Events

Since moving back to Saskatoon from Toronto in 2023, Ian Sinclair has been a highly active jazz pianist and composer in Saskatoon’s music scene. He is excited to be performing a mixture of original compositions and jazz standards with legendary Canadian musician Andre White on drums as well as Saskatoon favourite Emmett Fortosky.

Ian Sinclair – In recent years, Ian moved to Saskatoon where he has been a highly active pianist and composer in the city with a primary focus in jazz and related creative music. He previously resided in Toronto for fifteen years and while there as well as up to the present he has played with the some of the city’s most celebrated jazz musicians including Terry Promane, Dave Young, Kelly Jefferson, Allison Au, Nick Fraser, Ernesto Cervini, and Harley Card. In addition, Ian has performed with many other award-winning veteran Canadian musicians including Mike Murley, Brad Turner, Hugh Fraser, Christine Jensen, and Ingrid Jensen. While living in Toronto, Ian recorded an album of original compositions Know the Reflection. Over the years, Ian has performed at many of the best-known Canadian jazz venues and festivals including several times at The Bassment and SaskTel Jazz Festival. Ian has completed a Doctorate of Musical Arts (Performance) at the University of Toronto and a Masters in Music (Jazz Studies) at the University of North Texas. While at the University of North Texas, he was co-winner of a prestigious national award – a Down Beat Student Award for Outstanding College Jazz Small Group. Born and raised in Saskatchewan, he received his original undergraduate musical training at the University of Saskatchewan. 

Emmett Fortosky – Saskatoon native Emmett Fortosky is highly familiar to Saskatchewan audiences as a bassist for the Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra, Sons of Django, The Prairie Roots Ensemble, and his own groups. He has appeared with leading Canadian artists including Caity Gyorgy, Larnell Lewis, Tanya Tagaq, and David Braid. In addition, Emmett is a committed educator – he was founder of the Jazz in the Schools initiative, continues as faculty with the SaskTel Jazz Festival’s Jazz Intensive, and continues working as a public school teacher in Saskatoon.

Andre White – Andre White has been one of the most important figures in Canadian jazz for over forty years. Not only is he one of Canada’s most acclaimed drummers, he is also widely known for his work as pianist, educator, and recording engineer. He has performed with some of the most famous jazz legends including Benny Carter, Dizzy Gillespie, Pepper Adams, Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson, David Liebman, Junior Cook, Bob Berg, Bobby Watson, and Sheila Jordan as well as Canadian notables like Don Thompson, Kirk MacDonald, PJ Perry, and Joe Sullivan. For many years an Associate Professor in Jazz Studies at the Schulich School of Music at McGill in Montreal, Andre has recently retired to reside in Regina, Saskatchewan.

This event is part of the Neighbourhood Pop-Up Series, which is free to attend. The Neighbourhood Pop-Up Series is made possible by a number of local partnerships, including each hosting venue, the Broadway Business Improvement District, the Riversdale Business Improvement District, Downtown Saskatoon, the Community of Brighton, the Dream Community Foundation, The Prairie Lily, and Hopewell Property Management.