This is the week when Georgia Straight Jazz Society brings you Ella Fitzgerald's vocal improvisations, swing feel and melodic phrasing. If you love Ella's style, you're going to be amazed at Teighan Couch's performance. She not only sings like Ella, but she acts like her too.

Originally from Ottawa, Teighan moved to Nanaimo with dreams of becoming a vocalist under the inspiration of her favourite jazz artists Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and the Oscar Peterson Trio. She is a powerful, soulful vocalist with a knack for scat and a devoted love for the healing power of song.

As Teighan told me, "I first performed for the Georgia Straight Jazz Society with the Marty Steele Quartet in February 2022, and I'm excited to be returning to Comox Valley this Thursday with a quartet under my own leadership at the Little Red Church. I'm huge into swing music and love to play for dancers. I'm deeply inspired by recordings released in the 1950s under Verve Records." Teighan's biggest inspiration is Ella Fitzgerald. "I have taken to studying Ella's vocal improvisations, swing feel and melodic phrasing."

Her quartet will join her in reimagined arrangements of standards taken from her favourite recordings, composers, and instrumentalists, including Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Ahmad Jamal, Bud Powell, Barney Kessel, Oscar Peterson, and Charlie Parker.

You can catch a sneak peak of Teighan's performance on YouTube from her recent show at Char's Landing with Ken Lister and Jesse Marshall at Teighan Couch Trio at Char's Landing

This Thursday's quartet features Jesse Marshall on guitar, Drake Shoemaker on bass and Cayleigh Borsbom on the tenor and soprano saxophone.

Jesse Marshall is an established guitarist based in Nanaimo. His album Small Talk released in 2016 was nominated for a Julian award and was featured on The University of Toronto Jazz Orchestra's 2020 album Embargo, which received four stars from All About Jazz.

Drake Shoemaker is versatile bassist. A soon-to-be graduate from Vancouver Island University's Jazz Program, Drake has been featured in many different bands playing a variety of musical styles from rock and roll and pop to bebop and free jazz.

Cayleigh Borsbom is a graduate of the jazz program at Humber in Toronto, Ontario. She has recently re-joined the Nanaimo music community to share her talents on the tenor and soprano saxophone. She takes inspiration from a lot of the same artists as Teighan and although they have only recently started playing together, they have incredible musical chemistry when they're on the bandstand

This is your opportunity to experience a combination of some of the finest jazz instrumentalists in BC. Doors at The Little Red Church, 2180 Comox Avenue, Comox, open at 7:00 pm. The two-hour show commences at 7:30 pm

Doors open at 7pm. Admission is $15 for members, $20 for non-members. 2023 memberships ($20) will be for sale at the front desk. We have an abundance of comfortable seating, and our layout for this exceptional concert will include a dance floor area..

Since no food or beverages will be served, you are encouraged to bring your own food and drink.

You're invited to expose yourself to an amazing jazz performance in a warm, safe and friendly atmosphere. If you're new to the valley and still exploring what's new and exciting, you will be surprised to discover a jazz performance scene equal to any large city. Select the Calendar tab to see the forthcoming acts in our schedule.

GSJS showcases jazz live in the Comox Valley, giving music lovers an opportunity to enjoys local, regional and internationally-known jazz musicians.