Dennis Kwok Quartet

For the first time since 2020, Toronto-based saxophonist and composer, Dennis Kwok, returns home to Calgary with his quartet featuring Augustine Yates (piano), Jonathan Wielebnowski (bass), and Afolabi Fapojuwo (drums). This evening's performance will feature the music of John Coltrane and original compositions inspired by the Coltrane Quartet.

Since completing his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Saxophone at Humber College, Dennis has been featured in the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, selected as a musician-in-residence at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and has backed JUNO-award winning artists, such as The Tenors, Jackie Richardson, and Allison Au. As a versatile woodwind doubler, Dennis has been active in musical theatre orchestras across Canada, including productions of Follies (Royal Conservatory of Music), La Cage Aux Folles, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Stratford Festival), Escape to Margaritaville (Theatre Calgary) and Mean Girls (Mirvish).

In 2020, Dennis released his debut album, Windward Bound, with the Dennis Kwok Jazz Orchestra, consisting of his original six-part suite for big band, and featuring himself as a soloist on multiple woodwind instruments. Windward Bound has been described as “an elegant album of program music for 19-piece jazz orchestra” by The WholeNote magazine, and “an impressive debut all 'round and an intriguing harbinger of voyages yet to come” by All About Jazz.

Dennis Kwok - saxophones

Augustine Yates - piano

Jonathan Wielebnowski - upright bass

Afolabi Fapojuwo - drum set