2013 Live @ Your Library

Live @ Your Library 2013
Live @ Your Library 2013: The Kingston Jazz Composers Connection

The Kingston Jazz Society is excited to announce our full Live @ Your Library 2013 line-up. The theme for the Series, “The Kingston Jazz Composers Connection” highlights our City’s amazing local talent like no other by first celebrating the Kingston Jazz Composers Collective, and then featuring subsequent concerts, each lead by a different member of the group. The series combines artists of regional, national, and international acclaim on one stage. As always, the intimate, accessible setting and rich acoustics of the venue will provide an excellent experience for everyone.

Series tickets are available at Brian’s Record Option and will of course be available at the door. Series passes are available for $75 for all 5 shows. Tickets for each concert will be $20. $5 student tickets will once again be available at the door at each concert, space permitting.

2013 Live @ Your Library: The Kingston Jazz Composers Connection

(Concerts held Sundays at 2pm in The Wilson Room of the Kingston Public Library, 130 Johnson.)

January 13: Kingston Jazz Composers Collective

  • Greg Runions — Vibraphone
  • Dave Barton — Guitar
  • Jon Stewart — Saxophones
  • Mike Cassells — Drums
  • Mike Perlin — Bass
The Kingston Jazz Composers Collective
The Kingston Jazz Composers Collective

The Kingston Jazz Composers Collective was formed in the Fall of 2008 to give a public workshop in Composition and Performance at the Kingston Jazz Festival.  Inspired by similar groups in New York and San Francisco it brought together five of Kingston’s best musicians and composers in a live-audience setting to rehearse and perform new or unplayed works.  At that time the group decided on a mandate (of sorts) to try and present new material every time it performs, but for this performance for the Kingston Jazz Society they will playing a combination of new compositions as well as selections from their new release “Times & Places”.  The KJCC consists of Jonathan Stewart on saxophones, Dave Barton on guitar, Greg Runions on vibes, Michael Perlin on bass, and Mike Cassells on drums.

KJCC members have been making music together under various banners for years, playing with many of Canada’s finest jazz musicians. Runions, Barton, and Cassells have several recordings of their music with varying lineups, sometimes featuring members of the Collective. These talented musicians and composers have all recorded studio and live albums and, in addition to being part of the local music scene, are heavily involved in the Queen’s School of Music, the St. Lawrence Music program, and area public and high school jazz bands.

This concert is sponsored by GoSaBe Development and Design

January 27: Dave & Paul Barton

  • Paul Barton — Guitar
  • Mike Cassells — Drums
  • Artie Roth — Bass
  • Dave Barton — Guitar
Dave & Paul Barton, Artie Roth, Mike Cassells
Dave & Paul Barton, Artie Roth, Mike Cassells

Dave Barton is a busy composer, arranger, guitarist and teacher in Kingston and area. Dave composes and arranges for Brasswerks, the Queens Jazz ensemble, and has arranged music for the Kingston Symphony/Greg Runions Big Band. Active in live performance and studio work, he has been fortunate to perform with many of Canada’s great jazz players through the original KJS guest artist program.

Paul Barton is in the 3rd Year of the Bachelor of Music program at Humber College. He won the Presidents Letter award for highest average for both semesters in second year, is currently composing a score for a full-length feature film. He is the first-call guitarist for the Thousand Islands Playhouse, and is busy performing around Toronto.

Toronto-born jazz bassist Artie Roth has been an active composer, bandleader, performer and educator in the national and international jazz communities, since his graduation from York University in 1992 with the Oscar Peterson Scholarship. After two Canada Council sponsored study tenures in New York City (1993 and 1997), Artie returned to Toronto establishing himself as one of the busiest, full-time composer/performers in Toronto. As well as leading his own group, Artie is also an active member of The Rich Underhill Group, The Bob Brough Quartet and Kollage.

The Music
Influenced by Kenny Wheeler, Vince Mendoza and early fusion jazz, Dave writes jazz music that is accessible and tuneful. Paul writes modern improvisational music influenced by jazz, folk, and classical.

This concert is presented in co-operation with Artignite

February 17: Jon Stewart

  • Marianne Trudel — Piano
  • Morgan Moore — Bass
  • Devin Gray — Drums
  • Jon Stewart — Saxophones
Jon Stewart, Marianne Trudel, Devin Gray, Morgan Moore
Jon Stewart, Marianne Trudel, Devin Gray, Morgan Moore

Jonathan Stewart is a local saxophonist and composer who has been performing around the Kingston area for more than 20 years.  His study of jazz and, more recently, creative music has taken him to Toronto, Montreal, and Banff in search of new influences and inspirations.  This most recent quartet project, featuring long-time friends and collaborators Marianne Trudel and Morgan Moore, as well as New York drummer Devin Gray, continues a path of musical exploration involving music which is both structured and not, tonal and not.

Jon Stewart has studied saxophone with Pat Labarbera and has worked as a freelance musician in the pop and jazz field. His performance credits include Haskell and the Cleavers, the live sex vidieos Linda Laurence Blues Band, Marianne Trudel, and the Greg Runions Big Band. Jon is a graduate of Humber College and the McGill University Jazz Studies program.

Marianne Trudel is a multi-talented pianist, composer, improvisor, and arranger. At once energetic and passionate, her music cross-cuts a wide swath of musical interests. As a performer, she pursues an active career in a variety of settings from solo to duos and trios, and larger quintet, septet and large ensembles. Recipient of the Prix Étoiles Galaxie de Radio-Canada (Montreal JF 2007), her four recordings have garnered rave reviews.

Devin Gray is quickly becoming a top-call young drummer in many modern jazz circles in New York City and throughout the East Coast. He works in multiple musical directions, striving for quality and sincerity in his work. He is as an artist who will both move the music forward, and share his unique musical vision with the world. He’s worked with musicians such as Tony Malaby, Gary Thomas, Ingrid Jensen,, Sam Rivers, Ted Rosenthal, Dave Liebman, and Vardan Ovsepian.

Morgan Moore’s dedication to serve the music has led to a very busy and successful career. Having played, recorded and toured with Sophie Milman and three members of the Order of Canada (Ranee Lee, Oliver Jones and Guido Basso), his career is just beginning to flourish.

This concert is sponsored by Carolyn Thornburrow, SunLife Financial

March 17: Mike Cassells

  • Michael Occhipinti — Guitar
  • Jon Maharaj — Bass
  • Mike Cassells Drums
Mike Cassells, Michael Occhipinti, Jon Maharaj
Mike Cassells, Michael Occhipinti, Jon Maharaj

Mike Cassells has been playing music in Kingston for over 20 years and has established himself as one of the cities most creative musicians. He has been fortunate to perform with artists including Kenny Wheeler, Don Thompson, Mike Murley, Joe Sullivan, and Paul Tynan. Active as a composer and an educator, he creates music in a wide variety of styles and currently teaches at St. Lawrence College in their Digital Arts for Musicians program. His albums demonstrate his diversity of interests and talents, covering a range of styles, from jazz fusion to electroacoustic. His latest album features original compositions in tribute to the great jazz drummer Paul Motian.

Jon Maharaj is one of Toronto’s busiest bassists. He has performed and/or recorded with Reg Schwager, Mike Murley, Christian Scott, Matt Stevens, David Braid, and many others. He’s appeared on dozens of recordings crossing a number of genres. Graduate of the U of T’s Jazz Studies program, he has lived in New York thanks to a Canada Council grant, where he had the opportunity to study with Drew Gress, Ben Street, Scott Colley, and Matt Brewer.

An eight-time JUNO Award nominee for Best Contemporary Jazz Album (including 2009’s album The Sicilian Jazz Project), guitarist/composer Michael Occhipinti’s modern and eclectic approach to jazz and creative music of all kinds has earned him a broad array of listeners and the respect of critics and musicians alike. As co-leader of the 16-piece band NOJO, Occhipinti has performed with such jazz greats as Don Byron, Joe Lovano, Ray Anderson, and Kenny Wheeler.

April 7: Greg Runions

  • John MacLeod — Trumpet
  • Jonathon Stewart — Tenor Saxophone
  • Dave Barton — Guitar
  • Greg Runions — Vibraphone
  • Brian Dickinson — Piano
  • Artie Roth — Bass
  • Mike Cassells Drums
The Greg Runions Septet
The Greg Runions Septet

Vibraphonist, composer and arranger, Greg Runions has been fortunate to perform with some outstanding artists, including Roy Patterson, Anthony Braxton, Don Thompson, Tony Bennett and Kenny Wheeler. He has studied at Queen’s, The Crane School of Music, and the Banff Centre and has been fortunate to have his works performed by many of Canada’s best musicians. He has created numerous works for big band and has arranged works for big band and full orchestra. Greg resides in Kingston where he performs in the Kingston Symphony and teaches at Napanee DSS and Queen’s.

Brian Dickinson, born in Guelph, has been active on the Toronto scene for decades, performing with the crème de la crème of the jazz world including Pat LaBarbera, Kenny Wheeler, Kirk MacDonald, Randy Brecker, Lee Konitz, Dave Liebman, Michael Becker, and Dave Holland. He is now head of the Keyboard Department at Toronto’s Humber College. As a leader, Dickinson has released six records including the Juno Award-winning In Transition.

John MacLeod’s credentials as a trumpeter/composer/arranger have been firmly established in a distinguished career spanning over thirty years on the Canadian music scene. He has worked with Toronto’s elite musicians and musical organizations in both the jazz and commercial music fields. As a jazz artist, he has had the opportunity to perform with many musical legends. He has performed on well over fifty albums, including Grammy- and Juno-award winners. At the last National Jazz Awards ceremony held in 2009, John felt honoured to be voted “Arranger Of The Year”.

This concert is sponsored by SZA: Shoalts and Zaback Architects Ltd.


Our full concert line-up is made possible by the support of The City of Kingston, The Kingston Arts Council, Carolyn Thornburrow of Sun Life Financial, GoSaBe Development and Design, Shoalts and Zaback Architects Ltd., Chez Piggy, Novel Idea, and The Main Street Market.

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