June 2009
Welcome to the Georgia Straight Jazz Society Newsletter, keeping you up to date on the local and Vancouver Island jazz scene and informed about your Society.
SOCIETY NEWS
Liam Grimm Bursuray
The Georgia Straight Jazz Society is very proud to announce the creation of the Liam Grimm Music Bursary. Honoring the memory of a great friend and musician, the bursary will assist a student entering post-secondary eduction in music studies.
On Thursday May 28, a kick-off fundraiser featuring Charlotte Harvey and 28 musicians and vocalists playing to a packed hall, raised over $1000 for the bursary fund.
An huge "Thank You" to all the performers and audience member who took part in this special event. Watch the GSJS web site and this newsletter for coming announcements about the Bursary.
AT THE JAZZ CLUB
Eli Bennett
Sunday June 7
7:30 pm
Elks' Hall, Courtenay
Tickets:
$12 members, $16 non-members
Available at
~ Thursday Jazz Club
~ Bop City, 211 Simms St. Courtenay
Eli Bennett has just been awarded the 2009 CBC Galaxie Rising Star award, after last year’s notable win of the Yamaha Young Performing Artist Award for best North American saxophonist under 21 (in any genre). This 20-year-old saxophonist and composer has already performed with jazz luminaries such as Oscar Peterson and Hank Jones, and is currently studying on full scholarship at Humber College in Toronto.
Read Eli's complete bio at www.elibennett.com
Bennett’s quartet includes some of the brightest young players in Canada: Amanda Tosoff (piano), Josh Cole (bass) and Daryl Bennett (drums). All band members contribute original music to the group. They have been featured on CBC Radio’s premier jazz show Hot Air, and performed at the Winterruption Jazz Festival and Festival Vancouver.
“Eli Bennett is one of the most gifted musicians I have seen in over 20 years”
Denny Christianson
Program Coordinator,
Humber College Music Department
"It is young musicians like Eli Bennett who will keep the jazz scene alive, plus [put] another notch in Canada's long list of superb players."
Toronto Jazz Magazine
Thursday Jazz at the Elks
7:30 pm, at Courtenay's Elk's Hall, September through July. No cover. Musicians welcome to sit in on the final set jam.
- June 4 Jazz Club - Jenn Forsland Group
- June 7 Sunday Concert - Eli Bennett Quartet
- June 11 Jazz Club - Arrowsmith Big Band
- June 18 Jazz Club - Streetlife
- June 25 Jazz Club - Georgia Straight Big Band
June is the last month of what has been a remarkable season of jazz. Watch for a new line up starting September 2009.
Schedule subject to change.
JAZZ NEWS
Island Jazz Blog
Victoria writer Rick Gibs has started a new blog, Island Jazz, covering artists, events and news about the West Coast jazz scene. Definitely worth checking out at Islandjazz.ca.
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Copyright 2009 © Georgia Straight Jazz Society