2024 Festival Artists

Walter Martella

Conductor and Music Director of the Powell River Academy of Music (PRAM), Walter is an accomplished pianist, accordionist, and trumpeter. He earned a Diploma in Jazz Trumpet from Malaspina College (VIU), a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Victoria, and attended the Banff School of Fine Arts.

Paul Carriere

Paul was born and raised here in Powell River and showed great interest in music at an early age. His rich experiences in band, choir, musical theatre and community music led him to music education at Western Washington University, and then to the Langley School District where he taught band, choir, jazz ensembles and music composition, working with students from grades 6-12. After completing a master’s degree in jazz education at UVic, Paul moved into school and district leadership positions and in 2020 retired as Superintendent of Schools of the Rocky Mountain School District. He has been active as a community band and choral director and participant and has performed in many small ensembles over the years, as a singer, pianist and trombonist. Paul has wide musical tastes, but especially loves the standard jazz repertoire.

One half of Toronto’s roots-rock darlings The Actual Goners, award winning singer, songwriter and multi instrumentalist Duncan Symonds fronts a stellar group of musicians playing music inspired by Dr. John, The Meters, Neville Bros and other staples of the New Orleans sound. Duncan had performed all over North America and Europe, alongside Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo), Ed Robertson (Barenaked Ladies), Michael Doucet of Beausoleil and gospel artist Dionne Taylor, playing The New Orleans Jazz Festival, Preservation Hall, and Island Music Fest.

Duncan Symonds – Guitar/Vocals
Tina Jones – Trumpet/Vocals
James Darling – Keyboards
Phil Wipper – Drums
Graham Shonwise – Bass
Pierre Komen – Saxophone/Vocals

Cory Weeds has often been referred to as the ‘hardest working man in jazz business.’ Whether producing records for his Cellar Music Group, unearthing never before heard gems on his Reel To Real Recordings label, escorting people around New York City on his New York With Weeds tour, booking local and international artists at Frankies Jazz Club in Vancouver, and serving as the artistic director of Jazz @ The Bolt he is ALWAYS at the forefront of the best in jazz.

Of all the jazz exploits that Weeds finds himself involved in, the one thing he loves more than any of them is playing the saxophone. He has released over 20 albums as a leader, featuring himself alongside some of the finest in jazz such as Jeff Hamilton, Harold Mabern, Joey Defranceco, David Hazeltine, Eric Alexander, Mike LeDonne and Peter Bernstein.

New York City organist/pianist, Brian Charette, has established himself as a leading voice in modern jazz. Charette is a Hammond U.S.A endorsed artist. His latest record, Jackpot on Cellar Music features drummer Bill Stewart, guitarist Ed Cherry and Weeds. Jackpot received 4 stars in Downbeat and was on the Jazzweek Charts for several months, peaking at #9.

He is the recipient of numerous awards, and he travels the world continuously lending his compositional and improvisational talents to musicians and groups around the globe.

Weeds and Charette come together for this special performance to celebrate Jackpot, and a newly released archival recording by legendary organist Brother Jack McDuff called Ain’t No Sunshine.

The quartet is rounded out by John Lee on drums and Dave Sikula on guitar.

Cory Weeds – Saxophones
Brian Charette – Organ/Piano
Dave Sikula – Guitar
John Lee – Drums

Karen Graves composes, arranges, plays woodwinds, sings, and is the leader of several groups including her own ensembles.

This multifaceted musician grew up on Vancouver Island, playing saxophone in her high-school band with educator Brian Stovell and taking lessons with Steve Jones. She started studying music at VIUniversity while in High School, playing in bands with the likes of Diana Krall, Ingrid Jensen and Phil Dwyer. Soon after, Karen enrolled in the school of hard knocks, furthering her musical knowledge through self study and attending workshops, classes, and lessons. She has learnt from the likes of renowned Russian voice instructor, Nikolai Kolesnikov, Camille Henderson, saxophonists Tom Keenlyside, Pete Christieb and Pat Labarbra.

While playing with the Banff Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Hugh Fraser, Karen had the honour of studying with and performing in concert with Slide Hampton, Maynard Ferguson, Muhal Richard Abrahms, Chucho Valdez and Kenny Wheeler.

Karen has had the pleasure of gigging with stellar musicians such as Dee Daniels, Frazey Ford, German jazz organist Barbara Dennerlein, Linton Garner, Dan Brubeck, Claude Ranger, NYC’s Sherri Maricle; South African superstar, Dolly Rathabe, Indian Classical Vocalist Shweta Jhaveri, Shruti Ramani, Long John Baldry; Mae Moore, The Temptations and is a long time member of Soul/funksters Soulstream, French lounge/swing Mimosa, fun jazz funk five piece Open Sesame and SJO – an 18-piece all-women jazz orchestra.

Karen Graves – Saxophones, Flute, and Vocals
Miles Black – Piano
Conrad Good – Bass
Bernie Arai – Drums

A fundraiser for the Brooks Secondary School Music Program featuring delicious appetizers catered by the Brooks Culinary Arts Program, and music from Mimosa and select student ensembles.

The Vancouver-based quintet draws on Jazz, Brazilian Sambas, French 60s pop and Cabaret music to concoct its own unique sound: gorgeous melodies, quirky lyrics, incredible groove and sky-high improvisations.

With three critically acclaimed Cds and festival appearances all over Canada (including the Vancouver and Montreal Jazz Festivals), they have become CBC favourites, selected first as the subject of a one-hour long documentary and more recently as one of four Western bands featured on television, radio and the web, in the popular “Mai de la chanson d’ici”. In September 2011 they also appeared on the French CBC show “Bien au show”, for their final episode. In 2012, Mimosa collaborated for the first time with dancers and a projectionist for a unique performance at the Sechelt Arts Festival. Recently, Mimosa toured the Okanagan with a brand new repertoire of originals and interesting arrangements of standards. In 2016 they performed at various festivals, including the Harmony Arts Festival, the Gibsons Jazz Festival, the Pender Harbour Jazz Festival and many others.

Mimosa’s music is composed by the three women of the group and some of their compositions have been used in film and television (Rise of the Gargoyles, Mange ta ville, etc). Lumiere also received a IMA composition award for Hotel des peines perdues and some of her songs have been rearranged for choirs (Echos du Pacifique).

Although every member of Mimosa is also active on the Canadian music scene in many other groups, the band has been together for almost two decades and has developed a unique performance that will take you on an unforgettable journey into time and sound.

Rebecca Shoichet – Vocals
Anna Lumiere – Piano & Accordion
Karen Graves – Sax, Flute & Vocals
Conrad Good – Bass
Bernie Arai – Drums

Canadian jazz heavyweights combine forces on multiple instruments for this one-of-a-kind performance.

Phil Dwyer – Saxophones/Piano

Originally from Canada’s West Coast, Phil Dwyer burst on the jazz scene in Canada, and internationally, in his late teens as a saxophone prodigy and by his early 20s was, to quote former Globe and Mail journalist Mark Miller, “startling jazz audiences with his unprecedented command of both tenor saxophone and piano” and with his “extraordinarily authoritative playing….set the country on it’s ear”. His full time music career started in 1985 and from 1989-2004 Dwyer lived in Toronto, where he was a key fixture in the major jazz clubs, concert halls and recording studios. During that time Dwyer led his own various groups, and co-led bands with bassist Dave Young, multi-instrumentalist and composer Don Thompson, and pianist/organist Doug Riley. Bassist Young, well known for his long tenure with Oscar Peterson had this to say about working with Dwyer…..”Phil Dwyer, in my estimation, is one of the great tenor players of jazz. We worked together in several groups while Phil lived in Toronto and he always brought fantastic energy and creativity to the musical setting we were involved in. He is a complete musician – a pianist and composer/arranger as well as a reed player. It would be difficult to over estimate the natural talent and commitment of this artist.”

While keeping a busy schedule as a performer and ‘first-call’ studio musician in Toronto scene Phil also found time to travel and perform across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia, including tours with pop music icon Gino Vannelli, trumpet star Ingrid Jensen and with his own groups.

In the mid-1990s Dwyer began developing his craft as a composer and arranger, studying composition and orchestration with the eminent composer Michael Colgrass. Subsequent to those studies Dwyer’s work was commissioned and recorded by the Gryphon Trio, Amici, Roberto Occhipinti, CBC Orchestra, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Hard Rubber Orchestra, the Art Of Time Ensemble and Duke Trio. A 2010 commission from Mark Fewer and McGill University led to the creation of a major work “Changing Seasons”, a 40 minute concerto for jazz and string orchestras accompanying violin soloist Fewer. The 2011 recording of that piece, featuring Fewer with the Phil Dwyer Orchestra, won a Juno Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. Among other Juno winning recordings in Dwyer’s discography are collaborations with Guido Basso, Don Thompson, Molly Johnson, Hugh Fraser, Joe Sealy, Terry Clarke, Diana Panton, and Dave Young.

As evidenced by his Order of Canada citation, Dwyer has also been active as an educator. In addition to his work from 1989-2001 as a sessional instructor at York University in Toronto he has also been a guest lecturer/clinician for leading music music programs in Canada, the U.S., and Europe. From 2005-2014 he owned and operated the Phil Dwyer Academy Of Musical And Culinary Arts on Vancouver Island. This innovative program brought together some of Canada’s top young music students with an illustrious faculty comprised of many of the leading names in contemporary jazz music.

In the spring of 2017 Dwyer graduated from the Faculty of Law at University of New Brunswick. He continues to remain active as a musician and also as an advocate for increased public awareness of mental health issues.

PJ Perry – Saxophones

PJ Perry has shared the stage with countless jazz greats such as Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Shaw, Michel LeGrand, Pepper Adams, Kenny Wheeler, Tom Harrell, Rob McConnell, Slide Hampton, Herb Spanier, Bobby Shew, Fraser McPherson, Tommy Banks, Joe LaBarbera, Clarence “Big” Miller, Red Rodney and many more talented artists, too numerous to list here. Recently, he was a featured soloist on the hit 2010 Broadway production of Come Fly Away, highlighting the songs of Frank Sinatra and the choreography of Twyla Tharpe.

In 2007 PJ was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Alberta.

In autumn of 1999 Justin Time Records released a JUNO-nominated recording of PJ and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. PJ Perry has become recognized by critics, colleagues and listeners as being one of North America’s premier saxophonists.

Winner of a 1993 JUNO Award for Best Jazz Recording for his album My Ideal, PJ has received Jazz Report magazine’s Critic’s Choice Award for Best Alto Sax for a record-breaking seven years; from 1993 to 1999.

In 2016 PJ Perry was awarded the Order of Canada by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada.

Brad Turner – Trumpet/Piano

Brad Turner is a trumpeter, pianist, drummer and composer who is one of Canada’s most in-demand and highly esteemed jazz musicians.

After receiving his Master’s degree in Jazz Performance from the University of North Texas in 1992, Turner returned to Vancouver, and was hired as an instructor of trumpet at Capilano University (then Capilano College).

He has performed and/or recorded with such artists as Joe Lovano, Bill Frisell, Kenny Wheeler, John Scofield, Michael Moore, Reneé Rosnes, Harold Mabern, Jimmy Greene, Ingrid Jensen, Peggy Lee, Dave Douglas, Mike Murley, Seamus Blake, Kenny Werner, Mino Cinelu, Roy McCurdy, Russell Malone and Ernie Watts. Turner’s groups have opened for McCoy Tyner, Roy Haynes, Wayne Shorter, Clark Terry, Diana Krall, Ahmad Jamal and Tony Bennett.

As a leader, Turner has released ten albums, eight as a trumpeter with the Brad Turner Quartet, and two as a pianist with his trio. As a founding member of the multiple juno award winning group Metalwood, he has released six albums.

Steve Wallace – Bass

Steve Wallace is one of Canada’s foremost jazz bassists. He was born in Toronto in 1956 and began studying the double bass in 1973 while in high school. He attended the music program at Humber College from 1975-1976 and began his professional career in 1977.

Steve has played with a dazzling array of jazz artists in clubs, at jazz festivals and on tour. These include a veritable “who’s who” of Jazz: Zoot Sims, Clark Terry, Pepper Adams, Herb Ellis, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Ray Bryant, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Scott Hamilton, Barney Kessel, Clifford Jordan, Red Rodney, Curtis Fuller, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, George Coleman – the list goes on and on.

In 1981, Steve toured the Soviet Union with Vancouver-based saxophonist, Fraser MacPherson. The success of this tour resulted in two more Soviet tours in 1984 and 1986. In 1983, he joined Rob McConnell’s acclaimed big band “The Boss Brass” and has recorded and toured with them extensively. He was also a member of McConnell’s Tentet from its inception in 1998.

In 1985, he replaced bassist George Duvivier on a tour of Europe, Japan, and Australia with the “Woody Herman All-Stars”, which included Al Cohn, Buddy Tate, Harry “Sweets” Edison, John Bunch and Jake Hanna.

Steve toured Japan again in 1987, this time with the “Concord All-Stars” (Scott Hamilton, Warren Vaché, Red Holloway, Dan Barrett, Dave McKenna, Ed Bickert, and Jimmy Smith). While in Tokyo, this band recorded two live albums.

In 1988-89, Steve again toured Japan, Europe and the U.S.A. as a member of the Oscar Peterson Trio. He played the Cork Guinness Festival in Ireland and toured Spain in 1989 with the trio of pianist Oliver Jones.

Steve has recorded over 75 albums with artists including Rosemary Clooney, Mel Torme, The Boss Brass, (winning the 1983 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Album of the Year), Ed Bickert, Scott Hamilton, Oliver Jones, Fraser MacPherson and many others. He currently resides in Toronto, maintains a busy playing schedule and has recently accompanied such artists as Lee Konitz, Ann Hampton-Calloway, Guido Basso, Eric Reed, Lew Tabackin, and Carol Sloane. In 2015, he was part of the Toronto band (along with Kevin Turcotte, David Braid and Terry Clarke) which played the soundtrack composed by Braid for “Born To Be Blue”, a Canadian-U.K. film about Chet Baker, starring Ethan Hawke.

Steve has been, or is currently, a member of many Toronto-based groups including The David Braid Sextet (winner of the 2004 Juno for Traditional Jazz Album of the Year), The Mike Murley Trio (winner of the 2002 and 2013 Juno for Traditional Jazz Album of the Year), The Rob McConnell Tentet, (winner of the 2001 Juno for Traditional Jazz Album of the Year), The Mark Eisenman Trio, The Barry Elmes Quintet, and The Phil Nimmons Quartet. He is also the bassist of choice for many fine singers, including John Alcorn. Steve occasionally leads his own sextet “Lesterdays”, which is devoted to playing the music of Lester Young and features Mike Murley and Perry White on saxophone, Mark Eisenman on piano, his son Lee Wallace on guitar and John Sumner on drums.

Since 2012, Steve has been active as a writer about jazz and other subjects on his blog, “Steve Wallace: jazz, baseball, life, and other ephemera”, available at wallacebass.com.

He has written a number of articles on jazz for WholeNote magazine and the Duke Ellington Society of Sweden have published three of his articles – about Johnny Hodges & Lawrence Brown, bassist Billy Taylor, and Ben Webster – in their quarterly newsletter.

TBA – Drums

The Hub City Rollers deliver jazz with a pop twist inspired by the likes Stevie Wonder and elements of funk and old-school R&B.

Pierre Komen – Saxophones/Vocals
Duncan Symonds – Guitar/Vocals
Tina Jones – Trumpet/Vocals
James Darling – Keyboards
Phil Wipper – Drums
Graham Shonwise – Bass

SD47 Alumni Jazz Choir

Eighteen School District 47 alumni dust off their microphones for a throwback to their high school vocal jazz days. Back by popular demand for one last go-round after their debut at our 2023 festival!

Aaron Schweitzer – Vocals

Raised in Powell River, Aaron Schweitzer discovered his passion for music under the guidance of local talents Paul Cummings, Walter Martella, and Olga Tereshchenko. His musical journey, rooted in classical piano, has led him to various stages, from regional competitions to performances in the film industry. Aaron has had the pleasure of opening for artists like Celso Machado and John Lee. A familiar face at the Townsite Jazz Festival, he looks forward to once again sharing his love for jazz with the community.

Walter Martella – Piano

Vancouver-based quintet Mimosa draws on Jazz, Brazilian Sambas, French 60s pop and Cabaret music to concoct its own unique sound: gorgeous melodies, quirky lyrics, incredible groove and sky-high improvisations.

Rebecca Shoichet – Vocals
Anna Lumiere – Piano & Accordion
Karen Graves – Sax, Flute & Vocals
Conrad Good – Bass
Bernie Arai – Drums

Saturday, April 13, 7:30pm at Dwight Hall – It’s time to Shake Your Groove Thing with the one and only Wunderbread! The West Coast’s finest seven-piece, live disco-funk extravaganza has been a super-tight Dancin’ Machine for nearly three decades. Featuring four mega-talent lead singers, two who double on horns, all backed up by the the grooviest rhythm section Vancouver Island has to offer.

What the fans are saying:
“Best vibes ever!”
“If you want to have a fantastic night and dance till you can’t dance no more, that’s Wunderbread!”
“We ALWAYS have a great time.”
“You guys were top notch amaaaaazing!! What a fabulous night of groovin’ for a great cause.”

From night club stages to special events and outdoor festivals, Wunderbread is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Be prepared for a genuine Disco Inferno showcasing all the hits of the 70s!

Pierre Komen – Saxophones/Vocals
Tina Jones – Trumpet/Vocals
James Darling – Keyboards
Lee Worden – Guitar
Duncan Symonds – Guitar
Aaron Curry – Bass
Phil Wipper – Drums

Ken Lister – Bass

A professional jazz bassist and teacher for over 35 years, Ken Lister has played, recorded and toured with some of the top musicians in the jazz world, playing on two Juno Award-winning recordings; one with Hugh Fraser’s Quintet (Best Mainstream Jazz Album – 1997), and another with Phil Dwyer’s Orchestra (Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year – 2012).

Having started his career in the Vancouver music scene in the 1980s, Ken now lives on Vancouver Island, teaching and performing with many great local musicians. He maintains a connection with the Vancouver scene, which often finds him playing with visiting greats from New York City and elsewhere.

Bill Coon – Guitar

Juno nominated artist Bill Coon is one of Canada’s most highly respected musicians and is winner of the 2009 National Jazz Awards, ‘Guitarist of the Year’.

Performing professionally for over thirty years, he has played with many significant jazz artists including Jimmy Heath, Chuck Israels, Eddie Daniels, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Bucky Pizzarelli, Sheila Jordan, Hugh Fraser, P.J. Perry, Campbell Ryga, Ian McDougall, Phil Dwyer, Dave Restivo, Brad Turner, Carol Welsman, Fred Stride, Dee Daniels, and Rebecca Kilgore.

Among Bill’s more than fifty recordings are Speakeasy, and Scudder’s Groove featuring Juno award winners Ross Taggart and Dave Robbins, With Benefits with Cory Weeds, Lewis Nash and Peter Washington. His collaboration with award-winning guitarist Oliver Gannon: Two Much More! was acclaimed as one of the top ten Canadian jazz recordings of 2015 by the CBC, as was Jill Townsend Big Band’s Legacy, The Music of Ross Taggart, a tribute to the great Ross Taggart that features Bill’s guitar playing and large ensemble writing. He also appears on award-winning recordings by The Night Crawlers and the Big Band Sound, Down in the Bottom and Calgary guitarist Ralf Buschmeyer’s, Jazzspeak.

Bill is busy performing with and composing for the BC Double Quartet featuring Brad Turner, Brasiliera with Jennifer Scott and Rene Worst, Triology, with Miles Black and Jodi Proznick, Oliver Gannon, Laura Crema, Cory Weeds Quartet, Tony Wilson-Bill Coon Quartet, B3 Kings, Kate Hammett-Vaughan, Steve Maddock, Michael Creber, Mike Allen, Kevin Elaschuk, Kristina Olsen, and the Minemoto/Coon/Danderfer Trio.

An in demand composer-arranger, Bill had recently had two of his arrangements for symphony orchestra and voice appear on the recording ‘True North: The Canadian Songbook’ with Eleanor McCain. He has been commissioned to write for The National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Woody Herman Jazz Band, the Jill Townsend Jazz Orchestra, the CBC Radio Orchestra, and John Korsrud’s Hard Rubber Orchestra. Bill’s musical partnership with jazz vocalist Denzal Sinclaire created the Juno nominated CD, I Found Love. Bill’s association with hip-hop artist K-os resulted in a collaboration with the CBC Radio Orchestra documented in the CBC television show Burning to Shine, and his arranging is featured on the Juno award winning CD Joyful Rebellion.

He has won awards and commissions from the BC Arts Council, the Socan Foundation, and has received several Canada Council Arts Awards enabling him to study with Jim Hall, Dr. Louis Stewart, Neil Chotem and Rick Wilkins.

Bill is an adjudicator and clinician at music festivals and workshops throughout Canada, including the VSO School of Music and Summer Jazz Workshop and the BC Swing Workshop in Sorrento BC. He is on faculty at Capilano University in North Vancouver, teaching composition, arranging, jazz history, small and large ensembles, and jazz guitar.

Buff Allen – Drums

Buff Allen has had over fifty years of professional playing experience, in jazz, pop, theatre, recording studios, concert tours, television and movies. He is the recipient of a 1989 Juno award for best jazz album category, as well as the 1987 Laureate in the CBC-Alcan competition at the Montreal Jazz Festival, and was a Juno nominee for 2003. He’s had the honour of being able to play with a large number of great musicians, both local and international, including Diana Krall, Michael Buble, Daniel Lanois, Lenny Breau, Ed Bickert, Johnny Hartman, Moe Koffman, Rob McConnell, Sam Noto, Eugene Amaro, Hagood Hardy, Kathryn Moses, Peter Appleyard, Phil Nimmons, Hank Jones, Teddy Wilson, Johnny Guenieri, Red Norvo, Joanne Brackeen, Kenny Wheeler, Bob Murphy, Pat Coleman, Hugh Fraser, and many more.