DI GREGORIO CHIRICOSTA JAZZ 5ET
...Sergio began playing trombone at the age of 8 and was mentored by Giovanni Capriuolo.
He graduated in trombone at Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi of Torino and was the winning recipient for the Siena Jazz Scholarship. While attending the prestigious Scuola Superiore Musicale, of Aosta Valley, in Lanciano, he studied with internationally famous trombonists Roberto Rossi, Claude Chevalier and John Mosca.
Sergio started his professional music career at the age of 17 playing classical music, funk and jazz, and has been featured on many recordings and live concerts with internationally famous artists throughout Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, Belgium, Austria, France, USA, and Germany.
He has played in the most important theatres and festivals in Europe such as Bergamo Jazz, Ferrara Jazz Festival, Pavia Jazz Festival, Break in Jazz of Milano, 7 Giorni In Jazz of Ancona, Lucca Jazz Festival, Arezzo Wave, Iseo Jazz Festival, Valtellina Jazz Festival of Sondrio, 8° Festival d’Opéra Avenches 02 (CH), Saluzzo Spring Festival, Tiroler Festpiele Erl 2001 (A), Fantadia, Festival Internazionale di Multivisione di Treviso, Jazz Castello 2005 XII Edizione of Potenza, Talos Jazz Festival of Bari, Moncalieri Jazz Festival, Jazz Alta a Ventimiglia (IM), 49ème Festival de Jazz Antibes Jouan-Les-Pins (FR), Villa Celimontana Festival Jazz a Roma, Alba Jazz 2009, 36th Festival Antibes Génération Virtuoses (FR), Festival de Musique Sacrée a Monaco and others.
He performs his own compositions and arrangements with his trio, quartet, quintet and he is the music director for the Filharmonica Jazz Band.
Among Chiricosta’s most important collaborations in the fields of jazz, classical and opera are those with: Enrico Intra, Giorgio Gaslini, Enrico Rava, Franco Cerri, Dave Liebman, Bobby Watson, Max Roach, Bob Brookmayer, Enrico Pierannunzi, Markus Stochausen, Giuseppe Vessicchio, Giovanni Tommaso, Tullio DePiscopo, Stjepko "Steve" Gut, Paolo Tomelleri, Joe Poole, Tony Foster, Flavio Boltro, Pietro Tonolo, Rino Vernizzi, Harold Danko, Synphonic Orchestra of San Remo etc.
In 2006 he released his debut CD "In Front of You", which was nominated by MUSICA JAZZ Magazine in “Top Jazz” as one of the best new talents of 2006.
“The dark, melodic beauty of Gigi's saxophone provides... which combines swing and momentum, the basic elements of traditional jazz, with the intellect of modern European harmony.” (Larry Schneider)
“Senza alcun dubbio musicista e tenorista di ottima lega……….. voce brillante e flessuosa... senso interpretativo equilibrato, bella musicalità ariosa…” (Bruno Schiozzi)
Tony Foster was born and raised in North Vancouver, BC, Canada. He received his initial musical training early on, in the form of classical piano lessons privately. In school bands, his main instrument became the trumpet. His studies on the trumpet continued until college, and it was not until this time that his focus changed to piano. Foster began playing with various university ensembles on the piano (highlighted by performances with guests such as jazz saxophone legend Phil Woods), and graduated in 1996 from UBC (University of British Columbia) with a Commerce Degree. Eventually choosing to pursue a musical career, he was a 1998 recipient of the Fraser MacPherson Scholarship. Foster then participated in a residency at the Banff Jazz Workshop in 2000 where he studied jazz piano and performed with notable jazz artists including saxophonist David Liebman, multi-instrumentalist Don Thompson, pianist Kenny Wheeler, and bassist Ray Drummond.
Travel has played a large role in Foster’s musical career. He lived most of 2002 in Nice, France where he co-founded a live electronic music project called Identify which performed at the 2002 Midem International Music Market in Cannes, France, as well as touring the Cote d’Azur and dates in London, England. 2005 also saw him travel to and perform in Tokyo, and Osaka Japan.
Foster's playing and arranging can be heard on vocalist Dee Daniels' well-received 2007 Origin Records release entitled "Jazzinit". In February 2008, Foster was featured with internationally reknowned vocalist Dee Daniels at the Lionel hampton Jazz Festical in Moscow Idaho, with Jeff Hamilton on drums and Peter Washington on bass. Other recent performances with Dee Daniels include Bogota Colombia, and Bern Switzerland at Marian's Jazzroom. Foster has also performed as a special guest accompanist for Daniels along with the Vancouver Symphony at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver.
Over the past 10 years, in addition to performing with his own groups, Foster has been featured as a sideman numerous times at Vancouver’s annual International Jazz Festival in different settings which included live recordings for CBC Radio (CBC Jazz Café). Foster led a septet behind Canadian crooner Kenny Coleman at the 2007 edition of the festival on the main stage, before a crowd of thousands.
...An accomplished graduate of Edmonton’s Grant MacEwan jazz program, Leora is ‘…as musically solid as the hits she performs.’ and has studied with some of the greatest contemporary jazz artists including Kurt Elling, Nancy King and Dee Daniels.
Influenced by her extensive experience in the gospel idiom, as well as by jazz greats like Ella Fitzgerald and Dianne Reeves, Leora’s soulful vocal style and stage presence creates an engaging performance that sends chills down audience members’ spines.
She has performed and recorded on CBC Radio and TV as well as in concert with many celebrated Canadian artists including jazz legend Tommy Banks, Brad Turner, Ross Taggart, Buff Allen, Tony Foster, Denzal Sinclaire, Jim Byrnes, Shari Ulrich, and many others and opened for the late Stanley Turrentine at Vancouver’s International Jazz Festival.
In 2001, The West Coast Music Awards nominated her debut CD ‘Tears of Joy’ for Best Gospel Recording of the year. December 2004 marked the release of Leora’s second gospel CD, ‘Inspiration’ which received critical acclaim by enthusiastic listeners at home and abroad. She released her debut jazz recording entitled, “My Heart Stood Still,” in 2005 at the historic Vancouver East Cultural Centre. ‘From originals to classics like Irving Berlin’s “Blue Skies” this is a seriously swinging jazz record from one of Vancouver’s premier vocalists.’
Leora’s latest CD, Another Side Now – The Songs of Joni Mitchell pays tribute to one of Canada’s best loved icons. Leora’s rich resounding voice embraces the spirit in these Joni classics with a soulful style that is undoubtedly her own. ‘That voice, deep dark and delicious with such an extraordinary range and diversity of vocal color.’ – Charlie Austin, M.Mus. E, Jazz Author
Along with her busy schedule of performing she enjoys teaching music to children ages 6 months to 6 years, private vocal coaching, and choir directing.
Canadian drummer Joe Poole is building an international reputation. Through his studies with Oscar Peterson and many other top Canadian musicians, Joe developed a great sense of musicality, groove, and rythmic fluidity.
He has played with Ernestine Anderson, Marcus Belgrave, Curtis Fuller, Red Holloway, Houston Person, Lew Tabackin, Don Thompson, Guido Basso, Brad Turner, Phil Dwyer, Lorne Lofsky, Nick Brignola, Bob Mover, and is also a regular member of the Rich Underhill Group and Denzal Sinclaire Trio. His recent work includes a season in Nice, France with Russian Sax player Dmitri Shapko of the Wynton Marsalis Septet
