Artscene Sign up now for guitar, bass, drums, and piano OAKVILLE'S MUSIC STORE · WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2009 31 PHOTOS BY MICHAEL IVANIN / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER RED HOT: Members of the new Studio I Jazz Orchestra perform at their debut private concert, from clockwise top left, Wendy Irvine; James Hill, left, and Dave Patel; Bruce Cassidy; up-and-coming pianist Mackenzie Boys-Eddy, and Mike Ferfolia. New music ensemble looking to jazz up life in Oakville By Tina Depko OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF A new music group is looking to jazz things up in Oakville. The Studio I Jazz Orchestra is growing its roots in the community, consisting of 10 of some of the finest jazz musicians from across the Greater Toronto Area. The musicians converge once every few weeks at the Oakville home of Tony Mergel, who is the group's founder and music director. Mergel has a storied musical past, serving on the faculty of Humber College as professor for more than 25 years. Many of those years were also spent as director of music. Mergel formed a group under the same name in the late 1980s, but the 18-piece big band eventually became dormant. Not wanting to give up music after his recent retirement, Mergel restarted the group, but with professional musicians. "Our saxophone player (tenor sax Tom Skublics), for example, plays the Shaw Festival, where he's a musician there and does a lot of writing," he said. "Bruce Cassidy is an internationally-renowned trumpet player. Everyone is very high calibre, who makes their living as a musician." The purpose of the group, which is in the There are many contemporary comprocess of getting its non-profit status, is twofold. The first is to use part of the pro- posers to commission work from, Mergel ceeds from concerts to create a scholarship said. "We would also like to commission some fund. "In my years of teaching at Humber, I saw Canadian composers, people like Paul Read so many young players who had all kinds of who started the jazz program at U of T, to expose that kind of writtalent, but all kinds of difing." ficulty staying in music "We're hoping the emphasis The group held its because of the finances," on Canadiana is going to debut concert recently he said. "Alan Merriam of -- a private show at an Merriam Music is going to spark interest." Oakville home to introbe administering the duce the ensemble to scholarship in my name. Tony Mergel Music director local politicians, business The idea is to find young people and other movermusicians who want to and-shakers. continue studies at the post-secondary level. So, we can help out "This was our first introductory concert of the new group," he said. "It was designed people like that." The second purpose is to commission and to introduce the band to dignitaries and peoperform as many Canadian jazz works as ple who might be interested in helping the possible. Mergel said the Canadian jazz band get going." The event raised $300 for the scholarship songbook is filled with gems just waiting to fund. It also featured young, local pianist be played. "Instead of just looking at the Great Mackenzie Boys-Eddy to show what kind of American Songbook, which everybody does, recipients could receive the scholarship. "We wanted to bring in one young player, look at the Canadian songbook," he said. "We've started into that. I've done an so people could see this is the kind of youngarrangement of Sometimes When We Touch ster that if he becomes 17, and wants to by Dan Hill, and put it into a jazz format. It study at Queen's, U of T or Humber, maybe came off quite well. I thought, `Why not try he's going to need some help and we'd like to be in the position to give a scholarship to to do that kind of thing.'" that kind of student," he said. Mergel said he is enjoying being the group's music director. "They are all dedicated to the idea and have really enjoyed the challenge of the music, so that's why they come out to rehearse," he said. "We even had a few situations where a sub had to come rehearse because one of our musicians had to be away doing a gig, and our subs have all said, please call me again, I'll play anytime, which is neat." Plans are underway to create a three to four concert season, with the preferred performance venue being the Oakville Centre. The group is also anticipating playing at jazz festivals. Mergel said he believes there is an appetite in Oakville for a professional big band that focuses on Canadian music. "We're hoping the emphasis on Canadiana is going to spark interest," he said. "There are a lot of good jazz groups around, there aren't too many large groups like ours. Our repertoire is going to be very different. With the aim of the scholarship and the commissioning, we hope the public will catch onto that and help do something for young people and Canadian composers." For information, e-mail tmergel@cogeco.ca or go online to www.studio1jazzorchestra.com.