Sidemen in the Comical Music Concert (Sat. Oct. 2, 12:00 Noon)
International recording artist NANCY RUTH has graced stages worldwide, offering her unique musical blend of jazz, Latin and pop. Whether accompanying herself on the piano or flamenco guitar, or fronting her band, she sings with passionate, sultry tones and “commands the attention of the audience with a well-polished stage manner and palpable charismatic charms.”  (Joseph Blake, Victoria Times-Colonist)

Nancy grew up in the seaside town of Sidney, British Columbia, Canada where an early love of jazz was ignited by the family jam sessions. But it wasn’t until she traveled to Latin America and then eventually settled in Spain that she found her greatest musical passion. Her love of Spanish now infuses much of her work as evident on her latest CD, Me Quedo, for the Home of Jazz label. Nancy continues to compose songs in a personal style encompassing the sounds of flamenco, jazz, and boleros.

She’s worked with pianist Bob Albanese in New York, studied with pianist Lloyd Abrams in Vancouver, collaborated with composer Toño Robira in Panama, and continues her study of the flamenco guitar with master tocaor Gabriel Cabrera de los Gazules in Spain.

Her career started with classical studies in voice, piano and theatre, then leading roles in musicals such as Dames at Sea, Grease, and a six-year run of the successful Yukon review Beaver Creek Rendezvous. In addition to her theatre experience, Nancy toured Canada with bands Axess and Renaissance, appeared in Singapore as guest vocalist with WEA recording artists The Lovehunters, and an uncanny ability to sing in different languages landed her a month long gig performing at the Palace of the Sultan of Brunei.

In 1998 Nancy released her first CD, the self- titled Nancy Ruth, a critically acclaimed album of her own compositions on the Roca label. Returning to her love of the standard song, she released her second CD, It’s Got to Be Love in 2004.

The latest CD, Me Quedo, is a mix of original and Latin favourites, on the European label Home of Jazz.

Ron Hadley: Ron is originally from the Boston area, where he took private lessons at the New England Conservatory with jazz piano legend Jaki Byard while studying theory and jazz improvisation at Berklee College of Music. He has performed throughout North America and Japan, and his lifelong professional involvement in the latter country (In addition to ongoing concert and workshop tours in Japan, Ron also works as a translator and interpreter.) led to his relocation to the Pacific Northwest.

 

Wilmer Fawcett: Canadian double bassist Wilmer Fawcett studied at the University of Alberta, the Juilliard School in New York under scholarships from the Canada Council and Frederick Zimmermann, and Indiana University with Murray Grodner. He toured Europe as a member of the National and International Youth Orchestras and the Purcell Ensemble, and toured Korea with Viveza during Expo 93.
A founding member of Viveza, Fawcett has recently retired as Principal Bassist with the CBC Vancouver Orchestra and Associate Principal with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. He has appeared frequently in the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival and the Vancouver Chamber Music Festival, and as a studio and chamber music player (including concerts with the Melos Quartet and the Vogler Quartet).
Previous playing positions have included the National Arts Centre Orchestra (as a guest performer) and the Edmonton Symphony, and his teaching positions have included the University of BC, Douglas College, the Vancouver Academy of Music, the Courtenay Youth Music Camp, the Banff School of Fine Arts and Indiana University (as a teaching assistant). Fawcett has performed and recorded many solos in the bass repertory, including Mozart's Per questa bella mano (K612), a baroque concerto for violone by Karl Kohaut, and the Canadian premiere of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies' Strathclyde Concerto No.7 for Double Bass for CBC broadcast.
Wilmer also enjoys playing jazz guitar.

 
Raphael Geronimo has been part of the Vancouver Music Scene for many years, performing, teaching and directing for many of the city's best loved groups. Third generation in a family of professional musicians and dancers, he committed himself at age seventeen to serious musical studies under his father, Rene "Boying" Geronimo, and made his professional debut one year later. Continuing his training he studied in Cuba at the Laboratorio Internacional de Folklore and in New York City at the Harbour Center of Performing Arts.
Raphael continues to direct Rumba Calzada, an explosive latin jazz ensemble which was passed onto him by his father. Rumba Calzada has performed internationally and has been nominated for a 2002 Canadian Independent Music Award, 2002 Westcoast Music Award, 2002 Juno Award and a 2008 Western Canadian Music Award.
In 2008, Rumba Calzada performed at the Miri International Jazz Festival in Sarawak, Malaysia, representing Canada, and was voted back as the "crowd favourite" to return for 2009.
"Canadian based Rumba Calzada brought the house down with their eclectic mix of Latin, Salsa and Afro-Cuban rhythms."   - Adam Lee, Music Room (Asia)
Raphael has also written music that has been featured on television programs such as the L Word, Godiva's, Dead Zone and Show Me Yours.
He also instructs drum and percussion work shops at schools and education centres throughout Canada and the United States and currently teaches drums at Long and McQuade Music Center.