Mike Janzen

BIO

Michael Janzen was a bass player. In his high school jazz band he had always played bass or drums. He played piano, too, but for jazz, he was a bass player.

Janzen spent two years in the music program at Providence before transferring to Brandon University in 1991. That fall, he decided to audition for the jazz band as a bass player, and after his audition, he was asked, “Do you play anything else?” He admitted to playing some piano and was talked into doing a piano audition as well. He made some stuff up and followed his ear, and a week later he discovered that he had been accepted into a jazz band for piano. He has been playing jazz piano ever since.
As much as he flourished in music at Brandon he found U of T was a whole new experience. “I had to catch up a bit there,” he says. “In Brandon I was able to be involved in a number of different music groups varying from jazz to classical, so I was able to keep involved in many musical experiences. At the U of T, all the undergrads have specialized the whole time, so if you’re a piano player, you have been taking just piano, if you’re a violinist, just violin, if you’re in composition, you’re just in that. So I was definitely behind.” It went well, however, and after two years of study with some of Canada’s top musicians, he graduated with a Master of Composition.

After seven straight years in school, Michael decided not to pursue doctoral studies immediately, preferring to freelance. “One thing I loved about Providence College (also in Manitoba),” he says, “was the Youth Encounter bands, and I hadn’t had anything like that at Brandon, so when I finally had the chance it was still in my blood.” He started a band called Coincidence, now know as The Penny Merchants. He also played jazz weekly at a restaurant, and spent a lot of time playing with U of T players who were in the jazz program. He leads worship in his church, Trinity Anglican in Toronto and plays with The Penny Merchants at youth retreats. He is currently composing music for a film, does CD session playing, has worked in television, and he tours with a number of different artists. A year and a half ago, he married Jodi Gingerich, another Providence alumnus, and they live in downtown Toronto, near the Eaton Centre.

About the new album, Beginnings:LIVE:

When a friend invites you to play a concert using Glenn Gould’s piano, Mike Janzen has learned the best response is to simply say ‘yes’.

After all, accepting an invitation like that a year ago is what led to the most recent artistic venture for the multi-talented musician: the release of his first jazz album “Beginnings: Live”

The invitation to perform came from Janzen’s close friend, multiple award-winning artist (and local favourite) Jacob Moon, whose desire to play a show with Janzen unintentionally provoked the creation of the album.

“A year ago I egged Mike on to play just one show–for me–at the Unitarian Church in Hamilton, which had the best Steinway [piano] in the area–originally owned by Glenn Gould,” says Moon.

“That request led to a live recording session, then to another, when Mike asked my producer, Glen Marshall, to capture the concert. The result is the “Beginnings” CD. This upcoming show, and Mike’s album, celebrate the culmination of our effort–and the unexpected result of a simple dream to play a concert with Glenn Gould’s piano.”

The Mike Janzen Trio will release the high-energy jazz CD in a shared-bill concert with Jacob Moon on May 5 at First Unitarian Church in Hamilton, and on May 13th The Registry Theatre in downtown Kitchener.

In addition to Janzen’s cool stylings, Moon will mesmerize with his trademark command of the guitar and relaxed, warm vocals as he performs songs from his latest release, “Eventide”. Currently touring across Canada, the Kitchener-born singer-songwriter is excited to play here again with Janzen, in a concert that promises to be a stellar evening of funky jazz, captivating acoustics, and soaring vocals.