After last Sunday night’s stunning sold-out solo concert by world-renowned Dee Daniels, it’s time for music from the other end of the music career spectrum, when exciting, talented, young and ambitious jazz students occupy the stage.
One of the wonderful dividends of managing a jazz society in the Comox Valley is the wealth of musical talent that clamours to get on stage and perform material; repertoires and interests across all jazz genres.
Where we are doubly fortunate is the fact that just down the road, Nanaimo incubates a hotbed of tomorrow’s big names in the jazz music program at Vancouver Island University.
And so it is that Georgia Straight Jazz Society continues its exciting season with the first of this year’s Vancouver Island University combos when The Beth Lane Septet takes the stage this Thursday. The combo comprises: Beth Lane – trumpet; Troy Lucas – woodwinds; Brennan Conroy – vocals; Etienne McGuigan – guitar; Andrew Jossa – piano; Andrew Frasier – bass, and Corijn de Roo - drums.
This VIU Jazz ensemble is composed of first- and second-year music students — young musicians well on their way to a professional career in jazz music. The group rehearses twice a week and performs jazz works written and arranged by the student band members, as well as standards and more modern tunes.
The group is looking forward to its first off- campus performance of the year and says it is thrilled to have been invited to perform at the Elks. We are equally thrilled to have them on stage.
So if you’re interested in discovering just how deeply endowed with instrumental talent we are in this part of the world, and you want to listen to Nanaimo-based talent a few years before it becomes famous, plan on coming to the Elks’ Home on Sixth this Thursday. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
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Jazz lovers are reminded that tickets are on sale for the Dec. 4 concert by the Nick La Riviere Quartet. Tickets will be available from the Society on Thursday evenings as well as at Bop City in Courtenay and Videos ’n’ More in Comox at the usual prices: $12 and $16 for members and non-members respectively.
For more information about forthcoming Society activities, visit www.georgiastraightjazz.com.
— Georgia Straight Jazz Society