralph Peterson, Tim Warfield,

George Benson and many others. Bianchi

has released six CDs as a leader and is also a

featured artist on over 30 recordings.

For his Yardbird Suite debut, Pat Bianchi

will be joined by the great guitarist Paul

Bollenback (who appeared here in 2010 with

Joey DeFrancesco) and Calgary native Sanah

Kadoura on drums.


Pat Bianchi Trio


SATURDAY • OCTOBER 7MEMBERS $22GUESTS $26DOORS 7 PM - SHOW 8 PM

Pat Bianchi - Hammond organSanah Kadoura - drumsPaul Bollenback - guitar

patbianchi.com

Notice of Annual General MeetingNotice is hereby given that the annual general meeting of members of the Edmonton Jazz Society (1973) will be held at the Yardbird Suite, 11 Tommy Banks Way, Edmonton, Alberta, on Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 7:00 PM for the purpose of:

1. Receiving the report of the president;

2. Receiving and considering the report of the treasurer of the Society for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2017 including the appointment of the auditors for the coming year;

3. Election of the board of directors and officers of the Society;

4. Amending the Bylaws of the Society to add additional executive positions;

5. The transition of such further business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof.

Further information regarding the business to be discussed at the annual general meeting can be obtained by contacting the Yardbird Suite at telephone 780-432-0428. Dated at the city of Edmonton, in the Province of Alberta, this first day of September, 2017


The YSJO will be playing the greatest hits of the Swing era, featuring the music of Glenn Miller,

Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and others.


Yardbird Suite Jazz Orchestra


SUNDAY • OCTOBER 8MEMBERS $24GUESTS $28DOORS 1:30 PM - SHOW 2 PM

Raymond Baril, Dan Davis, Dave Babcock, Robin Taylor - saxophones

Joel Gray, Sergio Rodriguez, Matt Michielin, Jeff Bryant - trumpets

Allen Jacobson, Marty Majorowicz, Remi Noel, Hannah Gray - trombones

Robert Walsh - guitar

Josh McHan - bass

Dan Skakun - drums

With special guest: Mallory Chipman - vocals

10 FALL 2017

The Assaf Kehati Trio has been playing

together for the past three years. The group

have toured the United States, Colombia, Israel,

Canada, and Europe, and played at venues

such as the Blue Note in New York and the

Regattabar in Boston and jazz festivals in

Toronto, Washington D.C., Brno, Barranqulla,

Atlanta, and more.

Making his third appearance at the Yardbird

Suite, the trio will be playing Kehati’s original

compositions (such as The Almond Tree, Naked,

The Horses’ Fight) and his arrangements of

some of his favorite jazz standards (such as

When Will the Blues Leave, Someday my Prince

Will Come, Long Ago and Far Away). The music is

influenced by different genres of jazz, Brazilian

music, Israeli music, and American folk music.


Assaf Kehati

WHEN...From Israel, New York


Assaf Kehati - guitarMichael O’Brien - bassPeter Traunmueller - drums

assafkehati.com

Alberta bassist and composer Rubim de Toledo

combines the influences of his Brazilian heritage

and his dedication to the jazz tradition to create

an approach to music that is refreshing and

uplifting. Boasting a diverse rhythmic palette

inspired by world music, jazz, and contemporary

music, a lure towards improvisation and a

forward-looking traditionalism, Rubim nurtures

a commanding sound and style as a bassist,

soloist, and composer.

Rubim began his professional career in

Edmonton at the age of seventeen performing

with Albertan jazz legends Tommy Banks, P.J.

Perry and Clarence “Big” Miller. Since then he

has become a sought-after sideman and a

productive bandleader.

With his fifth and newest release “The Gap”,

Rubim distinguishes himself as a composer

with a unique ability to explore jazz styles while

maintaining a sound that is modern yet inviting.

Featuring internationally renowned drummer

Jason Marsalis on half the record and Albertan

mainstay Jon McCaslin on the other, along with

pianist Chris Andrew, the disc boasts inventive

acoustic jazz trio arrangements embellished by

compelling solo improvisations.

In the past, Rubim has had the pleasure of

accompanying renowned artists like Mulgrew

Miller, Terrell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordan, Peter


Rubim De Toledo: CD Release

WHEN...From Edmonton, Calgary


Rubim de Toledo - bassChris Andrew - pianoJon McCaslin - drums

rubim.com

Bernstein, Sean Jones, Jason Marsalis, Luis

Bonilla, D.D. Jackson, Victor Goines, Sheila

Jordan, Jay Clayton, Ralph Bowen, Oliver Jones,

David Braid, Denzel Sinclaire, Mary Chapin

Carpenter, the Canadian Tenors, and Laila Biali.

Rubim has worked extensively with Calgary’s

Decidedly Jazz Danceworks as musical director.

He is a passionate music educator and serves

as the section head of the bass department at

MacEwan University.


12 FALL 2017

The All Star New York Saxophone Band features

Vincent Herring, Grant Stewart and Harry Allen on

tenor saxophones and Gary Smulyan on baritone

saxophone. The three tenor and baritone

saxophone section has a mellow yet exciting

sound. The swinging ensemble playing of a big

band combined with individual solo styles of

a small group make for an especially satisfying

musical experience.

Harry Allen has recorded over 70 CDs as a leader,

many more as a sideman and has performed

at festivals and jazz clubs around the world. He

has recorded or performed with Tony Bennett,

Hank Jones, Ray Brown, Johnny Mandel, Tommy

Flanagan, Maxine Sullivan, and Rosemary Clooney.

Vincent Herring’s intense, soulful, multi-noted

style and ebullient swing have excited audiences

worldwide. He has performed or recorded with

Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Hayes,

Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, Horace

Silver Quintet, Jack DeJohnette, Larry Coryell,

Steve Turre, The Mingus Big Band (which won a

Grammy in 2010), Kenny Barron, Nancy Wilson,

Carla Bley, and many more.

Originally from Toronto, Grant Stewart moved to

New York City at the age of 19 and has become

a mainstay on the New York jazz scene for

many years. He has toured extensively and has

performed with Curtis Fuller, John Hendricks,

Clark Terry, Etta Jones, Bill Charlap, Brad Mehldau,

Russell Malone, Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein,

Jimmy Cobb, Harry Connick, and Cecil Payne.

Gary Smulyan is a critically-acclaimed baritone

saxophonist. He has won the Downbeat Critics

Poll, the Downbeat Readers Poll, the Jazz Times

Critics Poll and the Jazz Times Readers Poll in

the baritone saxophone category on numerous

occasions. Gary has recorded or performed with

Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Chick


Harry Allen’s All Star New York Saxophone Band Featuring Vincent Herring, Grant Stewart And Gary Smulyan

WHEN...From New York, Edmonton

THURSDAY • OCTOBER 19MEMBERS $28GUESTS $32DOORS 7PM - SHOW 8PM

Harry Allen, Vincent Herring and Grant Stewart - tenor saxophonesGary Smulyan - baritone saxophoneChris Andrew - pianoPaul Johnston - bassJamie Cooper- drums

harryallenjazz.com

12 FALL 2017

Corea, Tito Puente, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Diana

Ross, as well as being a member of the Village

Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.

For those who favour hard-blowing mainstream

jazz, this will definitely be an evening not to be

missed.

www. yardbirdsuite.com 13www. yardbirdsuite.com 13


Elliott Sharp

Elliott Sharp is an American multi-instrumentalist,

composer, and performer who has been a central

figure in the avant-garde and experimental music

scene in New York City for over 30 years. He has

released over eighty-five recordings ranging from

orchestral music to blues, jazz, noise, no wave rock,

and techno music. He leads the projects Carbon

and Orchestra Carbon, Tectonics, and Terraplane

and has pioneered ways of applying fractal

geometry, chaos theory, and genetic metaphors

to musical composition and interaction.

His collaborators have included Radio-Sinfonie

Frankfurt; pop singer Debbie Harry; Ensemble

Modern; Qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan;

Kronos String Quartet; Ensemble Resonanz; cello

innovator Frances Marie Uitti; blues legends

Hubert Sumlin and Pops Staples; pipa virtuoso

Min-Xiao Feng; jazz greats Jack deJohnette, Oliver

Lake, and Sonny Sharrock; multimedia artists

Christian Marclay and Pierre Huyghe; and Bachir

Attar, leader of the Master Musicians Of Jajouka.

Sharp is a 2014 Guggenheim Fellow, and a 2014

Fellow at Parson’s Center for Transformative

Media. He received the 2015 Berlin Prize in Musical

Composition from the American Academy in

Berlin. He has composed scores for feature films

and documentaries; created sound-design for

interstitials on The Sundance Channel, MTV and

Bravo networks; and has presented numerous

sound installations in art galleries and museums.

He is the subject of a new documentary “Doing

The Don’t” by filmmaker Bert Shapiro.

In January 2005, Sharp launched his series of

interpretations of the music of Thelonious Monk,

performed on solo acoustic guitar. Released

on Clean Feed, “Sharp? Monk? Sharp! Monk!”

applies Sharp’s unique vocabulary and virtuoso

improvisational skills to Monk’s classic works in

versions that, in the words of All About Jazz “takes

the liberty to venture from any semblance of

the original or ... frequently returning to Monk’s

musical and compositional stamps”.

This concert will be one of two events at the

Yardbird Suite this fall celebrating the 100th

birthday of Thelonious Monk.



Elliott Sharp - guitar

elliottsharp.com

14 FALL 2017

It’s smart, it’s soulful, it’s jazz. For every style of

music that Johanna Sillanpaa explores, there’s

a vibrant color in her voice to match. Sillanpaa’s

vocals are expertly clear, gently raw, and yet

intensely bold. She performs thoughtful jazz you

can dig your heels into. She and her ensemble

have played everywhere from intimate jazz joints

to performing in front of the 60,000-plus crowds

of the Montreal Jazz Festival.

Beyond filling venues in Canada and abroad,

Sillanpaa’s previous solo albums have also

drawn their fair share of accolades and award

nominations. Johanna’s music has garnered 2007

and 2012 nominations for Western Canadian

Music Awards as well as Best Female Vocalist and

Group/Duo of the Year at the 2010 Canadian

Smooth Jazz Awards.

There’s no mistaking that this highly acclaimed

Swedish-born artist has truly come into her

own with her latest solo album “From This Side”.

The recording features Canadian Juno Award-

winning jazz bassist George Koller, internationally

renowned trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, TD Grand

Jazz winning pianist Chris Andrew and three-

time WCMA nominated jazz drummer Tyler

Hornby. From modern jazz arrangements to

catchy originals all in the name of jazz, her latest

musical statement is sure to captivate audiences

everywhere.

“I’ve always wanted to record an album that

audiences can experience live. ‘From This Side’ has a

beauty and simplicity to it that is a reflection of what

I bring with my group in concert. What you hear is

what you’ll get! I am so fortunate to have such a

stellar band as well as production team behind me

on this one. I couldn’t be more proud of how these

songs turned out. Everything on this album just

fell into place, the perfect timing both personally

and professionally as well as the perfect cast. I am

so excited for the upcoming year and bringing this

music to audiences across Canada and beyond.”


Johanna Sillanpaa

WHEN...From Calgary, Edmonton

SATURDAY • OCTOBER 21MEMBERS $20GUESTS $24DOORS 7PM - SHOW 8PM

Johanna Sillanpaa - vocalsAndre Wickenheiser - trumpetChris Andrew - pianoRubim de Toledo - bassTyler Hornby - drums

johannamusic.com

01 Time After Time 3:37Cahn & Styne. Arr. Chris Andrew

02 Thing Called Love 4:14Johanna Sillanpaa. Arr. Chris Andrew

03 Everything I’ve Got Belongs to You 3:59Rogers & Hart. Arr. Tyler Hornby

04 My Love 3:41Johanna Sillanpaa. Arr. Tyler Hornby

05 Blue Skies 3:32Irving Berlin. Arr. Chris Andrew

06 Slow Down 4:13Chris Andrew & Johanna Sillanpaa

07 Closer 4:24Chris Andrew & Johanna Sillanpaa

08 Live Right 3:55Aaron Young & Johanna Sillanpaa

09 In My Dreams 3:39Johanna Sillanpaa. Arr. Chris Andrew

10 Woodstock 6:27Joni Mitchell. Arr. Tyler Hornby

11 I See Beauty 4:16Chris Andrew & Johanna Sillanpaa

Cat#: CR 052Release Date:

Mar. 17, 2017

facebook: /johannamusicpagetwitter: /johannasillan

web: www.johannamusic.com

vocals Johanna Sillanpaa trumpet Ingrid Jensen double bass George Koller piano Chris Andrew drums Tyler Hornby

ManagementStephanie Hutchinson Chronograph Records

p. 587-583-9504e. [email protected]

Publicity (Quebec)Simon Fauteux Six Media Marketing

p. 514-972-4584 e. [email protected]

Radio (USA)Lisa Reedy Lisa Reedy Promotions


Publicity (Canada)Eric Alper Eric Alper PR


Radio (Canada)Justin Lanoue Selective Hearing

p. 416-473-7478e. [email protected]

Hit #1on CanadianJazz Charts

& iTunes

JOH

AN

NA

SILLAN

PAA

FROM

THIS SID

E CR052


Italian pianist Carlo Morena leads two piano trios,

one European and the other being the New York-

based Step In Trio which he created in 1994 with

bassist Joe Fonda and drummer Jeff Hirshfield.

George Schuller later assumed the drum chair. The

trio performed at the Yardbird Suite in 2015 with

Edmonton’s Dan Skakun as the drummer. Carlo

and Joe were so impressed with Dan’s playing

that they immediately requested a return visit to

Edmonton.

Step In Trio has released several albums, the most

recent of which is “As You Never Said Before”.

Although Morena has worked and recorded with

a wide variety of jazz musicians of all genres, the

music presented by the trio has, among other

styles, a contemplative almost Bill Evans-like feel.


Step In TrioAmong the musicians Carlo has worked with are

many who have performed at the Yardbird Suite

including trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, saxophonists

Dave Liebman, Steve Slagle, Thomas Chapin, and

Gary Smulyan, bassoonist Michael Rabinowitz,

vocalist Jay Clayton, and guitarists John

Abercrombie and Kurt Rosenwinkel.

Joe Fonda has performed at the Yardbird Suite

on several occasions with the Michael Musillami

Trio and with drummer Barry Altschul. He has also

worked with many of the most prominent names

in improvised jazz including Anthony Braxton,

Archie Shepp, Lou Donaldson, Dave Douglas,

Curtis Fuller, Randy Weston, Carla Bley and Billy

Bang. He adds a very solid, dynamic feel to any

group in which he participates.

WHEN...From Italy, New York, Edmonton


Carlo Morena - pianoJoe Fonda - bassDan Skakun - drums

carlomorena.comjoefonda.com

Saxophonist Azar Lawrence is known for his

contributions as sideman to McCoy Tyner,

Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard and Woody

Shaw. Lawrence was the tenor saxophonist

Tyner used following John Coltrane’s death.

Born in Los Angeles in 1952, Lawrence’s

musical studies began at age five, Azar’s

professional music life began in his late teens

when he was asked to join Elvin Jones’ band

The Jazz Machine.

During his years performing with Elvin Jones

and later with McCoy Tyner, he was also a

music executive and songwriter including

three songs for Earth Wind & Fire’s “Powerlight”

album and performing on keys on that disc.

As a leader his seminal work “Bridge into the

New Age” in 1974 was lauded as a classic.

His discography is diverse with names like

Frank Zappa, Busta Rhymes, Woody Shaw’s

“Moontrane”, and “Dark Magus” by Miles Davis.

After many decades being off the recording

scene, Lawrence returned to the jazz scene

in the mid-2000s. His 2010 release “Mystic

Journey” placed him amongst jazz’s elder

statesmen. His bold style reminds the listener

of the energy, spirituality and emotion that

John Coltrane, Pharaoh Sanders and others

brought to jazz in the 1960s and 1970s. He

rekindles the memory of one of the most

explosive eras in jazz history, channeling

the fiery spirit of Coltrane’s legacy. He never

discards the solid musical values in his sinewy

hands since halcyon days as a sideman

with McCoy Tyner. Unlike most Coltrane

wannabes, he lived and breathed the music

of the turbulent 60s, playing with Coltrane’s

contemporaries and peers.


Azar Lawrence Quintet featuring Al McLean

WHEN...From Los Angeles, Montreal


Azar Lawrence - saxophonesAl McLean - tenor saxophoneBenito Gonzalez - pianoJeff Littleton - bassTony Austin - drums

azarlawrence.comalmclean.com

16 FALL 2017

In 2015, Azar Lawrence and Montreal’s Al

McLean issued “Conduit” which captures two

giants of the saxophone in a mesmerizing

recording. The result is magic. ‘Conduit’ is

iconic, and remains true to the most classic

of jazz recordings. Perhaps it is because

this session revolves around the theme

of spirituality, that the music has such

a penetrating, powerful drive. Together,

Lawrence and McLean cast a distinctive

modern light on iconic jazz standards,

but their affinity to post-Coltrane jazz is

unmistakable.

Along with Al McLean, Azar Lawrence returns

for his third visit to the Yardbird Suite with the

always exciting pianist Benito Gonzalez and

bassist Jeff Littleton. New to the group this

time around is drummer Tony Austin probably

best known as a member of the collective

West Coast Get Down and as one of the

drummers on Kamasi Washington’s “The Epic”.


18 FALL 2017

Russian singer, songwriter and guitar player

extraordinaire Arsen Shomakhov is an electric

blues performer who is truly dedicated to the

style’s roots yet who never hesitates to borrow

means of expression from other genres.

In 2005, Arsen Shomakhov travelled from his

native Russia to Memphis to compete in the

International Blues Challenge. Two years later,

he won the new talent contest at the King

Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Arkansas.

He soon relocated to Vancouver, where he

formed the Arsen Shomakhov Trio. He was

nominated for a Maple Blues Award for his

2010 album “On the Move” which reached

number 1 in Canada on the Roots Music Report

airplay charts and hit Top 25 Blues Albums of

the Year worldwide.

Working hard to make a name for himself

and his trio, Arsen has performed for a variety

of festivals across the Europe, United States

and Canada including the King Biscuit Blues

Festival, the Waterfront Blues Festival and the

Montreal International Blues Festival.

YARDBIRD SUITE BLUES

Arsen Shomakhov Trio

WHEN...From Vancouver

FRI & SAT • NOVEMBER 17 & 18MEMBERS $22GUESTS $26DOORS 7 PM - SHOW 8 PM

Arsen Shomakhov - guitar, vocalsBruce O’Neill - bassChip Hart - drums

arsenshomakhov.ca

“Shomakhov’s singing is strong and his excellent guitar work pays rare attention to tonal variety and to creating strong rhythms as well as fleet-fingered, inventive solos.”

- Blues Review

“Shomakhov’s strengths are his formidable guitar playing across the spectrum of blues and r&b styles, his songwriting and his knack for finding good obscure material to cover”

- Downbeat


2017 marks the centenary of the birth of one

of the great icons of jazz - Thelonious Monk.

To mark this special event, Craig Brenan

will be directing the Yardbird Suite All Stars

performing the arrangements from a 1968

West Coast Columbia Records recording of the

Thelonious Monk Big Band entitled “Monk’s

Blues”.

A big band recording by Thelonious Monk

was an unusual and infrequent occurrence.

He had previously recorded tentets at Town

Hall in New York in 1959 and 1963. For

“Monk’s Blues”, he travelled to Los Angeles

where producer Teo Macero (famous for his

work with Miles Davis) assembled a big band

featuring stalwarts such as Bob Brookmeyer,

Conte Candoli, Charlie Rouse and Ernie Watts.

Oliver Nelson was engaged to write the

arrangements. “Monk’s Blues” turned out to

be the last studio sessions recorded by the

legendary pianist.

Among the famous Monk

tunes included on the

original vinyl release

were “Little Rootie Tootie”,

“Brilliant Corners”, “Trinkle,

Tinkle” and “Straight, No

Chaser”. “Blue Monk” and

“Round Midnight” were

added to the CD

reissue in 1994.


Yardbird Suite All Stars: 100th Birthday Of Thelonious Monk

In addition, the Yardbird Suite All Stars will also

be performing Monk tunes by other arrangers

including some arrangements written

specifically for Joe Henderson plus a few small

band songs to recreate collaborations by Monk

and John Coltrane.


FRI & SAT • NOVEMBER 24 & 25MEMBERS $24GUESTS $28DOORS 7 PM - SHOW 8 PM

Jerrold Dubyk, Kent Sangster, Ray Baril, Jeremiah McDade, Dave Babcock - saxophonesSergio Rodriguez, Doug Berner, Allan Gilliland - trumpetsCraig Brenan, Marty Majorowicz, Matt White, Ken Read - trombonesChris Andrew - pianoRubim de Toledo - bassJamie Cooper - drums

20 FALL 2017

Born in Oklahoma, Fulton was mentored by

the late great trumpeter Clark Terry and bassist

Major Holley before eventually moving to New

York where she has become a world class jazz

pianist and vocalist with international acclaim.

Now a mainstay on the vibrant New York

jazz scene, she has performed with musical

royalty such as Lou Donaldson, Frank Wess,

Eric Alexander, Buster Williams, and Louis

Hayes. Her swinging style and charismatic

performances have made her a guardian of the

legacy of jazz.

Recognized as a Rising Star by the Downbeat

Magazine Critic’s Poll, Champian’s “galvanizing

presence” (the New Yorker) and her alluring

musical presentation have made her “a

charming young steward of the mainstream

Jazz tradition.” (The New York Times).

Fulton is ambitious about recording her music.

As a leader she has several recordings to her

credit while still in her twenties. Her 2016

release “After Dark” featured the music of

Dinah Washington.


Champian Fulton and Cory WeedsNow comes her first date for Posi-Tone where

she unleashes her creativity to spellbind the

audience until they are “Speechless.” Listeners

are invited to sit back and dig the mesmerizing

sounds as Fulton bravely embarks on her

first ever record of entirely instrumental

performances. With an amazing program

featuring her own original compositions, she

delivers a tour de force demonstration of her

pianistic prowess. With a straight forward,

swinging and soulful presentation that covers

a wide variety of styles, sounds, and moods,

Champian succeeds in delivering a stunning

revue that will certainly leave every listener

“Speechless” and bring bright moments to jazz

fans everywhere.

WHEN...From New York, Vancouver

FRIDAY • DECEMBER 1MEMBERS $24GUESTS $28DOORS 7 PM - SHOW 8 PM

Champian Fulton - piano and vocalsCory Weeds - saxophoneRuss Botten - bassJoe Poole - drums

champian.net

TUESDAYNIGHT

SESSIONS


SEPTEMBER 26 JOEL JESCHKE TRIO

OCTOBER 3 ANDREW GLOVER QUARTET

OCTOBER 10ExPERIENCE POINTS

OCTOBER 17DAN SKAKUN QUARTET

OCTOBER 24STEFAN KIJEK QUARTET

OCTOBER 31THOM BENNETT QUINTET

NOVEMBER 7PREQUAL

NOVEMBER 14KATE BLECHINGER QUARTET

NOVEMBER 21FUSIONAUTS

NOVEMBER 28DOUG ORGAN QUARTET

DECEMBER 5SANDRO DOMINELLI TRIO

TUESDAYNIGHT

SESSIONS

September - December 2017

TICKETS - MEMBERS & GUESTS(including Silver & Gold Memberships): $5

DOORS 7:30 PM - SHOW 8 PM

On Tuesday nights - Edmonton’s best jazz players and up-and-coming musicians arrive to play together. The evening begins with a one hour set from the featured band - followed by a jam session. Our Tuesday Sessions are a weekly event for local jazz musicians to play together and network - and provide an opportunity to mentor the younger musicians wanting to gain experience as they grow their own careers. Join us for our Tuesday Sessions - a terrific opportunity to hear some live jazz in a relaxed concert environment. Buy Tuesday Session season pass for $100. Valid for all Tuesday Sessions for one year from the date of purchase. Not valid for any other night.


22 FALL 2017

Oded Tzur is a New York City based

saxophonist, composer and bandleader.

His work draws influence from the art of

storytelling and explores relationships

between ancient and modern musical

traditions. His two albums on Enja Records

have earned his music the title: “A new

type of Swing”, and won extraordinary

critical acclaim in Japan, South Africa,

Europe, Russia and the United States. Tzur’s

unique language of improvisation takes

the listener on a journey many describe

as “musical storytelling”, and evokes deep

contrasts between silent passages and

dramatic crescendos.

“Translator’s Note”, Tzur’s second album as

a leader, was released this year. It is both

a departure from and a continuance of

“Like a Great River”, his debut which was

released in 2015 and received rave reviews

around the world.

Before recording “Like a Great River”, Oded

went through a long process of studying

Indian classical music. “In a way, the album

was an attempt to explore whether the

contents of that tradition can be applied

to the jazz scene of 2015 New York” says

the saxophonist, “whether a raga can be

placed on top of a moving bass and still

adhere to its rules of melodic movement.

And whether that would make sense.”

As the quartet continued to perform

its music around the world, Tzur has

gained a better understanding of these

traditions and their internal dialogue. “The

similarities are nuanced and hidden deep

under the surface, but uncovering them

is well worth the effort” he continues, “As

Joseph Campbell had put it: ‘Myths are

public dreams; dreams are private myths’.

Music is a private dream made public.”


Oded Tzur Quartet


SATURDAY • DECEMBER 2MEMBERS $24GUESTS $28DOORS 7 PM - SHOW 8 PM

Oded Tzur - tenor saxophoneNitai Hershkovits - pianoPetros Klampanis - bassOfri Nehemya - drums

odedtzur.com


Paul Shihadeh’s career as an electric bassist

spans over 30 years, with local and worldwide

live and recording accolades in jazz, funk,

fusion, R&B and pop. After graduating from

Berklee College of Music in Boston, Shihadeh

returned to his native Edmonton where he

had the privilege to play with the city’s finest

such as Tommy Banks, the late Bob Stroup,

PazzPort, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and

Alfie Zappacosta to name a few, in addition

to countless recording sessions, commercials,

television productions and international

concert tours with platinum selling artist Roger

Whittaker.

While in Edmonton, Shihadeh also served as

head of the Bass Department at Grant MacEwan

College. Since moving to the United States

15 years ago, Shihadeh enjoyed featured

appearances at the famed Baked Potato and

La Va Lee clubs in Los Angeles with rock fusion

band Cosmosquad, Tribal Tech’s Scott Kinsey

and guitarist Scott Henderson, as well as the


Paul Shihadeh’s Holiday Reunion

great pleasure of uniting with Edmonton’s Tim

Feehan on numerous recording sessions.

Since 2004, he has lived in Las Vegas with his

wife and two sons where he plays nightly for

Cirque du Soleil’s internationally renowned

show, “O”, at the Bellagio Hotel. Paul is thrilled

to return to Edmonton at the Yardbird Suite to

perform alongside a select group of Edmonton’s

finest musicians he is proud to call friends.

WHEN...From Los Vegas, Edmonton

THURSDAY • DECEMBER 7MEMBERS $22GUESTS $26DOORS 7 PM - SHOW 8 PM

Paul Shihadeh - electric bassShelley Jones - vocalsAndrew Glover - piano and keyboardsJim Head - guitarDave Babcock - saxophonesBob Tildesley - trumpetSandro Dominelli - drums

YEG THURSDAYSHOWCASE

24 FALL 2017

SEPTEMBER 28 KENT SANGSTER’S ELECTRIC BANDKent Sangster presents a new project exploring original composition with elements of electronics, open improvisation and funk-based grooves.

Kent Sangster - saxophones & EWIPeter Belec - guitarChris Andrew - keyboardsJohn Taylor - electric bassJamie Cooper - drums

OCTOBER 5 LEONARD PATTERSON GROUPJoin Leonard Patterson for an evening of original music combining the melodic and harmonic sensibilities of folk music with jazz improvisation.

Leonard Patterson - drumsCraig Brenan - tromboneStefan Kijek - pianoJosh McHan - bass

October 12MALLORY CHIPMANJoin award-winning vocalist Mallory Chipman and her band for an evening featuring jazz interpretations of Cohen classics, as she celebrates the release of her sophomore album, Rags & Feathers: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen.

Mallory Chipman - voiceBrett Hansen - guitarChris Andrew - piano & keyboardsJosh McHan - bassJamie Cooper - drums

NOVEMBER 30 BRETT HANSEN TRIOBrett Hansen presents a new take on the classic guitar trio format, featuring original compositions and renditions of familiar pieces.

Brett Hansen - guitarsJosh McHan - bassAndrew Miller- drums

YEG THURSDAYSHOWCASEfeaturing Edmonton’s Best

The YeG Thursday Showcase provides our audiences the opportunity to hear the best jazz artists edmonton has to offer in a 90-minute concert set. For decades edmonton musicians have been counted amongst the finest anywhere, so we created a special night just for them. The music presented on Thursdays will be varied, offering something for every jazz listener and always with a distinct local flavour. Join us at 8pm on selected Thursday evenings to hear the best in edmonton jazz.


September - December 2017

TICKETS - MEMBERS $11 GUESTS $15

DOORS 7PM - SHOW 8PM


MacEwan University Faculty Jazz Ensemble


FRI & SAT • DECEMBER 8 & 9MEMBERS $22GUESTS $26DOORS 7 PM - SHOW 8 PM

Ray Baril - saxophonesKent Sangster - saxophones, EWICraig Brenan - tromboneChandelle Rimmer - voiceJim Head - guitarTom Van Seters - pianoRubim DeToledo - bass

MacEwan University’s Jazz and Contemporary

Popular Music Program showcases an

outstanding faculty of performing jazz

educators, many of whom are nationally

recognized and award winning recording

artists. The MacEwan University Jazz Ensemble

( MUFJE) will present a weekend of original

works as well as some historically important

selections from the jazz repertoire.

More than just a building, MacEwan University’s Allard Hall is a space where creativity and innovation thrive. A space for

students and faculty to fuel their passions, hone their craft, take risks and imagine fearlessly.

BING THOM CM, Architect AIBC, AAA, FRAIC, AIA

“The fundamental values of society exist in arts and culture. Your values reside in your head, but arts and culture reside in your heart; and when you bring your heart and head together, you achieve great things.”

Join us in our year of celebration. MacEwan.ca/ComeTogether

Allard Hall opensSeptember 27

MacEwan.ca/ComeTogetherMoving the Arts Downtown

26 FALL 2017

November 3 - 11, 2017

eleventh annual

FESTIVAL LINEUP WILL BE ANNOUNCED OCTOBER 2017


EDMONTON JAZZ SOCIETY11 TOMMY BANKS WAY(Corner of 102 St & 86 Ave)EDMONTON AB T6E 2M2

PM40047729

All SHOwS BEgIN AT 8PM (DOORS OPEN AT 7PM) *wITH THE ExCEPTION OF THE OCTOBER 8 SHOw

SEPTEMBERSeptember 22Benny Sharoni QuartetMembers $22/Guests $26

September 23Devin Gray New York TrioMembers$22/Guests $26

September 29Dan Brubeck Quartet – Celebrating the Music and Lyrics of Dave & Iola BrubeckMembers $22/Guests $26

September 30Dean Mcneill’s Lost In The Stars: Music for Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Strings, & Rhythm SectionMembers $24/Guests $28

OCTOBEROctober 6The Edmonton Jazz Collective plays Charlie AustinMembers $20/Guests $24

October 7Pat Bianchi TrioMembers $22/Guests $26

October 8Yardbird Suite Jazz Orchestra Members $24/Guests $28Doors: 1:30PM, Show: 2PM

October 13Assaf KehatiMembers $22/Guests $26

October 14Rubim de Toledo CD ReleaseMembers $20/Guests $24

October 19Harry Allen’s All Star New York Saxophone Band featuring Vincent Herring, Grant Stewart and Gary SmulyanMembers $28/Guests $32

October 20Elliot SharpMembers $22/Guests $26

October 21Johanna SillanpaaMembers $20/Guests $24

October 27Step In TrioMembers $22/Guests $26

October 28Azar Lawrence Quartet featuring Al McLeanMembers $28/Guests $32

NovemberNovember 3 - 11Yardbird Festival of Canadian Jazz (lineup to be announced October 2017)

November 17 & 18Arsen Shomakhov TrioMembers $22/Guests $26

November 24 & 25Yardbird Suite All Stars: 100th Birthday of Thelonious MonkMembers $24/Guests $28

DECEMBERDecember 1Champian Fulton & Cory WeedsMembers $24/Guests $28

December 2Oded Tzur QuartetMembers $24/Guests $28

December 7Paul Shihadeh’s Holiday ReunionMembers $22/Guests $26

December 8 & 9MacEwan University Faculty Jazz EnsembleMembers $22/Guests $26

At a Glance...

Visit yardbirdsuite.com

Buy a Yardbird Suite pass to any five shows for $100. Pass is only good for current edition of our programme. Buy a Tuesday Session season pass for $100. Valid for all Tuesday Sessions for one year from the date of purchase.

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This Issue - · PDF fileEdmonton Jazz Society’s Littlebirds Big Band in the 1990s and has been a full ... created new repertoire as inspired by Miles Davis ... John Taylor

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