Congratulations to the Hutchinson Andrew Trio, the Alberta-based group that last weekend top honours in the Montreal International Jazz Festival’s annual cross-Canada battle of the bands.
Taking home the TD Grand Jazz Award to Calgary means that the trio, which played the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival on June 20, won $5,000, 50 hours of studio time, and invitations to play at the 2013 Festival de Jazz de Quebec, and the 2014 Montreal International Jazz Festivals and the 2014 Festi Jazz International de Rimouski.
The trio consists of pianist Chris Andrew, bassist Kodi Hutchinson and drummer Karl Schwonik.It also won a bonus concert on the closing night of the Montreal festival, where it was joined by Montreal saxophonist Andre Leroux. Here’s a short clip from that show:
The trio prevailed over the Shirantha Beddage Quartet, the Emie R Roussel Trio, Ryan Oliver, Jérôme Beaulieu, Becky Noble, Guillaume Bouchard, the Simon Legault Quartet, Pugs & Crows and the Tyson Naylor Trio.
Toronto baritone saxophonist Beddage won the the $5,000 Galaxie Rising Star Award for best composition. goes to Shirantha Beddage.
Weighing all the musical merits was a jury that consisted of Michael Bourne (WBGO New York), Pierre-Jean Lavigne (Galaxie programmer), Martin Roussel (Festi Jazz International de Rimouski programmer), and Alain Bédard (Effendi Records president and artistic director).
