ONSOUND IV: what is jazz?|Brodie West, Florian Hoefner Trio

NOTE: This event is at the Mun School of Music - Suncor Hall

The opening night of ONSOUND IV: what is jazz? Featuring solo saxophonist Brodie West’s unique blend of “congenial unruliness and subdued eclecticism” (Musicworks) and the Florian Hoefner Trio (Florian Hoefner, piano; Nick Fraser, drums; Andrew Downing, bass) performing original compositions for their award-winning albums First Spring and Desert Bloom. 

 

For a complete list of events including late-night shows, free workshops, and more, please visit www.soundsymposium.com

 

—

 

BRODIE WEST’s fascination with sound has taken him from Alexandra Park to Addis Ababa. As a bandleader and collaborator, he is a key member of Toronto's vibrant creative music scene. Leader of avant-calypso group Eucalyptus as well as his eponymous quintet, West also regularly performs with the The Ryan Driver Sextet, Lina Allemano Four, a duo called Ways and an ongoing collaboration with Andrew Zukerman/ Fleshtone Aura. Brodie's music has been released by some of Toronto's most celebrated labels, including Healing Power, Pleasence, Blocks Recording Club and Rat-Drifting, while his European connections have put him in the company of legendary art-punks The Ex as well as the late Getatchew Mekuria, the revered veteran of the Ethiopian saxophone.

 

Originally hailing from Nanaimo, British Columbia, jazz studies at Humber College brought Brodie to Toronto. Emerging as a member of Zebradonk, Deep Dark United, and Drumheller, he was soon in demand as a featured guest, adding his spirit to recordings ranging from Broken Social Scene's seminal You Forgot It in People to more recent appearances with Jennifer Castle, Snowblink and Tasseomancy.

 

West's current artistic practice sees him inspired by the radiant joy of being a father as well as frequent improvised gigs with a wide range of musicians. As a composer working with some of Toronto's leading creative musicians, he is always leading new melodic excursions while his ensembles, often featuring two or even three percussionists, are also exploring fresh rhythmic terrain. 

—

 

Born and raised in Germany, trained in New York City, and now based in Canada, Juno-award-winning jazz pianist and composer FLORIAN HOEFNER draws from a myriad of influences that cumulate in his unique brand of modern jazz. Praised as a “composer-bandleader of insightful resolve” by the New York Times and a “harmonically daring pianist […] reaching toward new sonic territory” by Downbeat Magazine, Florian Hoefner has made his mark as an inventive creator and performer of exciting contemporary Jazz.

 

Since 2018, Hoefner has been working with his Canadian trio with Andrew Downing on bass and Nick Fraser on drums. Their award-winning debut album “First Spring,” was released in September 2019 on Alma Records. It was nominated for a 2021 Juno Award in the category Jazz Album of the Year: Group and won “Instrumental Recording of the Year” and “Jazz Recording of the Year” at the 2020 East Coast Music Awards in Atlantic Canada. Their follow-up album, “Desert Bloom” from June 2022 features 7 new original compositions that showcase Hoefner’s hallmark lyricism and knack for suspenseful dramaturgy, and 2 new arrangements of pieces out of the contemporary Indie Rock and Bluegrass world. The album has earned a 2023 Juno Award for Jazz Album of the Year (Group).