Back in the early days of the jazz society, Ralph Barrat used to wow his audiences when he made his appearances with his own keyboard. Over the years, he mastered the vocal style of Frank Sinatra and focused more on performing ballads with an accompanying band; that became his more established style. For many, the shift has meant that we never hear Ralph's wonderful keyboard performances and his repertoire of jazz standards.

Well, this week Ralph is delighted to be back at the Little Red Church in Comox. This time Ralph will be singing and playing his keyboard, and possibly a few on the Church's new piano. He will be joined by three of our region's finest jazz artists: Cayleigh Borsboom on alto and tenor saxes, Don Mackay on electric bass and James McRae on drums.

Each of these musicians generate excitement to their own right; it's going to be memorable to witness how they draw even more inspiration and improvisation from each other. Come out to the show to witness this bound-to-be unforgettable evening.

Ralph enthusiastically told me, "It will be all your favourite old standards and a few from the late great Mose Allison. These players need no further introduction to our local jazz community as they have all graced the Thursday Night Jazz stage before. For me it's a privilege: I am blessed to have this opportunity to play with them!"

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

Doors open at 7:00 pm and the jazz fusion starts at 7:30 pm. Admission is $15 for members, $20 for non-members. 2024 Memberships ($25) will be for sale at the door.

You should know that, as a non-profit society, we strive to minimize our admission charges to encourage our supporters to experience wonderful live music, whilst reimbursing the musicians with almost all our income, except for fixed costs, minimal overheads, and a regular deposit into our annual bursary for post secondary music students.

This is your opportunity to discover why it is that the Comox Valley has such an enviable jazz scene, and a nationwide reputation. Our primary goal is to keep live jazz alive in the Comox Valley. We feature local, regional, national, and international acts every Thursday at The Little Red Church.

Tickets will be available at the door for Maureen Washington's December 14th concert : "A Sprinkle of Jazz & Blues" ($35), and for sale at House of Colour, Courtenay and Blue Heron Books, Comox (cash only).

Please select the Calendar tab to see the upcoming diverse range of jazz concerts between now and May 2024. Alternatively, see us on Instagram or follow us on Facebook.

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