The Jon Miller Quartet
November 1, 2020 at Hermann’s Jazz Club

The Monik Nordine Quartet         
November 21, 2020 at Chez Monik 

The Jon Miller Quartet and The Monik Nordine Quartet are performing this November in Victoria, BC.  After many months of hiatus due to the pandemic the musicians are eager to perform!  The Jon Miller Quartet is: Jon Miller on drums, Tony Genge on organ, Rob Cheramy on guitar and Monik Nordine on saxophone.  The material covers 60’s and 70’s Soul Jazz as well as original works by band members.
https://jonmillerdrums.weebly.com/

The Monik Nordine Quartet was scheduled for an Island Tour in March which was cancelled.  Now the band is back with a new lineup including Victoria’s own Miles Fuller on drums (https://www.milesfullermusic.com/) and Phill Albert on bass (https://www.instagram.com/abassphill/).  Miles has recently returned from a four-year sojourn in Toronto and Phill relocated back to Victoria from an eight-year Toronto stint during the pandemic lockdown.  The group is heavily invested in Canadian Jazz from Oscar Peterson and Sonny Greenwich to band originals.  

Tickets are available here:

Jon Miller Quartet at Hermann’s Jazz Club (in person and online)
7:30 pm Sunday, November 1, 2020
https://www.hermannsjazz.com/reservations&event_id=521579

Monik Nordine Quartet at Chez Monik (online only)
9:00pm Saturday, November 21 
https://sidedooraccess.com/shows/UGKAgtw93TH4u25Xz53a

On July 24, 2020 Mike WT Allen joined the Jon Miller Quartet for a video session and concert for the superfun Supersax Sax Camp at the Sidney Community Music School. We are hoping to put on a show again next July (guests TBA) a great big thank you to all the participants last July!

Mike WT Allen (bari sax), Monik Nordine (alto sax), Rob Cheramy (guitar), Phill Albert (bass), Jon Miller (drums)

Join our guest artist Mike WT Allen, saxophonist, composer and leader of the notorious Vancouver-based big band “Space Elevator” for this saxophone intensive week in Sidney, BC

 

Described by Discorder Magazine as “a compositional tour de force”, Mike has had compositions of his performed, debuted, or commissioned by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Redshift Music, The Hard Rubber Orchestra, Ecstatic Waves, The Mackenzie Jones Big Band, Ontario’s Royal Military College concert band, as well as an international debuts and performances by Lara Neuss (Colorado, US) and Jerk In The Can (2016/17 European tour)

 

http://www.mikewtallen.com/

 

In addition to his “serious art music” work, Mike composes for, plays with, produces, and records music with a number of his own groups and other artists around Vancouver, headlining festivals, touring, and producing albums over a vast range of styles, as well as producing soundtracks for local award winning films and commercials.

In this one week summer program we will be working on our section skills and creative skills and then using those skills to perform a concert at the Sidney Community Music School (1833 Glamorgan Rd, North Saanich, BC) with backing from the Jon Miller Quartet.  This will be a recorded event (not open to the public) which will be streamed at a later date.  The workshops will take place between 10am and 3pm Monday, July 20 through Friday, July 24 and the concert will take place at 7pm on July, 24.

There are a limited number of spaces available and they are on a first-come-first-served basis. To reserve your spot please send an email request to with a refundable registration deposit of $100 to hold your spot. The full cost per student for the week long intensive is $500 and refunds for withdrawal or cancellation can be made on or before July 15, 2020.

 

As of March 5 we have raised $1700 for our Album Project and we would like to thank our supporters for helping us, we can’t do it without you!

On March 8 at 7:30pm The Monik Nordine Quartet with special guests Maria Manna, Bryn Badel, Chris Watt and Tom Vickery will performing at Wood Hall in the Victoria Conservatory of Music to raise funds for this project.  Admission is by donation at the door.  If you can’t attend this concert and would like to support us with a donation you can send a pledge of support to victoriajazzorchestra@gmail.com.

We will get back to you with specific details on how to donate to our cause.

Thank you from The Victoria Jazz Orchestra 🎼🎶

 

 

 

The Quartet has some gigs coming in March, don’t forget to mark them on your calendars!

As the holiday season is a busy time the Zoom meetings will be on hold until Saturday, January 4.  See you then on Zoom!

Best wishes,

Monik

 

I’ll be live on Zoom tomorrow (Saturday, November 30) at 1pm PST, any and all are welcome to join me

Monik Nordine is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. https://us04web.zoom.us/j/6311967474

Meeting ID: 631 196 7474

 

click here to buy tickets to our Fundraiser for the Single Parent’s Resource Centre:

The Victoria Jazz Orchestra along with our special guests Maria Manna and Andrew Homzy are hoping that you will join us on November 16 to help children and families  in need here in Victoria.

donate here

The Victoria Jazz Orchestra with Maria Manna perform

“A Christmas Carol”

Conducted by Andrew Homzy

 

A fundraiser for the Single Parent Resource Centre

Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 7:30pm

Alix Goolden Hall (907 Pandora Ave.)

Tickets $40 available at Alix Goolden Hall Tickets

For ticket information call (250) 386-5311

For event information https://www.facebook.com/victoriajazzorchestra/

Presented by Monik Nordine

This November you can get jazzy in a festive way with the Victoria Jazz Orchestra.  Monik Nordine is putting on a concert at Alix Goolden featuring the Orchestra with guests Maria Manna on vocals, and conductor Andrew Homzy, the Artistic Director of the Nanaimo International Jazz Festival.  The event is being held to raise funds and awareness for the Single Parent Resource Center, located here in Victoria.

A staggering 50% of children living in single parent homes are living in poverty and child poverty rates in BC remain above the national average.  The Single Parent Resource Centre provides free clothing, food, counseling and Christmas gifts for families in need.  By helping the folks at the Single Parent Resource Centre you will be directly and positively impacting the lives of children.

https://www.singleparentvictoria.ca

The Monik Nordine Quartet is joined by Nanaimo-based guitarist Astrid Lyre for an evening of original music.  Joining Monik and Astrid will be Bruce Meikle on bass and David Emery on drums. The quartet features the music of composers such as Oscar Peterson, Sonny Greenwich, Hugh Fraser and other more. Monik has set out to highlight Canadian works with this group and the stylistic influences lean heavily on Miles Davis and Sonny Stitt.

Tickets are $10 and are available online HERE  and at the door.

Check us out on FB! FB Events

 

The Victoria Jazz Orchestra with Maria Manna perform

“A Christmas Carol”

Conducted by Andrew Homzy

Also joined by the Cathedral School Choir

A fundraiser for the Single Parent Resource Centre

Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 7:30pm

Alix Goolden Hall (907 Pandora Ave.)

Tickets $40 available at Alix Goolden Hall Tickets

For ticket information call (250) 386-5311

For event information https://www.facebook.com/victoriajazzorchestra/

Presented by Monik Nordine

 

This November you can get jazzy in a festive way with the Victoria Jazz Orchestra.  Monik Nordine is putting on a concert at Alix Goolden featuring the Orchestra with guests Maria Manna on vocals, and the Cathedral School Choir.  Conducting them all will be Andrew Homzy, the Artistic Director of the Nanaimo International Jazz Festival.  The event is being held to raise funds and awareness for the Single Parent Resource Center, located here in Victoria.

A staggering 50% of children living in single parent homes are living in poverty and child poverty rates in BC remain above the national average.  The Single Parent Resource Centre provides free clothing, food, counseling and Christmas gifts for families in need.  By helping the folks at the Single Parent Resource Centre you will be directly and positively impacting the lives of children.

https://www.singleparentvictoria.ca

Join me on Saturdays at 1pm PST for free group sessions on ear training, improv and saxophone.  This is a place where we can meet and talk about music theory, ear training, intervals, improvisation, saxophone related issues and anything relevant to your musical progress.

To download Zoom on your computer or tablet, find it here

https://zoom.us/

The meeting page is here
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/6311967474

Hope to see you on Zoom!

 

https://www.u-jam.ca/summer-jazz-camp

Course materials for my classes are available here:

How To Train Your Ear

Our ears are the most important tools we have as musicians.  Without the ability to hear chords and intervals we are stabbing in the dark and can’t possibly know what we are playing or how it relates to the other notes we hear.  “How to train your ear and avoid Hiccups” with Monik is a 5-day class designed to help students begin to recognize intervals and basic chords by ear and also learn a few improv solos by ear in a spirit of fun and games.

How To Train Your Ear course pack

“Pfrancin’”

“Soft Winds”

“There Will Never Be Another You”

 

“Mambo Influenciado” w. Irving Acao on tenor sax

 

Is It Is, Or Is It Ain’t, A Blues?

Is it, or isn’t it?  We will go over basic theory including modes, key signatures and the circle of fifths and then using this information we will try and figure out what are the defining features of a blues.  We will talk about “riff” blues, call and response, downstep, major and minor blues using examples that we may know or recognize.

Is It a Blues course pack

 

Woodwind Fundamentals (saxophones and clarinets)

Every morning we will meet at 9am to go over instrumental technique and the fundamentals of playing a single reed instrument.  Yay reeds!

Checklist for Low Notes on Saxophone

1) make sure the reed seals to the mouthpiece like a suction cup

2) check to make sure the resistance is the same on each edge of the reed by playing

3) make sure the reed is not too resistant overall ie. not too hard

4) slur down the c scale to low c and sustain.  how does it feel? comfortable?

subtext to all this, prefaced by, make sure the saxophone is not leaking down low!

potential problems:

1) volume of air incorrect

2) incorrect pressure on bottom of reed

3) incorrect amount of the mouthpiece in your mouth

4) reed malfunction!

The Funky Salamander

“Barracuda”

 

The Left Coast Jazz Fest 2019

We are now offering a pass to attend all four events at The Copper Owl from June 27 to June 30, 2019 with this pass for the reduced price of $40, check it out:

Copper Owl Pass

 

 

     

 

The Monik Nordine Quartet

The Great Canadian Songbook

7:30pm, Friday, April 12 at The Shaw Auditorium in Nanaimo, BC

For tickets and information visit: nanaimojazzfest.ca

“… solid performance and writing chops.” – Downbeat Magazine

Juno nominated saxophonist Monik Nordine has a powerful, lyrical, and impressive command of the saxophone and has received several prestigious arts awards. She has recorded with John Korsrud’s Hard Rubber Orchestra and has also toured with Hugh Fraser’s band VEJI. Monik plays alto and soprano saxophone and occasionally sings with her ensembles.

“…facile in her execution and fluid in the spinning out of her melodic ideas.”

                   — Rick Helzer, Jazz Improv Magazine

 

“…soaring, dynamic solos…” — PQB News

Now leading “The Monik Nordine Quartet”, Monik and her group are featuring the compositions of Canadian jazz artists such as Oscar Peterson, Joni Mitchell, KD Lang, Sonny Greenwich, Jan Jarczyk, Kenny Wheeler, Hugh Fraser, Alan Matheson, Greg Bush and of course their own works in a project called “The Great Canadian Songbook”.  The aim of this project is to document as many retrospective and current Canadian compositions as possible with the goal of creating a body of work that we can call our own.

Joining Monik for this special project are Brent Jarvis (piano), Rob Johnson (bass) and David Emery (drums).  Each of these musicians maintains a busy performing and touring schedule in BC and elsewhere: Brent and Monik have recorded two albums together – “Departure Jazz” and “The Old-New Town”, David Emery plays drums with The Victoria Jazz Orchestra and Rob Johnson performs regularly with The Tom Vickery Trio at Hermann’s Jazz Club.

Connect on social media@ www.facebook.com/saxgirl.ca/

Call the Conservatory at (250) 386-5311

Tickets are available online by following this link:

Valdy Goes Big Band

We have a wonderful article in this month’s edition of Monday Magazine.  Very excited about the upcoming Valdy concert with the VJO, have a look at the article:

Monday Magazine March 2019

and a blue guitar

Check it out here:

The Victoria Premier Has Been Announced of Valdy Goes Big Band

Canadian folk icon and Juno award-winning performer Valdy is teaming up with the Victoria Jazz Orchestra and will be performing a big band-infused cross-genre show within the innovative rarer folk-jazz genre. The concert will feature the beloved music of folk legend Valdy with treasured jazz standards March 16, 2019, at the Alix Goolden Hall in Victoria, BC, at 907 Pandora Ave. Tickets will be available in January and can be purchased at the Victoria Conservatory of Music at 900 Johnson Street, by phone at (250) 386-5311 and online through alixgooldenhall.com. Students and seniors’ tickets are $32, general admission is $37. The concert starts at 7:30 pm and the doors open at 7:00 pm.

The Victoria performance will feature Valdy’s hits from the 1970’s until the present day including the favourite hits “Peter and Lou,” “Easy Money,” “Daddy’s OK,” “Highway 63,” and jazz standard gems for big band.  Multi-JUNO award winner Valdy is a recipient of the Order of Canada and has received seven JUNO award nominations. With fourteen albums to his credit and having achieved sales of nearly half a million copies (four of which are certified gold), he received SOCAN’s National Achievement Award in 2005 and currently maintains a busy touring schedule across Canada and abroad.

The Victoria Jazz Orchestra, Vancouver Island’s premier big band has been featured at the Victoria and Nanaimo International Jazz Festivals. Led by gifted talent Canadian saxophonist and composer Monik Nordine, the orchestra features lyrical Victoria area jazz soloists such as guitarist Rob Cheramy and tenor saxophonist Andrew Greenwood.  Nordine formed the band in 2013 and many of the big band’s first performances were held at Victoria’s historic Hermann’s Jazz Club. The Victoria Jazz Orchestra has teamed up with soloists, composers, and conductors from BC and other parts of Canada including Chelsea McBride, John Korsrud, Jennifer Scott, Jill Townsend, and Bill Coon.  Having been featured as a performer with VEJI, The Pat Coleman Quartet and The Jon Miller Quartet, bandleader Nordine has three captivating well-crafted original jazz albums to her name – not just to but over the moon, Departure and The Old-New Town.

Valdy Goes Big Band evolved on Salt Spring Island as a collaboration between the jazz and folk communities and was first presented by the Swing Shift Community Big Band on Salt Spring Island in June of 2018 under the direction of powerhouse trumpet player Derrick Milton.  Renowned songwriter Valdy has always had a deep respect for the jazz tradition and has been a closet jazz player for most of his life and is keen to perform his music with the Victoria Jazz Orchestra.  Joining the Victoria Jazz Orchestra for the first time, dazzling trumpet player Derrick Milton currently performs with The Foothills Brass and directs Salt Spring Island’s the Swing Shift Community Big Band.

Singer-songwriter Valdy meets the swinging sounds of big band with orchestrations of his original compositions as scored by saxophonist and VJO bandleader Monik Nordine, Capilano College jazz studies program founder Mike Reveley, bandleader and pianist Andrew Homzy, and trombonist/arranger Keith Ollerenshaw.

Mark it on your calendar! Join us for an evening of Valdy’s hits with Vancouver island’s most acclaimed big band. Don’t miss the fun with the Victoria Jazz Orchestra for this memorable Victoria big band concert premier featuring favourites performed by folk legend Valdy not-to-be-missed — see you there!

VJO:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1N0JReP6p3iUY8XFGQh8tg?view_as=subscriber

Valdy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZhfAuaOLJo      http://valdy.com/

https://soundcloud.com/user-852863557-797025761

https://www.instagram.com/victoriajazzorchestra/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/orchestra_jazz

https://www.facebook.com/victoriajazzorchestra/