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John Lee Trio to play Jazz Vespers in North Saanich

Nov. 5 concert at St. John’s United Church.
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The John Lee Trio. (Submitted)

NORTH SAANICH — The John Lee Trio will be the featured guests at St. John’s United Church’s Jazz Vespers on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. Multi-instrumentalist John Lee will play bass, and will be joined by Frank Vagn Moore on piano and Graham Villette on drums.

Originally from Nanaimo, John Lee has been playing music since the age of five. By the time Lee completed his high school studies, he had earned an impressive collection of awards, scholarships, and honours from jazz festivals such as Envision Jazz Festival, MusicFest Canada and Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. Lee continued his studies at the Berklee College of Music on a full-ride scholarship and has shared the stage with international jazz artists such as Cyrus Chestnut, Terell Stafford and Ingrid Jensen, as well as Canadian jazz staples Christine Jensen, Brad Turner, Jodi Proznick and Phil Dwyer. Lee plays bass, drums, and piano, as well as sings.

Pianist Moore is a graduate of the Vancouver Island University Jazz Studies program, where he studied piano with Toronto musician Steve Smith. He has performed with the VIU Big Band and with the great trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis. Vagn has also led his own trio for the last few years, and has performed with trumpeter Greg Bush, saxophonists Dan Craven and Claudio Fantinato, and many other Vancouver Island musicians.

Drummer Villette was born and raised in Port Alberni and has completed the VIU Jazz Studies degree program. For over 10 years Villette has worked as a professional musician performing frequently with many West Coast-based groups, most notably the Nanaimo Musicians Association Big Band, Andrew Homzy’s NOLA NightHawks, and the VIU Big Band.

The Jazz Vespers series will continue on Dec. 4 with the Kristina Helene Trio, and on Jan. 7 with the Nick LaRiviere Quartet.

Jazz Vespers services begin at 7 p.m. St. John’s United Church (10990 West Saanich Rd., across from Deep Cove School).

There is no admission charge. An offering will be taken to cover the cost of the musicians and the Vespers program.

For further information, please call Bernadette at 250-656-0875 or email her at bernadettegreene789@gmail.com to be included on an email list of upcoming concerts.

— Submitted