Popular young jazz musicians blow horns for Music & Munch
YJP - Young Jazz Players appear for their fourth consecutive year.
This group of young musicians has undergone several stylistic changes, from jazz to blues to funk and hip-hop,
but has always maintained its solid jazz foundation, which will again form the Music and Munch program on June 4.
They have also undergone some personnel changes, having lost Daniel Fogarty, Dorian Roop and Simon Millerd.
Millerd is furthering his jazz studies on the mainland but continues to play with them when he is on the
island.
Likewise, Sandy Curtis, currently studying jazz at Capilano College, occasionally sits in on their jam
sessions.
At present the band consists of Garret MacDonnell and Phil Wurr on tenor saxophone, Addi Perkins on alto sax,
Ed Perkins on guitar, Ben Sanchez on bass and Devan Banman on drums.
Free music begins at 12:10 pm followed by an optional an delicious lunch for $5.50, all in the wonderful
ambiance of the All Saints Church in Ganges. Who is YJP?
The YJP, or Young Jazz Players, was formed almost exactly three years ago by Mr. Bruce Creswick of SIMS (Saltspring
Island Middle School). When we started there were two grade eight students and five grade seven students. Since
that fateful spring the band has flourished and has enjoyed the contributions of many delightful players and
teachers. We have also undergone many stylistic changes from blues to funk to jazz back to funk to hip-hop and
back again. Through these changes we have always maintained a steady foundation of jazz.
Some special thanks go deservedly to Mr. Creswick, Mr. Smith, Monik Nordine, our teachers at Acoustic Planet
Music, the faculties of the Nanaimo and Victoria Jazz Camps, and most of all our wonderfully helpful parents.
There are for sure many other people out there but it takes so much to make a band that we couldn't possibly name
them all. We would also like to thank the past members of our group, Daniel Fogarty and Dorian Roop. There is
also Simon Millerd who moved to the mainland but continues to play with us whenever he is here so he might as
well be part of the group. We also have the pleasure of frequently playing with Sandy Curtis who is studying jazz
at Capilano College. During the last few months we have also had the pleasure of playing with Phil Wurr.
The band is as stands:
Garrett Macdonell on Tenor Saxophone
Addi Perkins on Alto Saxophone
Phil Wurr an Tenor Saxophone
Ed Perkins on Guitar
Ben Sanchez on Bass
Devan Banman on Drums
We Hope you enjoy the show |
