Skip to content

Coast jazz band celebrates 10 years of performing

John Frederickson recalls a story from the early days of the Jazz Group of Seven.
Jazz Group of Seven
The Jazz Group of Seven performing in Sechelt in April, 2019. From left: Beth Jay, Steve Giltrow, Ken Grunenberg, John Frederickson, and Bryan Airth. Hidden is drummer Tim Enns.

John Frederickson recalls a story from the early days of the Jazz Group of Seven. It was 2009, and the Sunshine Coast Music Society’s then-president, Allan Crane, who had caught word that a local jazz band was forming, called trumpeter Frederickson about the group and asked, “Are you any good?” 

The Jazz Group of Seven has answered “yes” many times over, with a decade of performances under their belt. They’ll be affirming it once again with a tenth anniversary concert at St. Hilda’s Anglican Church on Saturday, Nov. 9. 

Frederickson said Crane never did come to any of the early rehearsals but had heard enough good reports from people in the know that he helped arrange the band’s first public performance, at the 2009 Festival of Wind Music at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons. 

Since that debut, they have performed at the Pender Harbour Jazz Festival, been regulars at the Gibsons Jazz Festival and the Music in The Landing summer series, and appeared at the Artesia Coffee House. After the first few seasons playing as the Coast Jazz Septet, inspiration struck when Frederickson’s daughter-in-law told him the band was “your Group of Seven.” From then on, Jazz Group of Seven it was. 

The years have brought a few personnel changes, Frederickson told Coast Reporter. “There are only three of us that are originals. That’s Ken [Grunenberg, woodwinds], Tim [Enns, drums], and me.” Also among the current members are Bryan Airth on trombone, guitarist Steve Giltrow, and Beth Jay on stand-up bass. 

If you’re counting, that adds up to six, which the group trimmed back to following a resignation two years ago. “We thought we had, if you will, brand recognition, so we’d just stay with the name,” said Frederickson. “Now we think it’s time to change.” A new name will be announced at the Nov. 9 concert. 

Saturday’s performance will repeat several tunes from that first concert in 2009, including John Coltrane’s Moment’s Notice, Perdido by Duke Ellington, and Miles Davis’s Walkin’, Frederickson said. “As well as some real gems from the past ten years: Fly Me to the Moon, Take the A Train, Sweet Georgia Brown, and Bye Bye Blackbird.” As always, the band will introduce some interesting new material, he added. 

The concert, presented by the Sunshine Coast Music Society, kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and are available at Strait Music, The Medicine Shoppe (Wilson Creek Pharmacy), and at the door.