Richard Whiteman Trio

“A superb jazz trio… accessible, melodic and charming.”

Formed in 2003, the Richard Whiteman Trio combines the melodic inventiveness of Toronto jazz composer/pianist Richard Whiteman with the exciting rhythm team of bassist Brandi Disterheft and drummer Sly Juhas. The trio's first recording, All or Nothing at All was described by American music critic Scott Yanow as "a delightful outing", and given four stars out of five in his column for AllMusic.com. The disc was also praised by www.tojazz.com, who called it "a tasty, accessible set with some great playing from Whiteman and fine support from two young jazz upstarts".

Richard’s younger colleagues are accomplished alumni of the jazz program at Toronto’s Humber College. Together, Brandi and Sly have worked with Toronto’s brightest up-and-coming jazz talents, including pianists Laila Biali and Greg De Denus and guitarist Lee Wallace.

Originally from Vancouver, Brandi Disterheft has studied with some of the best bassists in jazz: Rufus Ried, Don Thompson, Mike Downes, Niels Henning, Orsted Pedersen and Rodney Whittaker. In 2004, she received the “Galaxie Rising Star Award”, and has rapidly become one of Toronto’s busiest bassists. In 2007 Brandi released Debut, her first CD as a leader, which took her to all the major Canadian Jazz Festivals that summer.

Drummer Sly Juhas, is an active freelancer in Toronto, having performed at all the top jazz clubs. In 2002, Sly's co-led Crossings Quartet won an international competition that garnered the talented young players a workshop at the Manhattan School of Music and a concert at Carnegie Hall.

*In conjunction with the Richard Whiteman Trio’s performance, they will conduct an informal jazz workshop/clinic at the Long & McQuade Music Education Centre (2822 Nanaimo St.) on Thursday, February 19, 4 – 5:15pm. As part of the Victoria Jazz Society’s “Student Outreach Program,” registration for this workshop is free! Please contact the Victoria Jazz Society office at 250-388-4423 to register.
Space for this workshop is limited, and available on a first-come, first-serve basis.