2020 Artists and Adjudicators
2020 Artists and Adjudicators:
Campbell Ryga - Featured Artist
David Restivo - Jazz Band and Vocal Adjudicator
Pat Belliveau - Jazz Band Adjudicator
Joel Gray - Jazz Band Adjudicator
Neville Bowman - Combo Adjudicator
Bernie Addington - Combo Adjudicator
Sean Bray - Combo Adjudicator
Kim Kleineberg - Vocal Adjudicator
Kinga Hemming - Vocal Adjudicator
Jaclyn Guillou - Vocal Adjudicator
Campbell Ryga - Featured Artist
David Restivo - Jazz Band and Vocal Adjudicator
Pat Belliveau - Jazz Band Adjudicator
Joel Gray - Jazz Band Adjudicator
Neville Bowman - Combo Adjudicator
Bernie Addington - Combo Adjudicator
Sean Bray - Combo Adjudicator
Kim Kleineberg - Vocal Adjudicator
Kinga Hemming - Vocal Adjudicator
Jaclyn Guillou - Vocal Adjudicator
2020 Featured Artist: Campbell Ryga
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Campbell Ryga was born in 1961 in Edmonton Alberta, Canada. Campbell is the eldest son of the Internationally renowned Canadian Author and Playwright - George Ryga.
Campbell was raised in the community of Summerland British Columbia, where he lived until moving to Vancouver to pursue private and post secondary study in 1979. Since 1979, Campbell has resided in the cities of Vancouver British Columbia, Toronto Ontario and in New York City. Mr. Ryga was honoured to have received the Jazz Report Magazine Award of 'Canada's Alto Saxophonist of the Year 2000' presented to him at the annual Jazz Report Awards Ceremony held in Toronto in May of the year 2000. The two former recipients of this award were Moe Koffman and PJ Perry. Mr. Ryga has received 3 Juno Awards, with two additional nominations, a Grammy nomination, and he appeared on Michael Buble's recording 'Crazy Love' which received a Grammy Award in 2010. Campbell Ryga's recordings have twice received the 'Western Canadian Music Award' in the Jazz category. Campbell Ryga has toured internationally on 26 occasions, primarily to Western Europe and to Latin America, notably to the Havana International Jazz Festival, where he has been invited to perform for six consecutive years. Mr. Ryga is a founding member of the internationally acclaimed Hugh Fraser Quintet, an All Star multiple Award Winning Canadian Jazz Quintet to which Campbell has had a long term association. Campbell's affliation with Hugh Fraser and the Quintet began in 1981. On top of his International touring schedule, Campbell has also been involved in cross country Canadian touring on 24 separate occasions, and has performed week long engagements at the famed Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho - London, on 4 separate occasions. Campbell has contributed to 72 Jazz Recordings inclusive of his four current releases as a leader, 'Coastal Connection' and two years later 'Spectacular' which was released in December of 2001 and was nominated for a Juno Award. Both of these releases were handled by Radioland/Universal Records. More recently, Campbell recorded a release with the great New York pianist Renee Rosnes for CBC Records entitled Deep Cove which features Neil Swainson on bass and Rudy Petchauer on drums, recorded by CBC Records and is distributed by Universal. Deep Cove was nominated for a Juno Award for 2005. This recording received the Western Canadian Music Awards award for Most Outstanding Jazz Recording for the Year 2005. In 2008 Campbell collaborated with the great Canadian Jazz Alto Saxophonist PJ Perry to record his most recent release 'Joined at the Hip' a live recording with Ross Taggart on Piano, Neil Swainson on Bass and Terry Clarke on Drums - available on Cellar Live Records. Mr. Ryga continues to maintain a busy schedule as a Clinician, in association with Yamaha Canada. Campbell also maintains an active Adjudicators' Schedule. Campbell has sat on the Jury Boards for The British Columbia Arts Council and The Canada Council for the Arts. Campbell Ryga is currently on faculty at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Langley, British Columbia. Mr. Ryga has received the honor of having been placed on the British Columbia Secondary School District 67 - Wall of Fame - for excellence in his field. In 2010, Mr. Ryga has been inducted to the Envisions Jazz Festival 'Hall of Fame' in honour of his accomplishments as a Performer. Mr. Ryga is proud to be affiliated and Sponsored by the following good friends: Campbell Ryga is a Yamaha Canada Saxophone Artist Theo Wanne Mouthpiece Artist D'Addario Reeds Artist |
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Jazz Band and Vocal Adjudicator: David Restivo
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David Restivo is an award-winning pianist and composer. Born in Lansing, Michigan, molded by the mountains and coasts of New England, and based primarily in Toronto, Canada since 1982, he has been a sought-after and influential figure in Canada’s jazz community since the late 1980s. He recently relocated to Nelson, BC after accepting an offer to join the full-time music faculty at Selkirk College.
Well-known for his work with Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, the Mike Murley Quintet, and legendary songwriter Marc Jordan, David has performed and recorded with such renowned artists as Dave Holland, Curtis Fuller, Mel Tormé, Kenny Wheeler, Jon Hendricks, and David Clayton-Thomas. A dedicated music educator for over 20 years, he has previously taught at Humber College, the Banff Centre for the Arts, and the University of Toronto. His own teachers have included Muhal Richard Abrams, Jim McNeely, and Kenny Werner. Immersed in the arts from birth, a chance discovery of a Dizzy Gillespie recording at an early age led him to eventually focus on jazz and improvised music, though he derives inspiration from a wide range of musical and non-musical sources, including John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Joni Mitchell, Genesis, Hazrat Inayat Khan, Gustav Mahler, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Marc Chagall, and J.S. Bach. “...simply one of the most exceptional jazz pianists of his generation that Canada can boast of...” (Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal) |
Jazz Band Adjudicator - Pat Belliveau
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Pat Belliveau started his formal musical training at the age of four and began playing the saxophone at age 12. He has an extensive performing background which has involved numerous performances at international jazz festivals in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Montreal. In addition, he has toured throughout North America, Europe, Japan, and Panama, with a number of groups, including jazz quintet Quintonal, and the saxophone ensemble Saxoffonee, both participants at the Montreux International Jazz Festival, in Montreux, Switzerland, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Vic Damone/Diahann Carroll, the Mills Brothers, "Jazz Vibraphonist" Terry Gibbs, Maureen McGovern, and Mel Torme.
As well, Pat has done numerous concert performances with many artists and groups including; Bob Mintzer, Randy Brecker, Herbie Hancock, Harry Connick Jr., The New York Voices, Bobby Shew, Clark Terry, Pat LaBarbera, Phil Woods, Bill Watrous, Mike Tomaro, Jeff Jarvis, Kenny Wheeler, Doc Severinsen, Allan Vizzutti, Dave Koz, Lenny Pickett, Guido Basso, Rob McConnell, Doug Riley, Carol Welsman, Sam Noto, Les DeMerle, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Don Braden, Phil Nimmons, David Foster, Hal Linden, Johnny Mathis, Ben Vereen, Neil Sedaka, Petula Clark, Shirley Jones, Joan Rivers, The 5th Dimension, The Temptations, Clarence Clemons and the "Temple of Soul", Martha and the Vandellas, Jack Semple, Beverley Mahood, Colin James, Jason McCoy, Nikki Yanofsky, The University of Calgary Jazz Ensemble, The University of Lethbridge Jazz Ensemble, The Brandon University Jazz Ensemble, The Abilene Christian University Jazz Ensemble (Abilene Texas, USA), The Canadian "rock group" Lighthouse, The Canadian Tenors, The New York casts of A West Side Story and A Chorus Line, The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra among others. He has also performed at private functions held for former Canadian Prime Ministers Brian Mulroney, Kim Campbell, and Joe Clark, actor Robert Duvall, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and the Queen of Norway. He has also performed as an opening artist for Jazz Guitarist John Pizzarelli, the Hugh Fraser/Jean Toussaint Quintet, The Canadian “rock groups” Wide Mouth Mason and The Colin James Band, Jazz Singer Al Jarreau, and The Neville Brothers. Pat is an Artist/Clinician for "Yamaha Canada Music Ltd." endorsing the "82Z Mark II" design tenor saxophone and the “875EX Custom” design alto saxophone, for "BG Woodwind Music Products" (France), for “Theo Wanne Saxophone Mouthpieces”, and for “Marca Saxophone Reeds”. Presently, Pat has released two compact discs as leader, the first entitled "La Zona Blanca" which features trumpeter Bobby Shew, drummer Paul Wertico (7 time "Grammy Award" winner with the Pat Metheny Group....1983-2001), and "Juno Award" winning saxophonist Kirk MacDonald as special guests. The second CD is the Pat Belliveau Quintet recorded live at the Boquete International Jazz and Blues Festival in Boquete, Panama. He can also be heard on over fifty-five CDs as a sideman as well as numerous regional and national radio and television themes and jingles. In addition, he is a former faculty member of the University of Calgary Music Department, teaching jazz saxophone, jazz harmony, and jazz improvisation, and is presently on faculty at Ambrose University in Calgary teaching jazz saxophone, jazz improvisation, and is the jazz ensemble director. Pat has a number of private students and is active as a clinician/adjudicator for festivals, schools, and various adult groups throughout Canada. Pat holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Calgary; has attended many workshops and clinics, and has done private study with various jazz people including trumpeters Bobby Shew, Dominic Spera, and Greg Bush, saxophonists Kirk MacDonald, Pat LaBarbera, George Robert, Roger Rosenberg, Tim Ries, Bob Mintzer and George Coleman among others. |
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Jazz Band Adjudicator - Joel Gray
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A proud Edmontonian, Joel Gray attended the music programs of Grant MacEwan College and the University of Alberta, studying trumpet with William Dimmer of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and Dr. Fordyce Pier. He started playing professionally at the age of 17, and has shared the stage with some of the world's finest artists, including Jens Lindemann, Tommy Banks, PJ Perry, Slide Hampton, Diana Krall, Nikki Yanovsky, Allen Vizzutti, Rollanda Lee, and commercial talents Gino Vannelli, Frank Sinatra Jr., the Temptations, and Wayne Newton.
Known for his versatility, Joel is as comfortable playing lead trumpet with the pops orchestra as he is playing traditional New Orleans music or baroque piccolo trumpet. He is a regular performer with many local artists and diverse musical ensembles, including the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, The Edmonton Jazz Orchestra, the Singing Christmas Tree Orchestra, the Tommy Banks Big Band, the Alberta Symphony Orchestra, and Bok Brass, to name only a few. He is a veteran in the orchestra pit, having performed many professional musical theatre productions, including the National Broadway Tours of Wicked, Book of Mormon, Marry Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, A Chorus Line, Billy Elliot, as well as local professional productions presented at the Citadel Theatre. Joel teaches music at MacEwan University and directs the Littlebirds Big Band. He has been an adjudicator for the Cantando Music Festival, Kiwanis Music Festival, Rocky Mountain Music Festival, and has been the director of Jazzworks Non-Competitive Music Festival since 2007. He is also the director of MusiCamp Alberta 2020. |
Combo Adjudicator - Neville Bowman
Combo Adjudicator - Bernie Addington
Combo Adjudicator - Sean Bray
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Sean Bray is a well respected guitarist, composer and educator who has played with various artists on many diverse projects. While in New York, Bray studied at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music. Bray has played with and/or recorded with George Garzone, Pat LaBarbera, Bob Mintzer, Jon Faddis, Liberty Silver, Matt “Guitar” Murphy from the Blues Brothers, Mike Murley, Campbell Ryga, Kirk MacDonald, Vincent Wolfe, Ballet Kelowna and the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. He also composes for film and television and has taught at The University of Guelph and The Toronto Film School. According to jazz guitar legend John Abercrombie, “Sean Bray is a real treat to listen to”. Possessing the ability to fit into many musical genres, while still retaining an unmistakably original voice on his instrument, has made him an in demand session player in Canada. Bray plays with Cod Gone Wild, is the founder/music director/electric guitarist for Songs of the Southern Belles, Dirt Road Opera, Stringers and also leads the popular Sean Bray’s Peach Trio. Bray is endorsed by PRS Guitars, Planet Waves and D’Addario strings. CBC Radio also named Bray as one of Canada’s top 50 guitarists of all time.
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Vocal Adjudicator - Kim Kleineberg
Vocal Adjudicator: Kinga Hemming
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Jazz and Pop chanteuse Kinga was born in Poland, then moved with her family to Amsterdam before settling in Ottawa, Ontario. While being baptized at four months of age, she screamed out, and the attending priest predicted that Kinga would become a singer. Her parents gifted Kinga with appreciation for music, including and especially jazz, at an early age: Her father played in a jazz cabaret while her mother constantly played vocal pop and jazz records by The Platters, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra and the like.
By age thirteen, Kinga had studied classical piano and voice theory, and began immersing herself in classical and contemporary music, both jazz and pop. She soon began performing at recitals and competitions, and helped assemble and lead a jazz quartet (called West Berlin) that played in and around Ottawa until all its members graduated from high school. She also discovered and began learning the repertoires of many great jazz vocalists, including Diana Krall, Dianne Reeves, Sarah Vaughan, Natalie Cole, and especially Ella Fitzgerald. Kinga moved on to Humber College, studying voice and theory under Trish Colter, Lisa Martinelli, and Lisa Sullivan; she also served as instructor for voice, piano, theory, ear training and improvisation to child and adult students. "The most important experiences during my time at Humber College were working alongside very talented and reputable musicians, learning different aspects of the jazz world, and lastly, winning the Duke Ellington Honoree award in my final year there," Kinga recalls. |
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Kinga has subsequently spread her vocal talents – as smooth, heady and sophisticated as a well-matured brandy – throughout Canada: She has sung the American and Canadian national anthems for the Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Maple Leafs (in partial French, for a sold-out contest against the Montreal Canadians), the Toronto Raptors, and internationally-broadcast Hockey Night in Canada. Kinga has performed with pianist Renee Rosnes, flugelhornist Guido Basso, and Don Thompson’s jazz ensemble, and appeared at the National Jazz Awards, the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada’s Walk of Fame, and on CTV and CBC Radio.
Recently recorded, third released jazz album, and making it's first round of GRAMMY nominations, "Forever in my Heart" produced by Gabriel Mark Hasselbach is a record that Heming describes as a "book written about her personal life". The tracks on this record were either introduced to me at an early age by my parents, or songs that reflect on my life now. I chose the ones that I felt really connected to because, to be honest, when I sing a song, it’s not just singing a song. It’s not just reciting the lyrics to make it sound pretty. It’s me telling a story. And every single song on the record is me telling a story,”
“Forever in My Heart” is an acoustic jazz vocal album. Heming’s elegant and graceful voice is embellished by Miles Black’s dramatic piano melodies and supple bass-lines, Joel Fountain’s genteel drumming and Hasselbach’s astute trumpet expositions. On “Nature Boy,” Heming’s exquisite voice rides the rhythmic groove etched by guitarist Loni Moger and upright bassist Bernie Addington with evocative shadowing emoted from Hasselbach’s muted trumpet.
"At the end of the day, I know for myself, and from my own perspective, that I recorded this (album) from the bottom of my heart. That’s why I came up with ‘Forever in My Heart’; because every single part of that story is held forever in my heart.”
Recently recorded, third released jazz album, and making it's first round of GRAMMY nominations, "Forever in my Heart" produced by Gabriel Mark Hasselbach is a record that Heming describes as a "book written about her personal life". The tracks on this record were either introduced to me at an early age by my parents, or songs that reflect on my life now. I chose the ones that I felt really connected to because, to be honest, when I sing a song, it’s not just singing a song. It’s not just reciting the lyrics to make it sound pretty. It’s me telling a story. And every single song on the record is me telling a story,”
“Forever in My Heart” is an acoustic jazz vocal album. Heming’s elegant and graceful voice is embellished by Miles Black’s dramatic piano melodies and supple bass-lines, Joel Fountain’s genteel drumming and Hasselbach’s astute trumpet expositions. On “Nature Boy,” Heming’s exquisite voice rides the rhythmic groove etched by guitarist Loni Moger and upright bassist Bernie Addington with evocative shadowing emoted from Hasselbach’s muted trumpet.
"At the end of the day, I know for myself, and from my own perspective, that I recorded this (album) from the bottom of my heart. That’s why I came up with ‘Forever in My Heart’; because every single part of that story is held forever in my heart.”
Vocal Adjudicator - Jaclyn Guillou
