Brent Jarvis

Brent Jarvis is a Canadian jazz pianist and composer.

Following in a tradition of lyrical, dynamic, and rhythmically complex piano players; Brent’s work has been described as: “captivating... a collaboration between the sensual and the intellectual... music that sparks the senses and transcends genres” (Laura Fernandez - JAZZ.FM91 Toronto), and "romantic but never cloying” (Katie Malloch - CBC Jazz Beat). Brent studied music at the University of Toronto (BMUS JAZZ Performance) and musicology at the University of Victoria (MA Musicology), and is now a professor in the Music Department at Vancouver Island University and was Chair of the department from 2022 to 2024.

Brent's latest album is entitled Dragonfly. This recording combines traditional Cuban rhythms with contemporary jazz music; and features original compositions for piano, trumpet, alto sax, tenor sax, bass, timbales, and congas. Fantastic contributions to the recording were made by Miguelito Valdes, Monik Nordine, Ben Henriques, Steve MacDonald, and Jose Sanchez. Brent’s previous recorded works include:

The Medium, which was loosely based on Marshall McLuhan's book: The Medium is the Message. The Medium combines elements of traditional Cuban rhythm, bebop, standard repertoire, and contemporary composition, arranged for a 10 piece band. The Medium was named a favourite of 2015 as part of JAZZ.FM91 Toronto's annual retrospective.

In 2009 Brent released Daedalus, archiving a composition project that set the poetry of Canadian poet Dorothy Livesay to jazz music. The album featured vocalists Anne Schaefer and Melinda Whitaker, as well as Jesse Cahill on drums, and Ken Lister and Sean Drabitt on bass. In 2007 Brent recorded an album entitled:

Solo Piano that explores the improvisational potential of 'standard' jazz repertoire.

In 2005, Brent's debut Sequences, that featured Canadian jazz icon Pat Coleman and multi Juno Award recipients Ken Lister and Buff Allen, was named "Best Jazz Album of 2005" by CJAM FM (Windsor - Detroit). Brent's interest in music has always overlapped with an interest in audio recording. This is evident in his recorded work, his MA thesis (that considers jazz music as an aural tradition mediated by recording and broadcast technologies), and his numerous recorded collaborations.

Brent has also enjoyed an active performance career extending over twenty years. Mostly recently, Brent is collaborating with multiple Juno and Grammy-Award nominee Adonis Puentes on a project to merge traditional cuban songs and rhythms with jazz music. This has also afforded the opportunity to perform with Valentin and Maria Puentes, Nicholes Marquez, Scott White, Brooke Maxwell, Hector Ramos, Miguelito Valdes, and others.

Noah Becker: Mode for Noah

Read "Mode for Noah" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
March 12, 2024

Alto saxophonist Noah Becker guides a splendid trio of western Canadian sidemen through their paces on Mode for Noah, which consists of seven of his original compositions. Becker's music is glossy and well-balanced, as are his solos, which, to his credit, do not quickly bring to mind any of his contemporaries. He plays mostly without vibrato, like Lee Konitz or Paul Desmond, among others, but without their singular voice or peerless artistry. Becker is simply quite good ...