Ottawa bassist John Geggie will host his last concert of the season on Saturday, May 26^th at 7:30 p.m. in the NAC Fourth Stage. On this occasion, John is renewing a musical relationship with an old friend, trumpeter Joe Sullivan along with legendary Toronto guitarist Lorne Lofsky and one of John's long-time collaborators, drummer Jim Doxas. Audiences can expect an exceptional evening of contemporary jazz featuring many original compositions from Geggie and his guest artists.

Says Geggie of this musical match-up, “I remember playing sessions with Joe when he was at the University of Ottawa; of course, he has been at McGill for years and has won accolades for his big band and his compositions. I have also been a huge fan of Lorne's playing...he is truly one of Canada's jazz guitar treasures.”
 

John Geggie

John Geggie is greatly in demand as a versatile musician (double bassist) and creative composer both in Canada and internationally. He has been the curator and programming director of the Geggie Series for eleven years. For over ten years, he has hosted the Late Night Jam Sessions at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival. He has also toured extensively with the award-winning jazz group Chelsea Bridge and the JUNO-nominated D.D. Jackson Trio. He has also recorded or performed with a many of the top names in creative improvised music: Jon Christensen, Andy Milne, Marc Copeland, Vic Juris, Ben Monder, George Colligan, Craig Taborn, Sheila Jordan, David Murray, Andrew Cyrille, Donny McCaslin, Matt Brubeck, Ted Nash, Billy Hart, Marilyn Crispell, Myra Melford, Bill Carrothers, Cuong Vu and bassist, Mark Dresser.

Previously, he has performed at various international festivals including in Rouen and Maubeuge (France), in Molde (Norway) and throughout the United States. Geggie has also participated in the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival. In addition, he continues to maintain a busy concert schedule with the 13 Strings Chamber Ensemble and is involved in many recording projects. John is on faculty at the Crane School of Music, State University of New York (SUNY Potsdam) and has students at both Carleton University as well as University of Ottawa. His recordings and performances are regularly heard on CBC radio and SRC. 

Joe Sullivan

Joe Sullivan comes from the Northern Ontario town of Timmins. He grew up in a large Franco-ontarian family, where music was a part of daily life. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in classical trumpet at the University of Ottawa in 1981. His interest in jazz led him to the Berklee School of Music, then to the New England Conservatory of Music, where he received a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies in 1987. Since then he has lived in Montreal and has been active as a performer, composer, arranger and bandleader. A prolific composer, Sullivan directs a jazz sextet and a jazz Big Band. He has been a member of the Vic Vogel Big Band for over twenty years; has appeared as a trumpet soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal; and he has performed with numerous jazz artists of international repute, including Don Thompson, Lorne Lofsky, Kirk Macdonald, John Medeski, Pat Labarbera, Alain Caron, George Garzone, and Ranee Lee. He has received both the Prix Socan (1991) and the Prix DuMaurier (Joel Miller Group, 1997) at the Montreal International Jazz Festival as well as several awards from the Canadian and Québec arts councils. He currently directs the McGill Chamber Jazz Ensemble and teaches jazz composition, arranging and trumpet at McGill University, where he is an associate professor.

Lorne Lofsky

Lorne Lofsky is an internationally known guitarist living in the Toronto area. Some of the artists he has played, toured and  recorded with the following artists; Oscar Peterson, Ed Bickert, Rob McConnell's Boss Brass, Chet Baker, Pepper Adams, Bob Brookmeyer, Larry Coryell, Joey DeFrancesco, Johnny Hartman, Rosemary Clooney to only name a few. Lorne has been playing professionally since 1977 and is an in demand player and clinician. He has travelled extensively throughout Canada and Europe. Many of the recordings Lorne has been featured on have received critical acclaim, including multiple nominations for the prestigious JUNO award.  In addition, Mr. Lofsky has taught at York University in the Fine Arts program for the last 33 years, as well as stints at The University of Toronto, Humber College and Mohawk College.

Jim Doxas

Very much in demand, Montreal drummer Jim Doxas divides his time playing with Oliver Jones, Sophie Milman, the John Roney Trio and the Chet Doxas Quartet. Through the power of his startling invention, he makes the case that percussion can be as performative as a lyrical instrument. What distinguishes Doxas’ approach to improvisation is that he refuses to play it safe, allowing the moment to dictate the kind of framework that will contain, shape and guide the piece under consideration. He is astutely committed to the belief that significant music is always distinguished by what is left unsaid, the gaps of which inspire him to produce a highly original vocabulary of accents.

The Geggie Jazz Series will be back next season. Stay tuned for the NAC Presents 12-13 launch in September for more details.

All performances are at the Fourth Stage and begin at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets: $30 available at the NAC Box Office from Monday to Saturday 10:00 am to 9:00 pm or
via Ticketmaster 1-888-991-2787 (ARTS) and online at www.ticketmaster.ca. For more information, please visit the National Arts Centre website www.nac-cna.ca/presents.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Due to of Ottawa Race Weekend on May 26 & 27, we urge all NAC patrons to ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME to get to the NAC and/or find a parking spot, whether in the NAC parking garage or elsewhere. For more information on the race events schedule and alternate parking options, visit www.runottawa.ca

— 30 —

For interviews: John Geggie (613) 277-1037 johnd.geggie@sympatico.ca

For more information: Marie-Chantale Labbé-Jacques Associate Marketing and Communications Officer National Arts Centre (613) 947-7000 ext. 526  mclabbe@nac-cna.ca