Time & Talent

Sunday, June 8
4-8pm
Ironwood Stage
1429 - 9th Ave SE

The Calgary jazz and blues music community pulls together for a rare concert on Sunday, June 8th at the Ironwood Stage, when over thirty of the city's finest musicians perform in support of the Canadian Cancer Society. The event will help raise funds through the sale of concert tickets, an auction and donations, and will go to community programs offered by the Canadian Cancer Society.

Organized by vocalist Sherry Kennedy in memory of her friend Rose Desjarlais, the music event quickly grew in proportion to a one-of-a-kind concert with an astounding number of musicians supporting the cause and generously offering their "Time and Talent". What will make it special is the variety of players who rarely have the opportunity to share the same stage due to busy performance, touring and teaching schedules. Ranging from jazz to blues, country and singer-songwriters, the concert offers something for every taste.

Tickets are $50 and are available at 271-0483

Headline Artists:



Sherry Kennedy (vocal)
Pat Belliveau (saxophone)
Jeremy S. Brown (saxophone)
Derek Stoll (keyboards)
John Hyde (bass)
John De Waal (drums)
Al Muirhead (trumpet)
Paul Toutant (trombone)
Cindy McLeod (vocal)
Dave Hamilton (guitar)
Karl Roth (violin)
Dave Hamilton (guitar)
Julian Kerr (bass)
Dennis Dubbin (vocal)
Brad Steckel (guitar)
Gary Wolfe (guitar)
Derek Stoll (keyboards)
Jeremy Coates (bass)
Robin Tufts (percussion)
Andy Ericson (drums)
Pat Hatherly (singer-songwriter)
Deanna Dubbin (vocal)
Ruth Purvis-Smith (vocal)
Irene Sommerville (vocal)
Mike Clark (saxophone)
Brent Wright (guitar)
Brian Pollack (bass)
Thom Moon (drums)
Radio City - Claire Agnew, Claire Flynn, Joanne Clark (vocals)
Steve Foster (drums)
Ruth Purves-Smith
Sheldon Zandboer
and special guest, Vancouver guitarist Lindsay Mitchell (Prism, Seeds of Time, Billy Cowsill)




About Rose Desjarlais



"Everyone has a Rose in Their Life!"

Sherry Kennedy and Rose Desjarlais met over seven years ago when Rose was the highest bidder on a Singing Workshop which Sherry had donated to a fundraising event.

Shortly thereafter Rose arrived for her lesson with Sherry, keen to follow her dream of singing country music. As a breast cancer survivor, Rose had made the choice to do all the things in life she had once feared, including performing.

At first she was so timid she'd turn to the wall to sing, but with Sherry's expert coaching she found the courage to face the 'audience' and for the next six years of her life she sang everything from country to musical theatre, adult contemporary to Latin and even Disco with abandon and joy, flashing her warm smile for the world to see.

In July of 2007, Sherry had dinner with her friend and remembers thinking how beautiful she looked and how enthusiastically she shared in her plans for the future. It never occurred to either one of them that time was closing in.

Soon after Sherry wrote a song, the concept coming to her so very quickly and in full completion that she now describes it as "Divine Inspiration." Several months later she approached musician Miles Jackson to lay down a piano track for her.

In January 2008, Sherry got a call from Rose, who was phoning to tell her that she'd had taken a turn for the worse and the cancer had returned with such vengeance that she had only a few weeks to live. She asked if Sherry would sing at her funeral. Sherry hung up the phone feeling as though she'd been kicked in the stomach.

It was like a miracle when she stepped into her office moments later to find that Miles had emailed her the piano track for what she realized at that moment was Rose's Song.

Sherry went into the studio and finished the recording. She then took it to Rose and as they sat and listened they cried together. Rose said that she felt heaven all around her. Sherry suggested that the CD could be played at Rose's funeral, but Rose had other plans. She asked Sherry to sing Amazing Grace and in her words; "I don't want people to be sad for too long so you will sing O Happy Day from Sister Act at the end." She told Sherry she was not going to spend one minute being bitter, she had no regrets, no unresolved issues, but just peace and love.

Rose Desjarlais died on February 19, 2008.

Rose's Song is available on Sherry's website Sherry Kennedy and at Jazz Elements. Jazz Elements Store

All proceeds from the sale of Rose's Song go the Canadian Cancer Society.