The Lent/Fraser/Wall Trio has been performing jazz, roots and blues music — both covers and original material — for 25 years in Vernon and across Western Canada.
The trio has performed concerts and gigs, both large and small, and have in their own quirky and quiet way become an underground legend here in the Okanagan, especially for their elasticity, breadth of musical genres, and outrageous stage energy.
The trio has opened for performers as various as Long John Baldry, Leahey, Campbell Ryga, Bill Henderson and Roy Forbes.
In 2005, the trio released its first CD, Shadow Moon, to critical acclaim. Four years later, while contemplating a second CD, the group members each began to experiment by reaching out to other singer/songwriters/performers here in the valley.
Among those taking part in Lent/Fraser/Wall projects included bass players Bill Lockie, Bernie Addington and Brian McMahon; singer/songwriters Andrew Smith and Betty Johnston; and other musicians such as Mark Nishihara, Sean Sullivan and Craig Thompson.
In 2015 Andrew and Zachary Smith began to produce a CD of John Lent’s songs called Strange Ground, and Lent launched that CD this fall with Fraser, Wall, and Craig Thompson and Lent’s brothers Harry, Michael and Timmy from Edmonton.
READ MORE: Lent launches book, album back to back in Vernon
For the upcoming performance at the Vernon Jazz Club on Jan. 11, the trio will collaborate again with Lent’s brother, Michael Lent, who has played jazz bass for years with players as various as P J Perry, Mose Allison, Tommy Banks, Audrey Ochoa, Sandro Dominelli, and folk and pop performers Ferron, k.d. Lang, Jann Arden and George Canyon.
Michael has also produced CDs for other artists in Western Canada such as Ben Sures and May Moore.
The Lent/Fraser/Wall/Lent Quartet will perform John’s Strange Ground, new compositions by Neil Fraser and Shelby Wall, and some classic Lent/Fraser/Wall covers like All Along the Watchtower and Soul Of A Man.
It promises to be a special evening of jazz music at the Vernon Jazz Club.
Lent/Fraser/Wall and Lent will be onstage at the Vernon Jazz Club (3000 31st St.) on Saturday, Jan. 11, starting at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. Cash only bar on site.
Tickets $25, only available online at vernonjazz.com with a $5 rebate at the gig for VJS members.
Members receive 10 per cent off their food purchase anytime at Bourbon Street Bar & Grill (Prestige Inn). All Vernon Jazz Club patrons may enjoy a 10 per cent discount on food at Marten Brewpub upon presentation of their tickets for that evening’s show.
Paul Hunter is with the Vernon Jazz Society.