Director

John Jackson

Music Director & Bass Trombone

John is a trombonist, composer, and arranger who picked the trombone at random in 5th grade and has been playing ever since. He graduated from McGill University in Montreal with a Music Degree, Jazz Concentration, during which he played with McGill Jazz Orchestra I , the McGill Wind Ensemble, and Denny Christianson’s CJAD All-City Jazz Band. In the time since he has performed around the Toronto area including the Beaches Jazz Festival, Mel Lastman Square, Newmarket Jazz Festival, Taste of the Danforth, and the Old Mill. John is now based in the Greater Vancouver area.

Vocals

Shannon Hunt

Vocals & Percussion

Shannon has a Bachelor of Music in Composition from MacEwan University in Edmonton. There she sang with the Big Band and other pop/rock combos, and upon graduating completed an internship in film scoring under Hans Zimmer in Santa Monica. Since then, she has composed for many films and commercials, for concert band and even a full length musical. She is a classically trained vocalist and most often drawn to performing in musical theatre herself; her latest feat was playing “Reza” in Renegade Theatre’s production of “Once” here in Vancouver. Shannon is also an occasional percussionist, having most recently played with the University of Alberta Concert Band while completing her MBA.

Saxophone Section

Joel Reid

Bruce Anderson

2nd Alto

1st Tenor

2nd Tenor

Aspen Dirk

Anthony Grieco

Bruce began his music career early playing classical clarinet and then added the tenor saxophone for jazz. His high school jazz band won a competition to play in "Big Bands at Disneyland" and opened for the Ray McKinley Orchestra. He has played in a variety of jazz bands, orchestras, ensembles and musical theatre group orchestras both in Canada and Australia, including the eclectic Mullumbimby MusicMakers. He currently also plays in the Vancouver NACHO Orchestra. Bruce recently played a homeless sax player named "Rufus Redbone” in an indie (independent) movie called "Swamper".

Aspen’s musical journey began at age 12: first on the flute, then quickly transitioned to saxophone and trombone. Growing up in Penticton, BC she had the privilege of playing in multiple ensembles across the Okanagan Valley. After a brief hiatus, Aspen has returned to the music scene and is thrilled to be playing in a local funk band and the HSJO.

1st Alto

A filmmaker by trade, Anthony began his prodigal journey in jazz the day his father brought home a saxophone from the mythical country of France. Later in university, finding himself bereft of bread and booze, he sold his horn for pennies. Regretting his decision, he wandered the musical wilderness until he met a weary travelling musician who sold him another saxophone … from France. He soon fell into temptation and joined a rock and roll band. A fateful gig at the Railway Club in 2020 proved to be his last performance before Covid-19 forced the closure of every music venue in the world. But Anthony knew the gods had spoken, punishing him for choosing the wrong musical genre. He knew he had to return to jazz…

Joel began playing saxophone at age 13. After high school Joel studied Jazz Saxophone and performance at Capilano University. After college Joel began focusing his musicianship on teaching, and performing with numerous artists within the Vancouver music scene. Joel has performed at numerous venues around the Vancouver area including Hotel Georgia, Hotel Vancouver, Jericho Tennis Club and Jimmy Pattison's Yacht. Joel has developed his teaching practice working primarily in Montessori schools and private music schools around the Vancouver area, specializing in saxophone, guitar / ukulele and woodwinds. He has also developed a 10 week music program for elementary schools operating without a music program.

Lucas Burrows

Baritone

Lucas is a saxophone player, composer, and music educator from Nelson, BC. Educated at Selkirk College and MacEwan University, Lucas currently plays around Vancouver in quartets, septets, and quinvigintets (the final being the Hudson St Jazz Orchestra).

Trumpet Section

Robert Krajlii

Sahand Anvari

Bob Lilly

2nd Trumpet

3rd Trumpet

1st Trumpet

Bob hails from the Windy City. Actually, he's from the breezy suburbs of the windy city, but he learned to appreciate live Chicago blues and jazz from an early age. Weekend nights as a young man often involved experiencing late-night blues performances by some of music's greats including BB King, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, and Koko Taylor with her Wang Dang Doodle! Bob's multi-genre playing history includes jazz, marching band, and symphonic music. During university he played with the Marching Illini at the University of Illinois, and he currently plays with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra.

Robert Kraljii began blowing his horn around town while playing with The Carnival Band, a street orchestra that performed at festivals and protests in the 2,000's. More recently, he is a member of The Spokespeople Jazz Quartet bringing “medium swing well done” to their regular gig at Cypress Mountain Lodge. Robert is thrilled to play third trumpet with the good folks in the HSJO.

Sahand is a trumpet player from Tabriz - Iran, who began his musical journey at the age of 12 by playing the accordion. He enjoyed playing the accordion for many years until he fell in love with the trumpet at age 20. After four years of dedicated personal practice, Sahand was able to join the Tabriz Philharmonic Orchestra as the first trumpet player, a position he held for four years. Recently, Sahand moved to Vancouver, where he is currently exploring the jazz genre with the HJSO. Sahand's passion for music is evident in his performances, and he is dedicated to constantly improving and evolving as a musician.

Trombone Section

Bass Trombone

Ruth Stephens

Marty Fishman

1st Trombone

Ruth has been making music since she was a young child - first on piano and then adding trombone and euphonium! She completed a Bachelor of Music as a trombone player, followed by an Education degree. She has been teaching band and music in elementary schools for more years than she wants to admit! She currently plays trombone in two jazz bands and plays classical music in large or small groups whenever the opportunity arises.

After playing in the UBC jazz orchestra under Gary Guthman in the late '70s, Marty put aside the bass trombone for most of the next 40 years to devote his time to his career and his family, until picking it up again in 2019. Now music is his main avocation, and he has the privilege of playing in several big bands in the Vancouver area. He enjoys the camaraderie as much as the music, and is grateful for the opportunity to be playing again.

Rhythm Section

Drums

Guitar

Bass

Dean Cunningham

Paul Claxton

James Malmberg

Gord Robertson

Paul has been playing piano since age 6 when he started public lessons on a paper keyboard. He has been playing in various bands for years and also is a producer and composer of original music. He most recently was pianist with the U of W Downtown Jazz Band.

James Malmberg is a professional violinist, teacher and conductor of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra. Although he graduated from the UBC school of music with the violin and his professional music career is in the classical world he played bass in the high school jazz band and is now thrilled to be able to get back to playing his bass with the Hudson Street Jazz Orchestra.

Piano/Keys

Gord has been creating music in various configurations for most of his life. He started on piano, then moved to violin and guitar. As a young man, Gord played rock and R&B in bar bands, before moving onto jazz. He has always been a singer as well, with experience in formal choirs, solo performances, and improv vocal groups. Following his education at Capilano University and UBC, he works as a Band and Guitar teacher with the VSB. Gord is very happy to be back playing big band jazz again with the HSJO.

As a child, Dean was introduced to drumming through community celebrations. He learned to play by imitation, and was soon in bands serving venues across Alberta. He expanded his playing by teaching drums, then gained admittance to Tommy Banks' jazz program. As well as drumming, Dean worked at various jobs while completing his education, followed by a full career as a writer and educator. Since his earliest years he has been a drummer, and his love for jazz has led him to Hudson Street.