Allison Au Jazz Masterclass

Join us for a morning of collaborative jazz education with Allison Au and The Leading Ladies Little Big Band

• The first 45 minutes will have The Leading Ladies Little Big Band working with Allison Au.
• This will be followed by Allison working with small ensembles (quartets/quintets).
• each group receives 30 minutes to work with Allison.
• After the first small ensemble, there will be a 15 minute break, followed by the remaining groups.
• 30 minute Q&A for all participants and auditors.

Small ensembles, please send your tune + lead sheet to [email protected]

This event welcomes individuals of all ages and genders.

This event is taking place on the ancestral and living lands of the Coast Salish Peoples.

COVID GUIDELINES (as of February 16, 2023):

• Müzewest Concerts follows current provincial health orders
• All guests are encouraged to wear masks and we will have some available if people wish.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Allison Au is a Juno-award winning Jazz Saxophonist, Composer and Arranger. Born to a Chinese father and Jewish mother, and raised in the multicultural metropolis of Toronto, Allison found music as a young child. Exposed to a wide array of musical styles, she was captivated by the unhinged freedom of Jazz. Jazz became Allison’s lab for self-expression, exploration, and musical experimentation. Her work weaves a mosaic of influences into a seamless and soulful sound, a concoction steeped in the tradition of Jazz but skillfully laced with elements of Classical, Pop, R&B/hip hop, Latin, and world music. Au earned her first Juno nomination for her debut album, “The Sky Was Pale Blue, then Grey” in 2013, and in 2016 seized the Juno for "Best Jazz Album of The Year: Group" for “Forest Grove.” In 2019, she garnered another Juno nomination for "Best Jazz Album of the Year: Group" for "Wander Wonder."

The Leading Ladies Little Big Band is an all-female, 10-piece jazz band based out of Vancouver, BC and directed by Casey Thomas-Burns. Founded in 2019, this dynamic group of young women met while studying music at university. After performing their first show together as a part of a school concert series, 'The Ladies' have stuck together ever since. This band mixes the beloved classics of the big band era with modern-day compositions and focuses on featuring original music and arrangements by local and emerging composers. The band has most recently performed at the West Coast Big Band Festival and the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival and regularly performs at swing dances, vespers, and other events throughout the Lower Mainland.

In addition to being a performing ensemble, The Leading Ladies recently launched their community outreach program "LADIES' NIGHT: Jazz Jams for Women" in the Spring of 2022. Femme-identifying and non-binary musicians of all ages and skill levels are invited to come and jam with the members of the band in a safe, female-led environment that focuses on learning and community building for the next generation of women in jazz.

Host or Publisher Müzewest Concerts