Jazz on Wheels is heading into another Winnipeg summer, and we’re all revved up to share some great music. We’ve already been out seven times spreading the jazz word—to the Ellice Street Festival, the African Market, three middle schools, and two high schools.

The band has some major star power with veterans Amber Epp, Shannon Kristjanson, Simon Christie, Will Bonness and Curtis Nowosad. Rounding out the crew are two newcomers: Jocelyn Goertzen on guitar and Sheena Rattai on vocals. I get to do my two favourite things—play the bass and talk!

Never been to a Jazz on Wheels show? The band plays a broad range of music, from jazz to reggae to Afro-Cuban to R&B to pop, and I’ll tell you a bit about where the tunes come from and how they’re related. Plus you’ll have a whole lot of fun—there’s dancing and singing and the kids can march around with us when we parade through the crowds.

We’ve broadened our repertoire, but what’s even more important is that we’ve broadened our path! We’ll be in our old haunts again this summer, but we’ll be showing up in some new places around town too. And we’ll be back to several of these places in the fall with our new Bridge Program. It’s been my dream for ages to help kids in disadvantaged neighborhoods become musicians themselves, and it’s about to begin!

All the Jazz on Wheels gigs are open to everybody, so join the fun. We’re a one-band street party—and we’re coming to a street
near you!