Andrew Downing's Arts and Letters Ensemble

This new ensemble of creative instrumentalists from all walks of musical life have come together to shape and interpret all kinds of music in their own riveting, spontaneous and beautiful way. The unique instrumentation places the group somewhere between a chamber ensemble, a string band and a jazz trio, but their musicianship and instrumental mastery allows them explode with millions of different colours and textures to create a sound that is unique and diverse. Their repertoire consists of mostly original material from within the group inspired by the likes of Kurt Weill, Erik Satie, Bernard Hermann, Johnny Cash and Elvis Costello, as well as some carefully placed covers by Michel Legrand, Duke Ellington and The Beatles. The group features Kevin Turcotte on trumpet (eight-time winner of the National Jazz Award for trumpeter of the year), David Occhipinti on guitar (composer, bandleader and JUNO nominee who frequents the stage with some of Canada's finest jazz artists including Mike Murley and Barry Romberg) and the leader, Andrew Downing on cello (best known as a double-bassist and bandleader for silent film accompanists Melodeon and the JUNO Award winning Great Uncles of the Revolution). For this performance, the group is honoured to be joined by Halifax double-bassist Max Kasper for the second half of the concert in which the silent film Impossible Voyage will be accompanied by an original score by Andrew Downing.

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