Montreal’s Remi Bolduc, an acclaimed and accomplished jazz saxophonist, is the leader of the Remi Bolduc Jazz Ensemble that will be performing a tribute to the legendary Dave Brubeck at the Frank Venables Theatre in Oliver on Friday, Jan. 27. Bolduc is considered one of Canada’s finest saxophone players and he will be joined by Montreal jazz pianist François Bourassa as well as Fraser Hollins on double bass and Dave Laing on drums. Tickets for the show are now on sale. (Publicity photo)
When the Remi Bolduc Jazz Ensemble performs “A Tribute to Dave Brubeck” words like “dazzling virtuosity and stunning maturity” come to mind.
Bolduc, one of Canada’s best jazz saxophonists, will be on stage at the beautiful Frank Venables Theatre in Oliver on Friday, Jan. 27 beginning at 7:30 p.m.
He brings with him guest artist Montreal jazz pianist, François Bourassa, as well as Fraser Hollins on double bass and Dave Laing on drums.
Together they will be performing the music of Dave Brubeck, who in 1950 to 1960, reigned with his celebrated band as the most influential and popular American jazz ensemble.
Brubeck is considered one of the greatest jazz musicians of the past half century and his influence is still being felt decades later by a new generation of jazz musicians around the world.
Brubeck created the album Time Out, one of the most famous and best-selling albums in the history of jazz to this day.
Take Five, Blue Rondo a la Turk and several other compositions from the album are on the program.
Bolduc plays sax with intensity and control, breathtaking precision and a magnetic stage presence. He is acclaimed at venues from New York to Paris by way of Geneva, Tokyo and Beijing.
With his band, he composes and plays numbers that “convey his formidable energy and spontaneity, allowing his organic sound to breathe freely.”
Teacher and head of the McGill University jazz department, Bolduc has won awards for the best jazz album of 2011 and the Opus prize for Jazz Concert of the Year in 2013.
On his latest album, recorded in collaboration with Francois Bourassa and released to much acclaim, the joy these two musicians share in playing together is palpable.
Pianist and composer Bourassa is the son of Robert Bourassa, Premier of Quebec from 1970–1976 and 1985–1994.
Francois, as a side project, has recently finished his first concerto for orchestra and percussion while maintaining an international concert tour on three continents with his jazz quartet.
Hollins, Remi’s man on double bass, studied music at Ottawa University and later in Montreal at Concordia. He regularly plays with groups of national and international artists. He lives in Montreal and teaches at McGill.
Laing, on drums, grew up in a musical family, studied at McGill and began his professional career shortly after. In the past 15 years he has recorded, toured, and performed with national and international stars. He currently resides in Montreal where he also teaches at McGill.
With the outstanding acoustics at the Frank Venables Theatre, this promises to be a performance and show music fans won’t soon forget.
Assigned seating tickets for the event on Jan. 27 can be obtained online at www.venablestheatre.ca.
The theatre box office now open from Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or at the door.
Single tickets are $22.50 and students under 17 can attend for free.
Those requiring bus transportation from Osoyoos can call Maureen at 250-495-7978 to make arrangements.
Bus transportation will be arranged to pick you up at your residence and bring you to Oliver for the show and return you home after the concert.
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