Oscar And Oliver - A Celebration at Living Arts Center

This extraordinary concert event is a gala celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday and the Living Arts Centre’s 20th anniversary. It honours the tremendous contributions and ongoing legacy of two Canadian jazz icons, Oscar Peterson (who was a resident of Mississauga for many years) and Oliver Jones, who will be receiving the first-ever Living Arts Centre Excellence in The Arts Award.

The project is curated and produced by Frank Francis of Caliban Arts Theatre with musical direction by Ron Westray. The lineup of piano luminaries includes legendary jazz giant and icon Monty Alexander (Harlem Kingston Express; Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones), JUNO and Emmy Award winner D.D. Jackson, Montreal Jazz Festival Grand Jazz Award-winner Robi Botos, and Marc Cary (Betty Carter, Roy Hargrove). Other esteemed musicians include world renowned Canadian vocalist Dione Taylor, Grammy-winning saxophonist Casey Benjamin (Robert Glasper Experiment, Stephon Harris), JUNO-winning bassist Brandi Disterheft (Michael Kaeshammer), percussionist/drummer Kahil El’Zabar (Ethnic Heritage Ensemble) and Jamaaladeen Tacuma (Ornette Coleman, Jukebox). The program will feature a mix of primordial music written by Peterson and Jones such as The Canadiana Suite along with original material written by the three generations of artists who will be performing. John Devenish of Jazz.FM91 will be the MC....

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This extraordinary concert event is a gala celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday and the Living Arts Centre’s 20th anniversary. It honours the tremendous contributions and ongoing legacy of two Canadian jazz icons, Oscar Peterson (who was a resident of Mississauga for many years) and Oliver Jones, who will be receiving the first-ever Living Arts Centre Excellence in The Arts Award.

The project is curated and produced by Frank Francis of Caliban Arts Theatre with musical direction by Ron Westray. The lineup of piano luminaries includes legendary jazz giant and icon Monty Alexander (Harlem Kingston Express; Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones), JUNO and Emmy Award winner D.D. Jackson, Montreal Jazz Festival Grand Jazz Award-winner Robi Botos, and Marc Cary (Betty Carter, Roy Hargrove). Other esteemed musicians include world renowned Canadian vocalist Dione Taylor, Grammy-winning saxophonist Casey Benjamin (Robert Glasper Experiment, Stephon Harris), JUNO-winning bassist Brandi Disterheft (Michael Kaeshammer), percussionist/drummer Kahil El’Zabar (Ethnic Heritage Ensemble) and Jamaaladeen Tacuma (Ornette Coleman, Jukebox). The program will feature a mix of primordial music written by Peterson and Jones such as The Canadiana Suite along with original material written by the three generations of artists who will be performing. John Devenish of Jazz.FM91 will be the MC.

“Without question, this evening represents as well the finest assembling of jazz talent ever on the main stage at the Living Arts Centre,” says Living Arts Centre CEO Natalie Lue. It’s the crowning event of Canada's 150th Birthday and our own 20th anniversary here at the LAC, one that will give us creative momentum as we move into our third decade of presenting quality entertainment to our patrons from Mississauga and the surrounding area. We’d especially like to thank our presenting sponsor, Pratt & Whitney, for their support which is making this magical evening possible.”

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