Origins
Classical Jazz Quartet was formed in 2024 expressly to perform the work Suite for Flute and Jazz Trio by Claude Bolling.
The genre of our group is primarily French Fusion (Jazz/Classical Crossover) as defined by Claude Bolling and Jacques Loussier, who combined the elements of Jazz with Baroque Music, often in the style of J.S. Bach.
The work is divided into 7 Movements: I. Baroque and Blue, II. Sentimentale, III. Javanaise, IV. Fugace, V. Irlandaise, VI. Versatile and VII. Veloce
Other works include Prelude #1 – J.S. Bach (arr. J.Loussier) and Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring – J.S. Bach (arr. J.Loussier), and Air On A G String – J.S. Bach (arr. J.Loussier), Lullaby of Birdland – George Shearing, (trans. G. Freeman), Here’s Comes The Sun (Jazz Waltz) – George Harrison (arr. G. Freeman), El Manisero – arr. Hilario Duran (trans. G. Freeman).
In addition we perform some vocal numbers such as the Sinatra Classic – ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’, the Cole Porter Classic – ‘Cheek to Cheek’ and the Latin Standard – ‘No More Blues’
Classical Jazz Quartet is Grant Freeman – Piano & Vocals, Judith Pazder – Flute, Dave Mitchell – Bass, Wayne Finucan – Drums
Classical Jazz Musicians
Grant Freeman – Piano/Musical Director
With 40 + years as a music educator, Grant is back to performing and composing music. Since moving to Parksville, he completed an Orchestral Work, ‘Salish Sea Suite’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktHs85yqMG4. He is working on a musical/opera based on the life of BC architect Francis Rattenbury.
Grant’s other love is playing Jazz piano. He played with the Swingsations Big Band, for over 10 years in Trail B.C. Grant has studied at the Sorrento Jazz Camp with Michael Creber, and at the Vancouver Symphony School of Music with John Stetch and Miles Black.
Grant has played in Rock and Jazz Bands since High School, arranging, composing, playing piano and singing with his own band, Slinky Jazz in the West Kootenays. He arranged an Andrew Sisters tribute for Company Jump that played around BC. Since coming to Parksville he played for 2 years with The Ed The Funk Band and accompanies The Oceanside Pos Choir in Parksville. He also teaches piano online at insyncsoundmusicstudio.com.
Grant enjoys walking with his wife Dee and Miniature Aussie Shepherd on the beaches and trails around Parksville and Qualicum Beach.
Wayne Finucan – Drums
Started playing music in the late fifties jazz and rock scene in Winnipeg. During the early 60’s he played on more than 300 TV shows including Music Hop where he played with the legendary guitar player Lenny Breau. Check out YouTube “Young Lenny Breau” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A76MlkhFOYs for a video clip.
In Winnipeg, he owned a well know recording studio and film production company and played in night clubs and TV shows during the 70’s and 80’s. In 1990 he moved to Vancouver and worked as a sound mixer for 15 years on dozens of shows including Highlander, Stargate and Battlestar Galactica.
In 2005, he retired and moved to Qualicum Beach to renew his musical interests. He plays drums, sings, guitar and saxophone, and currently performs with the Nanaimo Concert Band, The Oceanside Concert Band, The Just Us Dance Orchestra, Peggy Kinsmen and is active in the local jazz scene.
Judith Pazder – Flute
Judith Pazder grew up in Halifax and attended Dalhousie University. She landed in Victoria before the blizzard of ‘96 and stayed anyway, becoming an active teacher, arranger, and composer. She is a founding member and performs regularly with the Victoria High Notes Flute Choir, a group the promotes new music featuring the works of local composers.
Currently Judith is a Suzuki teacher on flute and recorder at the Nanaimo Conservatory and the conductor of the Academy Flute Choir at the Victoria Conservatory.
Dave Mitchell – Fretless Bass
Dave lives in Qualicum Beach and plays Upright Bass with Gypsy Jazz bands and small swing combos and like to play acoustic guitar and ‘old style’ Blues for open mics. The rest of his time he goes on excessively long bike rides and exercising his dog Frieda, in order to get a break from rehearsals.
All of our musicians are based on Vancouver Island.
Grant Freeman
Music Director
604-802-4832
Original Liner Notes from For Flute and Jazz Piano – Claude Bolling – Pianist/Composer, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Flutist
One Floor in the CBS Building (on 6th Avenue in New York City) houses Columbia Records A. & R. divisions – pop, jazz and classical. A feeling of camaraderie generally exists among the workers but the sound of a tape or disc reference denoting a new release can, and often does, lead to patient shrugs or tempered verbal exchanges between people of widely differing musical persuasions. A happy exception to this attitude of reluctant laissez-faire occurred recently when Claude Bolling’s Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano was played in the producer’s office. The universal appeal of this record became immediately apparent when other producers and secretaries from all divisions converged spontaneously in an expression of enthusiastic interest.
Here, Claude Bolling joins forces with his friend, the master flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal. In his first non-classical recording, Rampal and avid jazz enthusiast, noy only reveal a startling affinity for modern music but also premiers a welcome addition to the flute’s repertoire.
In the Baroque era (c. 1600-1750) a suite was an instrumental collection of dance movements. In this work, however, the term is used in it’s modern application, signifying an instrumental composition with a number of contrasting movements. There is also great fluctuation of moods within the movements of the Suite, caused by the constant dialogue between the jazz and classical elements which seem to fight, to interrupt, to stimulate, to mimic, and even to embrace each other. Whether in a musical mood of joy or melancholy, tenderness or impishness, Bolling and Rampal, (ably assisted by drums and bass) combine talents to create an unconventional work that seems to stimulate and satisfy both classical and jazz audiences.
–Bobby Finn
Performance at 37 days of July -Duncan B.C. (Audio Only)