Live Music at The Jazz Room
Featuring International jazz acts that play the world’s top clubs (the Saturday program features artistic direction from Mark Kelso).
Please note that only Grand River Jazz Society events are shown below.
Robert Fekete is a Canadian Jazz pianist who has been performing throughout the province of Ontario with various artists for the past 36 years. He is a graduate of the Master of Music degree from the University of Toronto. Robert is a composer with two self-titled releases: “Ternary”, and “Transition”, and has composed for television as well as other forms of media.
He has also performed in Great Britain at Ronnie Scots in Birmingham and the Cardiff Bay Jazz Festival in Whales. Robert has performed in Holland in the cities of Amsterdam and Groningen as part of a Jazz fusion tour. Robert has performed with Canadian singers Heather Bambrick, and Avery Rachel.
When he is not performing Robert teaches Jazz at The Faculty of Music at McMaster University and Mohawk College in Hamilton.
Personnel:
Rob Fekete-piano
Mike Felice-tenor and soprano saxophone
William Sperandei-trumpet
Clark Johnston-bass
Kevin Demsey-drums
Check out: “Mood Swing Demo” “Darn that Dream”
William Morgan ‘Bill King’ (pianist, composer, publisher, producer) was born on June 22, 1946 in Jefferson, Indiana, U.S.A. He devoted much of his time as a youth to studies with W.C. Handy’s former pianist Eva Smith, the Louisville Academy of music’s Don Murray, and Indiana University saxophonist/educator Jamey Aebersold. By the early ‘60’s, he had won 16 first place awards in classical piano and clarinet competitions and a scholarship to Oscar Peterson’s Advanced School of Contemporary Music- (1963) and a scholarship to Berklee School of Music in Boston (1964).
King began his career performing with local community orchestras and big bands in New York, in 1966. He was a member of The Shadows in 1966 when they had their first Billboard Top 50 hit with jazz pianist’s Bobby Timmons gospel romp, ‘Moanin’, a successful stint which led to King working with many of the stars of the day including The Shangrilas, Dick and Dee Dee, Freddy Cannon, The Dovells, and Ronnie Dove. He opened for The Beach Boys on three occasions, and appeared with the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars. By 1968, King had moved from Greenwich Village (where he been house pianist at Louie Jordan’s) to Los Angeles to become Linda Ronstadt’s Music Director and Pianist. A year later, he joined Janis Joplin’s band in the same capacity.
King relocated to Toronto for the first time in 1969, signing a recording contract with Capitol Records who would release two albums over the next few years (‘Goodbye Superdad’ and ‘Dixie Peach’) with King as leader. He returned to Los Angeles in 1976 as Music Director for vocalist Martha Reeves. While on a European tour with Reeves, he was persuaded to join The Pointer Sisters and spent the next year touring Japan and the U.S as their Music Director. He moved back to Toronto permanently in the late ‘70s to form the rock group Kearney, King, and McBride (later known as ‘China’) and recorded a self-titled album for Epic/CBS.
By 1984, after a year-long stint with Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks, King launched his first independent jazz label known as Night Passage Records, recording several successful albums on that label over the ensuing four years. He also issued one release on Gaia Records (‘Magnolia Nights’).
During the mid ‘80s, King began a career as a jazz broadcaster first at Toronto’s Q-107 and Q-Jazz, then creating ‘The Jazz Report’ which ran for almost three years at CIUT-FM, then nationally as ‘The Jazz Report Radio Network’ which was heard in 26 cities from 1989 to 1991. Bill also hosted and produced “Jazz Preview” a weekly show on Jazz FM for 4 ½ years. During that time he also produced and engineered Joe Sealy’s duets as well as acting as co-producer for Jazz FM Sound of Toronto series. In 1987, he established a parallel career as a publisher and record company president with partner Greg Sutherland, founding ‘The Jazz Report‘ Magazine. The duo went on to begin the Radioland record label in 1992, signing a major manufacturing and distribution deal with Verve/Polygram Canada a year later.
Bill King has also been a driving force in the success of The Beaches International Jazz Festival in Toronto, serving as the festival’s Artistic Director since its inception in 1988. He was also Artistic Director during the short-lived Toronto International BBQ & Blues Festival. King started the National Jazz Awards in 2001 to recognize outstanding contributions by Canadian jazz musicians.
Personnel:
Bill King-piano
Paul Novotny-bass
Mark Kelso-drums
Check out: “There it Is” at the Beaches Jazz Festival “I’m a Lucky So & So” at the Homesmith Bar “Mack the Knife at the Jazz Bistro 2021”
“Winner of the International B-Jazz Competition and Winner of Best Solist Prize. The Philippe Lemm Trio is continually proving to be one of the most exciting and electrifying jazz trio’s around today. Led at the helm by drummer Philippe Lemm, the group met in New York in 2011, and after one session together, realized that their undeniable chemistry was one that needed to be taken and shared with the world.
Comprised of three musicians with exceptional command of their instruments, the group’s repertoire draws heavily from re-imaginations of jazz standards in a way that both defies genre and corresponds to any modern jazz fan. The group uses their trust and understanding of one another’s musical tendencies to create passionate musical soundscapes, which range from traditional jazz to the progressive rock/classical-influenced music. Hearing the trio is a special and unforgettable experience, and you will be captivated after listening to one piece.”
The trio has performed on stages like: North Sea Jazz Festival, Blue Note Note NYC, Kennedy Center, Ronnie Scotts, Pori Jazz Festival and Concertgebouw
Personnel:
Phillipe Lemm-Drums
Sharik Hasan-piano
Jeff Koch-bass
Checkout; “The Kiln” “When You Wake Up” “Caffeinated Souls-Live at the Blue Note”
“Tuttitipiditango” will celebrate the Brazilian popular music genre “choro”. Originating from the habanera rhythm and very close to the Brazilian tango, choros are happy and bright compositions full of syncopation! This project will go from the origins of the genre up to its modern samba-jazz instances.”
Just like the Argentinian tango, the Cuban danzón, and the American swing, also choro is an evolution of the habanera pattern—that “Spanish tinge”, as Jelly Roll Morton would call it. At the beginning of the 1900, Brazilian tangos (early choros) gained so much popularity, thanks to the sensual moves of the dancers, to the point that they were used in political debates of that time.
Far from trying to disrupt such a tranquil political scene we’re living right now, Tuttitipiditango will explore the development of choro from the happy and bright compositions of late 1800 to modern samba-jazz instances, from the syncopated maxixe to the blues.
And during these excursions, we’ll discover that Beethoven and Chopin were big fans of choro too!”
Personnel:
Kitchener’s homie, Fred Smith and his old pals from the hood, “The Freeloaders” come to The Jazz Room.
Sharing the stage with Paul Stouffer – Keys, Tom Nagy – Bass and Donnie McDougall – Drums, he’ll bring a variety of flavourful jazz tunes.
Come on out and enjoy some originals, standard swing, bop and some funkin’ great groove tunes; a little something for everyone. “Freddie and the Freeloaders” are looking so forward to playing for you at The Jazz Room.
Fred Smith is a versatile musician and singer, grateful for the many opportunities in his satisfying career. Performing for over 40 years, he’s backed names including Bobby Curtola, Jack Scott, Del Shannon, Frankie Ford, Leslie Gore, The Drifters, Ben E. King, The Supremes, Lou Christie, Sam Moore, The Coasters, Spencer Davis, The Platters, Bowzer (Sha Na Na), The Fifth Dimension, Peter Noone, The Platters, Gary U.S. Bonds, The Chi-Lites and The Mamas and the Papas …to name a few!
Kitchener’s “Fred Smith Studio” opened in the 1980’s where Fred produces his own music, corporate voice-overs, commercial music, radio commercials, bands and singer-songwriters. He enjoys working with award winning actors in post-production for TV and film. Renowned actors such as Colm Feore, Christopher Plummer, Brian Dennehy, Cynthia Dale and Stephen McHattie have made things interesting in his studio. Recently, Fred has worked many on shows such as, House of Cards, Umbrella Academy, Good Sam, Titans, Pretty Hard Cases, The Next Step, Son of a Critch, Essex County and Murdoch Mysteries.
Personnel:
Fred Smith-guitar
Paul Stouffer – Keys
Tom Nagy – Bass
Donnie McDougall – Drums
Guitar Player Magazine calls guitarist Ralf Buschmeyer ‘as smooth and sophisticated as James Bond taking a holiday in Monte Carlo’ and Blues Review Magazine hails him as an ‘inventive musician’. Ralf has been playing professionally since the 1980’s where he grew up playing clubs in Southern Ontario. Jazz studies with Lorne Lofsky at Hamilton’s Mohawk College led to touring Canada for three years and settling in Canada’s Western Provinces where Ralf directed Jazz Guitar studies for Mount Royal University, Ambrose University(Calgary), Selkirk College(BC) as well as being a faculty member for Grant MacEwan University(Edmonton), Nazarene University and University of Calgary. Ralf is currently active as a free-lance performer and private teacher in Southern Ontario as well as faculty for Heritage College Music Department in Cambridge, Ontario. Ralf is a Godin Guitars endorsed artist.
Personnel:
Ralf Buschmeyer-guitar
Kelly Jefferson-saxophone
Morgan Childs-drums
Jeff McLeod-piano and B3
Check out: “All the Things You Are” and “How Deep Is The Ocean“. “At Drum Mania” “Falling Grace”
“Lofsky’s imagination is fertile (and) his technique it’s match” – Toronto Globe and Mail
Lorne Lofsky started as a typical teenage rock ’n roll guitar player, playing in basement bands and at high school dances. In his late teens, a friend turned him onto Miles Davis’ Classic disk “Kind of Blue” which dramatically altered his approach to playing music. During a week’s gig at the legendary George’s Spaghetti House in Toronto, he met Oscar Peterson, which lead to an enduring relationship, including three years as a member of the Oscar Peterson Quartet, performing at Carnegie Hall, the Montreal Jazz Festival, and around the world. Lorne was featured on 3 of Oscar Peterson’s recordings, including “live in Paris”. He has played/toured or recorded with a who’s who of the jazz world, including not only Oscar Peterson, but Ed Bickert, Rob McConnell, Chet Baker, Joey DeFrancesco, Pepper Adams, Ray Brown, Neils Henning Orsted Pederson, Rosemary Clooney, Kirk MacDonald, Dave Holland, and many other respected members of the international jazz community.
Lorne is unquestionably one of the finest jazz guitarists in the world today. He is a master improviser, manipulating time and melody and taking chances on original compositions and standard tunes. Expect tunes from the great American Songbook and jazz standards.
Personnel:
Lorne Lofsky-guitar
Neil Swainson-bass
Barry Romberg-drums
Hear Lorne with “Dolphin Dance”
The Natural Women Show hails from Toronto, and presents classic R&B with a focus on the music of Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin and other influential women in Black music of the 60s, 70s and 80s. The show celebrates some of the seminal recordings in American music history, by Black women in the industry. The band was founded by lead singer Jillian Mendez (Juno Award nominee and former recording artist with Island Records) and drummer Bryan Humphreys (Jeff Healey, Lou Pomanti, Emile d’Eon, Scott McCord). Joining them are keyboardist Jason Larmond (Glenn Lewis, Melanie Fiona), guitarist Tony Barrett (Rita Marley, Black Uhuru), saxophonist John Pagnotta (Liberty Silver ,George Olliver) and bassist Roger Williams (Shakura S’Aida, Ivana Santilli, Quisha Wint).
Jillian Mendez is a Toronto-based vocalist and songwriter who began singing when she was two years old. Jillian’s key musical influences include Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, and Patti LaBelle. Her early work including being the opening act for R&B band Midnight Star and a vocalist with Juno-nominated R&B band Something Extra. Jillian co-wrote the Juno nominated R&B dance single “Destiny”, and released a remake of Roberta Flack’s, “Feel Like Making Love” on a compilation album along with such artists as Dream Warriors and Boo-Yaa Tribe. Her current work and live performance includes multiple genres including jazz, R&B, soul and classical.
Personnel:
Jillian Mendez – voice
Bryan Humphreys – drums
Jason Larmond – keys
Tony Barrett – guitar
John Pagnotta – saxophone
Roger Williams – bass
Check out: “Chain of Fools” “Respect”
