Autumn has arrived full tilt, and it is time to start getting warm and cozy. 

Here are a few great music events to start you on your way....

Saturday afternoon at 3:30 the Urbana Big Band (of which I am a part) performs at

Unity of Vancouver, 5840 Oak St

There are others playing this festival, and if you are a big band fan, check them all out:

  1:30  FORWARD MOTION JAZZ ORCHESTRA,   2:30 IMPRESSIONS BIG BAND

  3:30 URBANA

  4:30 SOUTH VAN BIG BAND,   5:30 MIGHTY FRASER BIG BAND,   6:30 BRUCE JAMES ORCHESTRA, 

AND AT 8:00PM  A PERFORMANCE BY THE VANCOUVER GROOVE ORCHESTRA AND THE RANDERS BIG BAND FROM DENMARK. 

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After the Urbana Show, I head over to Ten Ten Tapas for my usual Saturday hang, with cool jazz and yummy food for a 7 pm show. Lisa Fennell will join me and sing new songs as well as ones from her current album 'By Request'. 

NOTE: Next Saturday Oct 24, I will NOT be at Ten Ten Tapas, I will be leading an amazing blues show in Delta for the Rockin' For REACH, and invite you all down. This is an Allstar Cavalcade of blues stars, including Cecile LaRochelle, LJ Mounteney, Lisa Fennell, Olaf deShield, Pete Sweetzir, Loren Etkin, and special guest Ava Frye. This one can't be missed, and there are silent auction details in the pdfs.

Coming up Friday Nov 6, I have a Sultry and Soulful show planned with Vancouver's two Major Domos of Jazz, Miles Black and Cory Weeds (plus Nino Di Pasquale and tim Stacey) at Blue Frog Studios Concert Stage. This is the sweetest concert venue in the lower mainland!  Tickets

Hey Music Fans,

Whether you like the blues of it or the jazz of it, these two events will be boffo!

Coming up first is the REACH Benefit Oct 24 in Delta. A veritable cavalcade of stars, and a punchy, solid show- all for a really great cause! Check it out on FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/rockinforreach. Reach Child and Youth Development Society is a non-profit charitable society that has been providing services to children and their families since 1959. read more

See the pdfs for all details. Sponsorship participation and silent auction items still needed..... but it is almost sold out, so make your move now!

Then Nov 6, I join forces with Vancouver's top jazz stars Miles Black (piano) and Cory Weeds (sax) on the Blue Frog Concert Stage, for an evening of Sultry and Soulful Jazz. Also on board is Tim Stacey on Bass and Nino DiPasquale on drums.

Don't forget.....

I will be at my usual haunt Saturday, Ten Ten Tapas. It is a swinging place with great food, fantastic waterfront location, and cool sounds from special guest artists who join me on a regular basis. This week I will be performing many of the tunes off my new album, Open Invitation, and have Mimi Snyder coming in to perform some new tunes that we are preparing for her upcoming album, which I am producing. Come by and get out of the dreary weather.... its warm and inviting! Rezzies please: 604-689-7800. Free parking underground along the highrise towards the seawall. Here is a little graphic made by the floor manager there:

There is an exciting upcoming event to plan for as well:

Oct 24 Blues Bash Benefit for REACH, featuring blues stars such as Olaf deShield, Cecile LaRochelle, LJ Mounteney, and Lisa Fennell. We still need some silent auction items and sponsors, see the pdfs for tickets and sponsorship details.

DON'T FORGET ... 

I AM AT TEN TEN TAPAS tonight, and we have special guests galore, including the incomparable Lisa Fennell!

Now on to the music.... We had a fantastic show at the Jazz in the Sanctuary on Wednesday!

This Saturday, Sept 26, Ten Ten Tapas is hosting a special guest appearance by a 10 year old singing wunderkind, Elias Tyson. This little cat sings like a bird and is a stylistic Old Soul, channeling everyone from Billy Eckstine and Jiohnny Hartman, to Stevie Wonder and Bruno Mars! This is a show that can't be missed!

Elias will be joining me, along with Mimi Snyder, and the fantastic TenTen fav Lisa Fennell, and not only will we be doing the jazziest array of funky stuff (my originals), bossa novas (Mimi's bag), bluesy classics from the 50's and 60's (one of Lisa's skills), but we will let Elias rule the roost when he comes on...

Valerie Jenkinson has called her posse for her going away party, as she is relocating to St. Lucia, so vacant seats will be low, but party atmosphere high!

Make a rezzie NOW, and come on down at 7 ish for a really rockin' night!

Also note that next Wednesday the 30th, I will be performing with my straight ahead quartet at Jazz Vespers Evensong, at Brentwood Presbyterian Church, 1600 Delta Ave, Burnaby....  8 pm, with Chris Haas (drums), Jason Decouto (piano), and Tim Stacey (bass). A cool environment for playing straight-ahead classic jazz.

Nick Apivor on vibes was featured guest with me at TenTenTapas.com recently and he tore it up! 

Check out his extended solos at 2:15 and 4:50, where he really struts his stuff. He went through the roof on Seven Come Eleven but unfortunately wasn't captured on video. 

Shot in lowlight with an iPhone in the left hand with the Tromba trumpet in the right, so it's a little shaky, but definitely a cool set captured. We are hoping Nick makes himself available again soon!

Be sure to make this your Saturday hot spot, where the food is sumptuous and the music and libations flow easily.....

This Saturday we have more special guests and it will be Valerie Jenkinson's Going Away Party, so we will party hearty!

Here is a link to more videos and content: http://tinyurl.com/kjlnxd4

We always have so much fun, so join us on Saturday! 

This week the inimitable Billy Mendoza, Nick Apivor and also Steven Ley will join me on classic songs. 

The food is awesome and I will be featuring a set of New Orleans style bluesy jazz. 

Rezzies recommended for 7-ish!! 

Come down the drive alongside the highrise at 1000 Beach, and enter the parkade where it designates restaurant (free) parking!