Carl Bray Jazz Trio
Carl Bray, piano
- Winner of the Oscar Peterson Grant for Jazz Performance.
Jon McCaslin, percussion
Friday, July 4, 2008
Westminster United Church
3025 13th Avenue
Doors 7:30 PM
Downbeat 8:00 PM
Admission by donation
Carl Bray (piano) is pursuing a Bachelor of Applied – Contemporary Music at Humber College in Toronto. His influences include: Oscar, Brad Mehldau, Herbie, Bud, Monk, Miles, Keith, and “Bird”. Some of his awards include the Oscar Peterson Grant for Jazz Performance, Humber College Music and Academic Awards, Saskatchewan Music Teachers Association, Downbeat Magazine Award, and CBC Galaxy Rising Star Award. He was selected for the 2006 Yamaha All-Star Jazz Big Band, (National Arts Centre, Ottawa).
Hilario Duran, and Dave Restivo are some of his more recent teachers. He has been privileged to work and perform with virtuosos such as: Kristen Korb, Kelly Jefferson, Jon McCaslin, Gordon Foote, Chase Sanborne, Dave Young, Brian Dickinson, Pat LaBarbera, Mike Downs, Rob McConnell, Randy Brecker, Alex Dean, Al Kay, Ted Quinlin, Dave Douglas, and legend, Don Thompson.
Two of his most notable accomplishments to date are a recording session with Pat Lebarbra’s Hard Bop Jazz Ensemble, (recorded in Humber’s new studio), and a basement “jam-session” style recording with legend Don Thompson. Carl is eagerly anticipating a career in jazz performance, writing, arranging and perhaps teaching.
Bassist Carlo Petrovitch holds a BMUS in Classical Bass Performance from the University of Regina. Extended musical education continued in Montreal in the Jazz Program of McGill University under the tutelage of bassists Eric Lagace (Oliver Jones) and Michael Leiter (Principle Bassist, OSM). Carlo has received private studies with Jazz bassist as: Jon Clayton (Count Basie, Diana Krall), Rufus Reid (Joe Henderson, JJ Johnson). and most recently Michel Donato (Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson). Born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan it is here that Carlo calls home and is in the never ending quest for that thing called ‘Swing’.
Jonathan McCaslin was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan. He began playing the drums at the age of nine and progressed through both the Regina Lions Junior Band and the music program at his high school, Campbell Collegiate. Ultimately, Jon's interest in music led him to enroll in the Jazz Studies program at McGill University, graduating with distinction in 1999.
While at McGill Jon had the opportunity to study with some of the finest jazz educators in the country including Gordon Foote, Kevin Dean, Jan Jarcyzk, Chris McCann, Andre White, Michel Lambert and Dave Laing. He also attended the prestigious summer jazz workshop presented by the Banff Centre for the Arts, where he performed with Canadian jazz greats Hugh Fraser, Don Thompson and Kenny Wheeler.
Jon has also been fortunate to have performed with many distinguished Canadian and international jazz artists such as Charlie Biddle, Brian Hurley, Riccardo Del Fra, Louise Rose, Alaister Kay, Mart Kinny, Gary Guthman, Mike Rud, Hadley Caliman, Greg Clayton, Chase Sanborn, Don Thompson, Andre White, Tilden Webb, John LaBelle, Kevin Dean, Dave Turner, Dionne Taylor, Kelly Jefferson, Tom Van Seters, Ian McDougall, Brad Turner, Jim Brenan, The McGill Jazz Orchestra, Jeff Johnston, Lorraine Desmerais, Steve Amirault, Hugh Fraser, Chucho Valdes, Kieran Overs, The Altsys Jazz Orchestra, Pat LaBarbera, The Regina Symphony Orchestra and The Montreal Jazz Big Band.
In the spring of 2002 McCaslin completed his Master's in Jazz Studies at McGill University where he studied jazz drumming, improvisation and composition. In January 2003 he released his debut CD, McCallum’s Island. Featuring his quintet, the CD contains an exciting collection of McCaslin’s original compositions. The release of this CD was followed by a twenty-day tour of Western Canada, performing to enthusiastic, capacity audiences.
During March of 2003 Jonathan was the recipient of a fellowship from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and attended the “Betty Carter Jazz Ahead” residency in Washington, D.C. Along with twenty other distinguished young jazz artists, he was featured with such jazz icons as Curtis Fuller, Carmen Lundy, Nathan Davis, Jimmy Owens, Winard Harper and John Clayton.
McCaslin’s quintet performed at the 2003 edition of the Montreal International Jazz Festival and was nominated for the General Motors Grand Prix du Festival (awarded to the most outstanding Canadian group). In the winter of 2004 Jon was awarded an artistic research grant from the Canada Council for the Arts and traveled to New York City to study with renowned jazz drummer Matt Wilson. From 2004 until 2006, Jon toured North America, Asia and Europe with the high-energy, critically acclaimed music production troupe Barrage. Featuring a cast of seven world-class fiddlers and a four-piece band, this dynamic show fused high-energy music and fiddle traditions from around the world set to upbeat choreography and movement.
Currently McCaslin is based in Toronto, Ontario where he is pursuing his Doctor in Musical Arts Degree (Jazz Studies) at the University of Toronto while maintaining a busy schedule teaching, performing and cheering (sometimes!) for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
