For our 2014 South Delta Jazz Festival we welcome Canadian Jazz Icon Hugh Fraser.

Hugh Fraser – well known trombonist and pianist has been a fixture on the Vancouver Jazz Scene since the 1980’s.
The Hugh Fraser Quintet won the 1987 Concorde de jazz de Montreal creating national and international acclaim through touring and many award winning recordings which led to two Juno Awards.
While residing in New York, Hugh contributed to legendary jazz ensembles such as Maynard Ferguson, Clifford Jordan and Slide Hampton’s World of Trombone’s latest recording where Hugh contributed as the only Canadian participant as a trombonist, pianist and composer.
Hugh spent over a decade in London, England where he studied, performed and recorded with fellow Canadian, Kenny Wheeler, including the seminal ECM record Music for Large and Small Ensembles with Peter Erskine, Dave Holland, John Abercrombie, Evan Parker and many of England’s leading instrumental artists.
As an educator, he was proud of his evolution from student, faculty member, and ultimately head of the jazz program at the Banff Centre of Fine Arts. Here he founded the Hugh Fraser International Jazz Orchestra Workshop which he presented in Ireland, England, the United States and most cities across Canada. In London, England, Hugh designed and delivered the composition component at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music for over a decade.
Hugh has been voted Canadian Trombonist of the Year many times and as the only Canadian participant in Orlando “Maraca” Valle’s 2011 DVD release of the Latin Jazz All Stars, he is included in the top six albums in all genres by Downbeat Magazine. He also performs regularly with his dear friend Chucho Valdes where one of Hugh’s additions to this iconical pianist’s composition has been standard performance and educational fare in Cuba.

For our 2014 South Delta Jazz Festival we welcome Ron Samworth.

Guitarist/Composer Ron Samworth has been playing and teaching music professionally for over 30 years. Critically acclaimed as one of Canada’s leading jazz guitarists and improvisers, Samworth brings his passion for jazz, rock, blues, classical, pop and folk music together in a fusion that represents the breadth of his musical experiences. He leads the celebrated Vancouver-based quartet Talking Pictures and co-directed the NOW Orchestra for ten years and the Indie rock bands Darkblueworld and the Luscious. He is also a member of the Peggy Lee Band, Birds of Paradox and the Hard Rubber Orchestra. His has performed and recorded with numerous international artists including Mary Margaret O’Hara, John Zorn, Dave Douglas, Robin Holcomb and Wayne Horvitz.

He has performed in major venues and festivals in New York, Berlin, Paris, Lisbon,Amsterdam, Vienna, and extensively across Canada. He has been awarded numerous Canada Council awards from 1985 to the present. In 1990 he won the CBC/Alcan Grand Prix Concours de Jazz with the group Creatures of Habit. He has been nominated for multiple Jessie and Dora awards for his theatre collaborations, West Coast music awards, short listed for a SOCAN songwriting award, and Canadian Jazz critic awards for best jazz guitarist and top ensemble (Talking Pictures) in 2004 and 2005.

He was a faculty member of the Banff Center Jazz Workshop in 2009 and has taught at the Capilano University jazz studies programme since 1997. He has conducted workshops and lecture/demonstrations at universities and conservatories across Canada and Europe. Ron enjoys teaching all levels and abilities. His approach is relaxed and easy-going, placing the enjoyment of music and each individual’s specific needs above formal objectives and methodology. In short, he wants everyone to feel like music is fun and uplifting!

July 8th to 12th, 2014