Songs of the Sea featuring Fergus O'Byrne and Jim Payne
Come join us for an evening of traditional sea shanties and folk songs with the talented Fergus O'Byrne and Jim Payne at the Old City Arts Hub @ St. Andrew's United Church. Get ready to be transported to the rugged shores of Newfoundland as these talented musicians serenade you with tales of the sea! With Nanaimo's own Fiddelium as their guests, don't miss this unique opportunity to experience the rich cultural heritage of Newfoundland through music. Grab your tickets now on line at oldcityartshub.ca or at Windowseat Books #6-321 Wesley Street or at the door. Tickets $40.
THE SKYE DOUGLAS PROJECT
The Skye Douglas Project embraces introspection and minimalism while blending Nordic Jazz, World Music, Neo-Classical and Spirituality
in compositions of original music.
HARRY MANX
Join us for Parksville Museum’s 2025 concert season featuring live blues and jazz. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the show in our beautiful outdoor courtyard. Gates open at 5 pm. Food Trucks, Beer & Wine Sales, cash and card accepted. Advance tickets at the Museum or online: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/music-the-museum-presents-harry-manx-tickets-1378921353889?aff=oddtdtcreator
Harry Manx has spent years fusing eastern musical traditions with the blues, switching effortlessly between conventional guitars, harmonica, and banjo and the decidedly different Mohan veena, a 20-stringed instrument invented by Manx' Indian mentor Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. Manx is often referred to as the "Mysticssippi" Blues Man, because of his expertise in melding both East and West music together and therefore, "creating musical short stories that wed the Blues with the depth of classical Indian ragas".
Over the last 10 years, Harry Manx released 11 Albums and has garnered a room full of awards including "Seven Maple Blues Awards, six Juno nominations, the Canadian Folk Award in 2005 for Best Solo Artist and CBC Radio's "Great Canadian Blues Award" in 2007″. His most recent accomplishment was receiving yet another Juno Nomination for "Blues Album of the Year" for his release, "Bread and Buddha" in 2010.
More info: harrymanx.com
A CAPELLA PLUS
Sounds of Summer present a free, live performance by A CAPELLA PLUS at Wesley Square in the Old City Quarter!
JIM BYRNES
Join us for Parksville Museum’s 2025 concert season featuring live blues and jazz. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the show in our beautiful outdoor courtyard. Gates open at 5 pm. Food Trucks, Beer & Wine Sales, cash and card accepted. Advance tickets at the Museum or online: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/music-the-museum-presents-jim-byrnes-tickets-1379047370809?aff=oddtdtcreator
Jim Byrnes is a legendary blues icon, an actor of note, and that artist who lights up every stage with songs and stories, tried and true. Jim Byrnes was born in St. Louis, Missouri – that's blues country. He grew up on the city's north side. One of the neighbourhood bars had Ike and Tina Turner as the house band. As a teenager going to music clubs, he and his buddy were often the only white people in the place. "We never had any problems. We were too naïve and had too much respect for the music and culture – they knew it, they could tell."
By age thirteen, Jim was singing and playing blues guitar. His first professional gig was in 1964. Over the years, he has had the great good fortune to appear with a virtual who's who of the blues. From Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker to Taj Mahal and Robert Cray, Jim has been on the blues highway for 45 years.
More info: jimbyrnes.ca
JAMES VICKERS & CARSON MAERTZ
Sounds of Summer presents this free, live performance by JAMES VICKERS & CARSON MAERTZ at Wesley Square in the Old City Quarter.
JOEL LEE BAND
Sounds of Summer present a free concert with Joel Lee Band live.at Wesley Square in the Old City Quarter.
THE JOSH WARREN/SARAH STEVENSON QUINTET
Born & raised on Vancouver Island, Josh Warren (Toronto) and Sarah Stevenson (Montréal) are back in town and joining forces for a spectacular one-night-only show at Simonholt. Expect to hear a wide variety of sounds drawing from traditional jazz, latin/afro-cuban music, modern grooves and more. Featuring a star-studded and multi-generational lineup, this isn't one you'll want to miss. Josh and Sarah will be joined by Roy Styffe (saxophone), Nick Peck (piano), and Ryan Bennett (drums).
BRANDON ISAAK
Join us for Parksville Museum’s 2025 concert season featuring live blues and jazz. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the show in our beautiful outdoor courtyard. Gates open at 5 pm. Food Trucks, Beer & Wine Sales, cash and card accepted. Advance tickets at the Museum or online: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/music-the-museum-presents-brandon-isaak-tickets-1379062526139?aff=oddtdtcreator
Anyone who has listened to a Brandon Isaak album or watched this three-time Juno Award nominated bluesman perform live, knows that he's a gifted, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and performer. Isaak delivers an unforgettable set of traditional style blues with modern themes and clever twists to bring this vintage style new fresh life. His spontaneous stage presence is rife with off the wall humor with, sometimes, dramatic and outrageous physical stage moves. He is a true presence and has the musical mastery, power and nuances to back it up. With a varied mix of blues styles blended with his physically entertaining stage moves he always keeps the blues fans engaged and responsive.
"I believe Brandon is one of Canada's most talented roots and blues artists today"
-Holger Petersen/ CBC's Saturday Night Blues
"The States have Keb Mo', Sweden has Eric Bibb, and now Canada has Brandon Isaak"
-John The Rock Doctor
More info: brandonisaak.ca
JOSHUA GELLMAN BAND
Sounds of Summer present this free concert with versatile musician Josh Gellman & Band at Wesley Square in the Old City Quarter.
ANDREW GREENWOOD QUINTET
Join us for Parksville Museum’s 2025 concert season featuring live blues and jazz. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the show in our beautiful outdoor courtyard. Gates open at 5 pm. Food Trucks, Beer & Wine Sales, cash and card accepted. Advance tickets at the Museum or online: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/music-the-museum-presents-andrew-greenwood-quintet-tickets-1379087049489?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
The very talented Victoria-based saxophonist and composer, Andrew Greenwood and his quintet will be performing a soulful, captivating selection of music including that of Eddie Harris and Stanley Turrentine. This exciting jazz concert promises a thrilling conclusion to our fundraising concert series. Concert goers can expect an unforgettable night filled with rich melodies and vibrant rhythms delivered in style. Don't miss this intimate setting and the opportunity to experience the incredible talent of these artists.
Featuring:
Andrew Greenwood-Tenor Sax
Owen Chow- Trumpet
Tony Genge-Piano
Ross MacDonald- Bass
Kelby MacNayr- Drums
More info: andrewgreenwood.ca
KIRK MACDONALD / BRUCE BARTH DUO
The formidable Kirk MacDonald (tenor sax.) and Bruce Barth (Stanley Turrentine - keyboards ) duet! Featuring Kirk MacDonald (tnr. sax.), Bruce Barth (keys), Toronto-based saxophonist, composer, and educator Kirk MacDonald will be joining forces with renowned New York pianist, composer, and educator Bruce Barth for a series of duet and quintet performances across Canada. Their tour will span from coast to coast, with the duo performing in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Ontario from late July through mid-August. The quintet will be featured in select performances in and around Toronto. A Quadwrangle / Nanaimo Jazz Festival show. Tickets $30.00 (students, Quadwrangle Regulars and NIJFA Subscribers $25.00). Tickets: https://square.link/u/nU1FMdtJ
SOL ARAVENA
Sounds of Summer present “SOL ARAVENA” a soft Latin ensemble performing at Heritage Mews in the Old City Quarter. A FREE Performance.
DAVE TEICHROEB
Sounds of Summer present this free, live performance by DAVE TEICHROEB at Heritage Mews in the Old City Quarter.
B'BOON
Sounds of Summer present this free, live performance by B’BOON at Heritage Mews in the Old City Quarter.
JOHN GOGO
Sounds of Summer present this free, live performance by John Gogo at Heritage Mews in the Old City Quarter.
DOC FINGERS
Sounds of Summer present this free, live performance with DOC FINGERS at Heritage Mews in the Old City Quarter.
HOLLY COLE
Nanaimo International Jazz Festival proudly presents Holly Cole’s Dark Moon Tour as our
2025 Fall Festival Headliner
Holly Cole is a renowned Canadian / International jazz singer who began her career in
1989 with the release of her 4-song EP ‘Christmas Blues’ under indie label Alert Music,
followed by her debut album ‘Girl Talk’ in 1990.
In 1992, she signed with Blue Note’s Manhattan imprint and released ‘Blame It on My
Youth’ which achieved Platinum + sales in Canada, over 200,000 copies internationally,
and based on the success of the single “Calling You”, a number 1 charted single and
album in Japan. The next album based on her hit rendition of Johnny Nash’s, “I Can See
Clearly Now” and its accompanying video cemented her success internationally setting up
her following release, the critically acclaimed, Temptation, an album made up of material
exclusively written by Tom Waits, one of Holly’s favourite songwriters.
With 12 albums to her name, Cole has achieved multi-platinum sales and received
numerous awards, including 2 Juno Awards (out of 8 nominations) and 2 Gemini Awards.
She has also won two Japanese Grand Prix Gold Disc Awards and the prestigious Ella
Fitzgerald Award from the Montreal Jazz Festival, joining the ranks of Aretha Franklin, Diana
Krall and Etta James. In 2014, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from Queen’s
University.
In 2019, Holly Cole reunited the original Holly Cole Trio, with David Pitch on bass and Aaron
Davis on piano, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Festival International de Jazz de
Montreal. They performed at the cabaret Lion d’Or in Montreal, and these special shows
were recorded and became the 2021 album ‘Montreal’.
For Christmas 2022, Cole released a remastered compilation combining her holiday
releases from 1989 and 2001, titled anew ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside and I Have the Christmas
Blues’.
‘Dark Moon’ is available via Rumpus Room/Universal Music Canada.
Tickets and more information: https://www.porttheatre.com/event/nanaimo-international-jazz-festival-presents-holly-cole/
BUSHEIKIN & VILLETTE AT THE LIGHTHOUSE
"Ardeshir Quintet" — Graham Villette and Kosma Busheikin, the co-presenters of this new monthly jazz series, are working hard to bring the best in Canadian jazz to the music lovers of Nanaimo harbour front. June 14th marks 9 concerts since the series started and the two presenters don't plan on slowing down. More concerts are scheduled from now through until December of this year with lots of talent from near and far. This performance features a large ensemble of five musician's lead by Vancouver saxophonist Ardeshir Pourkeramati and features a rising-star lineup of BC musicians.
Saxophonist Ardeshir Pourkeramati has become a prominent voice in British Columbia's jazz community. Having recently returned to Vancouver after completing his doctoral studies at the Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles, he is now active in a number of musical projects across the city. Rooted in the jazz tradition but driven by a spirit of exploration, Ardeshir's quintet emphasizes deep communication and creative interplay to forge a sound that is both personal and forward-looking.
With Julian Borkowski - Trumpet, Winston Matsushita - Piano, David Caballero - Upright Bass and Graham Villette - Drums
Tickets are $20 ($15 for students) and can be bought at the door with cash, card or etransfer. Reservations are easy to make and free through the Lighthouse website, just put down your name, number of seats and date/time of reservation.
www.lighthousebistro.ca
*The Lighthouse is an all ages venue and will have its kitchen and bar open for service throughout the show.
John Lee: "Organic"
Quadwrangle Music is very pleased to announce that the extraordinary John Lee will be bringing his, "John Lee: Organic", show to Simonholt Restaurant, June 8th. 7:30pm.
Multi Instrumentalist John Lee was raised in Nanaimo BC. Equally at home playing bass, guitar, piano and drums at the highest level, and has recorded multiple albums with the Cellar Live label. John is a musical phenomenon!
He moved to Boston in 2010 to attend Berklee College of Music, where he was mentored by Ralph Peterson Jr and Dave Santoro.
Lee relocated back to his West Coast motherland in 2016 and began his professional career. This show features John on guitar, Nick Peck on keys and Vancouver drummer Jesse Cahill on drums. A show not to be missed.
Tickets are $25.00 (students, NIJFA subscribers and Quadwrangle Regulars $20.00), available from Simonholt (250) 933-3338, Fascinating Rhythm and online here: https://square.link/u/CdiiNhag
Fiddelium at the Port Theatre
Canadian Folk Music Award winners Fiddelium are returning to the Port with a brand new show of exciting material from around the world. Guest artists this year are the 20-piece Nanaimo Cello Choir. https://www.porttheatre.com/event/nanaimo-fiddle-society-presents-fiddelium/
NMA BIG BAND at SIMON HOLT
We are very pleased to announce that the Nanaimo Musicians' Association Big Band led by its legendary founder, Bryan Stovell, will be playing for us at the Simonholt Restaurant, May 25th 7:00 pm.
There is nothing quite as exciting as a Big Band in mid-flight! This nineteen piece band, whose musical prowess is well known in Western Canada and way beyond, will take us through an exciting repertoire of traditional and contemporary jazz music.
Tickets are $25.00 (students, Quadwrangle Regulars and NIJFA Subscribers $20.00) available from Simonholt (250) 933-3338, Fascinating Rhythm, or online HERE
All the money from ticket sales will go to the band. Quadwrangle Music does not profit from the shows we host.