Ralph Hopper Jazz Trio & One Man Saxophone Band

• Mike McNeil - drums
• Paul Soble - bass
• Albert Kaprielian - piano
• Shinya Sato - piano
• Jean Trudel - trumpet/flugelhorn
• Art Katona - trombone
• Ralph Hopper - saxes - tenor/alto/bari
• Rob Joanis - tenor sax

My groups specialize in live music for wedding receptions, corporate events and private parties.

*** Check out my ONE MAN SAXOPHONE BAND performance of the Stevie Wonder tune I Just Called To Say I Love You - I think you will be amazed ***

ONE MAN SAXOPHONE BAND - I perform solo but this unique and entertaining performance utilizes many different sounds so what an audience hears can be a jazz quartet to big band. Any booking can include jazz standards, pop tunes, various Latin styles, funky blues tunes and smooth jazz, just to mention a few styles. This 'ONE MAN SAXOPHONE BAND' is designed for events where space may be limited but a full band sound is provided. This LOW COST performance is perfect for wedding receptions and corporate events.

My bands have been booked for many events in the Ottawa area over the past few years. We can provide the live music your event requires from quiet background music for cocktails and dinner to energetic dance tunes for a night of high energy fun. From a solo performance to the jazz trio or quartet to a 6-piece dance band playing jazz, rock, funk, pop, Latin, Celtic and more, I have the right band and the best live music for your event. We are very experienced with playing for wedding receptions, corporate functions, galas, festivals and private parties. Most of our bookings are private functions so I do not post those on the gig listing here.

My fees are very competitive and I am happy to provide a quote for your event and work within your budget if possible.

EAST SIDE TRIO/QUARTET features Ralph Hopper on saxes along with piano or guitar with bass and drums. The SOLO performance is very unique in that Ralph plays various saxes as well as a EWI - electronic wind instrument. The SOLO act always generates amazement that the sound can be so varied.

In addition to a number of original tunes, the repertoire is based on jazz standards thus there will be many recognizeable and enjoyable melodies during any performance. For jazz we focus on a mainstream style with the emphasis on melody and rhythm.

The trio can perform quiet background instrumental jazz for a dinning/drinks/reception event or more lively/higher energy jazz for a concert type event. We can design the music to suit your requirements and our repertoire listing is available upon request.

The trio can be expanded to both a quartet or quintet if required with the addition of drums and/or trumpet/trombone and/or a female vocalist. This expanded version of the band is also excellent for dances where larger bands might be too big and too loud and too expensive.

The trio and quartet have performed for public and private events and at many different venues throughout the Ottawa area and Eastern Ontario. East Side Quartet performed at the Ottawa Jazz Festival in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 and plays occasional club dates. The quartet has recorded a cd to demo our original material - THE ORIGINAL CD. Sound clips are available on my personal web site.

'CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF GERRY MULLIGAN' is a concert performance featuring the music written by one of the most influential jazz performers, arrangers and writer in the last century. This band consists of a baritone sax, trumpet, trombone, tenor sax, piano, bass and drums. We play Mulligan tunes in various instrumental combinations including the full band as well as in the pianoless quartet format that Gerry Mulligan pioneered in the 1950's.

Our premier performance of this concert was at the 2010 Ottawa Jazz Festival and was very well received by our audience.

This concert performance would work very well for any festival or organization that is looking for some great music and an outstanding performance that will have an audience thoroughly enjoying themselves.

• You are the sunshine of my life - Stevie Wonder
• Time After Time - Cindy Lauper
• My Girl - Smokey Robinson
• She's Always a Woman to Me - Billy Joel
• Wave
• Corcovado/Quiet Nights
• I just called to say I love you - Stevie Wonder
• Doxy
• Fever - Michael Buble
• Moonglow
• Tennessee Waltz
• Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder
• Winelight - Gerald Albright/Grover Washington Jr.
• How Sweet it is
• Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
• Blue Tango
• Autumn in New York
• Just the Way You Are - Billy Joel
• Things Ain't What they used to be - Duke Ellington
• Someone to watch over me
• Manha de Carnaval/Black Orpheus
• Whisper Not - Benny Golson
• It's All In The Game
• All of Me - Michael Buble
• More
• Georgia
• Fever
• Fly Me To the Moon
• Line For Lyons - Gerry Mulligan
• Lily was Here - Candy Dulfer
• Slow Jam - Euge Groove
• Song for Strayhorn - Gerry Mulligan
• Wood on Wood - Gerry Mulligan
• Cast Your Fate to the Wind
• Mercy Mercy Mercy
• Moondance - Van Morrison
• Ain't Misbehavin
• Satin Doll - Duke Ellington
• Take the A Train - Duke Ellington
• ...and many more jazz and non jazz

Anniversaries, Awards Nights, Banquets, Casinos, Celebrations, Christmas Parties, Clubs, Cocktail Parties, Community Events, Conventions, Corporate Functions, Country Clubs, Dinner Dances, Events, Family Reunions, Festivals, Fund Raisers, Grand Openings, Holiday Parties, Hotels, New Year's Eve Parties, Private Parties, Resorts, Restaurants, Retirement Parties, Reunions, Weddings, Wedding Ceremonies, Wedding Cocktail Hours, Wedding Receptions...and more.

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