2025 Festival Program
Thursday, April 11 @ Noon
Ben Wayne Kyle Trio
Opener: Brooks Vocal Jazz
Venue: Shinglemill Pub & Bistro (6233 Powell Pl.)
Ben Wayne Kyle is a guitarist, composer and singer based in Vancouver. The trio plays across a variety of genres including jazz, funk, folk and rock. Their set is mainly original instrumental music inspired by artists such as Bill Frisell, Grant Green and Pat Martino. The Trio is currently writing and recording their first album of original music.
Ben Wayne Kyle (guitar/vocals)
Dave Caballero (bass)
Karl DeJong (drums)
Brooks Vocal Jazz Ensemble is a sensational 21-member group of talented students who have successfully auditioned to be part of this elite ensemble. Under the expert direction of Paul Cummings, the ensemble has achieved remarkable milestones, including an inspiring trip to Havana, Cuba in 2024.
This spring, the Brooks Vocal Jazz Ensemble is thrilled to showcase their talents at several prestigious events. They will perform at the TJF Preview Party alongside Brazilian artist Celso Machado, participate in the DeMiero Jazz Festival in Edmonds, Washington, and take the stage at the Townsite Jazz Festival.
Additionally, they will embark on the Vancouver Island Choir Tour, further expanding their musical horizons. The ensemble is also honoured to serve as official student hosts at this year’s Townsite Jazz Festival, a role they take great pride in. With their passion for music and dedication to excellence, the Brooks Vocal Jazz Ensemble continues to captivate audiences and represent their school with distinction.
Thursday, April 10 @ 5:00 PM
Laura Crema Quartet
Opener: Reed Worthen & Walter Martella
Venue: Shinglemill Pub & Bistro (6233 Powell Pl.)
Laura Crema (vocals)
Jon Bentley (saxophone)
Bill Coon (guitar)
Darren Radtke (bass)
Laura Crema imbues well-worn standards and eclectic originals with an uncanny combination of sensuality, originality and sheer musical prowess has dazzled listeners and audiences alike making her one of the most respected interpreters of song and rising stars within the Canadian jazz scene.
A native of Vancouver, vocalist Laura Crema possesses a lush, unique instrument with great depth and resonance; her influences are broad and diverse as she blends jazz with popular music and improvisation.
Already possessing degree in Fine & Performing Arts and Economics from Simon Fraser University, Laura continued her studies and vocal training with such musical luminaries as Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton, Nancy King and Kurt Elling including extended voice classes with master teacher Richard Armstrong.
Not just a gifted vocalist, Laura is also an accomplished dancer, choreographer and interdisciplinary performer having received numerous awards and grants including an “Emergence” Canada Council Grant for her work in the interdisciplinary arts. She has performed and worked with RADIX Theatre, the Karen Jamieson Dance Company, Touchstone Theatre, Olivia Thorvaldson, Grant Strate, Deborah Dunn, and Catherine Lee.
In keeping with the performing arts Laura has presented her own Choreography at “Dancing on the Edge”, “Women in View” and the “Single Solos Dance” Festivals; Laura has also worked with well known composers including, Jeff Corness, Peter Hannan, Ron Samworth, Cam Wilson and George McFetridge.
Some of Laura’s “live” highlights as a jazz artist include being a featured vocalist at the 2001 DIVAS FOR LIFE concert benefit at the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver and numerous CBC radio appearances on such programs as Studio One, Hot Air, After Hours, Coastal Grooves, Richardson’s Roundup, and North by Northwest.
Laura’s third release “Almost Blue” was released under the Maximum Jazz /Universal Music labels and has received excellent reviews and airplay across Canada, the U.S., and Europe; a highlight was a feature in Air Canada’s En’ Route magazine.
Fast forward to today and Laura’s brand new release “Spring Is Here”, is scheduled to be released in Canada on October 30, 2007 on the Maximum Jazz label and distributed EMI Music. The vocalist’s latest disk shows her continuing to develop her unique musical voice and is produced by the accomplished musician, composer and producer Brad Turner and also features the stellar musicianship of Bill Coon, George McFetridge and Brad Turner.
The 12 track disk is a collection of songs ranging from Billy Strayhorn’s, “A Flower is a Lovesome Thing”, to the Beatles’ “Blackbird”. The opening “A Flower is a Lovesome Thing” introduces the listeners to Crema’s remarkably evocative and resonant voice. The two duets on the album are a truly beautiful rendition of the Brighetti/Martino classic “Estate”, where Crema sings the original Italian lyrics with Bill Coon masterfully accompanying her on the hauntingly beautiful “Tenderly”.
Jon Bentley is a Juno nominated jazz saxophonist based in Vancouver, Canada with over 30 years of professional international experience and 30+ recordings as a leader and sideman. He has recorded and/or performed professionally in concerts with musicians/ groups such as Kenny Wheeler, Seamus Blake, Dave Douglas, Mark Helias, Brad Turner, Eddie Daniels, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Phil Dwyer’s Saxophone Summit, The Temptations, Peggy Lee Band and Metalwood. He has performed across Canada, England, and Europe and has been featured many times on CBC Radio with live and studio recordings for Tonic, The Signal, Jazzbeat, West Coast Performance, Hot Air, and Arts National.
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 currently working on a recording of original music due out in fall of 2017 that is being funded by a Canada Council recording grant.
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.
Darren Radtke studied voice at Concordia College and bass at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton. After moving to Vancouver in 1993, he graduated with a B.Mus in Jazz Studies at Capilano University, and has since been working as a freelance musician. Darren has performed and recorded with musicians Denzel Sinclair, Ernestine Anderson, Cedar Walton, Joanne Brakeen, Buddy Montomery among others, and is a member of the Bill Coon Trio, Brad Turner Trio, and the Sharon Minemoto Quintet.
Thursday, April 10 @ 7:30 PM
Two Much Guitar
Opener: Brooks Jazz Band
Max Cameron Theatre (5400 Marine Avenue)
Interplay and communication is what the band is all about as two of Canada’s most beloved jazz guitarists, Oliver Gannon and Bill Coon, play off each other and have a great time doing it. Their critically acclaimed recording, ‘Two Much Guitar’, showcases the sparks that fly between these two master jazz guitarists. The band’s arrangements alternate between featuring the two guitars in a conversational setting, and bringing in the bass and drums to turn up the heat. A mixture of classic standards and originals are performed with verve, wit and spontaneity. Although you will hear such influences as Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall, and Grant Green, this band has a sound all its own.
Oliver Gannon (guitar)
Bill Coon (guitar)
Darren Radtke (bass)
Dave Robbins (drums)
Order of Canada- and Juno-award winning jazz guitarist and composer Oliver Gannon has performed with many of the leading Canadian jazz musicians over his nearly sixty-year career, including Fraser MacPherson, Ian McDougall, Renee Rosnes, Miles Black, Bill Coon, PJ Perry, Phil Dwyer, Neil Swainson, Terry Clarke, Cory Weeds, Tommy Banks, and others. His quartet had the honour of opening for the Oscar Peterson Trio at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival in 2004. He has performed at many of the major jazz festivals in Europe and North America, and toured the former USSR several times. Gannon has performed with many internationally-acclaimed musicians, including: Rosemary Clooney, Wynton Marsalis, Cleo Laine, Scott Hamilton, Mike LeDonne, Ed Thigpen, Nelson Riddle, Vera Lynn, Michel Legrand, Jake Hanna, George Roberts, and Steve Wallace.
Born in Ireland, Gannon immigrated to Winnipeg, Canada, at age 14. Five years later, while studying engineering at University of Manitoba, he heard a Barney Kessel record – The Poll Winners – which changed his life. Inspired by Kessel’s incredible playing, he started to learn the guitar by ear, and before long was playing casual weekend gigs with his father, jazz pianist Joe Gannon. Within a year, he was playing four gigs per week. He decided to quit engineering and enrol at Berklee College of Music in Boston. In Boston, he and bass player Dennis Pratt got a gig playing jazz standards six nights a week. The gig lasted three and a half years, and provided him with enough money for his tuition.
In 1969, after graduating from Berklee, Gannon relocated to Vancouver where he quickly became an in-demand guitarist. At night, he performed in clubs (such as The Cave, The Panorama Roof, and Oil Can Harry’s). During the day, he did studio work (such as recording sessions, jingles, CBC and other radio, and television shows).
In 1970, trombonist Ian MacDougall invited Oliver to join his jazz-rock fusion sextet, called Pacific Salt. This group of first-call musicians played many large-scale concerts across Canada for the next five years. In 1975, renowned tenor saxophonist Fraser McPherson invited Gannon to join his trio which included celebrated bassist Wyatt Ruther. The group performed many concerts, jazz festival performances, tours (Canada, the US, Europe and the former USSR) and recorded an album which won the Juno for best jazz recording in 1982.
In the 1980s and 90s, Oliver led his own quartet groups with musicians including Renee Rosnes, Al Wold, Miles Black, Phil Dwyer, and Ross Taggart. The Oliver Gannon Quartet (with Miles Black) recorded four albums for the Cellar Live music label. The Easy Sailing record spent ten weeks on the Jazz Week charts.
Gannon was named ‘Jazz Guitarist of the Year’ by the Canadian Jazz Awards in 2002. In 2017, he was awarded the Order of Canada, one of his country’s highest honours. It is a recognition given to those who make a major difference to Canada through lifelong contributions in their field of endeavour.
In 1997, Gannon and Vancouver jazz guitarist Bill Coon formed the quartet ‘Two Much Guitar’ with bassist Darren Radke and Juno-award winning drummer Dave Robbins. The swinging collaboration became a local favourite, selling out venues quickly. The group’s recording, Two Much More!, was selected by CBC as one of the top jazz recordings of 2015, while their Easy Sailing record spent ten weeks on the Jazz Week charts. AllMusic writes that they are, “an imaginative duo who make their instruments sing in amazing new ways.”
Gannon is known for his interpretations of the Great American Song Book, mainstream standards and bebop, as well as for his original compositions. His fluid, swinging approach is rooted in 1950s and ’60s bop. Downbeat magazine wrote: “Gannon is to Vancouver what Ed Bickert is to Toronto, a high-water mark in the instrument’s modern tradition.” All About Jazz described “being swept away by the sheer joy of [Gannon’s] hard swinging, yet effortless jazz… [you] end up feeling refreshed, invigorated and full of hope for the world. Gannon is one of those low-key masters from whom the phrases just flow… every note is in its perfect place.”
Oliver was a major contributor to the innovative and influential Band-in-a-Box music software created by his brother, Dr Peter Gannon. Musicians around the world have benefited from Band-in-a-Box for practice and accompaniment since 1990. Oliver worked for Peter’s company, PG Music, as producer, performer and developer for 15 years.
Gannon is the widower of Canadian vocalist and bassist Patty Hervey. She had several 1960s hit songs (e.g. Mr Heartache) on major labels and won Top Country Female Vocalist in 1964. She appeared as a featured performer on the Country Hoedown Tommy Hunter variety shows. Patty and Oliver also worked together in a jazz context for many years. They have two children, David and Nicole and a grandson, Jason.
Gannon resides near the sea in Crescent Beach, BC (forty-five minutes south of Vancouver, BC) where he enjoys walking on the beach, playing piano, sailing, golfing, and visiting with his family. He is a popular clinician at music camps and workshops.
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 currently working on a recording of original music due out in fall of 2017 that is being funded by a Canada Council recording grant.
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.
Darren Radtke studied voice at Concordia College and bass at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton. After moving to Vancouver in 1993, he graduated with a B.Mus in Jazz Studies at Capilano University, and has since been working as a freelance musician. Darren has performed and recorded with musicians Denzel Sinclair, Ernestine Anderson, Cedar Walton, Joanne Brakeen, Buddy Montomery among others, and is a member of the Bill Coon Trio, Brad Turner Trio, and the Sharon Minemoto Quintet.
Dave Robbins is one of Canada’s premier jazz drummers and a first-rate composer, arranger and jazz educator. Though well known as a sideman for his exciting big band work and sensitive trio playing, Robbins also leads his own bands.
Dave grew up in Victoria and was educated at McGill University in Montreal where he received his Masters in Jazz Studies. While in Montreal he toured and recorded in bands with Vic Vogel, Joe Sullivan, Altsys, and the Streetnix among others. In 1996 he could no longer resist the pull of the west coast, and is thrilled to have moved back. He is kept very busy playing with Bill Coon, Dee Daniels, Hugh Fraser, Oliver Gannon, John Korsrud, and Jennifer Scott, to name a few.
Dave has played music all over the world, in countries such as Australia, Brazil, Cuba, Finland, France, and Ireland. Musicians he has performed with include: Gary Bartz, Maynard Ferguson, Slide Hampton, Buddy Montgomery, Bob Minzer, PJ Perry, and Don Thompson.
Dave is also very involved as an educator. After teaching at McGill’s Conservatory of Music while in Montreal, he is now on the music faculty at Capilano University where he instructs arranging, drums, piano, and large ensembles. As well as institutional educating, Dave does clinics and private instructing.
Meet the powerhouse Brooks Senior Jazz Band comprising 31 vibrant, committed, and enthusiastic students from grades 10 to 12. Eager to explore the realms of jazz, they bring boundless energy and dedication to every performance. This group regularly tours in the province of British Columbia. The Senior Jazz Band has embraced the thrill of international travel and touring. They have just come back from touring in Cuba last spring, they are eagerly awaiting their next tour. As well as international tours, the Brooks Senior Jazz Band has performed as part of local jazz festivals in the province. As proud ambassadors of jazz, they stand ready to make their mark as a host ensemble for TJF 2025.
Help us build artistry among budding musicians and bring high-quality performances to unique historical spaces in the qathet region! The Townsite Jazz Festival Society is greatly appreciative of donations large and small.
As a registered charity (#793478512RR0001) tax receipts will be issued for all personal donations of $5 or higher.
Friday, April 11 @ Noon
Sharon Minemoto Quartet
Opener: Oak Bay High Combo
Shinglemill Pub & Bistro (6233 Powell Pl.)
Sharon Minemoto (piano)
Darren Radtke (bass)
Bernie Arai (drums)
Jon Bentley (saxophone)
Since the age of sixteen, Vancouver based pianist and composer, Sharon Minemoto has been performing to audiences around the world.
In 1997, Sharon started her own quintet which performs her original compositions and has recorded four shows for CBC Radio as well as a CD released on Cellar Live Records entitled, “Side A”.
In addition to composing, she puts her arranging talents to work on standards and pop tunes for her trio which came out with their debut CD called “You Can See The Ocean From Here” in the spring of 2008. Both albums spent considerable time in the Top 10 Jazz Albums on Canada’s Chartattack.
More recently, she has been working with her new quartet which includes Jon Bentley on saxophone, bassist Adam Thomas, and drummer Bernie Arai.
Sharon’s groups have been featured at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, The Vernon Jazz Club, The Okanagan Jazz and Blues Society, The Powell Street Festival, The Hornby Island Arts Festival, Festival Vancouver, The Beatniq Jazz Club in Calgary, The Yardbird Suite Jazz Club in Edmonton, the Jazz On The Wing series in Whitehorse, YT and at Club JZ in China.
As a sideperson, Sharon has performed in ensembles led by Alan Matheson, Cory Weeds, Fred Stride, Dee Daniels, Joani Taylor, Laura Crema, James Danderfer, Ali Ryerson, Karin Plato, Jennie Emery, Steve Maddock as well as the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Phoenix Chamber Choir.
Sharon is also part of a funk/jazz/reggae collaborative called SiMmeR with bassist, Matt Reid and drummer, Richard Brown. In March 2006, she toured Europe with Persian pop legend, Dariush.
Sharon holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Performance from Capilano College in North Vancouver. While she was a student there, she was selected from applicants across North America as the pianist for the IAJE (International Association of Jazz Educators) College All-Star Band.
Since graduating, she has studied with pianist Geoff Keezer in 1999 and in 2000 she received a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to study composition with Don Thompson in Toronto. From September-December of 2010 Sharon studied with pianists, Renee Rosnes and Kenny Werner in New York City with funding from The Canada Council for the Arts and the BC Arts Council.
Sharon is a faculty member at the School of Music at Vancouver Community College.
She has also taught at workshops and masterclasses at the UBC Summer Music Institute, The Shawnigan Lake Music Workshop, Capilano College, the Smithers Jazz Retreat, the Douglas College Jazz Institute and at the Shanghai International School.
As an adjudicator she has worked at the Vancouver School Board Jazz Festival and at the Rotary Music Festival in Whitehorse, YT. In addition to her work in festivals, she has served on the selection commitee for The Canada Council of the Arts as well as The British Columbia Arts Council which grant funding to the country’s/province’s finest artists.
In addition to performing, composing and teaching, Sharon has subbed in as host of CBC Radio’s “Hot Air” program and has hosted a weekly one hour internet jazz radio show for mediaontap.com.
Outside the jazz world, she has been commissioned by opera singers Monica Whicher and Peter MacGillivray as an arranger. She has also done some arranging and recording for the ABC TV Series , “Men In Trees”and was a piano coach for an actor in the Hollywood movie, “2012”.
Bernie Arai’s musical career as a performer, educator, composer and recording artist spans styles through jazz, improvised music, traditional Japanese, and electronic and computer music. On drum set, percussion and electronics, he works with some of Canada’s most accomplished musicians. Born, raised and based in Vancouver, Bernie has performed across the country with various ensembles, and has also toured across the United States, Japan and Europe.
A graduate of Capilano University Jazz Studies program, Bernie has amassed a great debt to the educators who helped shape his musicianship during the course of his studies , including Fred Stride (UBC); Brad Turner, Ken Moore, Dave Robbins and Dylan VanDerSchyff (Capilano); Ian Froman (NYC).
Darren Radtke studied voice at Concordia College and bass at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton. After moving to Vancouver in 1993, he graduated with a B.Mus in Jazz Studies at Capilano University, and has since been working as a freelance musician. Darren has performed and recorded with musicians Denzel Sinclair, Ernestine Anderson, Cedar Walton, Joanne Brakeen, Buddy Montomery among others, and is a member of the Bill Coon Trio, Brad Turner Trio, and the Sharon Minemoto Quintet.
Bernie’s own ensembles include his most recent quartet featuring Skye Brooks (also on drum set), Tommy Babin on bass and Chad Makela on saxophone, a reunion of an electronic/acoustic trio with Chris Gestrin and Jon Bentley (on keyboards, woodwinds and electronics) called New Diversions. Electonic and acoustic ensemble Densabi features Bernie using digital sound synthesis and feedback with Chris Gestrin and shakuhachi master Alcvin Ryuzen Ramos to create improvised ambient music. Along with saxophonist Jon Bentley Bernie co-led a hard bop sextet called Ugetsu for over 15 years.Thanks to Vancouver’s supportive scene, Bernie also works with many of the country’s finest musicians as a member of ensembles such as: the Brad Turner Trio, Bill Coon’s bc double quartet, the Bill Runge quartet, the Hard Rubber Orchestra, the Jennifer Scott Trio, the Ihor Kukurudza Trio, Fred Stride Jazz Orchestra, Sharon Minemoto Quintet and Quartet, the Paul Keeling Trio and Quintet, Tommy Babin’s Sendero Luminoso, Altered Laws, Mimosa, and many others. He remains in demand as an accompanist and band member for many legendary musicians from across Canada and around the world, appearing in concert at numerous music festivals worldwide, and on CBC radio jazz shows. He has had the opportunity to guest host CBC’s long running radio show Hot Air on two occasions, once to spotlight the powerful musicianship of Claude Ranger, and once to explore the influence of Canadian jazz on Canadian jazz musicians.
Jon Bentley is a Juno nominated jazz saxophonist based in Vancouver, Canada with over 30 years of professional international experience and 30+ recordings as a leader and sideman. He has recorded and/or performed professionally in concerts with musicians/ groups such as Kenny Wheeler, Seamus Blake, Dave Douglas, Mark Helias, Brad Turner, Eddie Daniels, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Phil Dwyer’s Saxophone Summit, The Temptations, Peggy Lee Band and Metalwood. He has performed across Canada, England, and Europe and has been featured many times on CBC Radio with live and studio recordings for Tonic, The Signal, Jazzbeat, West Coast Performance, Hot Air, and Arts National.
Oak Bay High School’s Vocal Jazz Combo will feature a variety of singers in grades 11 and 12, complemented by 6 talented and dedicated instrumentalists. The students performing sing or play in as many as seven choirs. Rehearsals for combos are planned around the many scheduled rehearsals for the school’s ten choirs. Combo rehearsals are primarily student-led, and while these combos showcase the singer’s vocal abilities, members would like to thank the rhythm section for the countless hours put into the music inside and outside of rehearsals. They would also like to thank Mr. Cramaro and all the organizers and supporters of this wonderful festival!
Friday, April 11 @ 5:00 PM
Jazz & Appys – a fundraiser featuring the Steve Carson Quintet
Opener: Oak Bay High Vocal Jazz
Brooks Hall (5400 Marine Ave.)
qathet School District alumnus and rising saxophonist Steve Carson returns for a special fundraiser in support of the Brooks Secondary music program.
Steve Carson (saxophone)
Lachlan Craven (trumpet)
Nick Peck (keyboards)
Brock Meades (bass)
Eli Carson (drums)
In his formative years, Steve Carson had the honour of studying with Canadian saxophone greats Alex Dean, Kirk Macdonald, and Phil Dwyer; as well as with bassist Jodi Proznick. Carson has also been recognized for his musical excellence at both the National and Provincial level. For Steve music is a lifelong pursuit and he takes extreme joy in sharing his love for it with others.
Lachlan Craven is a swinging Canadian trumpet player with a unique vocality in his sound; Internationally performing musician Lachlan Craven is carrying the torch of American Music tradition on a pathway of innovation. Currently based on Vancouver Island, Lachlan has made appearances at notable venues in Vancouver, Toronto, Amsterdam, and Barcelona, and has shared the stage with the likes of John Lee, Simon Rigter, and Benjamin Herman’s New Cool Collective Big Band. In 2019, Lachlan was selected to be a part of the Canadian National Youth Jazz Combo, where he performed at the Toronto TD International Jazz Festival. He has toured in Spain (2022) and Denmark, performing in the 2023 Copenhagen Jazz Festival. At the age of 17 he moved to Amsterdam to pursue his musical education and career and has completed his BMus at the Conservatory of Amsterdam as of summer 2023″.
Nick Peck is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist and composer, primarily known as a jazz pianist and organist who has performed across Canada and Europe.
Nick’s background in the music was initially, self-taught, playing on the local Jazz circuit around his native Kent (UK). Pursing formal studies in music he was introduced to a wide range of classical, contemporary and world music that would broaden his outlook. However, it was in Jazz improvisation that he found his preferred outlet. Moving to London, he studied piano and composition at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. During this time, he received tuition from Simon Purcell, Scott Stroman and John Talyor, all of whom implied ways in which a diverse range of ideas and colours could be brought together with respect to the Jazz tradition.
Following this, Nick was increasingly active as a sideman, gaining valuable hands-on experience accompanying visiting Jazz artists on piano and Hammond organ in and around London and the South of England. Since 2013, he has resided in British Columbia, Canada where he is frequently found playing with many talented colleagues up and down the Canadian west coast. His style is marked by his ability to shift from hard-swinging jazz to pastoral serenity to elements of the 20th/21st century piano tradition at the drop of a hat, both hands equally creative on the keyboard, in a manner that is both constantly engaging and accessible.
From Shawnigan Lake, BC, bassist Brock Meades attended Vancouver Island University and the University of Victoria. Well-versed in both classical music and jazz, Brock made a name for himself quickly in Nanaimo while still in school, and has performed up and down Vancouver Island. A recipient of the 2019 Fraser MacPherson Jazz Fund, awarded to one stellar jazz musician in B.C, Brock continues to develop his style, sound, and technique, being equally adept at bowing as he is with pizzicato playing.
Drummer Eli Carson, along with his brother Steve, grew up in a musical family in Powell River. He is the 2018 recipient of the Lou Williamson Scholarship for Outstanding Jazz Drum Set Player awarded by MusicFest Canada. With the combo, Take 5, Carson has won other MusicFest Canada awards and performed regularly to the delight of audiences in the qathet Region and beyond.
The Oak Bay High Vocal Jazz – Jazz Wave is an advanced, auditioned vocal jazz ensemble at Oak Bay, full of talented and devoted singers that meet Monday mornings and Wednesdays after school. This group of 23 students is made up of grade 11’s and 12’s. Singers in Jazz Wave are exposed to many different genres and styles of music through their diversified repertoire that is frequently performed at events around Victoria. Jazz Wave members are incredibly grateful for their many performance opportunities and the higher level of music this group is able to accomplish with their strong commitment and vocal capabilities. They are delighted to return to the Townsite Festival for the first time in many years!
Friday, April 11 @ 7:30 PM
Karen Flamenco
Opener: Brooks Vocal Jazz
Max Cameron Theatre
Karen Flamenco is an acclaimed collaborative and established flamenco dance company – a leader in the creation, production and education of flamenco dance in Vancouver. This innovative dance company combines the technical brilliance of flamenco with dramatic flair. The spirited dancing, colourful costumes and heart-stirring live music epitomize the passion and excitement of flamenco, capturing the imagination of dance lovers of all ages. Karen Flamenco has expanded the mysterious world of flamenco to a wider audience with their collaboration of theatre and dance, making a valuable contribution to the culture of flamenco dance in Vancouver and British Columbia.
Karen Pitkethly is the artistic director and choreographer of this non-for profit dance company and school aspiring flamenco dancers of all levels and ages. Karen has expanded the mysterious world of flamenco to a wider audience with her collaboration of theatre and dance.
Brooks Vocal Jazz Ensemble is a sensational 21-member group of talented students who have successfully auditioned to be part of this elite ensemble. Under the expert direction of Paul Cummings, the ensemble has achieved remarkable milestones, including an inspiring trip to Havana, Cuba in 2024.
This spring, the Brooks Vocal Jazz Ensemble is thrilled to showcase their talents at several prestigious events. They will perform at the TJF Preview Party alongside Brazilian artist Celso Machado, participate in the DeMiero Jazz Festival in Edmonds, Washington, and take the stage at the Townsite Jazz Festival.
Additionally, they will embark on the Vancouver Island Choir Tour, further expanding their musical horizons. The ensemble is also honoured to serve as official student hosts at this year’s Townsite Jazz Festival, a role they take great pride in. With their passion for music and dedication to excellence, the Brooks Vocal Jazz Ensemble continues to captivate audiences and represent their school with distinction.
Friday, April 11 @ 9:30 PM
The Deadly Nightshades
Opener: Reynolds Secondary Vocal Jazz
The Blue Room (Lower level, 6274 Walnut St.)
Groove to southern-fried music (straight-up, down-home funky music – R’n’B, soul, blues and funk) from some of Vancouver Island’s hottest musicians.
Angela Wilson (vocals)
Nick Peck (keyboards)
Graham Shonwise (bass)
Hans Verhoeven (drums)
The Reynolds Secondary Vocal Jazz is an auditioned ensemble from the Greater Victoria School District and they are directed by Katy Kerr. They rehearse twice a week at lunch and work on a variety of repertoire from jazz standards, to gospel, to current pop music and a cappella hits.
The Reynolds musicians are grateful and excited to return to the outstanding Townsite Festival this year and be immersed in a weekend full of learning and performing!
Saturday, April 12 @ 12:30 PM
Soul Jazz
Opener: Reynolds Secondary Vocal Jazz
The Blue Room (Lower level, 6274 Walnut St.)
Gospel and Blues inflected hard-swinging bebop from some of Vancouver Island’s hottest musicians.
Graham Shonwise (saxophone)
Andrew Janusson (guitar)
Nick Peck (keyboards)
Hans Verhoeven (drums)
The Reynolds Secondary Vocal Jazz is an auditioned ensemble from the Greater Victoria School District and they are directed by Katy Kerr. They rehearse twice a week at lunch and work on a variety of repertoire from jazz standards, to gospel, to current pop music and a cappella hits.
The Reynolds musicians are grateful and excited to return to the outstanding Townsite Festival this year and be immersed in a weekend full of learning and performing!
Saturday, April 12 @ 4 PM
qathet School District Alumni Quintet
Opener: Oak Bay High Vocal Jazz
The Blue Room (Lower level, 6274 Walnut St.)
Steve Carson (saxophone)
Walter Martella (piano/trumpet)
Ben Wayne Kyle (guitar/vocals)
Mark Antolovich (bass)
Adam Robertson (drums)
In his formative years, Steve Carson had the honour of studying with Canadian saxophone greats Alex Dean, Kirk Macdonald, and Phil Dwyer; as well as with bassist Jodi Proznick. Carson has also been recognized for his musical excellence at both the National and Provincial level. For Steve music is a lifelong pursuit and he takes extreme joy in sharing his love for it with others.
Conductor and Music Director of the Powell River Academy of Music (PRAM), Walter Martella 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.
Conducting became a significant part of Walter’s life and career when he returned to Powell River to study at PRAM under Don James. He has participated in the British Columbia Choral Federation’s conducting program and has collaborated with world-renowned conductors. He has led noteworthy works like Holst’s Rig Veda for choir and harp, the Messiah, Schubert’s Mass in G, and Vivaldi’s Gloria. He conducts the Academy Chamber Choir, Chor Musica Men’s Choir and the Powell River Chorus as well as currently maintaining a full private teaching schedule.
Walter is a strong believer in the power of music as an important part of community, and has been an adjudicator for instrumental and choral festivals throughout British Columbia. He has recorded five jazz CDs, performed provincially with many well-known musicians in multiple genres, and continues to be in demand all along the West Coast as a trumpet soloist and jazz pianist.
Check out Walter’s YouTube channel here.
Ben Wayne Kyle is a guitarist, singer/songwriter and composer based in Vancouver. Ben plays across a variety of genres including jazz, folk, funk, and rock. Ben, has his Bachelors degree from Capilano University in jazz performance/composition.
Mark Antolovich is a bassist and composer who graduated from Brooks Secondary in 2008 and attended the Capilano University Jazz Studies program. Check out his latest project, Zen Smith.
Born and raised in Powell River, BC, Adam Robertson is a versatile drummer, percussionist and composer with strong West Coast roots. In 2020 he completed his Bachelors of Music in Jazz Studies at Vancouver Island University and remains an active member of the island music scene as both a performer and educator. Adam can be heard in venues across the island with an eclectic mix of artists and ensembles including Keanu Ienco, Andrew Homzy’s NOLA Nighthawks, free-jazz-noise-rock trio Dry Goods, and modern R&B group Mahogany.
The Oak Bay High Vocal Jazz – Jazz Wave is an advanced, auditioned vocal jazz ensemble at Oak Bay, full of talented and devoted singers that meet Monday mornings and Wednesdays after school. This group of 23 students is made up of grade 11’s and 12’s. Singers in Jazz Wave are exposed to many different genres and styles of music through their diversified repertoire that is frequently performed at events around Victoria. Jazz Wave members are incredibly grateful for their many performance opportunities and the higher level of music this group is able to accomplish with their strong commitment and vocal capabilities. They are delighted to return to the Townsite Festival for the first time in many years!
Saturday, April 12 @ 7:30 PM
Gala Dance featuring the Julio Ávila Cuban Band
Openers: Brooks Jazz Band, Leishman-Mulder Quartet
Dwight Hall (6274 Walnut St.
Born and raised in Guantanamo, Cuba, in a family of established musicians, Julio Avila’s musical journey dates back to when he was 7 years old.
Listening to his parents and older siblings perform, Julio first developed a strong bond with the traditional tune, changüí, which has roots in his native Guantanamo.
Surrounded by this vibrant and rich musical heritage, Julio perfected playing his principal instrument, the bass, while taking on the lead singer, arranger and composer roles as well.
As a member of the internationally renowned group La Sonora Universal, Julio performed throughout Europe and with El Grupo Cubano Brisas Del Palmar he has toured Western Canada since 2005.
A resident of Vancouver since 2015, Julio continues to captivate the audiences with his powerful and warm voice. He is the founder and music director of the Julio Avila Cuban Band, which delivers passionate performances of salsa, son, bachata, boleros and cumbias.
Meet the powerhouse Brooks Senior Jazz Band comprising 31 vibrant, committed, and enthusiastic students from grades 10 to 12. Eager to explore the realms of jazz, they bring boundless energy and dedication to every performance. This group regularly tours in the province of British Columbia. The Senior Jazz Band has embraced the thrill of international travel and touring. They have just come back from touring in Cuba last spring, they are eagerly awaiting their next tour. As well as international tours, the Brooks Senior Jazz Band has performed as part of local jazz festivals in the province. As proud ambassadors of jazz, they stand ready to make their mark as a host ensemble for TJF 2025.
The Leishman-Mulder Quartet features James Leishman and Anthony Mulder of Kitchen Sink fame, now studying at Capilano University’s Jazz Studies program.
James Leishman (trumpet)
Anthony Mulder (guitar)
Noah Falkenham (bass)
Eric Manual (drums)
Help us build artistry among budding musicians and bring high-quality performances to unique historical spaces in the qathet region! The Townsite Jazz Festival Society is greatly appreciative of donations large and small.
As a registered charity (#793478512RR0001) tax receipts will be issued for all personal donations of $5 or higher.