Program
Friday evening concert
Vancouver Jazz Orchestra with Champian Fulton
Born in Norman, Oklahoma, Champian Fulton is recognized as the “most gifted pure Jazz singer of her generation” (Mark Stryker, the Detroit Free Press). A Jazz pianist and vocalist for more than 20 years, she has released 18 albums featuring her music in many different formats, including 2 albums with famed Canadian saxophonist and record producer Cory Weeds; and her newest project, a duo album with Swedish altoist and clarinetist Klas Lindquist, who is also featured in this concert.
Established in 2022 by Executive Director Cory Weeds and Artistic Director James Danderfer, the Vancouver Jazz Orchestra (VJO) has quickly become a prominent fixture in the Vancouver music scene. Led by a team of passionate musicians and educators, we strive to uphold the rich tradition of jazz while also exploring new horizons and showcasing our incredible local talent.
Saturday, Feb. 14
VJO Society presents: Fraser MacPherson Scholarship Rising Stars
Sat 11:30am + 1:30pm | Room 102
On both festival mornings, the Vancouver Jazz Orchestra Society presents student bandleaders who have earned scholarships from the Fraser MacPherson Jazz Fund, a program that has given financial assistance to BC jazz students for over three decades. The VJO Society, led by executive director Cory Weeds and artistic director James Danderfer, is a registered charity with the mission to enrich Vancouver's cultural landscape and to inspire audiences of all ages through our music.
Champian Fulton & Klas Lindquist
Sat 11:45am + 1:45pm | Room 103
Champian Fulton is a world-class jazz pianist and vocalist with international acclaim. She grew up in a musical family and began her professional career at the age of 10, performing at Clark Terry’s 75th birthday party. Today, her piano and voice skills are widely recognized by peers and critics as possessing distinction and sophistication. Fulton is touring with Swedish clarinetist and saxophonist Klas Lindquist in support of their 2025 album, At Home.
Jacob Chung Quartet
Sat 12:00pm | Studio Theatre
Tenor saxophonist Jacob Chung moved from Toronto to New York City in 2022, after releasing his debut album Epistle, to study with Vincent Herring. Chung has since performed with Ken Peplowski, the John Pizzarelli Big Band, the Mingus Big Band, and Pasquale Grasso to name a few. With the Cellar Music label, Chung has released two albums: The Sage, featuring Herring and drummer Joe Farnsworth, in 2024 and Live at Frankie’s Jazz Club in 2025.
With Tyler Henderson (piano), Caleb Tobocman (bass), & Willie Bowman (drums)
Brandon Suarez Quartet
Sat 2:00pm | Studio Theatre
Tenor saxophonist Brandon Suarez is a rising young star on the New York jazz scene. Born in Cuba and raised in Miami, Florida, Suarez’s style is influenced by bebop, classic vocal jazz, and Cuban music. His international performances include the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Aarhus Jazz Festival, and joining renowned saxophonists Vincent Herring and Eric Alexander on a tour of Japan. His debut album, Introducing, came out on the Cellar Music label in 2025.
With Tyler Henderson (piano), Caleb Tobocman (bass), & Willie Bowman (drums)
Madeleine Elkins Trio
Sat 3:30pm | Room 102
Guitarist Madeleine Elkins writes intricate compositions at the crossroads of jazz, folk, and rock. Inspired by exploratory artists like Bill Frisell and Mary Halvorson, Elkins merges contemporary jazz with modern bluegrass and with post-punk guitar sounds. She has performed with Mali Obomsawin, Wayne Horvitz, Kaïa Kater, the Sister Jazz Orchestra, and many more diverse bands and artists. She released her first album, Brighton Train, on the Infidels Jazz label in 2025.
With William Chernoff (bass) & Kevin Romain (drums)
Sharon Minemoto Quartet
Sat 3:45pm | Room 103
Since the age of 16, pianist Sharon Minemoto has performed to audiences worldwide. Minemoto’s quartet released its second album, Dark Night, Bright Stars, on Cellar Music in 2023. She has performed with artists such as Brad Turner, Jill Townsend, Oliver Gannon, Neil Swainson, Dee Daniels, and Denzal Sinclaire to name a few. Minemoto is also known for her longtime curator’s role in the Vancouver scene, formerly at Pat’s Pub and now at La Fabrique St-George.
With Jon Bentley (tenor saxophone), Darren Radtke (bass), & Bernie Arai (drums)
Brandon Suarez / Jacob Chung Tenor Madness
Sat 4:00pm | Studio Theatre
Saxophonists Brandon Suarez and Jacob Chung are part of an up-and-coming generation of young jazz musicians making their mark in New York City and beyond. They have learned directly from artists like George Coleman, Charles McPherson, Bob Mover, Grant Stewart, and many more, all of whom have empowered them to go further as working musicians. While at the festival together with their own bands, Suarez and Chung link up for a set of tenor madness.
Cory Weeds
Sat 5:30pm | Room 102
Saxophonist, Cellar Music Group founder, and Jazz at the Bolt director Cory Weeds presents a group featuring some of Vancouver’s finest musicians. Weeds’ latest records on Cellar Music are Just Coolin’ (2022), released on Cellar Music to benefit the Fraser MacPherson Jazz Fund, Home Cookin’ (2023) with his Little Big Band, and Cory Weeds Meets Jerry Weldon (2025). He also recently completed a U.S. tour with the project, Cory Weeds Meets Chris Hazelton.
Julian Borkowski / Feven Kidane Quintet plays Freddie Hubbard & Woody Shaw
Sat 5:45pm | Room 103
In the 1980s, legendary jazz trumpeters Freddie Hubbard & Woody Shaw recorded a pair of albums together: 1985’s Double Take and 1987’s The Eternal Triangle. The joy, power, and spirit of friendly competition in Hubbard and Shaw’s music has inspired trumpet players around the world ever since, including Julian Borkowski and Feven Kidane. Borkowski and Kidane are honoured to lead a quintet in tribute to two of their heroes on the instrument.
With Noah Franche-Nolan (piano), David Caballero (bass), & Dan Gaucher (drums)
Bill Coon Double Quartet
Sat 6:00pm | Studio Theatre
Guitarist and bandleader Bill Coon's fresh take on “jazz quartet meets string quartet” produces a happy marriage of the two, with music that is both accessible and contemporary. The Vancouver-based Double Quartet's album, Departure, was released on the Cellar Live label in 2018. Born from Coon’s string orchestra arrangements for a Radio-Canada concert with Denzal Sinclaire, this repertoire unlocks two universes full of possibilities as they intersect.
Biboye Onanuga Quartet
Sat 7:45pm | Room 103
Biboye Onanuga is a drummer based in Edmonton whose work bridges contemporary jazz and hip-hop with a spiritual-leaning approach. For Jazz at the Bolt, he appears with pianist Suin Park, trombonist Nebyu Yohannes, and bassist Dan Howard, three creative voices from Vancouver’s jazz community. Together, they draw on jazz tradition while reflecting on the pace of the modern West, offering layered commentary on contemporary life through improvisation and collective sound.
Cousin Harley Plays The Blues
Sat 8:00pm | Studio Theatre
Cousin Harley is a rocking hillbilly project by guitarist Paul Pigat. Plays the Blues Vol. 1 is the band’s ninth album, released on Cellar Music in 2025. Though Pigat is known as a rockabilly and western swing virtuoso, he is also a connoisseur of west-coast jump blues, leading him to dedicate this latest record to the genre. It features Cousin Harley’s core trio plus horns and keys, forming a classic, early-50s-style dance band.
Sunday, Feb. 15
VJO Society presents: Fraser MacPherson Scholarship Rising Stars
Sun 11:30am + 1:30pm | Room 102
On both festival mornings, the Vancouver Jazz Orchestra Society presents student bandleaders who have earned scholarships from the Fraser MacPherson Jazz Fund, a program that has given financial assistance to BC jazz students for over three decades. The VJO Society, led by executive director Cory Weeds and artistic director James Danderfer, is a registered charity with the mission to enrich Vancouver's cultural landscape and to inspire audiences of all ages through our music.
Tyler Henderson Trio
Sun 11:45am + 1:45pm | Room 103
Pianist Tyler Henderson attended the High School For Performing & Visual Arts in Houston, Texas, where he learned from masters of the music including Barry Harris and Robert Glasper. Henderson then moved to New York to attend Juilliard and was mentored by Ted Rosenthal and Geoffrey Keezer. He began playing with musicians such as Joe Magnarelli, Bruce Harris and Grant Stewart, then released his first album, Love Endures, on Cellar Music in 2025.
With Caleb Tobocman (bass) & Willie Bowman (drums).
Ardeshir Quintet
Sun 12:00pm | Studio Theatre
Saxophonist and composer Ardeshir Pourkeramati blends his deep roots in the jazz tradition with a fresh perspective, crafting a dynamic and expressive sound. Currently based in Vancouver, he has worked across jazz idioms from hard bop to fusion. Ardeshir completed a doctorate in jazz studies at USC’s Thornton School of Music and has worked with notable Canadian artists including Brad Turner, Cory Weeds, Steve Kaldestad, John Lee, Jodi Proznick, and John Korsrud.
Arvind Ramdas Quintet
Sun 2:00pm | Studio Theatre
Arvind Ramdas is a dynamic jazz drummer based in Vancouver and originally from India. His quick rise through the scene after arriving at Capilano University has made him one of the city’s busiest young players. He has collaborated with many local jazz mainstays such as Brad Turner, John Gross, Steve Kaldestad, and Cory Weeds. Based in the tradition, Ramdas’ quintet offers a thrilling set of hard-hitting, swinging compositions and arrangements from the Great American Songbook.
With Spencer Drody (trumpet), Tamas Balai (alto saxophone), Noah Franche-Nolan (piano), & David Caballero (bass)
Van Django
Sun 3:30pm | Room 102
Van Django is an acoustic string ensemble formed in 1998 by four of Canada’s most talented and eclectic musicians; violinist Cameron Wilson, guitarist Budge Schachte, guitarist and cellist Finn Manniche, and bassist Brent Gubbels. Their music is punchy, driving and rhythmically inventive, combining a wealth of musical influences while maintaining their roots in the gypsy jazz made famous by the 1930’s Quintet of the Hot Club of France.
KneeJerk
Sun 3:45pm | Room 103
Featuring Brian Horswill on piano, Karlis Silins on bass, Kenton Loewen on drums, and new member Cole Schmidt on guitar, KneeJerk is a free jazz project that plays with minimalism and evokes chaos. From nearly-tangible forms to a wild, almost playful din, this quartet creates a strange and beautiful jangle. The band has released two albums on the Infidels Jazz label: Blind Painter (2023) and The Speed of Dark (2025).
Jimi James Sextet
Sun 4:00pm | Studio Theatre
Pianist and composer Jimi James Fraser leads groups that showcase both original compositions and adventurous reimaginings of the jazz tradition. Inspired by Art Blakey, Horace Silver, and Vancouver’s VEJI, Fraser formed his sextet in 2019 through a collective of musicians from the former “jazz house” in Vancouver. The group’s performances are marked by driving swing, collaborative arranging, and a commitment to keeping the classic sextet tradition alive in contemporary form.
Jennifer Scott & Rene Worst play Carla Bley & Steve Swallow
Sun 5:30pm | Room 102
Jennifer Scott is a powerhouse with a rich contralto voice, known for her fearless improvisation and ability to weave jazz, blues, and world music into something totally her own. Scott has been a mainstay in the North American jazz scene for decades. Her albums show a knack for reimagining standards and pop tunes with a soulful and fresh twist. Her latest collaboration with her husband, renowned bassist Rene Worst, celebrates the music of Carla Bley and Steve Swallow.
Suin Park Quartet
Sun 5:45pm | Room 103
Composer and pianist Suin Park’s harmonically complex and emotionally expressive music combines traditional jazz, classical influences, and contemporary improvisation sensibilities. Park finished her graduate studies in jazz piano in Korea before moving to Canada to explore new musical challenges. Since then, she has been active in a variety of projects spanning both countries. The Suin Park Quartet was recently featured at the 2025 Vancouver International Jazz Festival.
Ralph Moore Quartet
Sun 6:00pm & 8:00pm | Studio Theatre
Ralph Moore is an English tenor saxophonist based in the U.S. who is known for his signature sound and mastery of the hard bop style. Moore has worked with many historic figures in jazz such as Horace Silver, Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, J.J. Johnson, Roy Haynes, and McCoy Tyner. For over a decade starting in 1995, Moore played in the house band for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He has released seven albums as a bandleader on some of the most prestigious labels in jazz and has recorded on over 50 more albums, including credits with Diana Ross, B.B. King, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, and Cedar Walton.
With David Kikoski (piano), Peter Washington (bass), & Lewis Nash (drums)
Josh Roberts Trio
Sun 7:45pm | Room 103
Inspired by the early days of the electric guitar in jazz, guitarist Josh Roberts leads a trio with a fresh take on the driving, dynamic swing of the 1930s, 40s, and early 50s. Roberts’ playing draws upon influences including Charlie Christian, George Barnes, Oscar Moore, Barney Kessel, and Jim Hall. He is known locally for having performed with artists such as Bonnie Northgraves, Evan Arntzen, and Geoff Claridge.
With Noah Gotfrit (bass) & Seth Kitamura (drums)