• Nov 16-17-18 - Baka Music Workshops more >
• Nov 20 Jazz Club - Vancouver Island University Combo
• Nov 27 Jazz Club - Just in Time Vocal Jazz Choirs

Jazz Club - Thursdays 7:30 pm, Elk's Hall, 231 6th St. Courtenay
No cover (donations welcome). 3rd set is a jam - bring your instruments!

Thursday Jazz brings you a glimpse into the future of jazz this week. The host band for the evening will be a set of young musicians, drawn from the students at the Jazz Music program at Vancouver Island University (VIU), Nanaimo - the Lauen Bush Octet.

VIU, formerly Malispina Collete, has a long tradition of outstanding graduates: included among the alumni are Diana Krall and Ingrid Jensen. The Jazz Club will feature several more VIU student combos over the winter season.

Lauren Bush is a dedicated jazz vocalist located currently in Nanaimo, BC, Canada having spent 4 years studying music at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, TX, training with vocal jazz professor Kristin Ward.

In addition to performing with such Canadian artists as Pat Beliveau, Alex Clements and Martijn VanGalen and the renowned American trumpet player Bobby Shew, Lauren opened for the Maynard Ferguson Band in 2005 and the Lauren Bush Quartet played at the Corpus Christi Jazz festival in 2006 and 2007. She traveled to Memphis in 2006 to sing on Beale Street at the Peabody Hotel and Handy Park.  Her combo was seen on KTXS TV for the Ben Richey Boys Ranch Telethon in 2008 and was interviewed on KRBC about the Jazz Jam sessions that happened at the MGM Elegante Hotel shortly after. 

Lauren, who recently joined the Nanaimo Musicians Association Big Band and performed with them at the Averill Creek Winery for Wine Fest plans to sing with the Georgia Straight Big Band in some upcoming concerts in Courtenay.

The host band performs for the first portion of the evening, and then coordinates a final set that is open for musicians from the audience to sit in. The audience is truly part of the musical community, celebrating the veteran performers and mentoring new and developing musicians.

The Georgia Straight Jazz Society sponsors the weekly jazz club, offering you the chance to hear fine live music with no cover charge.  The venue is the Upper Elk’s Lounge on Sixth Street and shows run from 7:30 to 10:30.  

New Videos - 2008 Children's Telethon

Georgia Straight Big Band

Call for Volunteers

Interested in staging, sound, publicity, membership, photography, volunteer coordination. . . ?

Pitch in to make the Thursday Jazz Club, Sunday concert series and other GSJS events and activities successful, artistic and fun! Drop us a line at jazz@georgiastraightjazz.com

Vounteers make it all happen! Help keep the jazz scene alive in the Comox Valley.