Keith Price introduced Amber Epp to Joni Mitchell on vinyl in his sunny Osborne Village apartment. Amber, having grown up with classical music lessons and only one radio station in Steinbach, had never heard of her! She immediately got hooked, and soon the duo was creating shows featuring jazzy re-imaginings of Mitchell's music and other Canadian favourites. What started as playing together in the University of Manitoba's Jazz Program blossomed into a 20-year musical partnership.
"I credit Keith with widening my musical scope, particularly with Canadian musicians," Amber says. "He showed me connections between bands like the Tragically Hip and The Guess Who and jazz sensibilities. He introduced me to Canadian bands like Arcade Fire and The Bros. Landreth. Keith convinced me that even though it wasn't jazz, they were still worth a listen. Together, we find creative ways to share their music beyond simply covering their tunes."
Keith says: "I remember performing together with Amber at the Monday Night Hang at the Freehouse. We were both there every week for a couple of years, and were both serious about improving our craft. Amber pushes herself as an artist, performing in multiple languages and is a highly skilled pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. She is a good friend, and I enjoy collaborating with her because she is open to experimenting with music and seeing what happens."
In 2019, Keith moved to Aotearoa/New Zealand to teach and coordinate the Jazz Program at the University of Auckland. Luckily, he'll be in Winnipeg for a holiday visit and the duo is excited to reunite in concert, along with drummer Daniel Roa and bassist Julian Bradford. They'll present reimagined versions of songs by well-loved Canadian artists, and introduce some fantastic tunes by New Zealand artists as well.
Keith Price is a Canadian-born guitarist/composer now based in Auckland where he serves as a Lecturer in Jazz at Auckland University. He first learned chords from his grandfather on a dark-red hollow-bodied guitar, but after hearing the intensity and rawness of John Coltrane at the age of fifteen, he was irrevocably drawn into the world of jazz.
Keith studied at the Conservatory of Amsterdam and the University of Manitoba before completing undergraduate and graduate degrees in jazz at Brandon University, where he studied with internationally recognized pianist and composer, Michael Cain. His omnivorous listening habits are the foundation of his expressive musical style, which combines old jazz, new jazz, folk, noise, and funk. His sound is a mixture of colours, textures, and flavours from a range of genres and influences, filtered on stage through the process of improvisation. Whether performing with a double-quartet, a trio, or as a solo guitarist, Keith’s musical focus is on openness, imagination, and the search for a shared connection with fellow musicians and audiences alike.
Imagine a child that always sings at the dinner table. One who gets sent outside by a mother who can only hear “The Lonely Goatherder” so many times. A little girl that, having played a song on the piano with her fingers, tries it with her toes. This same child follows her family around the globe, from adventures in Australia, to climbing the Grand Canyon, to getting trapped in Mayan caves. Such an upbringing is sure to release a unique and fiery personality. Adventure, discovery, and joy culminate in the music of Amber Epp. All at once alluring and uplifting, Amber shares her joy for life and excitement in the undiscovered in each performance. With heartstrings pulled by the freedom of jazz and the rhythm of Latin music, she unites her favorite styles in a delightful way.
Doors are at 6:30pm
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Jazz at the Fort Garry is located in The Club Room on the lower level of The Fort Garry Hotel. The venue is wheelchair accessible with assistance - please inform the hotel's front desk staff if you'd like to use the elevator to access the lower level.
Paid parking is available at the hotel or get free street parking after 5:30pm.