Kris Jay Trio

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Kris Jay Trio

The Kris Jay Trio was formed in 2012 (trombone, piano, bass); drawing its repertoire

from jazz standards, as well as original compositions written by Kris and other band

members. The seasoned jazz musicians performing for stage shows and support

music for various types of events, have played in all different kinds of venues, and

settings.

Kris Jay Bowerman - trombone

When Kris started playing his first parties as a teenager with The Jazz Quintet, the

attendees were twice his age, enjoying the enthusiasm and attentiveness brought

to the music. During this time he made other public appearances, including

performances in a big band at the Monterey Jazz Festival featuring Dizzy Gillespie,

Max Roach, Gerry Mulligan, Bill Watrous and Clark Terry, local productions of

Broadway musicals, and The San Francisco Bay Bones.

As his musical abilities matured he found himself also performing with the Southern

Oregon Woodchopper’s Big Band, Marin Symphony, Oregon Shakespeare Festival,

Rogue Valley Symphony, Antiquarian Funks, and with his wife, the World/Alternative

Folk music group Kris & Lark (formerly called Kuimba).

Since moving to British Columbia in 2005, he has performed and recorded with

Sweet Papa Lowdown and Kris & Lark, in addition to doing freelance work. Kris

main focus now is leading the Kris Jay Trio (duo or quartet) — a jazz group that

performs in the Greater Vancouver Area.

Stephen Robb - piano/keyboard

Stephen Robb is an accomplished clarinetist, saxophonist and pianist performing

both classical chamber music and jazz idioms, performing the gamut from classical

clarinet, chamber and orchestral repertoire to jazz standards, original compositions

and free improvisation.

His orchestral arrangements have been performed by the Richmond Delta Youth

Orchestra, Clyde Mitchell and the Lions Gate Sinfonia (North Vancouver), Pacific

Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Victoria Symphony and others. Stephen serves as the

Music Director of the Delta Community Music School and the Richmond

Delta Youth Orchestra. He has performed with Jared Burrows, Brad Muirhead,

Djangophilia, and the Galiano Trio.

Mark Bender - bass

Mark Bender has been an acoustic and electric bass player for over forty years,

enjoying a wide variety of performance experiences. He has toured with a Top 40

rock band, played in numerous dance and jazz groups, and has gained both TV and

recording experience. Mark has played abroad in both Japan and Germany, and

has over twenty recording project credits. He keeps his classical bass playing

current by continuing to play in community orchestras.

Mark truly enjoys working with creative people, and appreciates how music can

capture and stimulate a wide range of emotions, often in a very intimate or

spontaneous way. He can hardly wait to see where music will take him next!