CanUS Hot Jazz Band

dixieland jazz and swing from Victoria BC

About

CanUS Hot Jazz Band

since circa 1991
It's HOT JAZZ!! It's DIXIELAND!! It's SWING!! It's RAGTIME!! AND THE BLUES!! And More!! New Orleans Jazz With Jazzy Three-Part Harmony Vocals & a Hot Band.

From 1992 to 2006 this Victoria jazz band stole show after show on the "trad" jazz circuit all over North America. They have reverted to being a sextet when gigging at home. Home is where they want to be for the foreseeable future!

Featuring tight vocal arrangements on swing and New Orleans classics from the 20's to the 40's, CanUS can regularly be heard at Hermann's on the first Sunday of each month from 1:30 pm-3:30 pm Oh - and their CD's are very popular, too! As time moves forward and musicians move to other areas, changes and replacements come and add their own unique musicianship to the group. Latest is Australian music master of brass and reeds, Simon Stribling newly relocated to Victoria! Joining Alfons Fear, Al Pease, Avram McCagherty, Joey Smith and leader, Toni Blodgett on piano.

In the "Mississippi Rag' , Oct. 2001, reviewer Paige Van Vorst states"CanUS is a one-of-a-kind group. They perhaps feature too many vocals for some listeners, but they're having so much fun it rubs off on the listeners. Toni Blodgett has created a group with a sound unlike any other on the scene today, which is a tremendous accomplishment. If you like small group jazz of the 1930's, you should definitely give this one a try."

Triangle Jazz of Seattle calls them 'a hot band with a swinging rhythm sectionn and a great front line"

For more information on jazz shows at Hermann's Jazz Club go to hermannsjazz.com
Available for Shows/Gigs

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Current Lineup

Toni Blodgett
Leader, Piano
1991 - present
Joey Smith
Bass/Vocals
1991 - present
Alfons Fear
trumpet, vocals
2019 - present
Al Pease
clarinet, Sax
2019 - present
Simon Stribling
brass, reeds
2021 - present
Avram McCagherty
banjo
2021 - present

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