2018 Artists and Adjudicators
Sunny Wilkinson - Featured Artist
Rejean Marois - Jazz Band and Vocal Adjudicator
Horace Alexander Young - Jazz Band Adjudicator
Dennis Esson - Jazz Band Adjudicator
Loni Moger- Combo Adjudicator
Bernie Addington - Combo Adjudicator
Larry Roy - Combo Adjudicator
Campbell Ryga - Guest Artist
Featured Artist: Sunny Wilkinson
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“Sunny Wilkinson is at the top of her game here. She has spent a lot of time refining her craft in the trenches and now emerges as a master songstress able to get inside of a song and find its essential emotional core.” – Don Mizell, co-producer of Ray Charles, Genius Loves Company.
The child of a Methodist minister, Sunny Wilkinson grew up singing in church and around the piano in four-part harmony with her family. She earned her degree in Choral Education from Arizona State University, and during that time delved into diverse styles of music, singing the operatic roles of Marcellina in the Marriage of Figaro, the Wicked Witch in Hansel and Gretel, as well as the role of Winnifred in the musical comedy Once Upon a Mattress. She also played trombone and sang in the ASU jazz band. Weekend nights, she played and sang in a jazz fusion band called Goldmine. |
After college, Sunny spent fifteen years in Los Angeles, honing her professional chops as a jazz recording artist, session singer, performer, and teacher. She sang on the theme and numerous episodes of “Saved By the Bell,” and was a “Solid Gold” singer, backing Marilyn McCoo and Dionne Warwick, both on screen and in the recording studio. For twelve years, Borrowed Time, an eclectic jazz vocal group with Sunny on alto, performed in LA clubs and jazz festivals.
In 1989, Sunny recorded her debut CD, Alegria, for Hibrite records of Japan, which was produced by Stix Hooper, the drummer for the Jazz Crusaders. Alegria featured such stellar players as John Patitucci and Ernie Watts. Swing Journal heralded its arrival on the charts at number five in Japan. In 1992, Sunny recorded a live version of Round Midnight, with full orchestra, for Honda of Japan. This national television ad campaign was released as a single CD by Hibrite Records.
Wilkinson’s self titled release for Positive Music Records (1993) highlighted her love of jazz, fusion and pop, and thrust her into a nonstop touring schedule of jazz festivals, concerts and club gigs.
In 1993, Sunny moved to Okemos, Michigan to be with her new husband, Dr. Ron Newman, who was head of the Jazz Studies Area at Michigan State University. Since that time, they have been in partnership, playing music, writing tunes, and producing CDs, not to mention raising their wonderful family.
Shortly after moving to Michigan, Sunny was asked to be the head of the Woman’s Caucus for the International Association of Jazz Educators. Knowing that she needed a project to anchor her vision (Where are the women jazz players? Let’s give them a voice and a platform.), she launched “Sisters In Jazz” a mentoring program for young women, which was taken to an international level through IAJE. Alumni of SIJ include Tia Fuller, Anat Cohen, and Sarah Caswell.
In 1998, Sunny released her third CD, High Wire, a big band recording featuring arrangements by husband Ron Newman, and a close friend from ASU days, Charlie Argersinger. Not just another swinging bunch of standards, this CD spotlights tunes by the Yellow Jackets and Major Harris, as well as a tone poem on the beautiful ballad “Have I Stayed Too Long at the Fair?”
Sunny’s fourth release, A Gentle Time, When Sunny Meets Tom, is a duo collaboration with the legendary LA pianist Tom Garvin. Gene Bertoncini says, ”I love this CD from top to bottom. It’s just so exquisite. Everything she sings is so right. The little different sounds in her voice and the way she sustains things. And Tom’s playing is magnificent.”
Over the years, Sunny has sung with The Count Basie Band, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, Mark Murphy, Milt Hinton, Kenny Wheeler, Clark Terry, Bill Watrous, Ron Carter, Curtis Fuller, Edgar Winter, and Gene Bertoncini, among others. A busy travel schedule has her presenting clinics and performances at universities and jazz festivals, as well as jazz clubs, across the United States.
Sunny has also made significant contributions in jazz education. She has been on the jazz faculty at Michigan State University, Western Michigan University, Cal State Northridge, Fullerton College, and the Dick Grove School of Music, as well as teaching numerous private voice students. Presently she is adjunct faculty at Western Michigan University and an artist in residence at the University of Michigan. She served as a President of the Michigan chapter of the International Association of Jazz Educators and the past chairperson for IAJE’s Women’s Caucus. Many of her former students are now the heads of vocal jazz programs at universities around the country and have successful careers as jazz performers and recording artists.
Sunny is thrilled about her new release, Into the Light, a celebration of family and her long association with her band. Jazz critic Paula Edelstein says of Into the Light,
“Acclaimed jazz vocalist and educator Sunny Wilkinson offers exceptional interpretations of music from various genres as well as several original compositions composed with her pianist/composer husband Ron Newman on her latest release on Sunchance Music titled Into The Light. Sunny’s multi-octave vocals are delivered with passion and perfection as she reflects on personal experiences that have become her songs. The set list of intimate ballads and up-tempo gems are offered with an emotional and thoughtful approach that her listeners are sure to enjoy.”
In 1989, Sunny recorded her debut CD, Alegria, for Hibrite records of Japan, which was produced by Stix Hooper, the drummer for the Jazz Crusaders. Alegria featured such stellar players as John Patitucci and Ernie Watts. Swing Journal heralded its arrival on the charts at number five in Japan. In 1992, Sunny recorded a live version of Round Midnight, with full orchestra, for Honda of Japan. This national television ad campaign was released as a single CD by Hibrite Records.
Wilkinson’s self titled release for Positive Music Records (1993) highlighted her love of jazz, fusion and pop, and thrust her into a nonstop touring schedule of jazz festivals, concerts and club gigs.
In 1993, Sunny moved to Okemos, Michigan to be with her new husband, Dr. Ron Newman, who was head of the Jazz Studies Area at Michigan State University. Since that time, they have been in partnership, playing music, writing tunes, and producing CDs, not to mention raising their wonderful family.
Shortly after moving to Michigan, Sunny was asked to be the head of the Woman’s Caucus for the International Association of Jazz Educators. Knowing that she needed a project to anchor her vision (Where are the women jazz players? Let’s give them a voice and a platform.), she launched “Sisters In Jazz” a mentoring program for young women, which was taken to an international level through IAJE. Alumni of SIJ include Tia Fuller, Anat Cohen, and Sarah Caswell.
In 1998, Sunny released her third CD, High Wire, a big band recording featuring arrangements by husband Ron Newman, and a close friend from ASU days, Charlie Argersinger. Not just another swinging bunch of standards, this CD spotlights tunes by the Yellow Jackets and Major Harris, as well as a tone poem on the beautiful ballad “Have I Stayed Too Long at the Fair?”
Sunny’s fourth release, A Gentle Time, When Sunny Meets Tom, is a duo collaboration with the legendary LA pianist Tom Garvin. Gene Bertoncini says, ”I love this CD from top to bottom. It’s just so exquisite. Everything she sings is so right. The little different sounds in her voice and the way she sustains things. And Tom’s playing is magnificent.”
Over the years, Sunny has sung with The Count Basie Band, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, Mark Murphy, Milt Hinton, Kenny Wheeler, Clark Terry, Bill Watrous, Ron Carter, Curtis Fuller, Edgar Winter, and Gene Bertoncini, among others. A busy travel schedule has her presenting clinics and performances at universities and jazz festivals, as well as jazz clubs, across the United States.
Sunny has also made significant contributions in jazz education. She has been on the jazz faculty at Michigan State University, Western Michigan University, Cal State Northridge, Fullerton College, and the Dick Grove School of Music, as well as teaching numerous private voice students. Presently she is adjunct faculty at Western Michigan University and an artist in residence at the University of Michigan. She served as a President of the Michigan chapter of the International Association of Jazz Educators and the past chairperson for IAJE’s Women’s Caucus. Many of her former students are now the heads of vocal jazz programs at universities around the country and have successful careers as jazz performers and recording artists.
Sunny is thrilled about her new release, Into the Light, a celebration of family and her long association with her band. Jazz critic Paula Edelstein says of Into the Light,
“Acclaimed jazz vocalist and educator Sunny Wilkinson offers exceptional interpretations of music from various genres as well as several original compositions composed with her pianist/composer husband Ron Newman on her latest release on Sunchance Music titled Into The Light. Sunny’s multi-octave vocals are delivered with passion and perfection as she reflects on personal experiences that have become her songs. The set list of intimate ballads and up-tempo gems are offered with an emotional and thoughtful approach that her listeners are sure to enjoy.”
Jazz Band and Vocal Adjudicator: Rejean Marois
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Réjean Marois teaches at Capilano University for the Jazz Studies Program. He conducts two vocal ensembles, NiteCap and Capital Jazz, and teaches improvisation and instrumental and vocal arranging in the Program. Furthermore, Réjean has been involved for the last 29 years as arranger and conductor for the Cap Jazz Series concerts featuring renowned jazz and world music artists from around the world. In May 2012, he has received an «Award for Empowering Learning» from Capilano University.
His recent composition: « Aerides » for clarinet, oboe and bassoon was given honorable mention for the 2017 BCMCC. « Kinesis » for flute, violin and piano was selected for the finals of the International Composition Competition “Shostakovich 2017”. His works « Chanson Ubuesque » « Bone & Bass » « Dream Reflection » and « Bergère » have been selected by Vancouver Pro Musica’s Sonic Boom 2015 - 2017 Festivals where they were all premiered. « na-lim’s prism » for violin and piano was premiered on July 29 in Milna, Island of Braç, Croatia as part of the Upbeat 2016 Masterclass in Composition. « Sospeso » for flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and cello has been selected for performance by Great Noise Ensemble at the 2017 West Fork New Music Festival and was premiered on September 25, 2016 by the ensemble TEMPO at California State University, Northridge (Los Angeles). For fourteen years, he was the artistic coordinator of the Jazz Singing Workshop at Domaine Forget, St. Irénée in the magnificent Charlevoix region of Québec. For the last 25 years, he has been in demand throughout Canada and the U.S. as a clinician, adjudicator, conductor, music advisor and arranger. Born in Thetford-Mines, Québec, Réjean Marois moved to British Columbia in 1988. Before, he worked in Québec as a composer, arranger, trombonist, publisher, educator and performed all across North America and Europe. In 1983 he was nominated for a Genie Award (Canadian Academy of Cinema) for his original soundtrack for the movie "Les Doux Aveux". |
Jazz Band Adjudicator: Horace Alexander Young
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Horace Alexander Young is a 21st Century musician whose combined saxophone and vocal style revisits the sensitivity and grit of Lester Young and Cannonball Adderley, and the smoothness and grace of Nat King Cole. While he has spent most of his 30+ years in the music business playing, arranging. composing and recording music for other artists, his focus now is on his personal artistry and mentoring the next generation of musicians. His personal intent is to leave a mark in both the domains of instrumental and vocal Jazz, as previously explored by Louis Armstrong and Chet Baker, and do so from a platform based on "the road less traveled". Stay tuned.
Horace Alexander Young uses Vandoren Reeds, Mouthpieces and Ligatures, SKB Cases and AMT Microphones exclusively. www.pacificcoastjazz.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Alexander_Young |
Jazz Band Adjudicator: Dennis Esson
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Since moving to Vancouver in 1980, Dennis has established himself as a highly respected and sought after trombonist and educator for a wide variety of musical endeavours. He has recorded music for cartoons, movies, jingles and soundtracks in addition to albums with many pop and rock groups. He has also been in the pit orchestras of several Broadway shows. As a jazz musician Dennis performs with groups such as the "Vancouver Ensemble of Jazz Improvisation (VEJI)", "Orquesta Goma Dura", "Jill Townsend Big Band", "Hard Rubber Orchestra" and the "Fred Stride Jazz Orchestra". Some of the musicians he has performed with include Kenny Wheeler, Phil Woods, Eddie Daniels, Marvin Stamm, David Foster, Maynard Ferguson, Natalie Cole, Clark Terry, Bud Shank, and Phil Nimmons. He has appeared and performed at all of the major jazz festivals across Canada. In 1993 Dennis was the recipient of a Canada Council of the Arts "B" grant to study jazz trombone in New York where he studied with Conrad Herwig, Steve Turre, Benny Powell and Slide Hampton.
As a music educator Dennis is currently the Jazz Studies Coordinator- Resource at Capilano University where he also directs the “B” Band as well as teaching other jazz courses. He is also a faculty member at UBC where he directs the UBC Jazz Ensemble II. He has been on the faculty of the Courtney Youth Music Center, the Okanagan Summer School of the Arts, Douglas College Jazz Intensive, UBC Summer Music School, Victoria Conservatory Summer Jazz Camp, and the Kwantlen University Summer Jazz Camp. Dennis is a Yamaha trombone artist and performs and records on the YSL697Z trombone. As well he is a frequent adjudicator and clinician at Music Festivals across B.C. as well as nationally. |
Combo Adjudicator: Bernie Addington
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Bernie began composing, performing and recording in 1983. From 1989-91, Bernie studied Jazz at The Vancouver Community College School of Music, majoring in performance and acoustic bass. While there, he studied under the renowned bassist, Rick Kilburn. Since completing his studies, Bernie has enjoyed a successful career as a freelance musician and private instructor.
Bernie has played extensively throughout North America, Europe, and Australia. Over the years, he has recorded with numerous artists (too many to mention), as a session musician. Since moving to the Okanagan, Bernie continues to play and record throughout the Interior as a first call musician and band leader. |
Combo Adjudicator: Loni Moger
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Loni Moger is a talented and versatile musician who played his first professional gig at the age of fourteen and began teaching at the age of sixteen. After spending four years on the East Coast of the U.S. he received his bachelor’s degree from Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, studying Guitar, Voice and arranging.
Loni has performed along side such international artists as “Bo Didley” and San Francisco’s “Tuck and Patti“; "Senator Tommy Banks" as well as local Calgary favorites “ The Swinging Bovines”, “Karl Roth” and former host CBC radio’s “Tonic”, “Tim Tamashiro”. He moved to Kelowna, BC in September of 2008. Loni shares, " I've played night clubs, concerts, weddings, political rallies, live radio and television, bowling alleys, country clubs, street corners( otherwise known as Busking), churches and living rooms, all of which were equally fun!" He enjoys interpreting the works of others and performing his own material as well. Loni is equally at home in a wide variety of musical styles ranging from Blues to Jazz to Funk, Rhythm and Blues, Pop and Country. He also harbors a secret passion for Classical music, having had several opportunities to work with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra , including Pops concerts and most recently on the Operatic work "Ainadamar, Fountain of Tears" and The "Lord of the Rings Symphony". |
Combo Adjudicator: Larry Roy
Bio and Photo coming soon.
Guest 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 |