The Yardbird Suite Releases March Schedule

Edmonton's premiere jazz venue since 1957 presents a lineup of jazz music from local, national, and international musicians for MARCH 2020.

See the schedule below!

BRETT MILES

Friday March 6
8:00 p.m.
Tickets start at $18

A decade in the waiting the one and only Brett Miles returns to headline at The Yardbird Suite. In 2019 tenor saxophonist Brett Miles' album Welcome Inside received three nominations for Edmonton Music Awards; winning the Latin Recording of the Year for his song, Move With Your Body. Come watch and celebrate Brett's 60th birthday! This old man will be playing new music & some selections from his vast songbook with a great band! There will be secret special guests as well! It's going to be a fun & entertaining night with some great old stories from his plus 40 year music career.

YARDBIRD SUITE PRESENTS

LITTLEBIRDS BIG BAND & LITTLEBIRDS COMBO

Saturday March 7
8:00 p.m.
Starting at $16

The Littlebirds started in 1990 as part of an education program run by the Yardbird Suite. The Littlebirds Big Band experience has a profound and lasting impact on the lives of Littlebirds members. Some become music teachers or professional musicians. All are motivated students sharing a love of music. The Littlebirds season includes regular weekly rehearsals from September through May, participation in local jazz festivals, and occasional participation in the Edmonton International Jazz Music Festival.

This concert will feature the best young jazz musicians in Edmonton. The Littlebirds Combo is a seven-piece group and they will perform a set of original music, showcasing their fantastic playing and their writing talents. The eighteen piece Big Band will be playing with special guest, Allen Jacobson, and will play a set of classic and modern big band music that will take you from the swing era right up to the 21st century.

BRENDA EARLE STOKES

Friday March 13
8:00 p.m.
Starting at $22

Brenda Earle Stokes is a rare jazz artist with a true command of both the piano and the voice. As a follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2014 studio album "Right about Now", Stokes sought to challenge herself to dig deep and share the full scope of her talents in the most intimate setting possible. In her latest album "Solo Sessions Volume 1", Brenda explores the rarely-recorded format of solo piano and voice, showcasing her mesmerizing fluidity as both singer and pianist.

YARDBIRD SUITE JAZZ ORCHESTRA

DIRECTED BY RUBIM DE TOLEDO - NEW MUSIC AND MINGUS

Saturday March 14
8:00 p.m.
Starting at $32

Bassist and composer Rubim de Toledo leads the Yardbird Suite Jazz Orchestra through an evening of original compositions and the classic music of Charles Mingus.

DEANNE MATLEY QUARTET - "INSPIRED BY STEVIE!"

Friday March 20
8:00 p.m.
Starting at $22

The Deanne Matley Quartet will take the listener on a journey of original arrangements of Stevie Wonder classics. Different jazz feels and textures are highlighted by each member of the band as they seamlessly create together as an ensemble. Although the arrangements are well structured, the audience will also experience organic space that amplifies unique individual expression.

JEFF HENDRICK & THE LOVE JONES BAND

Saturday March 21
8:00 p.m.
Starting at $20

Award-winning jazz, R&B, and soul singer and saxophonist Jeff Hendrick returns to the Yardbird Suite with his talented band to perform music from some of his favourite jazz, R&B, and soul influences like Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, D'Angelo, and Robert Glasper. Jeff has represented the Edmonton music scene both domestically and internationally.

DAN BRUBECK TRIO

Friday March 27
8:00 p.m.
Starting at $26

2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of jazz piano legend, Dave Brubeck. To celebrate this occasion, the Yardbird Suite is pleased to present the Dan Brubeck Trio with Dan Brubeck on drums, Miles Black on piano and Miles Hill on bass. This group provides a more traditional approach to the jazz trio. They offer an in-depth instrumental exploration of Dave Brubeck's music as well as some original compositions.

TOD DICKOW AND CHARGED PARTICLES -

THE MUSIC OF MICHAEL BRECKER

Saturday March 28
8:00 p.m.
Starting at $26

Tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker's unique voice and approach to the instrument was heard on more than 700 records and influenced every performing saxophonist. Winner of fifteen Grammy Awards, he led his own quartet and was co-leader of the Brecker Brothers, Steps Ahead (with vibraphonist Mike Mainieri), the Pat Metheny-Michael Brecker "Special Quartet", and "Directions in Music", co-led with Herbie Hancock and Roy Hargrove.

Fusionauts

Tuesday Night Jams

$10 for listeners
$5 for jammers

TRIO KITT
Tuesday March 3
8:00 p.m.

Bob Kitt - Piano
Mike Gillespie - Drums
Paul Johnston - Bass

The genesis of Trio Kitt occurred in the summer of 2018 at a jam session hosted by Bob Kitt at the Passport Lounge. The trio-Bob Kitt, piano, Paul Johnston, bass, and Mike Gillespie, drums- expressed a strong desire to play together more. We realized the desire in 2019 organizing a weekly 2 hour session . Our repertoire focuses on lesser known standards in the jazz tradition.

J-F PICARD QUARTET

Tuesday March 10
8:00 p.m.

Jean Francois Picard - reeds
Charlie Austin - keys
Thom Golub - low strings
Andrew Deppisch - percussion

Jean-Francois Picard is coming from a musical family. His Grandfather and Dad were professional musicians. He started playing music at 5 years old on guitar, then a few years later on piano. His family was very oriented into adopting a musical discipline and practicing was part of the everyday activities.

FUSIONAUTS

Tuesday March 17
8:00 p.m.

JOHN SWEENIE QUARTET

Tuesday March 24
8:00 p.m.

John Sweenie - Tenor Saxophone
Brett Hansen - Guitar
Chris Andrew - Keyboards
Jamie Cooper - Drums

John Sweenie is an exciting saxophonist and improviser based in Edmonton. He will be bringing the music of Chris Potters Underground quartet to the Yardbird stage in an enigmatic mix of funk and modern jazz.

MARTY MAJOROWICZ QUARTET

Tuesday March 31
8:00 p.m.

Marty Majorowicz- Trombone
Paul Richey- Rhodes and Synthesizers
Aretha Tillotsen - Bass
Bill George- Drums

Marty and his group will be channeling the music of Nicholas Payton, Butcher Brown, and Braxton Cook, as well as taking a few jazz standards and giving them a neo-soul flavour.

About Tuesday Night Jams

The Yardbird Suite is proud to present local talent and collaborative opportunities every Tuesday evening during the season at the weekly jam sessions. From 8:00pm-9:00pm, an all-star Edmontonian band takes the stage to perform a set of music ranging from original compositions to jazz classics. Then the stage clears for a jam session, wherein musicians are encouraged to take to the stage and collaborate with one another in a jam session format.

Admission for jam sessions is $10.00 for audience members and $5.00 for musicians who show up to jam (there is an ATM on site) doors open at 7:30 p.m. If you're a musician looking to jam, remember to bring your instrument.