- PORTFOLIO
CURRENT PROJECTS
BASTION EDUCATION PRODUCTIONS
BEP is Nicholas' company through which educational programs such as Okanagan Youth Jazz Orchestra, 1st Monday Jazz Concert & Jam Session in Kamloops, masterclasses with musicians traveling in the Interior, school clinics and masterclasses. Brass Bootcamp is gearing up for a 2024 launch, watch this space to hear more about these events and how you can get involved.
ENDEE4+
ENDEE4+ is a modern jazz band with as few as four players or as many as seven, that plays some of Nicholas' favourite songs written by friends, colleagues and idols. May 1, 2023 marks the debut of this group, and will feature alto saxophone master Campbell Ryga, along with Kris Ruston, Alex Ward, Jake MacIntyre-Paul and Jared Wilman.
THE CONVERTIBLES
The Convertibles little BIG Band is a new sound in the Okanagan. Made up of ten of the most flexible and groovy instrumentalists in the valley, some familiar faces like local mainstays Craig Thomson and Bob Rogers, and introducing new transplants, our co-leaders and trumpeters Joe Auty and Nicholas Dyson.
THE BEECHED WAILERS
The Beeched Wailers are a jazz quintet from Ottawa, Canada. They play music written by members of the band, and many other Ottawa composers. They host a Tuesday Night Jazz Jam (since March 2014), now at Irene’s Pub in the Glebe. Their album “The Johnson Lake Sessions” was released in 2016.
PRIME RIB BIG BAND
Ottawa’s Prime Rib Big Band is an 11-piece band comprised of the finest players the city of Ottawa has to offer (hence the name ‘Prime Rib’). All music is original material composed by trumpeter and bandleader Ed Lister. This band draws its influence from such big band greats as Duke Ellington, Count Basie and the modern jazz harmony edge of Thelonious Monk.
MACKENZIE RHYTHM SECTION
Hailing from the nation’s capital, MRS has spent the last 10 years playing sold out shows in festivals, halls and bars, making this band one of Canada’s premiere party-till-you-drop must see events. Dubbed Soulstep, MRS’s music is a clever mix of Funk, Soul and Rock n’roll with “an uptempo swing that jives and moves until you just gotta get up and boogie”.
LOS GRINGOS
Los Gringos is a high-energy 9 piece jazz band, playing original music influenced by the music of Cuba and Brazil. Leaders Mark Ferguson and Peter Beaudoin put Los Gringos together in 1996 to explore their love of Latin music – with a big band jazz flavour. Los Gringos’ is a mainstay of the Ottawa Jazz Festival. Playing mostly original material written and arranged by Mark, Los Gringos also keeps their fans connected through familiar tunes arranged in their own style.
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AUDIO GALLERY
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