Jayne and her quartet are excited about presenting an afternoon of jazz originals for this special Mother’s Day Weekend Concert.  This music was composed by Jayne and several other jazz women such as Nancy Walker, Joyce Kouffman, Mary Watkins and Kinga Glyk.  Their instrumental music is uplifting, energetic, dreamlike, and will be performed in London for the first time by the JHQ.  Themes that have inspired the music for this concert are rooted in the celebration of mothers, nature, self-exploration, the blues and spirituality.

Jayne has been performing original and jazz music on the piano in London, Ontario for over 30 years.  As an accompanist for jazz singers, Carole Alison, Nancy Hawkins and Jessie Ross, a member of George Laidlaw’s Prime Time Big Band and a keyboard player with John Griffiths’ ensembles Jayne has been developing her playing and expanding her repertoire.  She cites Oscar Peterson, Chick Corea, Philip Glass, Renee Rosnes, Diana Krall, Carol Welsman and Diana Krall as her formative influences. During the past few years, Jayne devoted her time to composition, under the instruction of acclaimed jazz composer, educator and recording artist, Nancy Walker, who hails from the Toronto area.  Recently she has been honored to sub with London’s new all-women big band, the Jazzabelles, led by Emily Rouse.  Her interest in supporting and encouraging women jazz instrumentalists led her to form the Jayne Hysen Quartet.  They performed together for the first time last year in Jazz Vespers at St. James Anglican Church in Stratford.

Backing Jayne up on both upright bass and electric bass, is local musician, Anne Pin.   For over a decade, Anne has honed her skills playing in concert bands, big bands, small jazz ensembles, musical theatre and classical ensembles.  She created the website, London, Ontario, Live Jazz and Blues (loljazz.com) which is devoted to locating and publicizing the perfect jazz or blues band for any event.  Over the past three years, Anne and Jayne have played together as a duo and have been actively developing their unique jazz style and repertoire.

Trumpet player, Samantha Lanooy, graduated from the University of Western Ontario’s Bachelor of Musical Arts Program in 2020.  Throughout her degree program, she played in the Western University Jazz Ensemble, and she continues to pursue jazz opportunities in London and Toronto, where she now lives.  Sam has an additional degree in Honours Business Administration from the Ivey Business School.  Combining her knowledge of music and business, Sam plans to work for organizations that support and promote jazz performance.

On drum kit, is Devon Roulston, who earned her percussion performance degree from Wilfrid Laurier University.  She has performed extensively in theatrical productions in Stratford, Hamilton, Woodstock and Charlottetown.  In addition to playing in the JHQ, Devon currently plays percussion in the Stratford Symphony Orchestra, and she plays drums in her own rock duo, Atlas Effect. 

With Anne on bass, Sam on trumpet and Devon on drum kit, Jayne formed the JHQ.  This “Afternoon of Music for Mother’s Day Weekend” will be the group’s London debut.