campbell river JAZZ FEST
Campbell River’s Jazz & Blues Festival is a free series of concerts funded by the City of Campbell River, CR Live Streets, BC Live Performance Network, and Highway 19 Concerts that debuted in July 24-27, 2024. It begins and ends with outdoor shows at Spirit Square with multiple performances in between at venues around town such as SoCal Restaurant, the Anchor Inn, Beach Fire Brewing, Match Public House, and the Eagles Hall Lounge featuring a dozen local, regional and touring performers.
August 19 - 23, 2025
Spirit Square, Match Public House, the Anchor Inn, Eagles Hall Lounge, Beach Fire Brewing, SoCal Restaurant
Schedule
TUE AUG 19, 2025 | noon
Spirit Square (1101 Shoppers Row)
TIGHTROPE
Tightrope is an electric tribute to the blues. Their energetic performances have been felt around Vancouver Island performing at festivals and local venues. You’ll hear Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton and other great blues artists. Tightrope is comprised of Marc Goyan on guitar, Dave Stevenson on Fender bass, and Greg Hill on drums.
WED aug 20, 2025 | 7:00PM
CR Live Streets Swing Night (1200 Shoppers Row)
Thu aug 21, 2025 | 5:00PM
Anchor Inn patio (261 Island Hwy)
jen hodge all stars
Jen Hodge is a Grammy-nominated bass player originally from the Comox Valley but now based in New York City where she is a fixture of the hot jazz community, frequently featuring in the house band for the long-running Mona’s Tuesday Night Hot Jazz jam session hosted by multi-instrumentalist Dennis Lichtman, and performing with such artists as Bria Skonberg, The Hot Sardines, Jon-Erik Kellso & The EarRegulars, Cynthia Sayer, and Danny Jonokuchi & The Revisionists.
In addition to being a sought-after bassist, she has produced three albums as bandleader including The Girl in the Groove (2020) and All’s Fair in Love & Jazz (2018) which spent time in the North American College & Community Radio Top 10 jazz charts. For this tour the Jen Hodge All Stars features Joseph Abbott on reeds and vocals, Bonnie Northgraves on trumpet and vocals, Josh Roberts on guitar, and Kelby MacNayr on drums.
Jen Hodge will also feature in a trio performance with Joseph Abbott on reeds and vocals and Josh Roberts on guitar.
THU aug 21, 2025 | 6:00PM
J. Plank (solo show)
J. Plank (Jeff Plankenhorn) is a highly respected musician known for his skill as a slide guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist, both as a solo artist and as a sought-after session musician. After 20 years as a mainstay in the Austin music scene, Plank settled in Campbell River, a move that is heavily reflected in his 2023 album “Alone at Sea” produced by Colin Linden. His latest release “The Bend” is a stripped down acoustic album, much of which will be featured in this solo performance.
THU aug 21, 2025 | 6:00PM
ultraviolet
Vancouver Island-based Ultraviolet is an eclectic power trio full of groove and genre-defying, experimental energy. Described as "refreshingly creative" and "equal parts mysterious, groovy and spacey," the project comprises guitarist/touch-guitarist Oscar Robles Diaz (from Mexico City), bassist/vocalist Brittany Christina Bowman (from the Comox Valley), and drummer Beau Stocker (from Toronto). These three come from different backgrounds, both geographically and musically speaking, and their combined touring curriculum boasts performance experience in Latin America, Asia, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Canada. Their debut album “Ripples & Waves” has been hailed an “impressive debut” with “inventive playing and interaction…post-rock and jazz at the core but with many other elements brought into the mix.”
Thu aug 21, 2025 | 7:00PM
vintage velvet
From sultry jazz standards and smoky blues to breezy Bossa Nova and unexpected takes on modern favourites, this dynamic quintet delivers vintage vibes with a fresh flair. At the centre of it all is captivating vocalist Mel McCutcheon, whose soulful sound and magnetic presence, shaped by icons like Sarah Vaughan and Nina Simone, is the heartbeat of the band. Joining McCutcheon are Michelle Draper on piano, blending classical finesse with jazz nuance, Doug Anderson, layering lush guitar lines inspired by Peter Bernstein, Dave Stevenson, veteran bassist who’s played alongside jazz legends and Greg Hill, a seasoned drummer with a groove for every genre.
FRI aug 22, 2025 | 6:30PM
Spirit Square (1101 Shoppers Row)
Ali Romanow
Ali Romanow is a fiddler, guitarist, singer-songwriter and music educator, with a particular passion for country swing music, and a deep commitment to building diverse, supportive and safe musical communities for where everyone is welcome to play. From a very early age, music has led them all over the world, and back again to their home in the Comox Valley.
FRI Aug 22, 2025 | 7:30PM
Spirit Square (1101 Shoppers Row)
J. Plank Band
For J. Plank (Jeff Plankenhorn), there’s nothing quite like the feeling of bringing people together to experience the joy music brings. He happily finds himself on the road over 150 days a year. “I like the idea that people get uplifted at my shows; just one of the great ways to escape the hubbub of day-to-day living. I like the idea that everybody who walks in — I don’t care if you’re a biker or a drag queen — I want you there. Music is supposed to bring people together.” His music does exactly that — whether people come to listen or do a little dancing. Or ideally, both. This concert will feature Plank’s Vancouver Island band with G. Lee Worden on guitars, Stefan Schedler on bass, and Dallas Carrie on drums.
FRI aug 22, 2025 | 8:00PM
jazz jam with beau stocker trio
Drummer, educator and researcher originally from Toronto, Beau Stocker now resides in Union Bay. His studies in music have included Humber College and York University in Toronto, and graduate studies at the University of York, England including research travel through the Middle East and East Africa. While living in Sudan, he studied with percussion experts in Ethiopia, Sudan, and South Sudan and performed in Contemporary Sudanese Music Orchestra Etibr as well as Sudanese Jazz ensemble Blue. As a regularly performing musician and resident of England, he was co-founder of award winning improvising trio Trio VD and studied with improvising musician Mark Sanders and the renowned jazz drummer Martin France. Beau is currently involved in multiple projects on Vancouver Island that span various musical genres as well as push the scope of original music composition in the local music scene community. He regularly hosts and supports local jazz jam sessions and is a long time member of experimental music ensemble Ultraviolet. The Beau Stocker Trio features Steve Wallace on bass and Jeff Drummond on guitar.
FRI aug 22, 2025 | 9:00PM
Mark crissinger band
The Mark Crissinger Band is a four piece contemporary blues band from Nanaimo that features Mark on guitars & vocals, Gerry Barnum on harmonica, Jay Stevens on bass, and Phil Wipper on drums. The name Mark Crissinger might sound familiar. After twenty fantastic years in the Toronto music scene he moved to BC in 2007. Since 2009 he has been building a solo career, playing over 100 shows a year on Vancouver Island, the lower mainland, Ontario and Quebec. He has released six studio albums, four live albums, and been nominated for a Maple Blues Award. His music can be heard around the world on blues radio programs and the Stingray blues channel.
SAT aug 23, 2025 | 2:00PM
mardi gras mambo
A highly regarded and well-respected group of music makers with individual experience both locally and internationally, Mardi Gras Mambo will transport you straight to the heart of New Orleans.. Their passion for this music shines through every note of hits by New Orleans greats like Louis Armstrong, Jellyroll Morton, Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, and many more. Featuring Bruce Gerrish - vocals/guitar, Doc Fingers - piano/ vocals, John Ellis - guitar/pedal steel, James McRae - drums, and Voodoo Dave McGrath - congas.
SAT aug 23, 2025 | 6:00PM
Jazz on the Rocks
Jazz on the Rocks delivers smooth sounds of classic jazz standards with the captivating vocals of Marnie Younger and Dave Blinzinger’s virtuosic improvisations on sax. Driven by the groovin’ harmonies and rhythms of Hal Douglas on guitar and Nick McGregor on drums, this Quadra Island band brings the standards to life.
SAT aug 23, 2025 | 7:00PM
Venue: Spirit Square (1101 Shoppers Row)
women be wise: sue decker, kimberley macgregor, erin ross
Women Be Wise is a collaboration between Calgary’s Erin Ross, Qualicum’s Kimberley MacGregor and Victoria’s Sue Decker. The name carries with it a long lineage of blues women that declares their inspiration. Women Be Wise was a song written by Michigan Hall of Fame blues singer Sippie Wallace and later made famous by Bonnie Raitt. The three singer-songwriters explore vintage and new blues and Americana roots music with electric, acoustic and steel guitars and lots of harmonies and soul.
SAT aug 23, 2025 | 8:00PM
blues jam with blue kats
Blue Kats is a blues and R&B band started in the 1980’s by singer and guitarist Don Utley who were part of the blues revival in Victoria at the time. Utley retired to Quadra Island in 2007 reforming the band locally with Dylan Alps on lead and rhythm guitar, keyboard, harp, lead and back up vocals, Matt Hodgson drums, lead and back up vocals, Cal Juraschka on bass, Dave Blinzinger on Saxophone.
