THE ELLIOT FREEDMAN GROUP, with John Julian and Taras Luka
SATURDAY, 14 MARCH 2026 | DOORS AT 19:30, SHOW FROM 20:00
THIS IS A GIFT ECONOMY event
The Elliot Freedman Group presents a harmonically elegant, uncompromisingly original, non-canonical jazz based in Elliot’s compositions, his unique harmonic vocabulary, and a chordal approach on long baritone guitars. Pianist John Julian and accordionist Taras Luka will join the established ‘working group’ Elliot has formed with vibraphonist Nick Apivor, bassist Dan Howard, and drummer Paul Mason. As a group, richly harmonious, lyrical, and exciting music from the group’s 2024 live album, Bands of Merriment, Vol. 1 will be presented. As if to create interludes to the group’s powerful sound, smaller subdivisions of the group will perform pieces by Astor Piazzola, Ralph Towner, Keith Jarrett, and from the Bill Evans repertoire.
About The Elliot Freedman Group
Elliot Freedman (baritone guitar) – On a long-scale guitar that accentuates his harmonic vocabulary and chord voicings, Elliot Freedman, as contemporary composer for post-jazz jazz guitar, draws on foundations in classical guitar, an interest in jazz by non-guitarists (Wheeler, Jarrett, Evans, especially), and aesthetic commitments to post-post-functional tonality and to different tones & textures for jazz.
Nick Apivor (vibraphone) – Playing well beyond jazz in classical, New Music, Latin, and theatre contexts, essential as a collaborator on others’ creative music projects, and an inspiring teacher, vibraphonist and percussionist Nick Apivor is a unique voice among, and highly respected, by Vancouver musicians.
Dan Howard (bass) – As among Vancouver’s most dedicated, flexible, and hard-working bassists, Dan Howard provides the foundations that propel and solidify many complex, original jazz music projects.
Paul Mason (drums) – Veteran creative drummer Paul Mason invigorates all musics he collaborates on, cohering complexities with feel over function and carving dynamics while energizing interplay. As a teacher, Paul professes why, what, and how to hear, to play, and to feel the power of music.
John Julian [Stetch] (piano) – Pianist John Julian [John Stetch] pushes the edges of his jazz and classical training, spontaneously calling upon and fusing, staggeringly, a range of pianistic techniques and tonalities. Originally from Edmonton, John, who played top rooms in NYC for years, has released numerous highly-acclaimed albums, including original music, and is a Steinway Artist and 5-time JUNO nominee.
Taras Luka (accordion) – The now Vancouver-resident Taras, who studied at the Ukrainian National Academy of Music, is a composer and pianist in his own right. Taras’ own groups advance, with virtuosic abandon, his own fusion of musical influences: Ukrainian folk music, many classical musics, and various streams of jazz.
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