John Geggie welcomes Christine Jensen and Gary Versace

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Following the success of the opening concert of the Geggie Series at the Fourth Stage, the National Arts Centre announced the programming for the next concert, on Saturday, November 18, 2006. Bassist John Geggie has invited two accomplished and exciting improvisers to join him, Montreal-saxophonist Christine Jensen and from New York, pianist Gary Versace.While Versace has been turning heads all over the world for his virtuoso playing, Jensen has been steadily solidifying her position as a leading figure in the Canadian jazz scene. Expect an evening of fresh and vital new jazz compositions and sounds with this promising group of players.

Since basing himself in New York City in June of 2002, jazz organist, pianist, and accordionist Gary Versace has quickly become one of the busiest and most versatile musicians on the scene, often featured in bands led by musicians such as John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Maria Schneider, Seamus Blake, Ingrid Jensen, Rez Abassi and many others. Versace was voted a "rising star" on the Hammond organ in the 2005 and 2004 Downbeat critics polls, and has been a featured soloist on two critically acclaimed recordings of recent years: accordionist on Maria Schneider's Grammy-winning "Concert in the Garden", and as the pianist on John Hollenbeck's Grammy-nominated large ensemble recording, "A Blessing." Gary Versace has a masters degree in music performance from the Eastman School of Music, and spent eight years as a tenured associate professor in the jazz studies department at the University of Oregon. He remains active as a clinician and guest soloist both in the United States and around the world.

Saxophonist Christine Jensen has built a reputation as an original voice on both the Canadian and International jazz scene. She is active as a composer, arranger and clinician and has frequently recorded projects for the CBC as well as Radio-Canada, and made numerous festival appearances across Canada as well as at the Montreal Jazz Festival with both her big band and small ensembles. Jensen has received numerous awards from both the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec. This has led her to have the opportunity to study with composers and saxophone teachers Jim McNeely, Dick Oatts, Kenny Werner, and Steve Wilson.

John Geggie is greatly in demand as a versatile musician and creative composer both in Canada and internationally. He has toured extensively with the award-winning jazz group Chelsea Bridge and the Juno-nominated D. D. Jackson Trio. Past performances have included concerts with David Murray, Andrew Cyrille, Donny McCaslin, Ted Nash, Billy Hart, Marilyn Crispell, Myra Melford. Bill Carrothers, Cuong Vu and bassist, Mark Dresser. This past summer, John toured across Canada with singer Tena Palmer. He also performs regularly at the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival and last season, as part of its New Music in New Spaces initiative, Geggie premiered a new composition of his, Trains, Planes and Cranes. In addition, he continues to maintain a busy concert schedule with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. John is on faculty at the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam (NY).

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