Jazzworkz Concert features Elena Kapeleris and the SBQ Trio on May 12

The final concert in the new Jazzworkz Concert Series will feature the multi-talented saxophonist and vocalist Elena Kapeleris and the SBQ Trio on Saturday, May 12, 2012. The concert will also feature saxophonist Jean-Yves Bégin. All of the artists in this Jazzworkz Concert have a Sudbury connection.

The concert begins at 7:30 pm and takes 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.

A portion of the proceeds from the concert will support the Joan Mantle Music Trust, which provides instruments to students in Rainbow Schools. "I am very happy with the inaugural series,” says producer Jack Broumpton. “The attendance has been slowly increasing and I hope to repeat the festival again starting in the fall."

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.

SBQ Trio

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.


Jean-Yves Bégin

One of the first graduates of Laurentian University’s jazz program, Jean-Yves Bégin studied the saxophone with Allan Walsh, and won countless awards both at the regional and national levels. Bégin has performed in Montreal’s La Place des Arts, Toronto’s Harbourfront, and Ottawa’s Festival Franco.  Other than the various studio sessions ranging from electro-acoustic to world beat, he has recorded extensively for CBC Television and radio. At home in Sudbury, Bégin is a music educator/ freelance musician, a regular at local festivals, and a crowd favorite at La Nuit sur L’étang, and the Northern Lights Festival Boréal. Recent projects include the Canwest Cabaret Festival with Tomson Highway in Toronto and a recording session and performances with Patricia Cano.

About the Jazzworkz Concert Series

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.”

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.

-30-

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