Jazzworkz Concert Series features Del Dako and the SBQ Trio on March 2nd

The second concert in the new Jazzworkz Concert Series will feature Del Dako and the SBQ Trio on Friday, March 2, 2012. A portion of the proceeds from the concert will support the Joan Mantle Music Trust, which provides instruments to students in Rainbow Schools.

Other concerts include Lance Anderson and the B3 Organ Trio on Saturday, April 14, 2012 and Elena Kapeleris and the SBQ Trio on Saturday, May 12, 2012. All of the visiting artists have a Sudbury connection – they either grew up in the Sudbury area or have performed here in the past.

The concerts begin at 7:30 pm and take place at St. Peter’s Church, 203 York Street in Sudbury. Admission is $15 for students and $20 for adults. Tickets are available at Black Cat on Durham Street and Hair to Live For in the Cedar Pointe Mall.

The Jazzworkz Series was created by producer Jack Broumpton, who said the concerts celebrate the expanding growth and influence of jazz music in the Sudbury community that began 25 years ago.

“Back in 1986, I wanted to raise the profile of the Jazz program at Huntington College and Laurentian University, so we invited award winning Canadian jazz artists to Sudbury to perform with local musicians,” said Broumpton. “That’s what we’re doing now, to raise the profile of jazz performance in the community.”

He added: “The series also allows us to support the Joan Mantle Music Trust. As a long-time music teacher, I recognize the importance of music in our schools and our community. The series will highlight the efforts of the Joan Mantle Music Trust and the great results it has produced to support music programs in Rainbow Schools.”

Del Dako (deldako.com) – Friday, March 2, 2012

As a saxophonist, Del Dako has been a real force on the Canadian jazz scene. In 1995, after the release of his first CD "Balancing Act" on the Sackville label, he toured nationally winning over fans wherever the band went. In 1998, a second recording "Vindaloo" was made and there was an 18-city Canadian tour to promote the album. This brought more fans into the fold. In fact, Del was awarded Top Baritone Saxophonist in the ‘ 93,’ 94 and ’98 Jazz Report Awards. Along with this, the band played at jazz festivals, on television ("Gabereau Live") and recorded on "Jazz Beat" with Katie Malloch several times. Del’s long-standing involvement in a couple of significant Toronto groups, Shox Johnson and the Jive Bombers and Jim Galloway’s Wee Big Band, gave the saxophonist solid grounding in large ensemble playing. But it has always been in a small group setting that he has really shone.

In the fall of 2001, a serious accident forced Del Dako to make changes in his career. Despite a miraculous recovery, it was apparent that a lingering disability would not allow him to recover his ability to play the saxophone. He chose to express his music with a different instrument – the vibraphone. His career is back in full swing and he is excited about new opportunities.

As a vibraphonist, he has been able to draw on some significant elements of his musical background. Most obviously, the years spent playing the saxophone gave this player a masterful melodic sense. Indeed, Del approaches the new instrument with a ‘horn-like’ sensibility, something not idiosyncratic to the mallet instruments. Secondly, over the past years, the saxophonist has played ‘arrangers’ piano, to the point where he has been comfortable enough on the instrument to perform regularly in jam sessions. Finally, it is a little known fact that Del also practised on the drums and became a competent player on those as well.

So with the mallet technique gained from playing the drums, a voicing and harmonic concept garnered from his piano background, and perhaps most importantly, a mature melodic sense from his saxophone playing days, Del Dako draws on some formidable sources from his past. His new voice, the vibraphone, is a clear extension of this past.

SBQ Trio – Friday, March 2, 2012

The SBQ Trio is celebrating its 25th anniversary, having played together since 1986.

Tony Simpkin has performed with some of the finest in Canadian jazz including Pat Labarbera, Phil Nimmons, Kirk MacDonald, Reg Schwager, Kevin Turcotte, Mike Murley, Barry Elmes, Ranee Lee and Alex Dean. He has also performed with countless pop, country, rock, folk and rhythm and blues bands. In 2001, he released the CD “Jazz at the Gallery” with Jack Broumpton and Brian Quebec. Tony Simpkin has been the musical director for the CTV Lion’s Children’s Christmas Telethon since 1994. He was also a jazz piano instructor at Laurentian University from 1990 to 2008. He is a self-employed Certified General Accountant.

Jack Broumpton is a teacher at A. B. Ellis Public School in Espanola. He has a Bachelor of Music from the University of Western Ontario and a Master of Music from the University of Northern Colorado. Jack Broumpton served as Assistant Professor of Music at Laurentian University from 1986 to 2000. He was also an instructor at Cambrian College. He started the Jazz program and Percussion program at both postsecondary institutions.

Jack Broumpton is Co-Founder of the Huntington Jazz Society and Sudbury Jazz Society and Founder and Director of Spirit of the Drum Festival. He is also the Owner / Instructor of World’s Rhythm and Music. As a performer, he has played with a number of groups, including the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra London Canada and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with Oliver Jones and Ranee Lee at Jazz Sudbury Festival and Canadian Juno winning jazz performers Hugh Fraser, Pat Labarbera, Maynard Ferguson, Phil Nimmons , Heather Bambrick, Dave Young, Dave McMurdo, Jon Ballantyne, Kevin Dean and Phil Dwyer.

Brian Quebec is one of the most in demand jazz bass performers in Northern Ontario. He performs regularly with jazz duos, trios and quartets and is a “first call” bassist when touring professionals come to Sudbury. Brian Quebec has been a constant performer at the Jazz Sudbury Festival where he played the main stage with headliners Oliver Jones and Ranee Lee. In addition to the SBQ Trio, he has led No B.S. (No Bass Solos) at the Jazz Sudbury Festival, a group specializing in the groove-oriented jazz of composer/performers like Jon Scofield.

Lance Anderson (makeitrealrecords.com) – Saturday, April 14, 2012

Ottawa-born producer Lance Anderson is an active composer/arranger for both TV and film. He is a classically trained musician who has also played in the Blues and R&B scene in Toronto for the past 20 years. His recent production credits include the Oscar Peterson Multimedia CD ROM and the multi Juno award winning and Platinum CD Leahy. Lance has played with acts as diverse as Mr. Dress-up, George Oliver, Maureen Brown and Big Hand and new age flute virtuoso Ron Korb and R&B power house singer Shakura S’Aida. He recently appeared as a piano player and writer on Scott Cusnie’s Two Pianos No Waiting Vol 2. He has just finished a new theme for Sesame Park Snippets and wrote the music for The New World Wine Tour and Guess What? CBC TV.  His most recent project is the “Joint Chiefs of Soul”, a great organ and drum duo with Michael Sloski. Both of their CD’s have been nominated for the Maple Blues Awards.


Elena Kapeleris – Saturday, May 12, 2012

Elena Kapeleris is a jazz tenor saxophonist and vocalist. A graduate of Lasalle Secondary School and a member of many of the school’s excellent, award-winning jazz ensembles, Elena Kapeleris is a graduate of the jazz program at Humber College in Toronto. At Humber, she studied saxophone with world-renowned saxophonist Pat Labarbera. During this time, Labarbera placed emphasis on learning the lyrics of the songs that she was playing on the horn. This is when her love for singing, lyrics, and vocal interpretation began.

Elena’s love for both the instrumental and vocal approach to jazz caused the meld of the two art forms in her live performances and on her debut recording “INTRODUCTION”. Although her projects as a leader are primarily jazz, Elena works with many varied styles (R&B, soul, funk, indie rock and many commercial and film recording sessions). Elena has played with a wide range of amazing Toronto musicians including Pat Labarbera (saxophonist), Richard Underhill (saxophonist), Rich Brown (bassist), Tom Juhas (guitarist), Sly Juhas (drummer), Brandi Disterheft (bassist), Richard Whiteman (pianist), and Lord Bubba’s Nu Jazz Project. She also works with Toronto producer Byron Kent Wong on recordings by international artists such as Rossif Sutherland.

Her woodwinds are featured on the soundtrack of the movie “Poor Boy’s Game”, directed by Clément Virgo, starring Danny Glover and Rossif Sutherland. Elena is currently performing live in Toronto with her quintet and has recently released her second album with both original and standard repertoire.

About the Joan Mantle Music Trust

The Joan Mantle Music Trust was established in the fall of 2008 to help refresh, modernize and revitalize school music programs in the Rainbow District School Board. 

The Joan Mantle Music Trust allocates funds to school music programs in Rainbow District School Board, one school at a time.  This ensures that there is a tangible improvement in the condition of equipment in an entire department, allowing for students to achieve more in their musical studies together.

Joan Mantle dedicated many years to music education in Rainbow Schools. She passed away on June 9, 2009, after a courageous battle with cancer.

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Media Contacts:

Jack Broumpton

Producer, Jazzworkz Concert Series

705-869-1651

Ralph McIntosh

Chair, Joan Mantle Music Trust

Rainbow District School Board

705-523-3308, ext. 8250