Nico Rhodes Trio - Gabriola Island

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Saturday, February 27th, 2016
7:30 PM to 10:00 PM

“I was blown away. Great band... tight with a really mature trio sound.” - James Lithgow, Professional bassist “Awesome concert. . . great musical vibes.” - Roger Baird, “Studio Live!” Artistic Director

The Nico Rhodes Trio combines considerable individual talents, communicative abilities, and diverse musical sensibilities to take audiences on a unique auditory adventure.

Join pianist Nico Rhodes, bassist John Hyde, and drummer James McRae for a highly entertaining evening of jazz re-imaginings of great piano works, creative arrangements of jazz standards, and intriguing original compositions inspired by, and drawing on, the music of a potpourri of legendary music greats including Ahmad Jamal, Frederic Chopin, Oscar Peterson, Claude Debussy, Art Tatum, Johann Sebastian Bach, Scott Joplin, and Gordon Lightfoot, among others.

By his mid-twenties, pianist, woodwind player, composer, arranger, symphony orchestrator, conductor, studio musician, film composer, and music director Nico Rhodes has already drawn notice in a broad range of musical endeavours. A multiple award-winning musician who began classical piano studies at a very young age, and eventually added saxophones and clarinet to his instrumental repertoire, his highly eclectic piano playing style draws on a broad array of musical influences.

Known for his technical virtuosity and responsive touch, Rhode’s playing has been described as both “acrobatic,” and “heart-breakingly sensitive”. Ever seeking new sources of inspiration and creativity, he is working on a variety of piano compositions, musicals, and symphonic works, in addition to directing musicals.

John Hyde studied at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton and McGill University in Montreal, participating in and studying jazz as well as classical music. Returning to Edmonton in the late 70’s he was hired to teach at Grant MacEwan in Edmonton where he was a first call recording session player, freelance jazz bassist and classical bassist with many organizations including the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Tommy Banks Band.

In the next decade John relocated in Calgary and continued with teaching at Mount Royal University and the University of Calgary. He freelanced as a jazz and classical bassist with such artists as Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Marion McPartland, Bob Mintzer, Pepper Adams, Rosemary Clooney, Lee Konitz as well as the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. He continued to perform and teach in Calgary for 3 decades creating recordings which feature his playing and compositions with collaborations and two albums of his own.

John is dedicated to the art of music and continues to strive to create better sounds and improvisations. Veteran drummer, bandleader, session musician, and songwriter/arranger James McRae has performed or toured since the early 1980’s with a variety of jazz, Latin, Caribbean, New Orleans, funk, pop, country, and rock bands. He has played with numerous musicians over the years including Colin James, Miles Black, Ellis Marsalis, David Vest, Jennifer Scott, Rene Worst, Ross Taggart, Mike Allen, Ken Lister, Scott White, Marc Atkinson, Connor Stewart, and James Darling, to name a few.

He’s also played for a number of theatrical productions, including Chemainus Theatre’s attendance record shattering “Twist and Shout,” and has produced well-received tributes to Horace Silver, Carlos Jobim, Jimmy McHugh, and Jimmie Smith.

McRae is an in-demand private teacher, and mentor to a number of outstanding young musicians. For media inquiries please contact: James McRae 250- 753-2023