Rhythm Changes Podcast with Chris Fraser

Ardeshir Pourkeramati talks about meeting your heroes, staying hungry to learn more from mentors and friends in the music, practicing, confronting the raw truth of your playing by recording yourself, stories from coming up in the 2010s scene, and studying at the University of Oregon and the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music.Ardeshir plays tonight (Saturday, Sep. 6) at Frankie's as part of the "Sonny-fest" billed as Vancouver Celebrates Sonny Rollins, where he'll play the music of Saxophone Colossus.

Trent Otter talks about his busy session playing lifestyle, bandleading, the battle of music labour versus streaming, gear, moving from teaching lessons toward full-time playing, and the nuances of how you start to enjoy playing when you're young. Trent is a drummer with an unmatched work ethic in our generation on the scene. Some bands he plays in are Bungalow, Meridian, John Korsrud's Absolute Unit, MissingNo., and his own trio.Trent performs at Guilt & Co. in the ten-piece funk band Melgar on Friday, August 8th, starting at 10pm. missingNo. plays Tyrant Studios on August 15th.Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Will Chernoff. A Chernoff Music podcast. Theme music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

Cole Schmidt talks about the upcoming 40th Vancouver International Jazz Festival presented by the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society, where he is the co-artistic director. Cole is a guitarist and composer who is an absolute mainstay of our scene and has been for many years now. To say that Cole has a full plate at any given time is a gross understatement. His project with Peggy Lee, Forever Stories Of: Moving Parties, came out in November 2024 to critical acclaim. More recently, the band KneeJerk with Brian Horswill, Karlis Silins, Kenton Loewen, and Cole released their album The Speed of Dark in May on the Infidels Jazz label. Cole is working on future projects with his longtime band, Sick Boss; a new group called LETTR OPENR with Feven Kidane, Kevin Romain, and Nebyu Yohannes; a duo with Alvaro Rojas, and even a solo record. In short, the man is making music happen.Next week, Cole is playing at the festival on June 25: 5:00 PM - Revue Stage, Forever Stories Of: Moving Parties (pay what you can).Here are my gigs around jazzfest time!June 22: 2:00 PM - Hero's Welcome, Jazz Salvation Organ Trio with Mary Ancheta & Biboye Onanuga ($10 cover) June 23: 9:30 PM - Tyrant Studios, my quartet with John Nicholson, Conrad Good, & Todd Stewart + a jam (get tickets)June 26: 4:00 PM - Ocean Artworks, John Nicholson Quintet (pay what you can) June 28: 1:00 PM - North Vancouver Civic Plaza, Taras Luka (FREE) Also check out Will's gig with the Madeleine Elkins Trio (joined by Kevin Romain) on June 29: 4:00 PM - Ocean Artworks (pay what you can)!Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Will Chernoff. A Chernoff Music podcast. Theme music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

Jessica Hawkes talks about the Nashville songwriting scene and her perspective on that world coming from a jazz background. Jess is a vocalist, songwriter, producer, and engineer who goes way back with me to formative years at CapU. Originally from Lake Country, BC, she has split her time between Vancouver, New York City, and Nashville.Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Will Chernoff. A Chernoff Music podcast. Theme music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

Dean Thiessen talks about his Stranger Friends Orchestra (I'm a band member) and their upcoming performance at the Fox Cabaret on May 31 presented by Infidels Jazz. The large ensemble will celebrate the release of a live EP that weekend on the Infidels Jazz label. Dean is a pianist and composer from Alberta who has been active in Vancouver as a working musician and composer-bandleader for over a decade. His small group, also called Stranger Friends, will perform at the jazzfest and release a new album this year as well.Will Chernoff has a new podcast called Upsample with our friend Carson Tworow. Find it wherever you're listening to this podcast or see the links here.Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Will Chernoff. A Chernoff Music podcast. Theme music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

Biboye Onanuga talks about his latest of what is now several trips to Vancouver from Edmonton, and the different flavours inspiring him as he goes about his creative life today, from the literally food-based to the musical. He played two Infidels Jazz shows this weekend: one at the VIFF Centre playing the music of Thelonious Monk, and the other at Frankie's After Dark with his quartet, billed as "Low and Slow". He'll return to play around jazzfest time this year (with me in the group). This is Biboye's second appearance on the show, the previous one being episode 95 hosted by Will Chernoff.Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Will Chernoff. A Chernoff Music podcast. Theme music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

Shruti Ramani talks about her Juno nomination at the 54th awards taking place in Vancouver this weekend, for her band Raagaverse's album Jaya in the Jazz Album of the Year - Group category. Raagaverse consists of Shruti as the vocalist-bandleader and the composer of most tracks on Jaya, Noah Franche-Nolan as the pianist and co-arranger, Jodi Proznick on bass, and Nicholas Bracewell on drums. Jaya, the band's first album, also features a horn section and strings. Raagaverse released it on the new Rhea Records label. This is Shruti's second appearance on the podcast, the previous one being episode 72 hosted by Will Chernoff.Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Will Chernoff. A Chernoff Music podcast. Theme music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

Ben Frost talks about the nature of composition, some anonymized tales of difficulty on the bandstand, and being a side musician versus a leader. This is Ben's second appearance on the show, the previous one having been hosted back in December 2022 by Will Chernoff.Ben and I will play together as a duo at Is That French? next Thursday, March 27; at the UNIT/PITT Society with Miles Wong on drums on March 28; and in Karl Silveira's band at Tyrant Studios on April 18.Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Will Chernoff. A Chernoff Music podcast. Theme music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

The entire Montreal-based band Bellbird sits down for our only 5-person episode ever! Reedists Claire Devlin and Allison Burik join Eli Davidovici and Mili Hong, who were influential on the Vancouver scene while they were based here and previously appeared on Will Chernoff's edition of the podcast as a duo. The members variously played four Infidels Jazz shows last week, including Jazz at the Bolt, the New Thing series, Frankie's After Dark (in my own band), and Knockouts at All-City Athletics. They continue with Hermann's Jazz Club in Victoria tomorrow night. Mili also plays in Gordy Li's Smurf 4 at the Painted Ship for Infidels Jazz tonight.Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Will Chernoff. A Chernoff Music podcast. Theme music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

Jacob Wutzke talks about his new album You Better Bet, which showcases his compositions alongside several Tony Williams tunes, and his first tour as a bandleader surrounding the album. After two performances here in Vancouver, Jacob continues on to Portland, Oregon and then to Edmonton and his native Calgary (tour date info here on his website). He studied drums at Humber in Toronto for his undergraduate education, went to McGill for grad studies, and is on the cusp of moving to New York City. He has worked with Caity Gyorgy, Lucas Dubovik, and Jocelyn Gould to name a few.Jacob is performing at Jazz at the Bolt 2025 and You Better Bet is available now on Cellar Music (disclosure: Jazz at the Bolt and Cellar are clients of Will's Chernoff Music services company).Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Will Chernoff. A Chernoff Music podcast. Theme music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

Kevin Romain talks about his longtime creative residence in our local scene including a solo drum record called Autopoietic 1 forthcoming on the Infidels Jazz label, his band Salience Network, and much more. Raised in Windsor, Ontario, Kevin brings DIY values and "unapologetic" advocacy – as well as coffee roasting and brewing skills at his own initiatives over the years, like the Coffee Bus and General Strike Coffee – to his work as an improvising performer. Some other ensembles he has played with lately are Only a Visitor, Itamar Erez's band, the Tony Wilson / John Korsrud band, and the Madeleine Elkins Trio. The release show for Kevin's solo album is at Hypha Arts on March 21.Kevin has a new co-curated series with Cole Schmidt and the Barking Sphinx society called Lost Dog Sundays at The Hargrove.Kevin Romain's Salience Network, which I profiled here at the year-end of 2023, will perform at Jazz at the Bolt 2025 (disclosure: Jazz at the Bolt is a client of Will's Chernoff Music services company).Kevin also wrote for Rhythm Changes in January about Peggy Lee and Cole Schmidt's latest album.Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Will Chernoff. A Chernoff Music podcast. Theme music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

Jodi Proznick talks about becoming the Director of Jazz Studies at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School of Music and her work there spanning more than a decade, her values as an educator, and her musical history where she has been one of Canada's most prominent jazz bassists since the 2000s. Jodi's current ensembles include the Ostara Project, Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson and sGaanaGwa, O Come All Ye Soulful, Raagaverse, and Noah Franche-Nolan's trio.The Ostara Project will release their second album Roots on April 11, with the first single coming soon on February 7.Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Will Chernoff. A Chernoff Music podcast. Theme music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

Jason Winikoff talks about playing drums and percussion in the Vancouver scene since his arrival in 2018 from the US, though he is now on the cusp of returning to the states. Jason came here to study at UBC after moving from New Jersey to New Orleans to Boston. He is known for leading his Hot Five, Crescent, and Postcards from Zambia ensembles, for playing widely in trad-jazz and dance music, and for his role in the Rocky Horror Music Show presented by Infidels Jazz.Jason's farewell show (for now!) is at Tyrant Studios on Friday, January 17.Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Will Chernoff. A Chernoff Music podcast. Theme music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

Chelsea McBride & Thomas Houlden talk about their experiences in grad school, the multitudes of musical identity, and developing a unique compositional style. We also discuss our favourite underrated Christmas songs. Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Will Chernoff. A Chernoff Music podcast. Theme music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

David Sikula talks about guitars, illegal busking in Rome, and outdated recording formats. Dave is one of Vancouver’s premier jazz guitarists and one of the most in-demand audio engineers in the city.Dave has played with artists like Brian Charette, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Cory Weeds, The Inhabitants, and the Nightcrawlers. He is well-known for recording out of Demitone Studios, where he sat down for this conversation, and at Monarch Studios among other local places.Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Will Chernoff. A Chernoff Music podcast. Theme music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

John Gross talks about his origins in music, including the first time he heard Charlie Parker, and his long career playing with Shelly Manne, Oliver Nelson, Clare Fischer: just the tip of the iceberg. John is a saxophonist originally from Los Angeles who lived in Portland, Oregon from 1990 to 2016, after which he moved to Vancouver. He shares his thoughts on the artistic process, the duty you have in being a member of a musical community, and how he thinks he’ll “never get it right”. Special thanks to Sapalo Shafooli for taking and contributing the photo for this episode (June 24, 2022 - Jimi James Fraser trio ft. John Gross at Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Frankie's After Dark).Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Credits: Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Justin Gorrie. Produced by Will Chernoff. Music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

Will Chernoff talks to Chris Fraser as a guest on the show he started over three years ago. Will's next music release, Queen's Park, is a digital EP featuring Thad Bailey-Mai, Nebyu Yohannes, Madeleine Elkins, and Miles Wong (release date: Nov. 8, 2024).Will returns as the emcee of IronFest at Ironworks, presented by Coastal Jazz, on November 1st and 2nd; learn more about the shows happening there at coastaljazz.ca.Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Credits: Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Justin Gorrie. Produced by Will Chernoff. Music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

David Lavoie & Carson Tworow talk about their jazz- and beat-influenced music as well as the effect of internet forces on artists' lives. David and Carson released their second album with Inner Ocean Records, Teardown, on Sep. 27, 2024. This is their second appearance on the show, the previous one being episode 14; they are the first returning guests. David plays guitar, bass, and trumpet among other instruments while Carson, a drummer by trade from when they met at Capilano University, leads the electronic elements.Teardown is out on Calgary's Inner Ocean Records.Carson's latest piece for Rhythm Changes is "'Big Things Coming': recovery from the pressure to create".Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Credits: Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Justin Gorrie. Produced by Will Chernoff. Music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

John Korsrud talks about composition, his formative years learning from Hugh Fraser, and his seven times going to Burning Man. John is a composer and trumpeter in Vancouver who is known for his Juno-nominated big band, the Hard Rubber Orchestra, and for its parallel band Orquestra Goma Dura as well as his newer large ensemble called Absolute Unit. As a trumpeter, John also plays frequently with Cat Toren, Jillian Lebeck, Jon Bentley, and many more of our finest musicians. He discusses his love of Vancouver, spending time in Amsterdam, and that time he got stranded on the highway between two rock slides. John Korsrud's Absolute Unit plays a free concert at SFU Woodward's on October 20.Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Credits: Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Justin Gorrie. Produced by Will Chernoff. Music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.

Madeleine Elkins talks about teaching, touring, and physical vs. digital media. Madeleine is a guitarist, singer, and banjoist who is known for her work with Madelyn Read, Meredith Louise, and Maddisun among other various projects across the folk, indie, and jazz scenes in Vancouver. She also talks about growing up in New Westminster, her introduction to the guitar, her parents' differing tastes in music, and much more. Become a member for free today at rhythmchanges.ca. You'll get the free weekly email with upcoming events from the gig list, plus artists, events, or recordings for you to enjoy and share. Sent every Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM Pacific Time.Credits: Hosted by Chris Fraser. Edited and mixed by Justin Gorrie. Produced by Will Chernoff. Music: "Lutin" by William Chernoff.