Our Terms & Conditions | Our Privacy Policy
Breadcrumb Trail Links
Published Oct 06, 2024 • 3 minute read
Al Weiss and the Riverview Jazz Quartet perform in 2018 at Artwalk in Sarnia. Photo by File photo /The Observer
Article content
Brenda Earle Stokes says her musical world changed when teacher Al Weiss decided decades ago to play Oscar Peterson’s recording of C Jam Blues in class at Northern Collegiate.
Advertisement 2
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Growing up in Sarnia, Stokes began taking piano lessons at age four but said she “never quite found her footing in music” until that day in her high school music class.
Stokes immediately signed up for jazz band and jazz lessons from Weiss.
Now a jazz pianist, singer, composer and teacher in New York, Stokes has been playing shows around Ontario this fall to promote her seventh album, Motherhood, and will be home in Sarnia Nov. 3 for a 2 p.m. matinee at Maud’s Variety, Mitton Street, with Weiss on saxophone, along with Michigan musicians Rob Emanuel on drums and Andrew Lloyd on bass.
Brenda Earle Stokes, a Sarnia-raised singer, jazz pianist and songwriter, is shown in this photo from the cover of her latest album, Motherhood. Handout
The connection to Peterson continued when Stokes attended York University and received a scholarship named for the legendary Canadian jazz musician.
Advertisement 3
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
In 1987, Weiss was the scholarship’s very first recipient at York and a few years after Stokes received the award, her brother Graig Earle, a bass player, was also a recipient. Graig Earle was also a student of Weiss’ at Northern.
“Oscar Peterson showed up the second year I was at York,” Weiss said. The late musical legend spent time teaching at the university and as its chancellor.
As well as learning from Peterson, Weiss had the chance to play in front of a room full of music teachers with the Oscar Peterson trio.
“I’ve never been nervous since,” Weiss said. ”Like, who’s going to scare me more than Oscar Peterson? It does amazing things to your confidence, if you survive.”
Weiss said Peterson called him “Stanley Steamer because he thought I sounded a bit like Stan Getz,” a celebrated U.S. jazz saxophonist. “How’s that for a compliment?”
Advertisement 4
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Weiss said he recalls Stokes playing clarinet at Northern, as well as piano in the jazz band, and accompanying, while also directing, the choir.
When he offered Stokes jazz lessons in high school, “I told her, ‘I can’t play the piano that well, but I can teach you because you play very well.’”
After York, Stokes went on to the Manhattan School of Music and stayed in New York where she has played with a list of artists that includes trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, Broadway’s Maurice Hines and the award-winning Diva Jazz Orchestra.
“She’s had an incredible career,” Weiss said.
Weiss, who is retired from teaching, played a show with Stokes at Sarnia’s Smoked Oyster about 20 years ago, “which was cool,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve played since.”
Advertisement 5
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
But they were talking on the phone about her new album and an upcoming trip home to Sarnia where Stokes’ father still lives.
“I told her that I have a couple of world class jazz musicians (from) across the bridge who would be glad to come and play,” Weiss said. “It’s such a thrill that we get to hear her again.”
Stokes said they’ll play a variety of jazz standards and arrangements, including songs from Motherhood, her album funded with a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts and featuring 10 original songs about being a mother in the 21st century.
Sunday matinees at Maud’s Variety feature live jazz and blues.
“Hat’s off to Josh (Walters) and the guys at Maud’s at taking a chance on playing jazz music,” Weiss said.
“It’s nice to have a place to play the music we love,” he said.
pmorden@postmedia.com
Article content
Share this article in your social network
Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.
Aggregated From –
Comments are closed.