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# Behind the Ghibli Band, with Isabel Leong
- URL: https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/behind-the-ghibli-band-with-isabel-leong/
- Published: 2026-10-19T13:00:15.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-19T13:00:14.000Z
- Description: The Ghibli Jazz Orchestra has sold thousands of tickets working with Infidels Jazz; she takes them to the Chan Oct. 24
- Author: Will Chernoff
- Tags: Free Weekly

Isabel Leong talks about her popular big band, the Ghibli Jazz Orchestra, which plays its own arrangements of music from Studio Ghibli film scores. Isabel is a guitarist, teacher, and arranger who has led the Ghibli Jazz Orchestra to sell thousands of tickets at The Pearl, the Hollywood Theatre, and more venues in partnership with Infidels Jazz. She emerged as a small group leader this year, forming the band ISBN with Sofia Avelino on vocals, Bella Fedrigo on bass, and Nick Wise on saxophone. Additionally, Isabel is a director on the board of the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society; she is in the middle of a two-year term.

Isabel Leong and the Ghibli Jazz Orchestra [play the Chan Centre Oct. 24](https://chancentre.com/events/ghibli-jazz-orchestra/?ref=rhythmchanges.ca) as part of VanJazz '26.

[https://youtu.be/rwVU\_Tg96pc](https://youtu.be/rwVU%5FTg96pc?ref=rhythmchanges.ca)

[Ghibli Jazz Orchestra: the sudden but inevitable riseIsabel Leong at the centre of our scene’s biggest movement![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/15/2b/152b7411-0202-45a2-9f09-f39a793683ef/content/images/icon/RhythmChanges2026_LogoOj-3ca53ecf-e812-4642-81bd-4f88cea1bcf4.jpg)Rhythm ChangesWill Chernoff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/15/2b/152b7411-0202-45a2-9f09-f39a793683ef/content/images/thumbnail/2024GhibliJazz_PhotoGabrielBillard7120051_to-68f9eccc-2cb9-407e-a145-9ee993c448f6.JPG)](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/ghibli-jazz-orchestra-sudden-inevitable-rise/)

[Isabel Leong on the Ghibli Jazz OrchestraAn interview with Isabel and with bandmate Andrés Coronado![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/15/2b/152b7411-0202-45a2-9f09-f39a793683ef/content/images/icon/RhythmChanges2026_LogoOj-eae399f6-c8ef-42a1-8408-cd179252a830.jpg)Rhythm ChangesWill Chernoff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/15/2b/152b7411-0202-45a2-9f09-f39a793683ef/content/images/thumbnail/ghibli-jazz-cd9b4a2a-3c6a-4449-9315-2606d9567667.jpg)](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/isabel-leong-ghibli-jazz-orchestra/)

Isabel has also been [a contributing writer to Rhythm Changes](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/author/isabel-leong/) in the past.