ABOUT Dr.D
Dr "D", DR. GEORGE DELGROSSO, saxophone, voice, percussion, and educator has had an extensive musical career. Currently he is the innovator and director of the Sarnia Holiday Inn Jazz Program, which is approaching another successful year! It consists of Saturday afternoon "Jazz at the Inn" and the "International Can-Am Jazz Jam."
George took a hiatus from playing music for a number of years when he moved to Ontario to become the President of Lambton College. Soon after retiring, he returned to his love of music and formed the group "Dr. D. & All That Jazz."
Below is a list of the band members that Dr.D has been very fortunate to work with;
Well known drummer JOHNNY BOND has been involved in several bands and jazz groups in Ontario and Michigan. He has performed with such renowned musicians as Peter Appleyard, Oliver Jones, John LaPorta, and Bernie Senensky. He has participated in Jazz Festivals in Ontario and Sarasota, Florida, and performed at the Huron County Playhouse / Victoria Playhouse, and Imperial Theatre. He plays vibes with small groups and leads his own big band.
The late Pianist, DOUGLAS KRIEGER held a Masters in Performance from Indiana University. He was very much involved with the music scene, performing and teaching in Michigan. He was a member of the popular "Piano Company" which performed for the past several years at the Quay Street in Port Huron. Douglas will be sadly missed as an integral part of the band as well as a very close friend of George.
Saxophonist, DOUG MATHESON hales from South Hampton where he played summers on the SS Manitoulin out of Owen Sound with "Ev" Smith in the Fred Elliot Band. For 10 years he played Sauble Beach Pavillion and the Port Elgin Casino and later played with an 11 piece band (Esquires) in the Walterton and Hanover area. He has played with the Johnny Bond Big Band and had his own small group.
Bassist, trombonist, composer/arranger, conductor, and educator, CHARLES STEPHENS, completed his Masters and Doctoral work in composition at Michigan State University. A Professor Emeritus, Charlie still spends his time immersed in music performing and doing arrangements with the International Symphony Orchestra and playing jazz trombone, and bass with other groups from London through to Detroit, MI.
JIM STIEL who is one of the original members of the Dr. D Group is a professional Bass player, still performs with Dr. D and has an excellent reputation as a "Bass player of preference" as a result of his outstanding talent. He currently performs regularly at the Quay St. Brewing Co. in Pt. Huron, and throughout Michigan and Ontario at various other venues.
BOB GIBBS was also an original member of the Dr. D Group and was an extremely talented vocalist and pianist of his time. He was the founder and the director of the series of annual jazz performances called "Jazz On The Lake" in Pt. Huron which started in his own back yard - was later moved to The Thomas Edison Inn in Pt. Huron and still going strong in his memory. Sadly he passed on a few years ago, but nonetheless became a very well known and respected name in Michigan/Ontario jazz circles.
JOE EDMONDS, from London, ON is a multi-talented musician who plays the Sax and Trombone and has backed up groups the likes of Jose Feliciano, Isaac Hayes, Natalie Cole, to name a few. He has been an ongoing member of the Can-Am group since it's inception and continues to help Dr. D in the program development and to source out other talented musicians to participate in these sessions. He is a very well recognized name in jazz circles throughout Ontario.
Vocalist SHARON BEELER joined the Can-Am program early on, and was very well received due to her versatile style and magical charismatic repore with the audience. She was a graduate of the University of Western Ontario with BA and MA Degrees, and later went on to teach a Summer Jazz session. Being not only a great person, but a great performer and contributed greatly to the variety of talent at the show. The Dr. D group was able to watch her mature and grow, and she always drew the crowds to the Can-Am event.
ABOUT Jazz
Jazz is defined as a musical art form that originated at the start of the 20th century in African-American communities in the southern U.S. From its early development until the present, jazz has also incorporated music from 19th and 20th century American popular music.
There is a real need for jazz music in this area. Sarnia has rock’n-roll and country music in the park at Bayfest, but there is still an outstanding audience who appreciates jazz, and we are helping to keep jazz alive in Sarnia.
Although jazz attracts mainly an older audience, more young people are discovering and liking jazz. It’s the only true American musical art form and we are also extending it to the young people.
The music played at the "Summer of Jazz" is comparable to jazz heard in big Canadian cities because the calibre of jazz musicians in Sarnia-Lambton and Southwestern Ontario – from which guest musicians come. You can swear you are in California when you hear the jazz played here!
For information about upcoming jazz performances in Sarnia-Lambton, call Dr. George Delgrosso at 519-337-3303, or email him [HERE]. George is always looking for new talent and jazz musicians can also call him to make arrangements for an audition.
