ABOUT THE SHOW

The perfect answer to winter chill, come share some hot and swinging family-friendly Christmas cheer with Vancouver’s hottest swingin’ jazz group VanDjango, stellar vocalist LJ Mounteney and superb celtic guitarist and singer Andrew Hillhouse!  

Van Django’s music is punchy, driving and rhythmically inventive, combining a wealth of musical influences while maintaining strong roots in the gypsy jazz made famous by Django Reinhardt and the 1930’s Quintet of the Hot Club of France. On stage, “they effortlessly whip the audience into a joyful frenzy”. Renowned both for the quality of their musicianship and as great entertainers, Van Django’s Cool Yule is a merry Christmas mix of nostalgic favourites, jazz standards, sing-alongs, pop tunes, some classical touches, and a few surprises – all delivered in their swinging gypsy jazz style. You’ll hear everything from the evocative I’ll Be Home for Christmas to Let it Snow, Silent Night and Silver Bells to Christmas Time is Here, a bit of Beethoven, and of course all with a touch of Django Reinhardt’s style – something every ear, heart, and tapping foot will enjoy. 

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

CAMERON WILSON, VIOLIN/VOCALS | Violinist Cameron Wilson has been a fixture on the Vancouver music scene for the past three decades. He is recognized as one of the most versatile violinists able to play a wide variety of different musical genres. He was a long standing member of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and currently performs with classical crossover piano trio, Joe Trio as well as the gypsy jazz quartet, Van Django, The Wahs, Hard Rubber Orchestra, and the Marc Atkinson Quartet. He is one of the city’s most sought after studio musicians and he is also a composer/arranger whose works have been performed by a number of symphony orchestras and chamber ensembles across Canada and the US 

ANDREW HILLHOUSE, GUITAR/VOCALS | Andrew Hillhouse cut his teeth in the Folk world as the founder and manager of the Celtic funk band Mad Pudding, who toured festivals and folk clubs in North America and Europe through the 1990s. Since 2000 he has provided driving, groovy guitar for several the Celtic music scene’s most respected and exciting acoustic musicians, including west coast innovative fiddler Zavellennahh Huscroft, champion Canadian fiddler Pierre Schryer, Irish flute player Nuala Kennedy, and The McDades, with whom he won a JUNO and two Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2006. His recent album Passages (2017) contains a mixture of traditional and original songs, and songs by a few of his favourite writers. Andy obtained a PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of Toronto in 2013, and he is currently the Executive and Artistic Director of the Harrison Festival of the Arts in Harrison Hot Springs, BC. 

LJ MOUNTENEY, VOCALS/UKULELE/KAZOO/PERCUSSION | Dubbed a “Canadian Bonnie Raitt,” LJ Mounteney combines soulful vocals with high-energy, and relatable performances. Mounteney’s sophomore album, Mama Danced, is an upbeat album of 13 blues and roots songs showcasing her range and musicality in a mixture of originals and covers.  The album was produced by Canadian blues veteran Jack Lavin.  Mama Danced has been receiving airplay on radio stations in the UK and US as well as Canadian Radio – CBC’s Hot Air, Saturday Night Blues, CKUA’s Friday Night Blues and many more.    

An in-demand vocalist in the Vancouver jazz and blues scene, LJ also works in the Frank Zappa themed group Zappostrophe’ and provides vocal tracks to composers from Bowen Island to Australia from her home studio.  Connect with LJ on Spotify, Facebook, and Instagram!

BRENT GUBBELS, ACOUSTIC BASS |  No stranger to the Vancouver music scene, Brent Gubbels has been a locally based professional musician and teacher for many years. In that time he’s worked with a diverse group of musicians and ensembles including Van Django, the Hard Rubber Orchestra, Gypsalero, Rumba Calzada, John Reischman, the Vince Mai Project, Dal Richards, Lee Aaron, Dee Daniels as well as Stuart Maclean (Vinyl Café) and Bob McGrath (Sesame Street). As a member of the Oscar Lopez trio he performed pops concerts with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Symphony Orchestra, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Regina Symphony Orchestra and Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra in addition to playing many of the major jazz and folk festivals across Canada and the United States. 

He has toured North America and Europe extensively, performed concerts at Lincoln Centre Plaza, the Kennedy Centre, Southbank Center, Tonder Festival, Towersey Village Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Clonakilty International Guitar Festival as well as the Nanjing International Jazz Festival in China . He’s also been regularly featured in groups performing at the Vancouver Jazz festival, Vancouver Folk Festival, Edmonton Folk Festival, Calgary Folk Festival and the Winnipeg Folk Festival. 

Brent can be heard on recordings by Van Django, Gypsalero, Juno nominees Susan Crowe, Compadres and the Hard Rubber Orchestra as well as Juno winners James Keelaghan and Oscar Lopez. 

FINN MANNICHE, GUITAR/CELLO | Finn is an eclectic and passionate musician with a music degree from UBC and a penchant for playing anything and everything on guitar and cello. He plays swing and new music, Bach to Bocherini, Surf and otherworldly sounds. He can be heard live and on CD with the Armadillo String Quartet, Ensemble Symposium, the Jazzmanian Devils, Soul Crib, the Paperboys, Denzel Sinclair, 54/40, Murray McLauglin, Mae Moore, Cam Wilson’s varying orchestral extravaganzas and much, much more.

TICKETS ON SALE!

Adult: $37 | Senior: $34 | Student: $16

BOX OFFICE: 604.927.6555 | Open Monday – Saturday, 12PM – 5PM