Forbidden Jazz returns to Zo

Forbidden Jazz Trio returns to Zocalo Café for an evening performance this Friday.

Forbidden Jazz Trio returns to Zocalo Café for an evening performance this Friday.

Comprised of Jake Masri on trumpet, flugelhorn and vocals; Mike Eddy on keyboards, and Grahame Edwards on bass, they strive to reach audiences of all ages by performing a wide variety of timeless jazz standards and original compositions.

Representing more than four decades of experience, their unique blend of voice, brass, and strings will weave their collective magic through two sets of entertaining music.

• Eddy is a recent addition to the trio, replacing Jim Chew on guitar.  Although relatively new to the valley, he has been fortunate enough to collaborate with many fantastic musicians over the past few years, including those in the Lensmen, Jazztet, and the CR Big Band. Mike is the recipient of the Alberta Band Director of the Year and of the Alberta Excellence in Teaching Award.

• Talented multi-instrumentalist Grahame Edwards studied music at the University of British Columbia and holds a Diploma in Fine Arts from the University of Calgary.  Aside from both acoustic and electric bass, Grahame also plays percussion and trumpet.  He has appeared with countless local ensembles and productions in every genre from choral to musical theatre, big band jazz to classical.  His first musical love, however, lies with improvised music and he enjoys playing and composing his own jazz tunes.

• No stranger to the local music scene, Masri draws his inspiration from classical repertoire to musical theatre to Afro-Cuban/New Orleans, and bebop styles. As a performance major at VCC, UVIC, and UBC, Jake studied trumpet with Boyd Hood, Gerald Gerbrecht, and trombonist Dave Robbins.

You’re invited to a casual, entertaining evening of jazz.  Music commences at 7:30 p.m. and admission is by donation.

For more information, contact Zocalo Café and Gallery at 250-331-0933, visit www.zocalocafe.ca or drop by the corner of Fifth Street and Cliffe Avenue in downtown Courtenay.

— Forbidden Jazz Trio

Comox Valley Record