Company B Jazz Band

Juhli Conlinn, from Coquitlam, BC, began her higher music education in high school, at the Langley Fine Arts School.  From there, she went on to study vocal jazz on scholarship at The School for Music Vocations (Creston, Iowa) with the legendary arranger Phil Mattson. After returning to BC and taking some time off, she went on to earn her Bachelor of Jazz Studies from Capilano University in 2009.  Juhli is a gifted and engaging performer, and lends her talents to multiple projects including singing back up with Christina Maria, Rykka, CR Avery and The Contemporary Lovers. She also really likes bumble bees.

Emily Lyall, originally from Victoria, BC, spent her youth in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.  She has studied voice, piano and cello, and has been a member of a variety of ensembles, including classical orchestras, rock bands and jazz duos.  Emily was selected for the BC Honours Jazz Choir, and went on to earn a Diploma in Jazz Studies from Capilano University in 2006.  It was there that she had the opportunity to perform with the legendary Jimmy Heath, and to sing a duet with celebrity jazz pianist Jean-Michel Pilc.  She frequently collaborates with musician and spoken word performer CR Avery, performing at multiple folk festivals and for recording projects.  Matching her passion for music and vocal harmony, she is an award-winning Biology major at the University of British Columbia, and will be completing her science degree in 2012.

Shannon Scott is a vocalist/composer from Red Deer, AB.  In 2006, she graduated from Capilano University's Bachelor of Jazz Music program with a major in Jazz Voice and a minor in piano.  Shannon has a diverse background in performance: she sang in New York's Carnegie Hall in 2001 for Jazz Extravaganza, was accepted to perform at the International Association of Jazz Educators conference in 2002 with Take Note, and sang with the acclaimed vocal jazz group Nitecap under the direction of Réjean Marois.  In this ensemble she had the opportunity to tour the BC gulf islands and interior, as well as perform with such internationally renowned artists as Ed Thigpen, Jimmy Heath, Jean-Michel Pilc, and Kristen Korb.  In the past few years Shannon has had success with numerous musical projects.  She was nominated for both the 2008 and 2010 Galaxie Rising Star awards with her original band, the Shannon Scott Band, and has performed in the same festival for the past three years running with her original jazz trio project, Poetrio.  Shannon works as a private voice and piano teacher, as well as an arranger, and is an active member of the Vancouver music community with collaborations and studio work with local artists such as CR Avery, The Contemporary Lovers and Colleen Savage.

Jens Christiansen earned his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from Capilano University in 2008. He has extensive experience playing clarinet and saxophone in traditional jazz, modern jazz, latin, rock and roll, R&B, and blues ensembles. He has had the opportunity to play with groups such as the Hard Rubber Orchestra, the Famous Players, the Fred Stride Jazz Orchestra, the Hoppin’ Mad Orchestra, Four Eyes Quartet, Angela Kelman and the Polyester Philharmonic and Soul Assembly. He is an accomplished jazz improvisor and ensemble player.

Jennifer Hodge is a versatile young bass player originally from Courtenay, BC. She is passionate about and dedicated to playing music in all styles from jazz to classical to rock to folk to musical theatre and everything in between. She has been performing professionally since the age of 15, getting her professional start both in pit orchestras for local musicals and with a rock and roll band which rehearsed in her friends' garage. Jen relocated to Vancouver in 2002, where she has since completed a B.Mus. degree in Jazz Studies at Capilano University, was named the first recipient of the Linton Garner Memorial Jazz Award in 2005, has been nominated twice for the Galaxie Rising Star Award in affiliation with CBC, and has had the opportunity to perform with the city's top jazz, classical, rock, country and folk/world musicians (Bria Skonberg, Miles Black, The Higgins, etc). Jen is also in demand as a bandleader, running the the Jen Hodge All Stars, the Four Eyes Trio/Quartet, and co-running Company B Jazz Band, as well as putting groups together for specific events, television, and radio. To date, Jen has performed all over British Columbia, Eastern Canada, the United States, and the French Caribbean.

Dave Taylor was born and raised in Vancouver and started playing guitar at age 12. He has studied with some of Canada's finest Jazz guitar players: Steve Fisk, Ihor Kukurudza, Ron Samworth, Mike Rudd, Daryl Janhke and Tony Koch. Since graduating with a Bachelor of Music from Capilano University, Dave has chosen to actively continue playing, arranging, recording and teaching. He specializes in the Swing guitar tradition of Django Reinhardt but also plays a variety of other styles. His experience includes performances in the U.S., Europe and extensive Canadian touring.