This Sunday, April 28 at 7:00pm The Fort Garry Hotel in Collaboration with Jazz Winnipeg, will be presenting the East Side Jazz Band.
Founded in 2007 by trumpet player and music educator Dan Steinhilber, the East Side Jazz Band is made up of musicians who want to play in a big band but don’t have the time to gig full time.
The band is currently comprised of many top-notch music educators and semi-professional musicians. Many former members of the band have gone on to become regular players in the Winnipeg jazz scene.
The band was started by Transcona Collegiate Institute (TCI) Band Director Dan Steinhilber who simply wanted a place to play. Saxophonist Lauren Dobko has taken over the reins of the band. She explains how he band started and how it has grown. “Dan wanted a playing outlet and he sent out a call on social media to see if anyone would like to get together…after that they started playing with one another, and soon it became a magnet for folks that wanted to play serious big band music but commit the time to playing professionally. Since then East Side has made annual performances, most commonly at CCFM Mardi Jazz and the Community Band Festival.” The band has also performed at various galas and fundraisers and big band dances in the past.
A good percentage of the band is made up of band directors from around the city. The band serves as a way to get together, talk shop and have fun playing big band jazz. “Teaching can be challenging so it’s nice to get together and be good at something especially after a hard day…and I do really enjoy pushing ourselves to prepare challenging music…it helps us feel like we’re in the shoes of our students who we are constantly challenging on a daily basis. It’s a sense of accomplishment… and it helps foster a sense of empathy with kiddos who are trying their best every day,” says Dobko.
The show on Sunday at the Fort Garry Hotel promises to be a lot of fun. If you are a fan of big band swing this is a show for you! When asked what audiences can expect on Sunday Dobko states, “You can expect a healthy dose of swing, some vocal tunes, an original composition by one of our members, and two really challenging pieces that I’m really excited for…by female composers Toshiko Akiyoshi, and Canadian Christine Jensen.” The singer for the show will be a grade ten student at TCI, Tori Taylor. Dobko continues, “You’d never guess she is the tenth grade…she sounds fabulous...she’s an up-and-coming star that one.”
The Show on Sunday, April 28 at 7:00pm The Fort Garry Hotel in Collaboration with Jazz Winnipeg featuring the East Side Jazz Band is going to be a fantastic way to end the weekend. You are sure to get some musical energy as you prepare for another work week. Let the band serve as the fuel for the week to come!
For more details on The East Side Jaz Band’s performance visit the Jazz Winnipeg Website.
