After a challenging and transitional season of live jazz each Thursday, the Georgia Straight Jazz Society presents its season-closing concert at 7:30 pm, May 25th at The Little Red Church in Comox, when Nanaimo's Marty Steele Quartet will return to our stage. The show will include two fifty-minute sessions with a short intermission.

Marty Steele is the undisputed master of playing the keyboard bass lines while playing organ, with over 40 years of active and steady gigs. In his past travels he has shared the stage with Andy Williams, Jack Jone and Trini Lopez, just to name a few. Twenty years ago he had the opportunity of a lifetime to perform at Carnegie Hall. He has told us that he feels personally humbled to be playing our closing show.

He will be accompanied by his "personal drummer" and good friend James McRae, longtime favourite saxophonist Claudio Fantinato and Teighan Couch as the featured vocalist. Each of these artists are all established in their own names, but Marty promises that this concert will include an extra magic resulting from the exciting interplay of these fine musicians.

Marty said, "I will be once again showcasing a mixture of the great jazz standards, originals and smooth jazz, some of which you've heard me play before. The concert repertoire will encompass a wide variety of popular vocal and instrumental songs that everyone will remember - guaranteed to please everyone's tastes - from well known standards to great jams, plus a few of my original songs. We'll have a great show without being typecast into a specific genre. I'll be in a great mood for the gig, since it's my birthday and I promise we'll send everybody into the summer swinging!"

Doors open at 7 pm, and downbeat is at 7:30 pm. Admission is $15 for members, $20 for non-members. Memberships ($20) will be available at the door. As this is our season closer, perhaps this is the best time to thank the hundreds of folks who have supported our efforts during the past year, whose participation has enabled us to survive yet another change in our regular venue location and to become firmly re-established again with more than 200 new memberships in 2023. You have really helped to confirm the validity of the Jazz Society in the community context and maintain our provincial and national reputation.

Please select the Calendar tab to see the scheduled outdoor summer concerts at The Anderton Gardens during July and August, as well as the emerging 2023-24 performances on the new calendar.

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!