"Wow! We get the second gig at the new venue on Fifth Street. I love The High Tide pub," says Larry Ayre about his band's upcoming gig on January 18th, the Georgia Straight Jazz Society's popular new home. "I'll play acoustic and electric guitars and sing some blues and standards. The repertoire will be varied as usual; acoustic and electric blues as well as Latin instrumentals, some with the classical guitar."

And I've got the extremely accomplished Steve Wallace with me on acoustic bass. On drums I'll have Bob Vail Grant, a player with great musicality and feel. Both Steve and Bob were with me at our GSJS gig last February.

Larry has played and taught in the Comox Valley for over 30 years. He was leader of The Larry Ho Blues Show and then Larry Ho's Jive Five. He continues to play Blues and Swing with a passion, but not exclusively. He also loves playing South American music on the nylon string guitar. There is a rich history of early Brazilian musicians who inspired the creators of Bossa Nova. In the first set the band will play pieces by Reis, Lauro and Segreras, arranged for a small group setting, as well as some more familiar Bossas. And then for something quite different, but not unexpected - a set of jumpin' and jivin' Blues!

About the fellow travellers on this musical voyage from Rio to Chicago: First, bassist Steve Wallace. "I am extremely fortunate to be able to play regularly with Steve" says Larry. "It is difficult to say enough about his musical career, across Canada and around the world. He's played with the greats! Suffice it to say, if you haven't heard this guy, you are in for a treat."

Bob Grant is a fantastic drummer with a natural feel for the blues. An alumni of the Larry Ho Blues Show, Larry is looking forward to making music with him again. "No one plays the BlueLight Boogie shuffle like Bob." He has toured with many blues artists, most recently Harpdog Brown.

Admission is $20 for non-members and $15 for members. 2024 Memberships will be for sale at the door. Music starts at 7:00. Food will be available from the pub menu until 8pm, and drinks will be available throughout the 2-hour show.

Please select the Calendar tab to see the upcoming diverse range of jazz concerts between now and May 2024. Alternatively, see us on Instagram or follow us on Facebook.

You should know that, as a non-profit society, we strive to minimize our admission charges to encourage our supporters to experience wonderful live music, whilst reimbursing the musicians with almost all our income, except for fixed costs, minimal overheads, and a regular deposit into our annual bursary for post secondary music students.

This is your opportunity to discover why it is that the Comox Valley has such an enviable jazz scene, and a nationwide reputation. Our primary goal is to keep live jazz alive in the Comox Valley. We feature local, regional, national, and international acts every Thursday at The Little Red Church.

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