NORTH SAANICH — KJM are the featured performers at Jazz Vespers at St. John’s United Church on March 6 at 7 p.m.
KJM is Karel Roessingh on piano, Joey Smith on bass and Monik Nordine on sax.
A native of Leiden, Holland, Karel Roessingh was raised in Calgary and became a professional musician in 1970. He studied jazz arranging and composition at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.
Karel has been keyboardist and/or musical director for a great number of musicals, stage presentations, and concerts, and his playing talents have led to engagements all over the world. He has released at least a dozen albums and CDs, including solo piano, trio, orchestrations, and live concert recordings.
Karel has composed for film, television and video since 1985. He wrote the source music for the film In the Company of Men, which won the Filmmakers’ Trophy at the 1997 Sundance Festival, and was an official selection for the 1997 Cannes Film Festival.
Saxophonist Monik Nordine has performed with Michael Bublé, Rob McConnell, P.J. Perry, Paul Horn and Hugh Fraser, among others, and played on a number of studio albums, including with her own band, Departure. She has also worked as a freelance musician, composer and teacher in Vancouver and Montreal, and studies in London, England and New York City.
She now lives and works in Victoria, where she plays in numerous bands, runs the Victoria Jazz Orchestra and teaches at The Victoria Conservatory of Music.
Originally from Tennessee, bassist Joey Smith pursued graduate studies at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. He arrived in Victoria via the Glenn Miller Orchestra, for whom he played bass for two years. He has also played with a long list of jazz luminaries which includes Cleo Laine, Herb Ellis, Rosemary Clooney, Charlie Byrd and more. In addition, he has appeared at numerous jazz festivals in Canada and the US, including a performance at Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
The Jazz Vespers series continues on April 3 with the VCJQ (Victoria Chamber Jazz Quartet). VCJQ is Mary Byrne on flute, Karel Roessingh on piano, Joey Smith on bass and Damian Graham on drums. On May 1, Partners in Time are the featured performers.
Jazz Vespers services begin at 7 p.m. at St. John’s United Church (10990 West Saanich Road) across from Deep Cove School. An offering will be taken to cover the cost of the program. For more, call Bernadette at 250-656-0875 or email her at bernadettegreene@shaw.ca to be included on an email list of upcoming vespers services.
— Submitted