The Joe Sullivan Big Band was established in the 1990’s by band leader, trumpeter and composer Joe Sullivan and gave its première performance at the Oscar Peterson Hall in Montreal in 1998. Since then, it has become a major presence on the Canadian jazz scene. The group has given well over fifty concerts at major venues, principally in the Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec City areas. They include prestigious performances at major festivals (Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City, L’Off Jazz, Mt Tremblant etc.) and at venues such as the Lion D’Or, Tanna Schulich Hall, the Oscar Peterson Hall, Pollack Hall, the Segal Centre, Salle Odysée (Gatineau) and Chateau Frontenac (Quebec City).
Recordings include various radio broadcasts and four critically acclaimed albums. The most recent, Unfamiliar Surroundings was singled out by renowned jazz critic Peter Hum as the best Canadian jazz album of 2016. The group’s repertoire consists of well over 100 original compositions and arrangements, written principally by the leader Joe Sullivan, and also featuring several outstanding pieces by Jean Fréchette.
The ensemble has also been the recipient of numerous grants over the years, including grants for the production of concerts and recordings and the commissioning of new works from the Canada Arts Council, the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec and Musicaction.
“sans contredit l’un des meilleurs au Canada”
Serge Truffaut (Le Devoir)
“… limpide, clairement et rigoureusement exposé, chevauché par de vrais esprits du jazz. Arrangeur et compositeur de grande maturité…”
Alain Brunet (La Presse)
“it’s consistently fine: these are great songs with excellent charts”
“This group is tight. The ensembles sound effortless, light and deft”
Paul Olsen (Allaboutjazz.com)
“This is a world-class big band performing top-notch material on a marvelously recorded album”
Jack Bowers (Cadence)
“Finally, a document of one of Canada’s great big bands”
Len Dobbin, Montreal Mirror
“Sullivan integrates the looseness of small group jazz with the power that only a bigger organization can generate…this is contemporary orchestral jazz of high order”
Ted O’Reilly (Whole Note Magazine)
“Always a thrill to listen to live…”
Irwin Block (Montreal Gazette)
Saxophones
Janis Steprans, David Bellemare, André Leroux, Al Mclean, Jean Fréchette
Trumpets
Jocelyn Couture, Jocelyn Lapointe, Aron Doyle, Dave Mossing, Joe Sullivan
Trombones
Dave Grott, Richard Gagnon, Jean-Nicholas Trottier, Jean-Sébastien Vachon
Rhythm Section
Josh Rager (pno), Alec Walkington (bs), Rich Irwin (drs)
Le Joe Sullivan Big Band a été créé dans les années 1990 par le chef d’orchestre, trompettiste et compositeur Joe Sullivan et a donné sa première représentation à la salle Oscar Peterson de Montréal en 1998. Depuis, il est devenu une présence majeure sur la scène jazz canadienne.
Le groupe a donné plus d’une cinquantaine de concerts dans de grandes salles, principalement dans les régions de Montréal, Ottawa et Québec. Ils incluent des performances prestigieuses dans les grands festivals (Montréal, Toronto, Ottawa, Québec, L’Off Jazz, Mt Tremblant etc.) et dans des lieux tels que le Lion D’Or, la salle Tanna Schulich, la salle Oscar Peterson, la salle Pollack, le Centre Segal, la salle Odysée (Gatineau) et le Château Frontenac (Québec).
Les enregistrements comprennent diverses émissions de radio et quatre albums acclamés par la critique. Le plus récent, Unfamiliar Surroundings, a été désigné par le célèbre critique de jazz Peter Hum comme le meilleur album de jazz canadien de 2016. Le répertoire du groupe comprend plus de 100 compositions et arrangements originaux, écrits principalement par le leader Joe Sullivan, ainsi que plusieurs pièces remarquables de Jean Fréchette.
L’ensemble a également été récipiendaire de nombreuses subventions au fil des ans, dont des subventions pour la production de concerts et d’enregistrements et la commande de nouvelles œuvres du Conseil des Arts du Canada, du Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec et de Musicaction.
“sans contredit l’un des meilleurs au Canada”
Serge Truffaut (Le Devoir)
“… limpide, clairement et rigoureusement exposé, chevauché par de vrais esprits du jazz. Arrangeur et compositeur de grande maturité…”
Alain Brunet (La Presse)
“it’s consistently fine: these are great songs with excellent charts”
“This group is tight. The ensembles sound effortless, light and deft”
Paul Olsen (Allaboutjazz.com)
“This is a world-class big band performing top-notch material on a marvelously recorded album”
Jack Bowers (Cadence)
“Finally, a document of one of Canada’s great big bands”
Len Dobbin, Montreal Mirror
“Sullivan integrates the looseness of small group jazz with the power that only a bigger organization can generate…this is contemporary orchestral jazz of high order”
Ted O’Reilly (Whole Note Magazine)
“Always a thrill to listen to live…”
Irwin Block (Montreal Gazette)
Saxophones
Janis Steprans, David Bellemare, André Leroux, Al Mclean, Jean Fréchette
Trompettes
Jocelyn Couture, Jocelyn Lapointe, Aron Doyle, Dave Mossing, Joe Sullivan
Trombones
Dave Grott, Richard Gagnon, Jean- Nicholas Trottier, Jean-Sébastien Vachon
Section Rhythmique
Josh Rager (pno), Alec Walkington (bs), Rich Irwin (drs)
The ensemble’s repertoire consists of approximately 50 original compositions and arrangements, about 40 of which are by Joe Sullivan. The remaining compositions are by Jean Fréchette, Janis Steprans, Jean-Nicolas Trottier and Al Mclean. Sullivan has also arranged the compositions of several important Canadian jazz composers, including Kirk MacDonald, Janis Steprans and Pat Labarbera.
Performance History
- featuring Pat LaBarbera; Concert at Tanna Schulich Hall in Montreal, October 29th 2010
- featuring Lorne Lofsky; concert at Espace Dell’Arte in Montreal, February 16th 2010
- at Segal Center in Montreal, November 15th 2009
- featuring Don Thompson; Concert at the Casa Luna in Montreal, November 21st, 2008, featuring Canadian jazz legend and multi-instrumentalist Don Thompson.
- Mont Orford summer concert series, August 31st 2008
- featuring George Garzone; at Espace Dell’Arte in Montreal, part of the concert series Jazz en Rafale, March 29th 2008. This concert received the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
- at Salle Odyssée in Gatineau, March 8th 2008, recorded for broadcast for Espace Musique. Live recording of the Northern Ontario Suite.
- featuring Brian O’Kane; Concert at Mojito, Montreal, February 9th, 2008
- featuring Jean Fréchette and Jean-Nicholas Trottier; Concert at Mojito, Montreal, November 8th 2007.
- “Back To School Special” at the Mojito in Montreal, Sept 13th 2007
- “The Northern Ontario Suite”; at the Mojito in Montreal, April 2007
- featuring Al Mclean, André Leroux, Aron Doyle: Espace Dell’Arte, Montreal Feb 28th, 2007.
- Sala Rossa, Montreal, July 2nd 2006 featuring the music of Chuck Dotas
- Ottawa Jazz Festival June 26th, 2006
- featuring Kevin Turcotte (Toronto) and Janis Steprans (Quebec City); Espace Dell’Arte, Montreal May 18th, 2006 (part of “Stop and Listen” concert series)
- Joe Sullivan Big Band plays the music of Rémi Boldu, Club Soda Montreal April 25th, 2006
- Tanna Schulich Hall, McGill University, Montreal, March 11th, 2006
- featuring Kirk MacDonald and Andre Leroux; main stage, Montreal Intl Jazz Festival, July 8th, 2005
- featuring Remi Bolduc; Focaccio Montreal, May 19th, 2005
- featuring Kirk MacDonald; Focaccio Montreal, March 11th, 2005
- featuring Andre Leroux; Focaccio Montreal, Feb 5th, 2005
- featuring Pat Labarbera; Focaccio Montreal, Nov 12th, 2004
- featuring Kirk MacDonald; Espace Alizé Montreal, May 27th, 2004
- featuring Al Kay; Musicfest Canada (held at Vanier College), May 29th, 2004
- Gesu Centre de Créativité Montreal, Feb 11th 2004
- at Espace Focaccio Montreal, Dec 1st, 2003
- at Espace Focaccio Montreal, Nov 10th, 2003
- at Espace Focaccio Montreal, Oct 6th, 2003
- Montreal International Jazz Festival, July 2003
- Pollack Hall, Mcgill University, Feb 5th, 2003
- Off Jazz Festival, July 6th, 2002
- Jazzfest des Jeunes du Quebec, St. Hubert, March 23rd, 2002
- Moyse Hall, Mcgill University, Dec 5th, 2001
- Oscar Peterson Concert Hall, Concordia University, March 18th, 2001
CD Recordings
- 2010 Northern Ontario Suite (Perry Lake Records)
- 2006 Stop And Listen (Effendi)
- 2004 Joe Sullivan Big Band (Effendi)
Grants
- Canada Arts Council: Rehearsal and Production (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009), Sound Recording (2002, 2005, 2009), Commissioning Grants (1998, 2001, 2002, 2011)
- Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec: Rehearsal and Production (2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011)
Awards
- Nomination for Prix Opus, best jazz concert of 2007-08 (Mont Orford, Aug 31st 2008)
- Nomination for Prix Opus, best jazz recording of 2005-06