Saturday, June 29, 2024 at 7:30 pm
$35 per ticket - SOLD OUT!
The 16th concert in the York Place Musical Salon.
About the Event
This evening's all-star trio of Mark Eisenman (piano), Bonnie Brett (vocals) and Steve Wallace (bass) reunites old friends who have been making music together for decades. All three musicians have considerable acclaim and deep roots in the Toronto jazz scene. Bonnie and Steve now reside in the Comox Valley, and the happy occasion of Mark visiting from Toronto could mean only one thing... Old Friends, New Music - An Evening of Jazz!
About the Musicians
The award-winning piano mastery of Mark Eisenman has made him a jazz eminence for over three decades entertaining as a professional musician, performing with illustrious Canadian and U.S. artists including Woody Shaw, Art Farmer, Barney Kessell, Scott Hamilton, Lew Tabackin, Nat Adderley, Blue Mitchell, Don Menza, Ed Bickert, Rob McConnell, Guido Basso, Steve Wallace, and Pat LaBarbera.
He has recorded with drum great Jimmy Cobb (Sweet and Lovely) who jazz fans will recognize as the drummer on Miles Davis’ classic Kind Of Blue recording. Mark appears on many recordings, including the Don Vickery Trio’s Alone Together with Vickery and Neil Swainson (named one of 2013’s Best Recordings by JAZZ.FM91). In 2024, Mark's recording with Mike Murley, Recent History, was nominated for a Juno Award in the "Jazz Album of the Year" category.
In 1999, Mark was named Jazz Report’s ‘Acoustic Pianist of the Year’. A top-call vocal accompanist and long time jazz educator at York University, he can be found in many musical situations where taste, feel, and a jazz sensibility are important.
Bonnie Brett began her professional musical career as a member of CBC Television's "Hymn Sing Chorus" while she was a student of Music and English Literature at The University of Winnipeg. Soon after her stint with "Hymn Sing" she abandoned her classical music studies in favour of exploring the intricacies of jazz singing. She landed a spot in Ron Paley's big band with whom she served an apprenticeship of two years before moving to Toronto where she met and began performing with The Mark Eisenman Trio.
A decade later, Bonnie Brett is one of Toronto's most respected and beloved jazz vocalists. She has established a reputation for being a singer of great power and finesse who swings hard. Bonnie has headlined many concerts and club venues, most notably The Montreal Bistro, The Top of The Senator and The REX. She has appeared at the Du Maurier Downtown Jazz Festival, The Port Hope All Canadian Jazz Festival and the Festival International de Jazz du Montreal.
A diverse artist with many projects to her name, Bonnie has been the featured vocalist with Steve Wallace's Lesterdays as well as having appeared with many other of the best jazz musicians in the country, Guido Basso, Richard Whiteman, Mike Murley and Rob McConnel to name a few. She has also performed with fellow vocalist Melissa Stylianou in their hilarious duet "tour de force" Bosom Buddies. Bonnie Brett has released two recordings: " Live At The Montreal Bistro" and "The Elvis Costello Song Book" which became the Jazz FM e-store's best selling album within weeks of its launch. She has also recorded for CBC Radio's "Jazz Beat".
Steve Wallace is one of Canada’s foremost jazz bassists. He was born in Toronto in 1956. Most of his career took place there and internationally, playing clubs, touring and recording with such American greats as Zoot Sims, Ray Bryant, Scott Hamilton, Rosemary Clooney, Woody Herman and many more, as well as with such Canadian giants as Fraser MacPherson, Rob McConnell, Oscar Peterson, Phil Nimmons, Ed Bickert, Mike Murley and many others. He moved to Courtenay in July 2021 where he now lives with his long-suffering wife Anna. This concert marks Steve's sixth appearance in the York Place Musical Salon.
Concert Gallery
Images © Brent Reid