The New York artist will be performing two nights in a row alongside established musicians from the Montreal scene.
Kevin Dean (trumpet)
Taurey Butler (piano)
Mike De Masi (bass)
Valérie Lacombe (drums)
This format, inspired by the great jazz era in Montreal, offers a unique opportunity for established Montreal musicians to share and learn with jazz masters from around the world.
A night (or two!) you won’t want to miss.
Accessibility _ The venue at 3716 Notre-Dame is located in the basement. The stairs might make the room difficult to access for people with mobility issues.
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Nicole Glover is a saxophonist, bandleader, composer and educator currently based in New York City. Growing up in Oregon, she was introduced to music through her father’s record collection. She also studied in programs dedicated to learning jazz music and priming students for touring and performing, such as the award winning American Music Program and Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. She moved to the East Coast to attend William Paterson University, where she studied with Mulgrew Miller, Harold Mabern and Rich Perry, and assumed permanent residence in NYC in 2015. She established herself as a rising saxophonist and in-demand sideperson, performing throughout North and South America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and working with esteemed artists such as with Victor Lewis, George Cables, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride. Billy Hart, Esperanza Spalding, Renee Rosnes, Kenny Washington, Reggie Workman, Gene Perla, George Colligan, Ben Wolfe, Ulysses Owens, Mike Clark, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Joe Farnsworth, Allison Miller, Joel Ross, Geoffrey Keezer, David Weiss, Luis Perdomo, Aaron Diehl, Jason Brown, Rodney Green and Bill Goodwin. Additionally, she joined Latin Grammy winning artist Buika for her 2019 world tour, and was invited to join Blue Note supergroup ARTEMIS beginning in 2020.
Nicole has been leading her own band for three years, with residencies at SMOKE, Smalls, Fat Cat and through Jazz at Lincoln Center. In 2021, she released her HighNote/Savant records debut Strange Lands, featuring her regular trio plus the venerable pianist George Cables, to glowing reviews and acclaim, eventually rising to #12 on the Jazzweek radio charts after only a few weeks. The Times UK gave it 4 of 5 stars, calling it “otherworldly”.
Nicole is also an experienced educator and clinician. She is currently teaching at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, and has participated in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz For Young People educational outreach program.
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For many, the "godfather of Montreal trumpet" needs no introduction. Over the years, the talented trumpeter has mentored many students at McGill, where he has been teaching since 1984, having designed and developed the first jazz teaching program. A prolific musician, Kevin Dean has played and recorded with jazz legends such as Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson, Joe Henderson and Barry Harris, and is known for "the clarity, the luminosity of his playing" (Le Devoir).
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Taurey Butler is a phenomenal pianist of the highest caliber. A native of East Orange, New Jersey, he has performed in numerous cities around the world, from Hong Kong to New York, and is now based in Montreal. Taurey Butler's self-titled debut record on the Justin Time label was released in November 2011 to critical acclaim. He enters the scene as a master of rhythmic swing, and demonstrates a deep infatuation with blues and ballads. It's easy to get lost in Taurey Butler's fire and funk, or in his sweetness and rhythm. But it's just as easy to follow the light that emanates from his music.
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Mike De Masi is a double bassist and electric bassist active on the Montreal music scene. De Masi has collaborated with some of Montreal's best such as Al McLean, Josh Rager, Daniel Lessard, Andre White, Kevin Dean, Jessica Vigneault, Dawn Tyler Watson among others. He also had the great pleasure of studying with Rufus Reid, Matt Brewer, and Larry Grenadier. Some highlights of De Masi’s work in recent years as a sideman are touring in projects led by Sam Kirmayer as well as appearing on Kirmayer's 2017 release Opening Statement (Chromatic Audio), touring in groups led by Susie Arioli, playing in Québec city in a trio led by David Alain as the opening act for Gilad Hekselman featuring Mark Turner in 2015, and performing in Montreal saxophonist Tevet Sela’s group in a concert featuring New York based pianist Roy Assaf in 2014. He’s also had the fortune of performing live in trio with Jean-Michel Pilc since 2017. He is also featured on Andre White’s 2016 release Esprit De Corps with Bill Coon.
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Valérie Lacombe (she) is a jazz drummer from Montreal. Her musicality and sense of swing are quickly earning her a reputation as one of the most promising voices on the straight-ahead scene.
She is a member of the Im / Herridge / Lacombe trio, which released its first album Movin’ Up in 2021. She played on Laura Anglade’s first album, released in 2019 on the Justin Time label. She has toured across Canada with Quinn Bachand’s Brishen and the Sam Kirmayer Quartet. She has also performed at the Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal International Jazz Festivals, Festi Jazz Mont-Tremblant, Festival de Musique Émergente, Festif! de Baie-Saint-Paul and Festival International Nuits d’Afrique de Montréal in addition to performing at some of Canada’s most renowned venues such as Upstairs (Montreal), Dièse Onze (Montreal), Hermann’s (Victoria), Frankie’s (Vancouver) and Yardbird Suite (Edmonton).
With the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, Valerie is currently studying with master drummer Joe Farnsworth. She is also one of the cofounders of the Saint-Henri Jazz Society.