The May 4 Thursday night jazz concert at The Little Red Church in Comox features a very special band, when the multi-award-winning Nick Maclean Quartet featuring Brownman Ali graces the stage as part of their two-month, 42-venue, cross-Canada tour. This tour is presented with funding from the Canada Council for the Arts.
Led by fast-rising piano star Nick Maclean 鈥� an eight-time Global Music Award winner and one of the most in-demand young jazz piano players in Toronto 鈥� this contemplative, yet thrilling quartet delivers jazz between the two poles of thoughtful introspection and powerhouse conveyance, taking influences from Herbie Hancock鈥檚 primordial 1960s Blue Note era recordings. Maclean鈥檚 quartet heavily features one of Canada鈥檚 most provocative improvising trumpet players 鈥� Brownman Ali - the internationally acclaimed, multi-award-winning jazz iconoclast who has been heralded as 鈥淐anada鈥檚 pre-eminent jazz trumpet player鈥� by New York City鈥檚 Village Voice.
For this show, Ali and Maclean stand shoulder-to-shoulder with two of Canada鈥檚 top-tier rhythm section players: Bennett Young on upright bass, and Jacob Wutzke on drums.
The group has toured across Canada as well as internationally, and has been featured in numerous festivals and concert series from the Regina Jazz Society, to the Altrincham Jazz Festival, and multiple appearances at the Toronto Jazz Festival both as a featured ensemble and an often-requested backing band. In addition to their original material, the ensemble has also mounted several popular tribute series to jazz masters including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Clark Terry and Cole Porter.
The quartet鈥檚 debut 11-track full-length album Rites Of Ascension features six Maclean-penned compositions, one Ali original and four re-imagined Herbie Hancock classics, all recorded at the renowned Canterbury Studios in Toronto. Produced by Ali, this debut disk was released on October 31, 2017, and was nominated for CJSF鈥檚 鈥�2018 Julian Award of Excellence. It won three 鈥楪old鈥� Global Music Awards in the 鈥榡azz鈥�, 鈥榖and鈥�, and 鈥榓lbum鈥� categories, and was featured as one of the Global Music Awards鈥� 鈥楾op 5 Albums of Spring 2018.
The group has been hard at work throughout the winter on its forthcoming studio album slated soon for release on Browntasauras Records.
The Georgia Straight Jazz Society endeavours to feature fine jazz performances of all genres, in an effort to sustain live music, and further the art.
This is your opportunity to listen to live modern jazz music from the leading edge. Don鈥檛 miss it!
Doors open at 7 p.m. Downbeat is at 7:30 pm. Admission is $15 for members, $20 for non-members. Visit to see more information about upcoming spring and summer concerts.
Malcolm Holt is the president of the Georgia Straight Jazz Society
