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Jeremy Coates is one of Western Canada's busiest
working bass players, with more than
fifteen years of performing and teaching
experience. Comfortable in the studio,
classroom, and concert hall, Jeremy has
developed a variety of approaches to
jazz improvisation with respect to his
instruments, which include acoustic
bass, electric 4, 5, 6-string basses, as
well as tuba, guitar, and drum set. He
has traveled throughout the United
States, Canada, Australia, and New
Zealand, and has performed at the
Montreux Jazz Festival. Jeremy now
resides in Calgary and is working on
various projects towards the completion
of his Phd in music composition, which
include a concerto for bass and chamber
orchestra, a set of variations for brass
quintet, and a suite for double bass and
marimba. In addition, Jeremy has
recently completed a solo album of
original jazz and world music, featuring
fourteen local musicians.
Mike Peters is one of Calgary’s
most in demand guitar players. A native
of Hamilton, Ontario, Mike moved to
Calgary over twenty years ago and has
been active in Calgary’s music community
since his arrival. Mike’s early interest
in music is a result of his upbringing
where everybody in the family is a
musician! On stage, in the studio,
teaching or performing, Mike is
comfortable in any setting. As well as
electric, acoustic, twelve-string, Dobro
and mandolin Mike also gets along very
nicely with a fiddle too!
John Roggensack is a saxophonist
who is a native of Edmonton now residing
in Calgary. He is a versatile musician,
leader, sideman, composer, and arranger
and jazz educator. John is a graduate of
Grant MacEwan Community College in
Edmonton, and completed his studies at
the Liverpool Institute for Performing
Arts in Liverpool U.K. While in the
U.K., John held a residency with DJ's
Alex Laverly and Lewis RV for two years
at Liverpool's top club 'The Zanzibar'
where they re-introduced the clubbing
generation to live improvisation. Since
his return from the U.K. John has made a
home for himself in Calgary being an in
demand clinician and adjudicator in
local schools and festivals. He is the
director of jazz at St. Mary's High
School in Calgary. He is also a full
time member of Calgary’s Primetime Big
Band, and is on the executive board of
the Calgary Musicians Association. Over
the years John could have been seen
backing up artists like The Coasters,
The Drifter’s, Little Anthony and the
Imperials, Mary Wilson, Mike Cowie,
Jamiroquai, Bob Mintzer, Doc Severson,
Allen Vizzuti, Ingrid Jensen, and Chris
Snell to name a few. When not playing
with Calgary's premiere R&B band 'The
Real Deal', John can be found in the
lower Bow River wearing waders stalking
trout with a fly rod.
Allan Beckett has been playing
drums and percussion for over 25 years.
He is a graduate of the Red Deer College
School of Music and has performed in
many different venues from musical
theatre, clubs and concerts etc. to his
favorite musical experience thus far,
the Montreal Jazz Festival in 1989. As
well as performing and teaching, Al is
also a busy session player. He also
holds an Education Degree from The
University of Calgary.
John Lacey, a resident Albertan
is the senior statesman of The Real
Deal. As well as play trumpet, John is
the primary arranger for the group. He
has been involved in the music industry
for nearly four decades in the capacity
of recording engineer, producer,
arranger and musician and has been
involved in hundreds of recording
projects for many talented Western
Canadians. John has written and produced
award winning jingles, a television
theme song for the CBC, a member of a
CTV Network host band for one year, and
engineered live audio transmission for
Number One West with Saskatchewan
Television. John has been fortunate to
play in many fine Alberta groups dating
back to The Privilege and Barry Allen’s
Cheyenne Winter.
Bryan Vance began his musical
career in Vancouver, BC while earning
his Bachelor of Music at UBC. During
this time Bryan also studied with JT
Platt, Campbell Ryga, Shirley Diamond,
David Branter and Eugene Rousseau. Upon
graduation in 2001, Bryan began a
three-year term as a musician and
bandleader with Carnival Cruise Lines.
In Spring 2004 he made the move to
Calgary to continue his studies in
saxophone and woodwinds, beginning his
Master of Music degree with Dr. Jeremy
Brown at the University of Calgary.
Bryan completed this degree in the
spring of 2006.While in Calgary, Bryan
has had the opportunity to perform with
many fine musicians and ensembles
including the Prime Time Big Band and
members of the Calgary Philharmonic
Orchestra. He has also shared the stage
with musicians such as Allen Vizzutti,
Bob Mintzer, Hugh Fraser, Ian MacDougall
and Doc Serverinsen.
Bryan is an
Artist/Educator for Yamaha Canada and
performs on Yamaha saxophones.
Dana Crawford began his musical
career in 1991 singing with “The
Earthtones” garnering
two top twenty
hits on the Canadian adult contemporary
charts and nominated twice for Juno
Awards in 1995 and 1997 - best soul/r&b
category. Dana has won several A.R.I.A.
awards, has been featured in four
Muchmusic videos, performed on YTV and
CBC, toured in China, Taiwan, Mexico,
Great Britain, Germany, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Norway and the United States.
Dana has shared the stage with many
notables in the music industry such as
The Nylons, Jann Arden, the Backstreet
Boys, Wide Mouth Mason, Busta Rymes Rita
McNeil, Tom Jackson to name a few. An
extensive recording career has involved
Dana with Kirk Johnson, former drummer
for Prince, recorded at the world famous
Paisley Park Studios, and several other
songs Dana wrote or co-wrote produced by
renowned producer Giorgio Moroder (Flashdance,
Donna Summer). Dana has also been
involved with projects in the studio
with Chris Cox (Madonna). Crowds
everywhere appreciate the charismatic
and endearing vocal interpretation Dana
enthusiastically shares with all his
audiences – be it a large concert venue
or a small intimate club.
Derek Stoll obtained a Bachelor
of Music degree in Composition from the
University of Calgary. He has composed
works for concert band, jazz band, small
ensembles and solo instruments. Mr.
Stoll has traveled extensively with show
bands throughout Canada, the US and
Japan. He studied jazz and brass
performance at the Banff Centre. He has
taught science and music in the BC
school system, and was the Director of
Musicamrose (Alberta Summer Music
Workshop Association) from 1989 to 1995.
He has recently lectured at Boston
University, and is a consultant for
Conservatory Canada’s new Contemporary
idioms syllabus. He teaches jazz piano
at Mount Royal College in Calgary and is
currently active as a clinician,
adjudicator, and composer. He is active
in Alberta’s music scene, and is a Board
Member of the Calgary Arts Summer
School, Calgary Musicians Association,
and the Classic Aircraft Collection and
Restoration Society. He is a co-founder
of Alberta Musician Development
Workshops. |
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