SJO Prairie Fire concert a homecoming for sax player
Kelly Jefferson found his place in the sax world early and has been in the groove ever since.
“There’s absolutely nothing else I’d rather be doing. I’ve had a chance to meet a lot of amazing people and play with some great artists and travel the world,” Jefferson said from Toronto.
Ferguson got his start in the famed Regina Lion’s Band program, choosing saxophone because it looked the coolest.
“That was my first exposure to big band playing. I think I was 12 years old. And I’ve played in big bands ever since.”
He’s one of the guests at the next Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra concert, Prairie Fire. Band leader Dean McNeill is happy to have him, calling Jefferson one of the top Canadian jazz tenor sax players working today.
They both went to McGill University in the late 1980s.
“Dean and I go way back, and Jim Head as well, who will be playing guitar — he was with us in that era, too, so there will be somewhat of a reunion.”
The theme is western Canadian jazz composers and performers.
After his music degree, Jefferson got his master’s from the Manhattan School of Music. He’s played with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Al Jarreau, Dee Dee Bridgewater and many others. He also toured internationally in Maynard Ferguson’s band.
“He was a wonderful musician and just a great man. He enjoyed having other Canadians in the band and he would always introduce me as being from Regina, Saskatchewan, and there would be a pause and he would look at the audience and say, ‘You know, that’s where jazz was born.’ That always got a laugh.”
To showcase original compositions, Ferguson released his debut album Next Exit, which was nominated for a Juno award in 2011. He wants to do a followup but life is a bit more complicated now because he became a father for the first time just 11 weeks ago.
In addition to his own gigs, Ferguson also teaches part time at two institutions, the University of Toronto where he’s taught for six years and York University where he’s been for 13.
“Nothing challenges your understanding of something better than trying to explain it to somebody else,” he says.
Ferguson arrives only a couple of days before the SJO concert but with enough time to get several rehearsals in.
“I’m really looking forward to being there and playing with that fantastic group,” he says.
The concert will also feature music by Eileen Laverty, Jim Presslaff, Paul Suchan, Dr. Richard Gillis, Dr. Allan Gillilland and others.