What do you get when you combine a Canadian folk legend with some of Vancouver Island’s most talented jazz musicians?
Valdy Goes Big Band.
The iconic, Juno-winning performer is teaming up with the Victoria Jazz Orchestra for a unique concert March 16 at the Alix Goolden Hall. Concert-goers will enjoy such Valdy hits as “Peter and Lou,” “Easy Money,” “Daddy’s OK” and “Highway 63,” as well as jazz standard gems, all played in a big-band style sure to get you tapping your toes.
| Victoria saxophonist Monik Nordine, leader of the Victoria Jazz Orchestra, arranged a number of Valdy's songs for this special big band concert. Photo contributed |
The VJO, a fixture at the Victoria and Nanaimo international jazz festivals, is led by saxophonist/composer Monik Nordine and features such well-known local musicians as guitarist Rob Cheramy and tenor saxophonist Andrew Greenwood. Formed by Nordine in 2013, the band performed many of its first shows at Victoria’s historic Hermann’s Jazz Club.
Nordine scored Valdy’s original compositions for big band, along with Capilano College jazz studies program founder Mike Reveley, bandleader and pianist Andrew Homzy and trombonist/arranger Keith Ollerenshaw.
The Valdy Goes Big Band project evolved on Salt Spring Island as a collaboration between the jazz and folk communities, and saw its first show presented there in June 2018 with the Swing Shift Community Big Band.
Valdy, a self-professed “closet jazz player” for most of his life, is keen to perform his music with the VJO. Also performing with them for the first time will be trumpeter Derrick Milton, a member of The Foothills Brass and director of the Swing Shift band.
Tickets are available online through ticketfly.com, by phone at 250-386-5311 or at the Victoria Conservatory of Music box office at 900 Johnson St. General admission is $37, while students and seniors’ tickets are $32. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
editor@mondaymag.com
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