DAVE MOSSING – Born in Regina, Dave began playing trumpet at age seven with the Regina Lions Junior Band and later performed in numerous ensembles at Campbell Collegiate. These programs gave him the chance to travel widely and laid a strong foundation for his musical path.
In 1993, he moved to Montreal to study Jazz Performance at McGill University, completing both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. During this time, he refined his skills in trumpet, composition, and arranging under mentors Jan Jarczyk, Joe Sullivan, and Kevin Dean, and also conducted the McGill Jazz Orchestra #3. Montreal remains his home base, where he continues to perform, record, and collaborate with artists such as Ranee Lee, Oliver Jones, Karen Young, the Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir, the Christine Jensen Big Band, and the Joe Sullivan Big Band.
Dave’s newest project, the Dave Mossing Quartet, features original music performed with Jean-Michel Pilc, Ira Coleman, and Jim Doxas. Their debut album is set for release in fall 2025, and Dave looks forward to further developing this exciting ensemble.
Donny Kennedy – Donny returned to Regina in 2022 after 27 years in Montreal and now teaches Band and Jazz in the Regina Catholic School Division, as well as Jazz History and Appreciation at the University of Regina. A longtime bandleader and composer, his Donny Kennedy Sextet toured Mexico for Festival Internacional Cervantino, earned a GM Grand Prix de Jazz nomination at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, and released the album Horizons. His current project, the Kennedy/McLeod Quartet, has released Belaney’s Secret, with a new album, Home Brew, arriving summer 2025.
Donny taught at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music for 22 years, earning both the Schulich School of Music Teaching Award and the Principal’s Prize for Excellence in Teaching in 2021. He remains active as a performer and clinician and is a D’Addario Canada endorsed artist. He has performed and recorded with many leading Canadian jazz musicians and continues as lead alto saxophonist with the Juno-winning Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra.
JIHYE IM – Jihye is a talented jazz pianist from South Korea who has become an active and respected presence in the Montreal jazz scene. She recently completed her Master’s degree in Jazz Performance at McGill University, where she developed a strong connection to the rich jazz tradition while also composing and arranging for various ensembles. Her academic honours include the Graduate Excellence Award, the Jan Jarczyk Scholarship, and the J.L. Big Band Scholarship.
In addition to performing regularly, Jihye contributes to the jazz community as an educator and currently teaches piano at the University of Regina.
JAKOB BJORNSON – is a 4th-year music performance major at the University of Regina, where he currently studies under Curtis Scheschuk.Jakob’s band, Jake and the Kid, recently won the 2023 Sask Music Award for Album of the Year for their EP Baby Bro.
He has performed with numerous artists in the city, including Ella Forrest, TOVA, Donny Kennedy, Carter Powley, Roberto Donaldo, and the Regina Jazz Orchestra. Since 2019, Jakob has led his own student jazz groups and has performed at several high-profile events, including the grand reopening ceremony of Darke Hall and the premier’s reception of the Canadian Western Agribition.
ANDRÉ WHITE – Juno award winner plays both piano and drums, and has appeared with many Canadian and American musicians, both in Montreal and elsewhere.
Some of the performers he has accompanied include Benny Carter, Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson, Dave Liebman, Don Thompson, George Coleman, Steve Grossman, Sonny Greenwich, Pepper Adams, Cecil Payne, Junior Cook, Peter Bernstein, Bob Berg, Rob McConnell, Gary Bartz, Craig Handy, Ben Monder and Kevin Dean.
André recently retired from an over 30 year employment as Associate Professor in Jazz Studies at McGill University, where he taught Jazz History, Jazz Improv, and private instruction in jazz piano and drums. He has also continued to free lance as a recording engineer and producer. He and his wife, Pianist and Professor Jihye Im reside now in Regina.