“Laissez les Bon Temps Roulez (Let the good times roll)!” Direct from the famous Frenchman Street nightclubs of New Orleans, Connor Stewart & the Bon Temps bring the raw energy, boisterous harmonies, and feel-good excitement of the Crescent City's Trad Jazz scene to Qualicum Music Academy on their 2017 “Rockies to Rainforest” Canadian tour with a special concert/workshop at Kwalikum Secondary (High) School.
=0D=0A=Led by multinational (Can/US/EU) woodwind sensation Connor Stewart on tenor/soprano saxes, clarinet, and vocals, the band showcases an outstanding front line of New Orleans international touring artists including veteran trumpet great/vocalist Kevin Louis and emerging trombone standout/vocalist Miles Lyons, joined by a stellar B.C rhythm section of Noah Gotfritt upright bass, Andrew Janusson guitar, and Aaron Levinson drums/tambourine.
=0D=0A=A former Qualicum Music Academy attendee, Fraser McPherson Award winner, and 2016 CYMC Island Jazz camp Guest Artist, who toured and played at the 2014 Victoria Jazz Festival together with QMA director Dan Craven in Boss Tenors, Stewart took up his first horn at 14, was invited to join the Arrowsmith Big Band at 15, invited to assume the NMA Big Band lead alto chair, and began playing professionally full-time, at 16, and earning his living in New Orleans at 17 as a bandleader, frontman, sideman, writer/arranger, and recording studio session musician.
=0D=0A=An accomplished and active multi-instrumentalist (tenor/soprano/alto/baritone saxes, clarinet, trumpet/fluglehorn, flute, keys) noted for his dynamic playing, expressive vocals, and entertaining stage presence, he has earned accolades at prominent jazz/music festivals and major venues on multiple tours of Canada, the US, UK, Europe, and Turkey, has performed with an eclectic array of Grammy, Latin Grammy, NEA Jazzmaster, Juno, American Blues, Maple Blues, Irish Music, and Canadian Folk Music award winners and nominees and, recently turned 20, will play his 500th gig later this year.
=0D=0A=Joining him on the front line are New Orleans natives Kevin Louis on trumpet, who has toured over 30 countries including 5 tours of Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America as a U.S. State Department/John F. Kennedy Jazz Ambassador; and trombonist Miles Lyons, who has toured Europe and the United States, and played with Stewart as sidemen in the band that won the 2016 French Quarter Fest Battle of the Bands.
=0D=0A=Rounding out the sextet are Vancouver bassist Noah Gotfritt, who plays winters in New Orleans, and together with Stewart recently toured as sidemen in a gypsy jazz quartet in NY, Belgium, and Scotland; Vancouver drummer/tambourinist Aaron Levinson, who has studied with drum greats Ulysses Owen Jr in New York, and Shannon Powell and Herlin Riley in New Orleans; and guitarist Andrew Janusson, VIU Jazz program grad and first call island guitarist who has appeared with a number of prominent B.C. musicians.
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