about the band
Originally The 51st Eight from Chilliwack, BC, this group celebrated its 10th birthday in 2008 and decided to reinvent as The Big Bang Jazz Band, intent on "playing jazz from the time it was created" and better defining their explosive approach to playing traditional jazz. These twentysomethings follow humbly in the footsteps of jazz giants like Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton as well as revivalists Lu Watters and Turk Murphy as they continue to host a revival of their own and encourage other young musicians to play red hot jazz. Part New Orleans, part West Coast, part Canadiana; you can expect strong ensemble playing and vocals by the whole front line, a dynamic driving rhythm section and consistently entertaining energy. Enjoy!
who's who: band bios
Bria Skonberg, trumpet
At age 25, Bria Skonberg has been performing on stage for over 20 years. She picked up the trumpet at age 11 and now resides in Vancouver, BC, where she has completed a Degree in Jazz Performance from Capilano University. She has made appearances as a bandleader and guest artist in North America, Europe, and Asia. She has been the recipient of numerous awards including the CBC Jazz Award of Merit (2006), and the coveted Kobe Jazz Street Friendship Award, presented at the Breda Jazz Festival in 2007. Early in 2008 she was a guest on Riverwalk Jazz with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band, and is often a featured performer with Canadian Icon Dal Richards and his Orchestra. She is an active advocate for youth musicians, working as a teacher/alumni at music summer camps in the US, as well as programming, narrating and performing educational school shows for all ages. At a post-secondary level she has given clinics at Sacramento State University and the University of Colorado pertaining to improvising and her experiences.
Evan Arntzen, saxophones
Born into a musical family, Evan got an early start in music. His first instruction in jazz started from the time he was seven years old with his grandfather, Lloyd Arntzen, instructing him on clarinet. Evan started playing tenor at fourteen and by the time he was seventeen, he was working professionally in his grandfather's bands as well as, shortly thereafter, in world class traditional jazz trumpet player Simon Stribling's Society Seven.
Evan spent five years in the jazz program at Capilano College in North Vancouver where he played in the "A" band as first tenor. This included performances with such notables as Cedar Walton, Neenna Freelon, Regina Carter, Seamus Blake, Phil Dwyer, and Jon Faddis.
Over the last few years, Evan has performed, recorded and toured extensively with some of Canada's brightest young jazz talent in bands such as The Amanda Tosoff Quartet, The October Trio, and Bria's Hot 5. He has won numerous awards and continues to follow his musical exploits across North America and Europe.
Colin Farquhar, clarinet and saxophone
From an early age, Colin was exposed to jazz. Early memories include being danced around the living room with his Grandma listening to Benny Goodman & Glenn Miller records… Although he took up the clarinet in Grade 8 band, it wasn’t until a desire to further his technical knowledge led to volunteering at the Chilliwack Jazz Festival that the trad jazz bug really bit. Not able to play clarinet in the jazz band in middle school, Colin jumped at the opportunity to help start a trad jazz band in Grade 10 (the 51st Eight, later Big Bang Jazz Band). Post-secondary activities included 6 years of study at Trinity Western University (where he helped create one of the first for-credit trad jazz courses at a Canadian university), along with continued work in the professional audio & recording fields.
Now living in Langley with his ever-suffering/supportive wife Danielle, Colin works for Long & McQuade Music as the Educational Services Rep. for the Fraser Valley. He continues to perform with a wide variety of groups on woodwinds, keyboards, guitar and vocals, playing everything from woodwind trio gigs to crazy rock shows with groups such as the Fraser Valley Symphony, GWG Musical Theatre, En-Groove, the Hoppin’ Mad Orcehstra, and others.
Lukas Matheson, trombone
Bio coming soon.
Georgia Korba, bass
Georgia recently graduated with a degree in Jazz Performance at Capilano College in North Vancouver, BC Canada. She currently fronts her latest line up, Georgia's Hot Little Number, and performs and tours with the award winning New Orleans Ale Stars. Other bands include, The El Dorado Jazz Band Tribute, The Big Bang Jazz Band, formerly knows as The 51st-8 Jazz Band, Bria's Hot 5, and The Hoppin' Mad Orchestra.Georgia's infectious energy and character shine through in both her intrepid bass lines and melodic solos. She plays with a forward motion that enhances everyone on stage with her. Some of her musical influences include Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Pops Foster, and Coleman Hawkins. Georgia teaches, private music lessons to children ages 8 and up in her home town of Port Moody and in her non-musical spare time she enjoys snowboarding.
Josh Roberts, banjo and guitar
Josh Roberts is a guitarist, jazz banjoist and music teacher based in Vancouver, BC. Originally hailing from Chilliwack, Josh has recently graduated from North Vancouver's Capilano University as a Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Jazz Performance. As a specialist in the first thirty years of jazz, including rhythm guitar and banjo styles, he has toured North America with groups on the jazz and dixieland festival circuits. His banjo playing is influenced most by the rhythm playing of sidemen for the early groups of Johnny Dodds, Jimmy Noone, and Duke Ellington—along with the rhythmic and harmonic approach of Lueder Ohlwein. He performs regularly with the New Orleans Ale Stars, the Big Bang Jazz Band, and Bria's Hot Five.
Vashti Fairbairn, piano
Bio coming soon.
Benji Bohannon, drums
Benji Bohannon has over 15 years expierence playing drums and cymbals as a professional. He is currently is living in Vancouver BC working on a diploma from the Vancouver Community College Jazz Studies Program. There he plays the Jazz Orchestra led by Alan Matheson. Some of the groups that he currently works with include: The 51st Eight, Manzanita, Headwater, The New Orleans Ale Stars, The Louisana Joymakers, Bria Skonberg Hot 5, The Catt Pack, The Red Onion Rhythm Kings, The Malcom Akien Quartet, Ian Ross Quartet and is an associate member of the Band of the Rifteenth Field Rdgiment Royal Canadian Artillery