This week's concert features a very special band, when the multi-award-winning Nick Maclean Quartet featuring Brownman Ali graces the stage as part of their two-month, 42 venue, cross-Canada tour. This tour is presented with funding from the Canada Council for the Arts.

Led by fast-rising piano star Nick Maclean, an 8x Global Music Award winner and one of the most in-demand young jazz piano players in Toronto - this contemplative, yet thrilling quartet delivers jazz between the two poles of thoughtful introspection and powerhouse conveyance, taking influences from Herbie Hancock's primordial 1960s Blue Note era recordings. Maclean's quartet heavily features one of Canada's most provocative improvising trumpet players- Brownman Ali, the internationally acclaimed, multi-award-winning jazz iconoclast who has been heralded as "Canada's pre-eminent jazz trumpet player" by New York City's Village Voice.

For this show, Ali and Maclean stand shoulder-to-shoulder with 2 of Canada's top-tier rhythm section players. Bennett Young on upright bass and Jacob Wutzk on drums.

The group has toured across Canada as well as internationally, has been featured in numerous festivals and concert series from the Regina Jazz Society, to the Altrincham Jazz Festival and multiple appearances at the Toronto Jazz Festival both as a featured ensemble and an often-requested backing band. In addition to their original material, the ensemble has also mounted several popular tribute series to jazz masters including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Clark Terry & Cole Porter.

The quartet's debut 11-track full-length album "Rites Of Ascension" features 6 Maclean-penned compositions, 1 Brownman original and 4 re-imagined Herbie Hancock classics, all recorded at the renowned Canterbury Studios in Toronto. Produced by Brownman Ali, this debut disk was released on October 31st, 2017 and was nominated for CJSF's "2018 Julian Award of Excellence", it won 3 "Gold" Global Music Awards in the "jazz","band" and "album" categories and was featured as one of the Global Music Awards "Top 5 Albums of Spring 2018".

The group has been hard at work throughout the winter on its forthcoming studio album slated soon for release on Browntasauras Records.

The Georgia Straight Jazz Society endeavours to feature fine jazz performances of all genres, in an effort to sustain live music, and further the art. This is your opportunity to listen to live modern jazz music from the leading edge. Don't miss it!

Visit georgiastraightjazz.com to see the remaining concerts for this season and the summer jazz in Anderton Gardens

You're invited to visit www.georgiastraightjazz.com to look at the calendar of diverse and amazing jazz performances between now and the end of August. If you're new to the valley and love live music, give us a try: you'll be glad you did

GSJS showcases jazz live in the Comox Valley, giving music lovers an opportunity to enjoys local, regional and internationally-known jazz musicians.