This show is presented by the West End Cultural Centre
Upon his arrival into the Winnipeg music scene in 2016, Sean Irvine has quickly developed a reputation as a first call performer, composer, and technician of the woodwind family. Primarily as a saxophonist, Irvine is also an accomplished flutist, clarinetist, and oboist.
Irvine is the director and composer for the Sean Irvine Quintet. The ensemble first made its debut at the TD International Jazz Festival in Winnipeg back in 2017. Since, Irvine has kept an active report with the project preparing for its first album, “Sean Irvine Quintet: The Oak in Alley Chapter” with its release in spring of 2020. With all original compositions, the project utilizes a variety on woodwinds, brass, vocals, and rhythm section instruments to paint life to materials written over the last 7 years of Irvine’s musical journey.
As a sessional recording artist, Irvine has made appearances in recordings alongside the Royal Canoe, Finn, Derrick Gardner, and the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra (amongst others). With his flexibility to capture character and tone behind the various woodwind instruments, Irvine has accompanied the likes of the Dirty Catfish Brass Band, Ron Paley Big Band, Jeff Presslaff Septet, Steve Kirby's Oceanic Orchestra, Papa Mambo, Jon Gordon, Jimmy Greene and Scotty Barnhart in live settings. Amongst his work as a sessional musician, he also holds prominent roles with a number of project including the Winnipeg Jazz Collective, Still Crazy: Paul Simons Tribute, Big City All Stars Band, and the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra.
A highly sought after educator, Irvine has regularly worked with a variety ensembles and students as an adjudicator, leader, and mentor. Irvine is the professor of saxophone at the Canadian Mennonite University and also an educator within the Pembina Trails School Division. Having worked as an Artist Director for community projects like the East Side Jazz Band, along with teaching Woodwind techniques and music ensembles (Big Band/ Small Jazz Ensembles) during his time at Brandon University. Irvine spent several years as the director of Woodwinds with the Winnipeg El Sistema music outreach program; in conjunction with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. During his time with the Sistema program, Irvine had structured the woodwind education format and worked to continue developing the program with the addition of the Oboe and program testing formats in his first year. The program sought to introduce elementary students to the various woodwind instrument present within the classical orchestra setting (flute, oboe, clarinet).
Sean Irvine is a proud SeaWind Saxophone Artist; performing on the PJ Perry Edition Alto Saxophone and Phil Dwyers edition Tenor, Baritone, & Soprano Saxophones.
Opener - Larry & Larry Roy
There is nuance in the everyday — in its layers of love, joy, and hurt. Singer-songwriter Erin Propp and jazz guitarist Larry Roy reach into the everyday and blur the edges, creating works that are at once deeply personal and achingly relatable. From charming intimate jazz club sets to moving concert hall performances, Erin and Larry can do it all. They won Best Jazz Album of the Year at the 2013 Western Canadian Music Awards for their debut album, Courage, My Love, which was also nominated for the Juno for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year in 2014. Erin’s distinct voice and Larry’s precision on the guitar come together to create songs and performances that “are thoughtful, seamlessly arranged, and inventive while being accessible”