The Saul Berson Quartet, a Vancouver-based band, has been performing for the past seven years. Their 1998 recording, From Here to Beyond, was nominated in the "Best Jazz Album" category for the 1999 West Coast Music Awards. This CD, as well as the band's latest release, Not Here, Not Now, have been very favourably reviewed in many publications including Coda, Planet Jazz and Cadence (USA), and receive extensive airplay both in Canada and the U.S.A.

The quartet follows an original path through creative music that encompasses a broad range of styles and emotions. It is quoted as being music that "...creates an intense set of Arabian rhythms and is a delirious mess of tango and klezmer” (Cadence). Other reviews refer to
"A lovely performance; majestic, intense, mysterious" (Planet Jazz) and to the compositions as "throb(ing) with vitality" (Coda).

Saul Berson has been exploring an extensive array of stylistic ground for the past 20 years. His musical abilities span a wide range, as can be seen in his interpretation of the jazz standard repertoire as well as his explorations in the Avant-Guard style. These widespread experiences have influenced his compositions and the overall musical direction of the Quartet. Saul has been described as having a "perfect, burnished saxophone tone that carves new paths through territory we had thought fully mapped." (Georgia Straight). In addition to leading his group, Saul is a member of the NOW, Hard Rubber and Dal Richards Orchestras as well as leading a very busy freelance schedule of performing and teaching. Saul has performed with international artists including Jaki Byard, Steve Grossman, George Lewis and Barry Guy.

Tony Wilson, guitarist, composer, arranger, has been active professionally in music for the last 10 years. In that time, he has led many ensembles such as the Tony Wilson Sextet, Bugs Inside and the Monkaholics. Wilson has made contributions to ensembles led by Peggy Lee, Saul Berson and François Houle. He has been co-leader of Video BBQ, Celtic Works and other bands. He has toured across Canada and in Europe with the François Houle Trio and has performed in New York and toured Ontario with Kokoro Dance. He has performed with international artists such as Vinny Golia, William Parker, Myra Melford and John Tchicai.

Paul Blaney is one of the most active bass players in Vancouver. He is in demand for both his Mainstream and Avant-guard jazz styles. He has toured Canada extensively, performing and recording with many great musicians including John Handy, Ernestine Anderson, Eddy Harris and Ingrid Jenson. He currently performs regularly with Eve Smith, the NOW orchestra and the Dal Richards Orchestra.

Kim Darwin first studied music as a youngster, learning to play and improvise on the accordion. He later turned to piano and composition, earning a Bachelor of Music degree majoring in composition, from UBC. Having worked as a professional freelance pianist for 25 years, Kim has lately come full circle back to his musical roots. He is now writing and playing mainly on the accordion, which he loves for its breath and freedom. Kim has most recently worked on recordings with Miranda brown and Saul Berson. His next project will be to record an album of his compositions featuring the accordion.

Boris Sichon