manhattans 951 gordon st guelph, on, N1G 4S1 - 519-767-2440 - open 7 days a week
twenty kilometer jazz diet feat. ben jokela
This event happens on Aug 23, 2012.
Based on the idea of supporting local resources, the Twenty Kilometer Jazz Diet consists of musicians who all reside in the Guelph area. On any given Thursday at manhattans pizza bistro.music clubin Guelph, ON, you could catch any combination of musicians. You never know who will drop in to jam!
All the members of the group are professional musicians who make their living playing and teaching jazz music. Many of them have toured the world playing various music festivals in England, Australia, across the US and Canada. All have attended, graduated or taught at jazz programs in York University, McGill, Humber, Mohawk and University of Toronto.
“Everyone is local somewhere.” Mulgrew Miller.
Local musicians that have played with the group are Ted Warren, Brent Rowan, Jesse Turton, Adam Bowman, Jason Raso, Tyler Wagler, Stephen Zuccala, Jeff Daniels, Tom Hammerton, Ben Jokela, and Joni Nehrita to name just a few.
20km Jazz Diet is on facebook.
Tonight’s feature is Ben Jokela.
Ben Jokela, Pianist and Keyboardist, hails originally from New Brunswick. He came to Toronto at the age of 17 to study music at Humber College where he received an honours diploma in jazz/commercial music studies with a major in performance and a minor in arranging. He has been working as a professional musician in the greater Toronto area since 1995 where he has established himself as one of the top keyboard players in the area for live or studio situations. Ben is also an established music teacher having taught music lessons since 1992. He has been a staple teacher at the Merriam School of Music since 1998 where he served one year as Piano Department Head. Ben now resides in Guelph where he runs his own business – The Music House – teaching lessons, recording, arranging, and providing all forms of live entertainment. Ben also sits on the Board of Directors of the Guelph Jazz Festival. He currently plays regularly with R&B singer, Virgil Scott (including directing Virgil’s theatrical review “Songs My Sister Played”), multi-talented Krista Blondin and Heather Katz as well as with his own jazz trio with Garth Vogan on bass and Larry Bodner on woodwinds . Ben also accompanies various “Legends” and “Tribute” shows in the theatre and casino circuit with “The Casino Brothers” including Anthony Von (Elvis), Bernie Jessum (Roy Orbison), Dave Bata (Rod Stewart), and many more, as well as being in the main-stage band for the annual Collingwood Elvis festival. Ben has also performed and recorded with many other artists including MCA Country Recording Artist Lawnie Wallace; Funk/Disco showband Downstroke; celtic musician Duncan Cameron, singer Mollie Fisher and is an annual guest keyboardist with Tim James.
