Virtuoso trombonist Nick La Riviere is coming to Courtenay on Dec. 4.
All About Jazz says, "Canada is suddenly becoming a breeding ground for fine young instrumentalists who are adding to the instrument's language and literature: Torontonian Christian Overton, who leads the Composers' Collective Big Band; Montreal's Jean Nicholas Trottier, who fronts an amazing, edgy quartet; and now this virtuoso from Victoria, B.C., Nick La Riviere."
Damian Graham on drums, Don Cox on bass and Karel Roessingh on piano will join La Riviere for the Dec. 4 gig at the Courtenay Elks Hall at 231 Sixth St.
Nick covers a lot of stylistic bases; he's a member of the Juno-winning Paperboys, has played with piano phenom Michael Kaeshammer, and joins jazz greats Ross Taggart, Jodi Proznick and Jesse Cahill on his CD Too Much To Do (which also features a cello and two violins).
He performs with the Yiddish Columbia State Orchestra and the Timebenders rock review, and is co-creator of the Trombone Mayhem project with fellow trombonist Jaff Agopsowicz. Like trombone great Steve Turre, Nick is also a master at making music with a conch shell.
Reviewer Raul d'Gama Rose says "[there is] a humorous side to La Riviere that is worth noting, as is his eminent lyricism, something that has endeared him to musicians wherever music is sounded in the jazz idiom."
You've heard Roessingh's music, though you may not know it. Besides performing with the Moody Blues, Powder Blues Band, Jann Arden, The Shirelles, and Leslie Gore, he has composed extensively for film and television.
He co-wrote the move score for In the Company of Men, has composed for several internationally televised series including Police Academy — The Series, and has provided the music for countless documentaries.
Joseph Blake called Karel, "A Renaissance man with an eclectic career in all phases of the music business ... Karel shares (Bill) Evans' quiet fire and wistful, lyrical soul ... Scottish folk songs, Beatles tunes, Brazilian sambas, and jazz classics ... Roessingh blows new life into them all..."
Bassist Don Cox is a native of Port Alberni and protégé of master teacher Barry Miller. A veteran of the Canadian Forces military bands, Don’s musical talent and conducting aptitude was quickly recognized and he rose to the position of musical director for the Ottawa RCAF Stage Band before coming to Victoria as Naden Band’s assistant conductor.
An active and versatile performer, Don has played in countless concerts and recording sessions and has performed with jazz and pop personalities from across North America. A longtime member of the Empress Hotel’s Bengal Lounge house trio, Don tours with Barbara Blair’s Jazz Affair and Victoria’s Dixieland Express and is well-known nationally as a bass and tuba clinician.
Damian Graham maintains a busy live and studio schedule with his own ensemble and as an in-demand freelance drummer. Performance highlights have included sharing the stage with Joshua Redman, Albert Collins, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Holly Cole, The Shuffle Demons, Buddy Guy, Colin James, Jane Bunnett, and Joey DeFrancesco. He has numerous festival appearances to his credit including the Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver Jazz Festivals, Beilefeld Jazz Festival (Germany), Hultsfred Festival (Sweden), High Sierra Music Festival (USA), and Tuno Festival (Denmark).
They're an experienced, versatile group of musicians, and we're fortunate to have them together in concert.
Jeremiah Sutherland said of Nick's CD, "If Nick La Riviere’s debut release Too Much to Do were a person, you’d want it sitting next to you on plane trip because it’s just so darn entertaining. The album is exuberant, multi-faceted, humorous, outgoing and just fun to be around."
You'll be able to say the same about this Dec. 4 concert.
Tickets to the Georgia Straight Jazz Society presentation are $12 for Society members, $16 for non-members. They're on sale at Bop City, Comox Videos N More, and the Thursday Jazz Club at the Elks.
— Georgia Straight Jazz Society