Born in Mississauga, Ontario, Steve waited for his parents to move to Regina before he took up the saxophone and began his musical journey. After 7 years with the world famous Regina Lions Junior Band, Steve left high school with a General Motors Award of Excellence to attend McGill University, where he studied with trumpet great Kevin Dean and Montreal bebop legend pianist/drummer André White, graduating with high distinction in 1994. That same year, Steve spent a month at the Banff Jazz Workshop with Kenny Wheeler, Mick Goodrick, Pat LaBarbera and John Clayton.
After spending 1995 in Toronto, Steve set up in Montreal again, recording a television special with singer Denzal Sinclaire as part of the 1996 Montreal Jazz Festival, and performing a concert with Maria Schneider at la Salle Gésu in 1997. He then spent a year in New York, taking lessons with jazz legend Lee Konitz and playing afternoon sessions with many great New York musicians.
Steve returned to Montreal in summer 1998 and enrolled in McGill University’s Masters Degree in Jazz Performance, this time studying with composer/pianist Jan Jarczyk. A highlight of this period would be when Steve was joined by guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel for a weekend at Upstairs Jazz Club. In May of 2000, Steve recorded an album of original music with fellow McGill alumni Tilden Webb, Dave Laing, Mike Downs, and Dave Mossing.
Steve moved to London, England in September 2000, where he played with many of the UK’s finest musicians, like Jamie Cullum, Humphrey Lyttelton, Steve Fishwick, Mike Carr, Jim Mullen, Geoff Gascoyne, Sebastiaan DeKrom, Matt Wates, Tommy Whittle, Steve Brown, Colin Oxley, John Pearce, Dave Cliff, Kate Williams, to name more than a few. Steve was also a member of the renowned Pasadena Roof Orchestra for 6 years.
Steve is now based in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he is actively involved with the Jodi Proznick Quartet. The quartet was named “Best Acoustic Jazz Group” at the 2008 Canadian National Jazz Awards and their album, “Foundations” on the CellarLive label won “Album of the Year”. “Foundations” was also nominated for Best Traditional Jazz Album at the 2008 Juno Awards.
Barry Wedgle: Barry Wedgle wasn't born with a guitar in his hands, but he soon made up for that lapse. By the time he was 12, he was leading his own band & playing around his hometown, Denver, Colorado. Like many players who grew up in the sixties & later moved into jazz, Barry was greatly influenced by Jimi Hendrix. But between Jimi & jazz, Barry listened to and mastered many different styles. For example, his flamenco playing was good enough to tour extensively in Spain, Mexico, Central & South America. for people who know the real deal.
When he first hit New York he spent considerable time jamming and running around the city with another player, Pat Metheny. He returned to Denver to record his first album, Kake, featuring Collin Walcott, Paul McCandless & Jay Clayton. When other artists heard him they remembered the frizzy haired, out- going guitarist. Harry Belafonte flew him to Toronto for a concert. Allen Ginsberg asked him to accompany readings. Taj Mahal invited him on stage at New Morning, in Paris. He recorded at Mount Fuji with the popular Japanese Rolling Club Band.
Wedgle’s real love has remained jazz, and he has paid his dues to establish himself in that form, touring through Europe with Sam Rivers and Steve Lacy, having done three recordings with Steve and maintaining both a duo-concert & recording relationship. Bouncing between Europe, the U.S., Japan and South America, Barry continues gigging and recording with other top shelf performers, Mal Waldron, John Hicks, and Joe Lee Wilson, to name a few.
What kind of guitar does Barry Wedgle play? A lot of guitar. Rather than waste your time with a pile of adjectives extolling his qualities, I suggest you listen for a while and enjoy.
David Aronson
Jazz Hot
Paris, France
Daniel Brubeck was born in 1954. Of all the musical Brubecks', Dan was acknowledged as the most intense and assertive. It was quite natural for him to gravitate toward the drums since he had unbounded energy as a child. And he learned from two of the best polyrhythmic drummers in the world, Brubeck Quartet members Joe Morello and Alan Dawson.
Dan's original drumming style, distinctive solos, and use of odd time signatures have earned him the respect of many critics and musicians worldwide. One of his biggest fans, his own father, worries about his intensity. "Danny can get almost out of his mind on drums," says Dave. "I pray some night that he'll come back to us, he's so far gone. He's so complicated and his face is so red and he's so physically into it. [Playing together] I couldn't hold in my mind where he was, but boy, he'd come out on that down beat to bring us back."
Dan has been featured on 10 Dave Brubeck albums as drummer and as producer on Trio Brubeck (with Dave and brother Chris). Dan has also soloed with many of the world's leading orchestras as a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet.
Dan has toured the international music circuit for over two decades as the leader of his own group, The Dolphins. Dan has released three CDs with The Dolphins, which received extensive airplay in the U.S. and Japan.
Dan was also co-leader of The Brubeck LaVerne Trio with brother Chris and pianist Andy LaVerne. Their Blackhawk record, See How it Feels, in 1986, made the top 25 list in national jazz airplay. Dan has recorded with Larry Coryell, Livingston Taylor, Michael Franks, and Roy Buchanan. He has toured with The Band, Gerry Mulligan, Jon Hendricks, Paul Butterfield, and Warren Bernhardt. Dan and Chris have made many television appearances including BBC specials, multiple appearances on The Today Show, Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show, and the nationally syndicated PBS Jazz in America series. He was the subject of The Jazz Show, alto saxophonist David Sanborn's syndicated radio program.
Rick Kilburn: Rick has enjoyed a forty-year career as a jazz bassist working with some of the greatest jazz musicians on the planet. During this period he has played at many of the famous jazz clubs in the US, Canada and Europe including the Village Vanguard, The Village Gate, Bradley's, Bottom Line, the Rainbow Room and the Blue Note in New York City, The Top of the Senator and the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. To name a few of the concert venues at which Rick has performed : Avery Fisher Hall (Lincoln Center), Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Boston Symphony Hall, the Orpheum and Queen Elizabeth Theater in Vancouver. Guest appearances accompanying various jazz groups performing in concert with Symphony Orchestras : Dave Brubeck Quartet with the Cincinnati Symphony, New Orleans Symphony, Ohio State Symphony; Joffrey Ballet with the Chicago Symphony at Ravinia; Southern Cross Quintet with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
