Musicians Gallery
Pat LaBarbera
Pat LaBarbera Website Pat LaBarbera (saxophonist, teacher, composer) was born in Mt. Morris, NY, in 1944. His first teacher was his father, Joseph, a clarinetist. His brothers are also noted jazz musicians: Joe, a drummer, and John, an arranger and composer. LaBarbera’s other teachers included Joe Viola, Don Menza, and Joe Allard (saxophone), Joe Henderson, Lee Konitz, and Warne Marsh (improvisation), and Bernie Piltch (flute). LaBarbera also studied arranging and composition 1964-7 at the Berklee College of Music, Boston. After...
read moreDarcy Hepner
Darcy Hepner (saxophonist, flutist, composer, educator) was raised in the “Steel City” of Hamilton, Ontario, Hepner comes from a musical family. His father, Dr. Lee Hepner, was the founder of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and went on to become a Professor of Music at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. His mother, Patricia Rolston, is a well known pianist who has performed throughout Canada and Europe. Darcy first came to music as a cellist, encouraged by his parents who hoped he would one day join them on the concert...
read moreJerry Fuller
Jerry Fuller (drummer) was born on April 5, 1939 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He passed away July 13, 2002 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He came from a musical family, his father Jerry was a saxophonist who led a big band at the Palliser Hotel in Calgary from 1937 through 1944. The family then moved to Vancouver and his dad became the leader at the Cave from 1944 into 1947. There Jerry, who had begun to take drum lessons in Calgary from Bruce Bristowe, his dad’s drummer, continued his studies with the noted drum teacher, Jim Blackley. It was...
read moreRuss Little
Russ Little (trombonist, composer, arranger, conductor) was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1941. He was raised on the island of Jamaia for the first few years of his life before moving back to Canada to attend Malvern Collegiate Institute and the University of Toronto where in 1966 he attained his honours degree in the Humanities, with special emphasis on History and English. It was during his time at Malvern Collegiate that he was taught trombone and inspired by the legendary teacher, trombonist George M. McRae. While studying at...
read moreDave Restivo
Dave Restivo (piano) is one of canada’s most respected and influential jazz artists, well-known for his work with Rob McConnell’s The Boss Brass and Tentet, the Mike Murley Quintet, and legendary songwriter Marc Jordan. He has also performed and recorded with Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler, John Abercrombie, Mel Torme, Pat LaBarbera, Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, David Clayton-Thomas, Molly Johnson, Moe Koffman, Joe LaBarbera, Curtis Fuller, Phil Dwyer, Ed Bickert, Don Thompson, Guido Basso, Joe Lovano, Jeff Hamilton, Jeff Healey, Alex...
read moreBob Brough
Bob Brough (tenor, alto,baritone saxophone, flute) was born on May 18, 1948 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and holds the distinction of being the “Senator” in Mark Miller’s respected 1987 jazz tome, Boogie, Pete and The Senator (Nightwood Edition). He studied with respected teachers Paul Brodie and Gordon Delamont during the late ‘60s (performance, harmony, and arranging), focusing further on flute and piano studies into the early ‘70s. In 2001, he fulfilled a short-term residency in jazz at the Banff Centre for the Arts. Throughout several...
read moreMark Kelso
Mark Kelso (drummer, percussionist, singer, composer, producer, educator) was born in 1963 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. His family emigrated to Canada when he was nine years old, and began playing drums at the age of 12. A former graduate of Humber College in Toronto, he is now Head of the Percussion Department there. Beginning to play on the Toronto scene when he was just 18 years of age, Kelso has amassed a solid reputation as a versatile and musical performer who is now one of the first call players in the country. His ability to play in...
read moreShelly Berger
Shelly Berger (bassist, arranger, composer, producer) was born February 22, 1955 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A teacher on the faculty of the prestigious Humber College Jazz Studies program, he is a busy arranger, composer, and producer in numerous music settings, both jazz and contemporary. He worked as a bassist and arranger in Los Angeles for nine years, a time when he recorded and toured with name artists including Diana Krall, the Louis Bellson Big Band, and the Louis Bellson Quartet, while also occupying the Musical Director’s chair...
read moreP. J. Perry
P.J. Perry (tenor/alto saxophone, clarinet, flute & piccolo) was born in 1941, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is a jazz saxophonist from Edmonton, Alberta. He has won one Juno award as a solo artist, and one for his work with The Rob McConnell Tentet. Perry was born to prominent western Canadian band leader Paul Perry and Margaret Yeo. Early in life they moved around Canada between Medicine Hat, Regina, Sylvan Lake and Vancouver. He learned to play the clarinet and piano before becoming a saxophonist for his father’s band. Perry,...
read morePerry White
Perry White ( tenor, baritone, alto, and soprano saxophones, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet) was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His expressive tone and lyrical approach to playing the entire family of saxophone have kept him busy performing in Canada and around the world for over two decades. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, he starting playing in local coffee houses and bars at the age of 15, soon hooking up with Canadian jazz greats-to-be including Hugh Fraser, Campbell Ryga and Renee Rosnes. He developed his own...
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