Tuesday Night Jazz at the Church pres. pianist Tony Blodgett and clarinettist/saxophonist Al Pease!

Tuesday Night Jazz at the Church welcomes pianist Tony Blodgett and clarinettist/saxophonist Al Pease!

Get ready for a swinging night of traditional jazz celebrating the musical legacies of New Orleans and Kansas City!

Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024

Pianist Tony Blodgett has been a vital proponent of the Ragtime and traditional jazz piano approach in Victoria for over 25 years. Originally hailing from The Canadian prairie, Tony developed her sound through a deep love and appreciation of the great pianists Teddy Wilson, Erroll Garner, Jelly Roll Morton and others.

Saxophonist and clarinettist Al Pease has toured the world playing traditional jazz. He was stationed with the prestigious NORAD band in Colorado and the Naden Band of the Pacific, as well as being side-man and leader on countless traditional jazz groups and projects. Drawing on influences such as Lester Young, Zoot Sims and Ben Webster on the tenor saxophone and Benny Goodman and Woody Herman on the clarinet, Al speaks fluently in the language of 1930s and 40s swing era music like no one else can!

Bassist Joey Smith toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra and many other groups before settling in Victoria and becoming an integral part of victoria's robust musical community both as a guitar player/bassist and educator/arranger.

Drummer Kelby MacNayr honed his skills performing with the contemporary Who's Who of jazz in Canada and the US including Victoria's on Ian McDougall, louise rose and Neil Swainson as well as international stars Ingrid Jensen, John Clayton and Larry Fuller.