Supporting and promoting Vancouver’s vibrant and emerging jazz scene

Kevin Romain and His Bad Homies sees drummer and composer Kevin Romain, recognized largely for his work in modern jazz and improvised music settings, revisiting standard, hard swinging jazz repertoire with longtime collaborator Jeff Gammon (Calgary) on bass and renowned pianist Cat Toren (NY/WA). Frankie's After Dark takes place every Friday and Saturday at Frankie's […]

Born in North Benin, Africa and chief’s son of the Waama people, this multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter learned the art of storytelling and drumming from his family as they traveled the region sharing their cultural traditions. Now in Canada, Yoro Noukoussi is in great demand as a performer, having mastered the donga (talking drum), kokomba (congas), and […]

Chris Fraser’s Regulatory Committee is a cross-country post bop outfit fuelled by friendship, millennial angst, and a deep need to play hard and fast. Made up of old and new friends from both Vancouver and Montreal, the Regulatory Committee features Fraser’s original compositions and clever reimaginings of pop hits. Fraser is joined by co-chairs Claire […]

Bellbird is a collective of Montreal-based musicians who released their debut album Root In Tandem in 2023. While rooted in modern jazz, Bellbird’s music bares influences from myriad musical styles, from moving folk melodies to atonal counterpoint to rock grooves that stretch the boundaries of the jazz genre. Capturing the ethos of the band, the […]

Canadian jazz pianist, composer, and vocalist Jillian Lebeck is one of the most dynamic and exciting voices on the Canadian Jazz scene. Her debut recording "Living in Pieces" (MaximumJazz/Universal) spent several weeks in the number 1 position on the national Chart Attack radio charts. For this After Dark performance she’ll be joined by Steve Holy […]

Visionary percussionist, vocalist, and composer Kahil El'Zabar has been at the forefront of creative music and Jazz for over five decades. On February 24, 2025 this legend will be bringing his Ethnic Heritage Ensemble to the Pearl in Vancouver, as part of Heart & Soul, a record-breaking tour celebrating Black History Month This group has […]

Blueshore at CapU, The Rickshaw, & Infidels Jazz present Nik Bärtsch's RONIN Nik Bärtsch's RONIN is a prog-jazz-band from Zurich, Switzerland. The quartet was founded in 2001 by the Swiss pianist, composer and producer Nik Bärtsch. Ronin’s music combines various musical styles including funk, new classical music and elements of Japanese ritual music. The insistent […]

Over the past several years, Gordy Li has earned a reputation as one of the most expressive and exciting young saxophonists in the country. For his debut as a leader at the Painted Ship, Gordy has assembled a cross-country band, featuring the scene's best and brightest: Feven Kidane - TrumpetCole Schmidt - GuitarMili Hong (special […]

Pianist, and composer, Jancis Bautista (he/him/his), is a passionate artist whose music is heavily inspired from jazz, classical, R'n'B, pop, and folk. He will be showcasing all of his influences through his compositions and select tunes in a piano trio setting. He’ll be joined by David Caballero on bass and Karl DeJong on drums. Frankie's […]

Harmeet Kaur Virdee is a double bassist, improvisor, composer, music teacher, and arts administrator from Surrey BC. Joining her is Ru Ha (tenor sax), Suin Park (piano), Karl DeJong (drums). They will perform compositions written by Harmeet that explore the sounds of nature, emotions, and visual images. Frankie's After Dark takes place every Friday and […]