The Central Okanagan has added a new jazz lounge to its repertoire, as the Moonlight Jazz Society launches is first concert series that is set to debut at a local winery.
The society has been cofounded by Leila Neverland and Neil Gray to create an eight-concert series that runs the first Friday of every month from October to May of next year.
“Jazz is an age-old underground rocking movement style of music,” said Neverland.
“We felt that in the Okanagan and especially in Kelowna we are lacking a really great space for that high level of music.”
The concert series has found a home at Jacko’s Underground Lounge at East Kelowna’s Vibrant Vine Winery.
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“This space is perfect because it’s dark, it’s sexy, you can sit and have a glass of wine and enjoy some of the best music that kelowna has to offer,” said Charlie Wilson, the events manager of the Vibrant Vine.
“The acoustics in this room is really, really great. We have put in a vintage grand piano which is really wonderful.”
That baby grand piano in the corner has been given the name ‘Valentina’ and was donated by a fellow jazz lover.
“This piano is special. Not only was it a donated tremendous gift to the series itself, but it’s a vintage piano that has original ivory keys and we have had it refurbished a bit to make sure it’s really going to sound fantastic,” said Neverland.
Gray says that the donated piano will elevate the entire concert series.
“The piano, especially the acoustic piano, has been really important to jazz since the 1930s. The sound of the piano is really what invokes the feeling of jazz,” said Gray.
Opening up the series Oct. 6 is Gray and his jazz quintet.
“We play basically my original jazz songs which is in the hardbop vein of music and it’s amazing, the players are all really enthusiastic,” said Gray.
The first concert in Moonlight Jazz Society’s series is Oct. 6 and tickets are still available online. For more information about tickets and the lineup visit www.eventbrite.ca
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