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# 23 students, 5 bands: the Fraser MacPherson Jazz Fundraiser
- URL: https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/fraser-macpherson-jazz-fundraiser-frankies-2022/
- Published: 2022-04-04T13:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2025-06-19T21:01:11.000Z
- Description: A full house of Cap combo recitals at Frankie's
- Author: Will Chernoff
- Tags: Free Weekly

## The Fraser MacPherson Fundraiser at Frankie's

You won't get a more comprehensive dose of local jazz students' talent than this: a fundraiser for the [**Fraser MacPherson Jazz Fund**](https://frasermacphersonjazzfund.ca/?ref=rhythmchanges.ca) **(FMJF)**, held at Frankie's last Thursday, March 31, 2022.

The FMJF is a non-profit organization that provides local jazz students with scholarships and workshops, so this event is a perfect brand match – all the more so because Cory Weeds is now the president on FMJF's board.

At the fundraiser, mostly fourth-year students at Capilano University performed their ensemble recitals ("combo class") with some faculty – Brad Turner, Steve Kaldestad and more – as guests.

This roundup of the night's five combos will walk you through some of the outstanding traits on display by the up-and-coming musicians.

### First band

*photo at the top*

- **Robin Comeau** on trumpet
- **Robert Helgason** on guitar dropped an enviably good piece of stage banter, about how he wrote his original tune while driving a tractor in Saskatchewan (you had to be there!)
- **Glenn Lemieux** on piano
- **David Caballero** on bass, who played a full-on gig at Frankie's [with Atley King](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/trance-clapping/) earlier in March 2022
- **Casey Anderson** on drums
- *Faculty guest:* [*Steve Kaldestad*](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/steve-kaldestad-three-big-moves-ep-16/) *on tenor saxophone*
1. [Minor Meeting (Sonny Clark)](https://open.spotify.com/track/6mx6zILPhwEeZeDC4mCBIO?si=ef1269eb50f44436&ref=rhythmchanges.ca)
2. Relapse (Robert Helgason)
3. Yardbird Suite (Charlie Parker)

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### Second

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/15/2b/152b7411-0202-45a2-9f09-f39a793683ef/content/images/2022/04/fmjf-band2.jpeg)

- **Michelle Escudero** on vocals
- **Eric Bates** on guitar
- **Jacob Chapman** on piano
- *Faculty guest: André Lachance on bass*
- **Elijah Tisalona** on drums
1. Overture (Jacob Chapman)
2. You Don’t Know What Love Is (Don Raye & Gene de Paul)
3. Meant to Be (Michelle Escudero)

---

### Third

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/15/2b/152b7411-0202-45a2-9f09-f39a793683ef/content/images/2022/04/fmjf-band3.jpeg)

- **Feven Kidane** on trumpet; I've [heard](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/feven-kidane-maiden-voyage/) Feven [a lot](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/new-thing-general-strike-coffee-launch/) lately, and although she brings unfettered force to the trumpet, she is a good listener and respectful bandmate
- **Gordy Li** on tenor saxophone
- **Casey Thomas-Burns** on trombone and vocals, who performed with [Sister Jazz Orchestra and NiteCap](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/sister-jazz-orchestra-blueshore/) recently
- **Ben Millman** on piano, who plays a lot of keyboard gigs out there in the broader pop/R&B/folk music scene, was the biggest showman of the night but came across as likeable
- **Cole Woodland** on bass
- **Adrian Leung** on drums
1. Virulence (Cole Woodland)
2. Inner Urge (Joe Henderson)
3. [What Shall We Do (Moonchild)](https://thisismoonchild.bandcamp.com/track/what-shall-we-do?ref=rhythmchanges.ca) featuring Casey on vocals

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### Fourth

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/15/2b/152b7411-0202-45a2-9f09-f39a793683ef/content/images/2022/04/fmjf-band4.jpeg)

- **Tess Meckling** on vocals; [she says she doesn't really like](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/alex-marr-tess-meckling-sugarfungus-ep-36/) singing jazz, but sounded pretty good
- **Jacob Elwood** on saxophone
- **Andrés Coronado** on guitar
- **Arlo Spring** on piano
- **King Udofia** on bass
- **Karl DeJong** on drums
- *Faculty guest: Brad Turner on trumpet*
1. Horizon (Karl DeJong)
2. If You Could See Me Now (Tadd Dameron with lyrics by Carl Sigman) featuring Casey Thomas-Burns on trombone
3. Mr. Turner in Spain (King Udofia), the most comfortable non-swing groove of the night

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### Fifth

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/15/2b/152b7411-0202-45a2-9f09-f39a793683ef/content/images/2022/04/fmjf-band5.jpeg)

- **Mackenzie Tran** on vocals
- **Connor Lum** on alto saxophone, probably the most outstanding soloist of the night
- **Harrison Ivaz** on guitar, who had the biggest crowd reaction with his John Pizzarelli-style guitar+scat solo on the final number
- Ben Millman on piano again
- **Colin Zacharias** on bass
- Adrian Leung on drums again
- *Faculty guests: Brad Turner on trumpet, Jennifer Scott on vocals*
1. Love You Better (Ben Millman), a cheesy vocal swing number but played with a nice timefeel
2. Blue (Connor Lum)
3. Death to a Star (Colin Zacharias) featuring Jennifer Scott; Colin said he drew inspiration from Vincent van Gogh
4. Tripod (Harrison Ivaz), a rhythm changes tune

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## Wrapping up

As you can imagine, on Thursday night, dozens of performers shuffled around a packed, excited room at Frankie's while cheering each other on.

Keep an eye out for some of these young talents.

*Correction: I added Jacob Elwood's name to the piece.*