HJF Presents 2018 Juno Award Winners THE NORTH at St. Paul’s United Church September 22, 2018

Jazz Quartet Combines the Best of Canada and Scandinavia 
Tickets on sale now!

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Media Release - August 30, 2018
For Immediate Use

[August 30, 2018 - Halifax] The Halifax Jazz Festival is proud to bring The North to Halifax this September. The North is a jazz quartet that combines the best of Canada and Scandinavia featuring two of Canada’s acclaimed multi-JUNO award winning musicians, long-time collaborators David Braid (piano) and Mike Murley (saxophone) along with a formidable rhythm section comprised of Danish drummer Anders Mogensen and Finnish bassist Johnny Aman. The North will play St. Paul’s United Church September 22, 2018 at 8pm.

All leaders in their own right, their recording “The North” won the 2018 JUNO Award for Jazz Album of the Year (Group). These musicians share common roots in the jazz tradition while reaching forward as improviser/composers to reflect their personal and cultural experiences.

Murley's composition "The Split" conjures images of his native Nova Scotia through the lens of a Coltrane influence while Braid's "Lele's Tune" is a wide ranging suite that showcases the compositional skills that have brought the pianist international acclaim as an artist who seamlessly combines classical and jazz music. Mogensen and Åman bring their vast experience to the group with a superlative rhythm section with a Scandinavian perspective.

The North - September 22nd, 2018
St. Paul's United Church (1749 Argyle Street, Halifax)
Doors 7:30pm, Show 8:00pm
Tickets $25.00, $15.00 Students
Purchase tickets: https://halifaxjazzfestival.etixnow.com/events/the-north/sep-22-2018/st-pauls-church

THE NORTH
Mike Murley, David Braid, Anders Mogensen (Denmark), Johnny Åman (Finland)

Video/Music Links:
Lele's Tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnbNFkL6rVE&spfreload=5
The Split: https://vimeo.com/169546852
Some Other Spring: https://vimeo.com/169503985

Ticket & show links:
Purchase tickets: https://halifaxjazzfestival.etixnow.com/events/the-north/sep-22-2018/st-pauls-church
Facebook events: https://www.facebook.com/events/1717116455077305/

About Halifax Jazz Festival:
Atlantic Canada’s oldest and largest music festival, Halifax Jazz Festival has presented a diverse range of musical and educational activities since 1987, including the annual TD Halifax Jazz Festival. For more information visit halifaxjazzfestival.ca, “follow” Halifax Jazz Festival on instagram or twitter @HFXJazzFest or “like” on facebook.

Musician Links:
www.davidbraid.com
https://mikemurley.com/
http://www.kopasetic.se/en/johnny-aman-1
http://www.andersmogensen.dk/

THE NORTH - Band Bios:

David Braid, piano
Hailed in the Canadian press as "a jazz genius to call our own" (Maclean’s Magazine) and "one of his country’s true renaissance men when it comes to music" (The Ottawa Citizen), composer and pianist, David Braid is a seven-time JUNO nominee, and winner of two JUNO Awards for his solo piano recording, ’Verge.’ and ensemble recording, ’The David Braid Sextet Live.’ Braid concertizes his original music and improvisations regularly in continental Europe, England, Scandinavia, China, Australia, The United States, and Canada. Combining the discipline of European classical music with the spontaneity of American jazz, Braid’s music is described as "refreshingly uncategorizable" (Paris Transatlantic), "brilliant" (Montreal Gazette), "wide-ranging, exploratory" (South China Morning Post), "une force poétique" (Le Soleil) and "hauntingly beautiful" (The Globe & Mail). David Braid is an official Steinway Artist, a Special Associate Artist of Sinfonia UK, and an Artist-in-Residence at the University of Toronto. He is a recipient of the Ontario Foundation for the Arts’ prestigious prize: ’Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award for Keyboard Artistry.’
His arrangements and compositions were an integral part of the Chet Baker-inspired film, ’Born to Be Blue’; his jazz score received praise for its "contemporary patina without sacrificing period authenticity" (The Times, UK). His score received two nominations at the 2017 Canadian Screen Awards for "Best Original Score", and "Best Original Song."

Mike Murley, saxophone
An engaging, lyrical saxophonist, Murley is one of Canada’s finest jazz talents and one of the most versatile players on the scene today. He has appeared on fourteen JUNO Award winning recordings, seven as a leader or co-leader and seven as a sideman. His most recent JUNOs include his trio’s ‘Test of Time’ (2013), Metalwood’s ‘Twenty’ (2017) and ‘The North’ (2018). Murley has toured and recorded with the cream of the Canadian jazz scene spanning a diverse cross section of artists that includes David Braid, Metalwood, and the late Rob McConnell, among others. He has also recorded and performed with many internationally renowned artists including John Schofield, Dave Liebman, Kenny Wheeler and John Abercrombie. In 2011 Murley accepted a full-time position at University of Toronto Faculty of Music where he currently serves as Area Chair of one this country’s most creative and vibrant Jazz Performance programs. He remains active as a leader in various formations from duo to septet

Johnny Åman, bass
Johnny Åman was born on February 10th, 1986 in a small city called Nykarleby on the west coast of Finland. 2005 he moved to Sweden to study music at Malmö Academy of Music, and in 2010 he graduated with a Masters degree. Today Johnny is one of the busiest bass players in Sweden. Johnny has been recording and touring with among others Jerry Bergonzi, Dave Liebman, Marcus Strickland, Tony Malaby, George Garzone, Phil Grenadier, Peter Epstein, Gerard Precenser, Tomas Franck, Jonas Holgersson, Cennet Jönsson, Marcelo Coelho, Mathias Landaeus, Daniel Fredriksson, Jukkis Uotila, Carl Winther, Anders Mogensen, Petter Wettre, Anders Bergcrantz, Martin Küchen, Hans Ulrik, Fredrik Kronkvist, Lisbeth Diers, Chico Lindvall, Peter Nilsson, Emilio Martins and many more.

Anders Mogensen, drums
For more than two decades, drummer Anders Mogensen has been one of the most sought after musicians on the Danish as well as the International Jazz scene. He has been a member of ground-breaking bands such as When Granny Sleeps, Jakob Anderskov Trio, Doky Brothers, Kasper Tranberg Yakuza Zhuffle, Lovedale and Copenhagen Art Ensemble. He has toured and recorded with Jazz Greats such as: Bob Berg, David Liebman, Steve Swallow, Marc Johnson, Brecker Brothers, Gary Thomas, Django Bates, Tim Hagans, Cuong Vu, Lew Soloff and Ray Anderson. Anders holds a position as Associated Professor and head of the Jazz Department at Carl Nielsen Academy of Music, Odense. And he has done clinics and workshops throughout Europe, USA, Japan and Brazil.

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