News and Events
Concerts
For the current Cap Jazz Concert Series at Capilano University please visit the North Shore Credit Union Centre for the Performing Arts web site.
Jazz Studies Performance and Graduation Recitals - Spring 2012
Schedule will be posted soon.
Brad Turner Quartet Lands Juno Nod!
Congratulations to Brad and the Quartet on their Traditional Jazz Album of The Year nomination at the upcoming 2009 Juno Awards. The nomination represents the 9th nomination in ten years for label Maximum Jazz. Earlier this year the quartets release Small Wonder spent 3 straight weeks atop the Canadian Jazz Charts and has been hailed by critics as a complete album you will hear with great sound, great playing and great compositions.
Called "one of the top trumpeters in jazz today," by Downbeat magazine in 2007, this latest album is the Brad Turner Quartet's fifth. Small Wonder is a return to the recording studio environment, where past recordings have reflected the more improvisational group concept for which the Quartet has become known. The album revisits the structured realm of specifically composed pieces by Turner with each band member in mind.
National Jazz Award Hat Trick
Capilano University Jazz Studies bass instructor, Jodi Proznick was awarded Bassist of the Year at the 2008 National Jazz Awards. Her group, the Jodi Proznick Quartet, which features pianist Tilden Webb, drummer Jesse Cahill and tenor saxophonist Steve Kaldestad, was awarded the Acoustic Group of the year and their album Foundations (Cellarlive) was given of the Album of the Year honour.
In addition, the Jodi Proznick Quartet album, Foundations was also nominated for a 2008 Juno Award for Best Traditional Jazz Album. The group performed at the Beat Niq in Calgary, Alberta as part of Junofest 2008.
Visit Jodi's website.
CBC Radio-Canada's JAM Award for spring 2006
Bria Skonberg, who is graduating this year from Capilano College's Jazz Studies Program with a Degree in Jazz Performance is the winner of CBC Radio-Canada's JAM Award for spring 2006.
CBC Radio-Canada created this award to encourage young jazz students to follow their dreams. Named the CBC/Radio Canada Jazz Award of Merit - or JAM - the award recognizes exceptional performance and academic achievement by a musician studying jazz at the college level.
As the winner, Bria will receive a showcase performance at the CBC/Radio-Canada Studio One Jazz series, as part of the TD Canada Trust Vancouver International Jazz Festival. He will also receive a studio-produced demo CD and the $1,000 donated by Yamaha Canada.
Bria's involvement with Capilano College's A Band has allowed her to play with such notable artists as Cedar Walton, Ed Thigpen, Hugh Fraser, Rob McConnell and more. She has been fortunate to study with Vancouver's Kevin Elaschuk and Alan Matheson during her time at Cap. Originally from Chilliwack, Bria's pursuit of music has allowed her many opportunities to branch out. She leads and manages two traditional jazz bands, The 51st Eight and Mighty Aphrodite, that have enabled her to perform within Western Canada, Washington, California, Idaho, Arizona, Oregon, and Florida. She has also been able to appear as a guest artist with various bands overseas in England, France and Holland. She is a strong advocate for youth jazz and is active with traditional jazz summer camps in California and Montana, as well as clinics and school concerts.
CBC Radio-Canada's JAM Award for spring 2005 
Twenty-year-old saxophonist, Evan Arntzen, now in his third year as a performance major in the Capilano College Bachelor of Jazz Studies program, is the winner of CBC Radio-Canada's JAM Award for spring 2005.
CBC Radio-Canada created this award to encourage young jazz students to follow their dreams. Named the CBC/Radio Canada Jazz Award of Merit - or JAM - the award recognizes exceptional performance and academic achievement by a musician studying jazz at the college level.
As the winner, Evan will receive a showcase performance at the CBC/Radio-Canada Studio One Jazz series, as part of the TD Canada Trust Vancouver International Jazz Festival. He will also receive a studio-produced demo CD and the $1,000 Galaxie Rising Star Award of the CBC.
Evan's musical roots go back generations in his family. His grandfather, Lloyd Arntzen, is a clarinet and soprano sax player in the New Orleans traditional style and started Evan playing clarinet when he was seven. Evan's parents are also musicians. His father, Tom Arntzen, is a piano player and vocalist and his mother is also a vocalist. From a very early age, Evan was listening to and playing jazz and he owes a lot to his family for their support and guidance.
Evan started studying the saxophone at the age of 15, taking lessons with Bill Prouten. He continued to play and study until he graduated from Vancouver Technical Secondary in 2002. He then went to Capilano College where he started studying with Stan Karp, and also had short stints with Jack Stafford and Mike Allen. Stan has been a major source of inspiration and guidance for Evan.
Evan has enjoyed his three years at the College immensely. He has been playing in the "A" band all three of those years, participating in concerts with such jazz greats as Cedar Walton, Ed Thigpen, Rob McConnell and Seamus Blake.
Evan would also like to thank the College's faculty and support staff for this award, as well as for all the amazing instruction he has received so far. He is looking forward to the next couple of years as he thinks they will be a period of substantial growth.
Graduate awarded the CBC/Radio Canada Jazz Award of Merit
Twenty-three-year-old vocalist/pianist, Shannon Thue, a recent graduate of the Capilano College Bachelor of Jazz Studies program, is the winner of CBC Radio-Canada's first JAM Award.
CBC Radio-Canada created this new award to encourage young jazz students to follow their dreams. Named the CBC/Radio Canada Jazz Award of Merit – or JAM – the award recognizes exceptional performance and academic achievement by a musician studying jazz at the College level.
As the winner, Thue will receive a showcase performance at the CBC/Radio-Canada Studio One Jazz series, as part of the TD Canada Trust Vancouver International Jazz Festival. She will also receive a studio-produced demo CD and the $1,000 Galaxie Rising Star Award of the CBC.
Thue grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan and began studying piano and voice at an early age. She discovered jazz in high school and eager to learn more, she moved to Vancouver in 2000 to study jazz piano and voice at Capilano College.
Over the course of her four years of study, she had the opportunity to study with and draw inspiration from local jazz greats Chris Sigerson, Ross Taggart, Lorne Kellett, and Alan Matheson, and also enjoyed playing piano in the school's top big band, A-Band, and singing in the top vocal group, NiteCap, both under the direction of Réjean Marois.
Last year she performed with two groups at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival and was featured on Radio-Canada. Her influences include Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner and Gene Harris. In addition to playing, she enjoys writing and arranging music. Other interests include juggling, hiking, kayaking, tennis, cooking and creating visual arts projects.
Jazz fans can see the Shannon Thue Trio in concert Saturday, June 26 at 1 p.m. at CBC Studio One, 700 Hamilton Street. Admission is free, but seating is limited.
