A veteran of the Okanagan Valley music scene for 26 years says the Vernon Jazz Club is one of his favorite places to play.
Justin Glibbery is eager to be back at the local venue Feb. 10 with his quintet.
“It feels like a jazz club from the ’40s with great listening crowds and vibe of a really cool room,” said Glibbery. “Intimate venues are the best because you are very interactive with your audience – they feel you and you feel them. (That) circle of energy usually catapults the performance into something really magical where almost anything can happen.”
A professional pianist, composer and music educator, Glibbery encompasses influences from the likes of Pat Metheny, Oscar Peterson, Bruce Hornsby, Keith Jarrett, Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Glibbery’s recording projects include three albums as well as work with Juno-award winning guitarist Oscar Lopez. Glibbery is joined on stage, by some of the Okanagan Valley’s finest: Stefan Bienz on bass, Michael Treadway on drums, Michael Perkins playing trumpet, Stan Sabourin on sax and Yanti on vocals.
Next up is Balladextrous Feb. 17, featuring vocalist Sienna Dahlen and Juno Award nominated/2009 National Jazz Guitarist of the Year, Bill Coon.
Coon has performed professionally for over 30 years, playing with some of the best in jazz music. With over 50 recordings to his credit, he is an in-demand composer and arranger and faculty member in the Capilano University music program.
Dahlen’s resonate voice gives life to the music, bringing her touring experience in Canada, Europe, USA, Mexico and South America to the project. With six albums of original jazz and folk music, she has taught music at McGill and Concordia University in Montreal, as well as voice clinics and song writing masterclasses around the world.
Montreal-based bassist Rémi-Jean LeBlanc’s latest project, Heyday, is at the club Feb. 24.
Heyday consists of five of Montreal’s most versatile and prolific musicians; Erika Angell - voice, Jérôme Beaulieu - keyboards, Kevin Warren - drums, Nicolas Ferron - guitar and LeBlanc - bass. This group has a wide range of influences hailing from post-rock to R&B and beyond – eclectic and energetic, mixing finesse and feel-good stylings in beautiful ways. LeBlanc has been on the Canadian music scene since the mid-2000’s performing with jazz artists as diverse as Jean-Michel Pilc and Carol Welsman as well as with iconic rock bands like The Dears. He is on faculty at McGill University. Heyday is his 4th album and most ambitious thus far.
The local jazz club is on the Cusp of its 25th anniversary and looking for volunteers to help celebrate.
Sound team support, those interested in websites, writing, communications, or a passion for history and research are needed.
“There are dozens of stories ‘behind the curtains’ at the Jazz Club, from the artist musicians, the society’s founding in 1999, to the move to our beloved 1906 building noted for the high stakes all night card games when it was the Ranchers Club,” the club said.
For more information or tickets to the shows, visit vernonjazz.com.
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