VIU Jazz Concert Oct. 13 Features 'The Cookers Quintet'

When you’ve had enough of cooking for Thanksgiving, it will be time to relax and enjoy a jazz concert with The Cookers Quintet Tuesday, Oct. 13 at Vancouver Island University (VIU).

As special guests of VIU’s Jazz Studies program, the Toronto-based group will perform at 7 pm in the Choral Room in Building 320.

Two of the three quintet leaders, Ryan Oliver (tenor sax) and Alex Coleman (bass), are VIU Jazz program alumni, and have gone on to record and tour the world with some of North America's finest musicians. They’re joined by third leader Tim Hamel (trumpet), along with Joel Haynes (drums) and Richard Whiteman (piano).

The Cookers Quintet’s music is steeped in the '50s and '60s Blue Note era. Inspired by groups such as Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver, and Lee Morgan, the three leaders of the group all contribute original material. They have produced two CDs (The Cookers Quintet Vol.1 & Vol.2), both on the Toronto-based label Do Right! Music.

Oliver has toured the world with the likes of The Shuffle Demons, his own quartet with jazz legend Victor Lewis, and Aboriginal blues artist Derek Miller. He has two CDs to his name, Convergence (with Bob McLaren, Bernie Senensky, and Duncan Hopkings) and Strive (with Gary Williamson, Alex Coleman, and Victor Lewis). Oliver went on to receive his Master’s from Rutgers in New Jersey.

Coleman (bass) graduated from the University of Toronto jazz program and today leads an eight piece group, Tonight at Noon, which performs the music of Charles Mingus. The members of this group are some of Canada's finest, including pianist Gary Williamson, saxophonist Perry White and drummer Terry Clarke.

Toronto native Tim Hamel (trumpet) has been on the jazz scene for 30 years. He's one of his city's most recognizable trumpet players and has toured across Canada and the USA many times. He has one CD thus far: Relapsin' with the Tim Hamel Quartet, and has appeared on countless other recordings, film scores, and TV shows.

Tickets at $10 for the public and $5 for VIU students are available at the door. Music students get free admission.

After their evening performance, The Cookers Quartet will provide a clinic for VIU Jazz Studies students the next day, Oct. 14 at 11:30 am. The public is welcome to drop into the Choral Room, Building 320, to listen in on the clinic.

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More Information:

For more information on The Cookers Quintet, seewww.thecookers.ca

Media Contact

Shari Bishop Bowes, Communications Officer, Vancouver Island University

P:250.740.6443  C: 250.618.1535 E: Communications@viu.ca T: @viunews