> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The Vancouver Jazz Orchestra launch at Pyatt Hall - URL: https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/vancouver-jazz-orchestra-launch-pyatt-hall/ - Published: 2022-05-02T13:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2025-12-10T22:05:32.000Z - Description: And five Ellington tunes I loved from the setlist - Author: Will Chernoff - Tags: Free Weekly ## Launching a new big band for free Cory Weeds and James Danderfer co-led the **Vancouver Jazz Orchestra** (VJO) – which is a new big band – through a one-set show at Pyatt Hall on Thursday, April 28, 2022. The admissions were free of charge; the room was full. According to Cory, VJO will play a few more times over the next year-ish – with real ticket prices! – after proving they could draw 100-to-120 people to start. The band used sponsorship revenue and in-kind contributions to put together this free show. Cory took the emcee duties, while James focused on the band and its arrangements. The setlist featured Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. ### Vancouver Jazz Orchestra: big band lineup - **Saxophones**: James Danderfer (alto 1), Ingrid Stitt (alto 2), [Steve Kaldestad](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/steve-kaldestad-three-big-moves-ep-16/) (tenor 1), [Ardeshir Pourkeramati](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/ardeshir-quartet-jazz-at-the-bolt-2022/) (tenor 2), [Cory Weeds](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/cory-weeds-fraser-macpherson-jazz-fund-just-coolin/) (baritone) - **Trumpets**: Derry Byrne (lead), Jocelyn Waugh (second), Geeta Das (third), [Thad Bailey-Mai](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/thad-bailey-mai-superpower/) (fourth) – *I couldn't think of a more perfectly-balanced trumpet section in the city, bravo!* - **Trombones**: Brad Shigeta (lead), Brian Harding (second), Ellen Marple (third) - **Rhythm**: Sharon Minemoto (piano), Conrad Good (bass), Jesse Cahill (drums) VJO intends to not have a fixed lineup, instead rotating many of the city's finest musicians and younger talents. ### Music My top five picks from the setlist; links to YouTube or Spotify so you can check out the music... - ["Happy-Go-Lucky Local"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJaDTR7gRY0&ref=rhythmchanges.ca) (Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn), known to me as the source of "Night Train" and the recordings of that tune by Oscar Peterson *et al.* For VJO, Derry Byrne held to his excellent standard of lead trumpet playing right from the get-go on this number - ["Rockin' in Rhythm"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OUxsSarfFI&ref=rhythmchanges.ca) (Ellington, Irving Mills, Harry Carney) – VJO had more stuff going on than you'll hear in the link for this one. It sounds like in this recording, Duke had a smaller band with only three woodwinds (instead of five in VJO and the typical band). But it still has a trombone solo – which Brad Shigeta did with great energy in VJO – and a clarinet solo, which James played from his leader's chair. - ["Mount Harissa"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihLZ9%5FVkufs&ref=rhythmchanges.ca) (Ellington/Strayhorn), which I had never heard before; I'd only listened to "Isfahan" from the *Far East Suite* album! Thanks for getting me up-to-speed. Ardeshir featured on a long and powerful solo; he deserved every inch of his seat as VJO's youngest member. [Far East SuiteDuke Ellington · Album · 1967 · 9 songs.![](https://open.spotifycdn.com/cdn/images/favicon32.b64ecc03.png)Spotify![](https://i.scdn.co/image/ab67616d0000b2738c494f09ad5e084c1e02b82f)](https://open.spotify.com/album/1JJIAHF3S3R7j6OzVw3fsw?si=zpeAwzDWSYiWVEDmhsKUEQ&ref=rhythmchanges.ca) - ["Purple Gazelle"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxyAiSA5n-8&ref=rhythmchanges.ca) (Ellington) – as soon as Cory and James introduced this tune and I heard the first few notes, I thought, "Doesn't this tune have another name? I was taught the tune at Cap, but not by this name." Boom! ["Angelica"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vBMotW0CJg&ref=rhythmchanges.ca). Can't believe I wasn't imagining things. - ["In a Mellow Tone"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht%5FPb955E8s&ref=rhythmchanges.ca) (Ellington), my favourite tune from Ellington's repertoire, with [this version by Count Basie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7cVjWcIkI8&ref=rhythmchanges.ca) holding down the special spot in my heart since I played it in my community big band as a teenager – my most memorable saxophone *soli* and shout chorus one-two punch! Brad Shigeta was a perfect soloist for the mood of this number. ### A season of new big band projects We had the [Sister Jazz Orchestra](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/sister-jazz-orchestra-blueshore/) in March, we have this one from April, and we'll have [Dean Thiessen](https://www.rhythmchanges.ca/dean-thiessen-big-band-brentwood/) in May – and there's more where that came from. The optimism of no-holds-barred event planning and making up for lost time is manifesting in large-ensemble get-togethers. And the idea of launching a group for free is a nice way to test the waters, especially since the project came with such legitimacy that it got sponsored.