Hi folks,
Since January of 2026 a bunch of ensembles have popped up to meet the needs of the Guelph jazz community. Some of the ensembles, like the Big Band or the Parade Band, were started aspirationally in an attempt to imagine ways we might meet the needs of local musicians and listeners, while others were started in response to an articulated need like the Little Band and the Wyndham Gardens band. In all cases lots of valuable lessons have been taught to the Guelph Jazz Society’s leadership by our participants and so looking towards the pick up of activity in the fall of 2026 there’s a few organisational changes that will be made to better line up the opportunity, need, and resources of the community.
As of August 2026 our slate of offerings is:
Big Band – 19 players. Aims to blend a range of skills, levels of experience, ages, genders, ethnicities. Runs fall to spring.
Little Band – 8 players. Medium ensemble aiming to blend the arranging and orchestration of large ensemble playing with the freedom of small ensemble playing. Runs year round.
Parade Band – At least 4 players, often more! A drop-in band that meets and plays in public spaces with the goal of increasing access and exposure to music making in Guelph. Runs summers.
Wyndham Gardens Band – A professional band tasked with supporting the growing Guelph swing dance community, ensuring that dancers have ample opportunity to dance to a high quality live music. Runs year round.
From running the Little Band I learned there’s two needs in the community for smaller ensembles that run somewhat contrary to each other. On one hand there’s a growing appetite for medium sized ensemble music that is more on the contemporary end of the jazz tradition that explores the possibilities of the ensemble type further. On the other hand there’s a broad enthusiasm for fundamental jazz combo skills, the kind of playing that gets people off the page, syncing up with their bandmates, and discovering their own vocabulary.
As a result a new ensemble is being added to the Guelph Jazz Society’s offerings, the Combo Band. For those who participated and might be curious, the Little Band as it was run in the Winter of 2026 will continue as the Little Band with clearer messaging about the purpose of the ensemble and what it does. The Combo Band will be a continuation of the Little Band as its been run during the Summer of 2026, where students have been resoundingly enthusiastic about the skills the ensemble focuses on and the forum it creates to field fundamental questions about the jazz tradition, the collaborations, and the collaborators.
The Big Band will be largely unchanged, other than adding a vibraphone seat! I would say the Big Band has succeeded beyond my wildest ambitions. The Big Band has quickly become its own community and the level of good will, bonding, and supportive musicianship has reached a point of self sufficiency and self perpetuation. We have a vibraphone now though, so a spot for a vibraphonist will be added!
Here’s what things will look like starting this fall…
Big Band – 20 players. Aims to blend a range of skills, levels of experience, ages, genders, ethnicities. Runs fall to spring on Tuesday nights.
The Guelph Jazz Society Big Band is a community ensemble that intentionally brings together musicians of different ages, experience levels, backgrounds, and identities to learn from one another through jazz. Beginners rehearse alongside seasoned professionals, students play beside retirees, and players from diverse musical traditions contribute their own perspectives to the ensemble. Running from fall through spring, the band has grown into a vibrant, self-sustaining community where mentorship, friendship, and mutual support are the ensemble’s purpose. Rehearses Tuesday evenings from September for May.
Chairs
- Reeds: alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, clarinets, and flute.
- Brass: trumpets and flugals, trombones and sousaphone.
- Rhythm: vibraphone, guitar, piano, bass, drums.
- Vocalists: high voice, low voice.
Combo Bands – 4 to 6 players, mixing horns and rhythm. Beginner to intermediate level ensemble playing for people looking to gain confidence and experience in the jazz tradition. Meets Wednesday evenings, or Thursday afternoons.
The Guelph Jazz Society Combo Band is a weekly learning ensemble designed to help musicians develop the practical skills needed to collaborate and express themselves fluently in the jazz tradition. Through playing in small groups, participants strengthen core jazz musicianship including listening, communication, improvisation, repertoire, groove, and ensemble interaction. The Combo Band provides a welcoming, supportive environment where players can ask questions, build confidence, and develop their own musical voice while learning alongside others. Whether you’re looking to get off the page, deepen your understanding of jazz, or become a more responsive and expressive ensemble member, the Combo Band offers an ideal place to grow. Reherases Wednesday nights, or Thursday afternoons.
Octet – Presents music at the contemporary edge of the jazz tradition. Meets 6 times a year to give public performances.
The Guelph Jazz Society Octet is an every-other-month ensemble dedicated to exploring the rich possibilities of the medium-sized jazz ensemble. Bringing together adventurous musicians from across the community, the Octet performs repertoire that bridges the jazz tradition with more contemporary approaches to composition, improvisation, and ensemble interaction. The ensemble provides a collaborative space for experienced players to develop their musicianship while contributing to a regular series of medium-sized ensemble performances in Guelph. By creating opportunities to rehearse and perform music rarely heard outside professional settings, the Little Band expands the city’s jazz ecosystem and offers audiences a fresh perspective on what jazz ensembles can be. Meets 6 times a year.
Chairs: trumpet, trombone, alto sax, tenor sax, guitar, piano, bass, drums.
Parade Band – Drop-in band for all ages and skills playing familiar and upbeat music. Meets Monday nights in summer.
The Guelph Jazz Society Parade Band is a free, drop-in community ensemble that brings jazz into the streets throughout the summer. The band explores the lively tradition of parade and street music while developing the skills needed to perform as a mobile ensemble. Participants build confidence in memorization, listening, balance, and musical communication while enjoying a fun, welcoming environment open to a wide range of musicians. Beyond rehearsals, the Parade Band plays at festivals, community celebrations, and civic events throughout Guelph, contributing to the city’s cultural life by bringing live music into public spaces and creating joyful, accessible musical experiences for everyone. Meets Monday nights in the summer.
Simple music orchestrated for everything under the sun. If you play it we’ll get you a part for it!
Wyndham Gardens Band – A professional band tasked with supporting the growing Guelph swing dance community, ensuring that dancers have ample opportunity to dance to a high quality live music. Runs year round.
My hope is that this slate of offerings gives opportunities to all the musicians of Guelph to get involved at the level of play they’re at and interested in, with the level of commitment that suits them, with the opportunity to contribute as they’re able. There’s no band that’s really for everyone, but we hope to provide opportunities that could be for anyone.
Liam Gallagher
Artistic Director of the Guelph Jazz Society