A wonderful autumn surprise for Vancouver Islanders is on its way from celebrated jazz drummer/bandleader Jon Miller’s upcoming Vancouver Island tour.
Renowned Victoria drummer Miller’s exceptional Hammond organ-driven Parallel Universe Band will perform in two Island cities. For these dates, the group will perform material from Miller’s latest release 3 Days in Winter along with soulful organ-jazz repertoire in the vein of giants of the genre Jimmy Smith, Brother Jack McDuff and Larry Goldings.
On Friday, Oct. 13, the quartet will perform at Cumberland’s Studio Live 2679 Beaufort Ave Cumberland BC. Showtime is at 8 p.m. Advance tickets $20 ($25 at the door) available at Bop City Records, Courtenay, Rider’s Pizza, Cumberland or by e-transfer to studiolivestudio@gmail.com
Jon Miller is a multi-talented drummer, composer and arranger. At once energetic and passionate, his music cross-cuts a wide swath of musical interests. The newest organ-driven incarnation of his quartet made its debut in 2017 leaving Island audiences spellbound and demanding more.
Since releasing 3 Days in Winter in 2015, the Jon Miller Quartet has made regular appearances throughout the BC jazz circuit including JazzFest Victoria, Pat’s Pub, the Avalanche (Georgia Strait Jazz Society), McMillan Arts Centre, Moby’s and Hermann’s Jazz Club. The 2015 CD release 3 Days in Winter charted at number one at several west coast radio stations.
The band is led by McGill University Jazz Programme graduate and powerhouse drummer Jon Miller. In the 90’s While living in Montreal, Amsterdam and Philadelphia he played clubs, festivals and in studios throughout Eastern Canada and in Philadelphia, New York, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Nice and Monte Carlo with renowned artists including Charlie Hunter and members of the Sun Ra Arkestra. Along with writing for and leading his quartet Miller held the drum chair for the Victoria Jazz Orchestra from 2013 to 2016, performing with many guest artists including Alan Matheson, Mike Allen, Mike Herriot and Andrew Homzy.
In addition to being a prolific and accomplished composer, guitarist Rob Cheramy is an extremely inventive, technically impressive jazz guitarist with a highly individual style, celebrated both for his exciting solos and for his inventive accompaniment.
A force to be reckoned with on the Hammond B-3 organ, Tony Genge has performed with many leading Canadian and international jazz artists and can be heard on the critically acclaimed jazz piano trio CD Blues Walk available from Roadhouse Records. His tasteful and thoughtfully refined playing, writing and arranging can also be heard on recordings by Joe Coughlin and Paul Horn.
As one of B.C.’s top jazz saxophonists, Monik Nordine has a powerful, lyrical, and impressive command of the saxophone. In addition to playing in the Jon Miller Quartet, Nordine leads her own groups as well as directing the Victoria Jazz Orchestra who have performed with guest artists Mike Allen, P.J. Perry, Andrew Homzy, Greg Bush and Chelsea McBride, among others. Nordine has shared the stage with Michael Bublé, P.J. Perry, Paul Horn, Hugh Fraser, Tommy Banks, Brad Turner, Phil Nimmons and Pat Coleman.