Jodi Proznick

Jodi Proznick (born October 23, 1975) is a Canadian jazz bassist, composer, educator and producer. In 2019, she was named Jazz Artist of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards and has been nominated for three Juno Awards. She was a recipient of the Lieutenant Governor's Arts and Music Awards in 2022 for her contribution to music education in British Columbia.

Career

Proznick began playing double bass when she was thirteen and was taught by her father, musician and educator David Proznick. While attending Semiahmoo Secondary, she won the General Motors Award of Excellence in 1993. She attended McGill University from 1993 to 1998, where she met future collaborators such as pianist Tilden Webb, drummer Jesse Cahill and tenor saxophonist Steve Kaldestad, who would form the Jodi Proznick Quartet. While in Montreal, she also worked with Christine Jensen, Kelly Jefferson, Ranee Lee, André White, Greg Clayton and many other prominent Montreal jazz artists. She was a winner of the IAJE Sisters in Jazz Competition in 1998.

Proznick moved from Montreal to Vancouver in 2000, and married jazz pianist Tilden Webb. The two became leading members of the Vancouver jazz scene, and signed to the Cellar Live record label. Over the years, Jodi has appeared on and produced numerous records.

Jodi took a master's degree from 2004 to 2005 in Art Education at Simon Fraser University. There, she met mentor and frequent collaborator, Celeste Snowber, whom Proznick has worked with on two shows: Woman Giving Birth to a Red Pepper in 2013 and Perfect Imperfections: The Art of a Messy Life in 2018.

In 2004, the Jodi Proznick Quartet received the Galaxie Rising Star Award at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Soon after, Proznick begun work on her first solo record, ''Foundations'', alongside her quartet. The album released in 2006 to critical acclaim, including Album of the Year and Acoustic Group of the Year at the 2008 National Jazz Awards, and a Juno nomination for Traditional Jazz Album of the Year. Proznick also won Bassist of the Year at the National Jazz Awards in 2008 and 2009.

As a member of the Oliver Gannon Quartet in 2004, Proznick was the opening act for Oscar Peterson. She has been a featured performer with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Chamber Choir, the Elektra Women's Choir, and the Vancouver Bach Family of Choirs. She accompanied Michael Bublé in the closing ceremonies and soundtrack of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games.

In 2008, she co-founded Triology, alongside guitarist Bill Coon and pianist Miles Black. Their self-titled debut album, ''Triology'', released the same year, and was Proznick's second album as a leader. The group continues to play regularly.

In 2017, Proznick released her third solo album, ''Sun Songs'', which recounts the personal struggle that ensued after her mother's diagnosis of early onset dementia, as well as the arrival of her firstborn son. The album explores themes of life and death, polarity and love. The album features her husband Tilden Webb on piano, brother-in-law Jesse Cahill on drums, Steve Kaldestad on tenor saxophone, and jazz artist/CBC Radio host Laila Biali on vocals. The album was nominated for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year at the 2019 Juno Awards.

''Triology: Stairway to the Stars'' released in 2019 as the band's second release and Proznick's fourth album as a leader.

In addition to the Jodi Proznick Quartet and Triology, Proznick is a member of the Tilden Webb Trio, the Joel Haynes Trio, the Oliver Gannon Quartet, and The High Standards Quintet. She is a frequent collaborator with pianist and educator Amanda Tosoff. She has also worked with musicians such as Michael Buble, Sarah McLachlan, George Coleman, Sheila Jordan, David "Fathead" Newman, Bill Henderson, Harold Mabern, Michael Feinstein, Ed Thigpen, Seamus Blake, George Colligan, Eddie Daniels, Peter Bernstein, Eddie Henderson, Ingrid Jensen, Ryan Kisor, Kitty Margolis, Charles McPherson, Byron Stripling, Bucky Pizzarelli, Jeff Hamilton, Mark Murphy, Eric Alexander, Lewis Nash, Houston Person, Jim Rotondi, Laila Biali, Brian Dickinson, Phil Dwyer, Kirk MacDonald, Celso Machado, Ian McDougall, Ron Paley, Don Thompson, Guido Basso, P. J. Perry, Dee Daniels and Sal Fererras. She has been featured on over 40 recordings as a side person.

Proznick was involved in teaching early childhood music classes for over 15 years. Her methodology included a combination of Orff, Kodaly, Dalcroze, Montessori and Suzuki philosophies of music education. Proznick taught at Capilano University from 2003 to 2013. From 2012 to 2019, she was a faculty member at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, where she taught improvisation, jazz theory, jazz history, popular music history, rudiments, jazz combo and bass lessons. From 2019 to 2020, she was the Manager of Education and Community Outreach for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

She is currently the Head of the Jazz Department at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School of Music and Artistic Director of the VSO School of Music Summer Jazz Workshop. She also teaches jazz bass, combos and jazz theory. She has been a guest adjudicator and clinician at many festivals, colleges, universities, and conferences across Canada, such as the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Proznick is the Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of online music education platform
Music Arts Collective
', alongside Amanda Tosoff and arts administrator Francesca Fung.

She collaborated in 2021 with the Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble, along with Bill Coon and James Danderfer. The project is a fusion of jazz with traditional and contemporary Chinese music. An album is expected in late 2022.

Proznick formed the Ostara Project in 2022 with Amanda Tosoff, an all-female jazz supergroup. The project’s first album will consist of Proznick and Tosoff alongside Allison Au, Rachel Therrien, Jocelyn Gould, Joanna Majoko and Sanah Kadoura. Their debut album is set to release in fall of 2022, alongside two singles. It will be Proznick's fifth album as a co-leader.

In 2022, Proznick was a recipient of the Lieutenant Governor's Arts and Music Awards, for her contribution to the arts community and music education in British Columbia.

Awards and honors

Discography

As leader or co-leader

* 2006 – ''Foundations'' – Jodi Proznick Quartet
* 2014 – ''Triology'' ''–'' Triology (co-led with Miles Black and Bill Coon)
* 2017 – ''Sun Songs'' – Jodi Proznick Quartet ft. Laila Biali
* 2019 – ''Triology: Stairway to the Stars'' ''–'' Triology (co-led with Miles Black and Bill Coon)
* 2022 – ''The Ostara Project'' ''–'' The Ostara Project (co-led with Amanda Tosoff)

As sidewoman

* 1998 ''– Something Personal –'' The McGill Jazz Orchestra Directed by Gordon Foote
* 1999 ''– Realtime –'' Sienna Dahlen
* 2002 ''– Little Temptations'' ''–'' Sienna Dahlen
* 2003 – ''Live at the Cellar –'' Charles McPherson Quartet
* 2004 – ''Cellar Groove –'' Tilden Webb Trio with David Fathead Newman
* 2005 – ''The Time Is Now –'' Joel Haynes Trio
* 2005 - ''Live from Lotus Land –'' Mike Rud
* 2006 – ''Run with It –'' James Danderfer Group
* 2007 – ''Chances Are –'' Jane Fair
* 2007 – ''Feel This –'' Kia Kadiri
* 2007 ''– Contemplation'' – Christie Grace
* 2008 – ''No Boundaries –'' Bill Coon and Ron Peters
* 2008 – ''Transitions –'' Joel Haynes Trio with Seamus Blake
* 2008 ''– Live at the Cellar, Vol. 1 –'' George Evans
* 2008 ''– It's Always You –'' Luis Geraldo
* 2009 ''– Memory Cafe'' – Steve Maddock
* 2009 ''– Fresh'' – Bria Skonberg
* 2009 ''– Low Down, West Broadway'' – Joe Coughlin
* 2009 ''– Too Much to Do'' – Nick La Riviere
* 2010 ''– Sounds of Vancouver 2010: Opening Ceremony Commemorative Album –'' The 2010 Vancouver Olympic Orchestra
* 2010 ''– Sounds of Vancouver 2010: Closing Ceremony Commemorative Album –'' The 2010 Vancouver Olympic Orchestra
* 2010 – ''Blow-Up –'' Steve Kaldestad Quartet
* 2010 ''– Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra'' ''–'' Elektra Women's Choir
* 2011 – ''Just Like That –'' Cory Weeds with the Tilden Webb Trio
* 2011 – ''Down in the Bottom –'' The Night Crawlers with the Big Band Sound
* 2011 – ''Anywhere But Here –'' Janice Finlay
* 2012 ''– JazzSpeak'' – Ralf Buschmeyer
* 2012 – ''Sunalta –'' Jon McCaslin
* 2012 – ''Live at the Cellar –'' Amanda Tosoff
* 2013 – ''Live at Cory Weeds' Cellar Jazz Club –'' Peter Bernstein with the Tilden Webb Trio
* 2014 – ''Change Partners: Live at the Yardbird Suite –'' Champian Fulton
* 2014 – ''Easy Sailing –'' Oliver Gannon Quartet
* 2014 – ''Invitations –'' Jerrold Dubyk Quintet
* 2015 ''– Trio3 YVR'' ''–'' Jon McCaslin
* 2015 – ''Drinky –'' Tim Tamashiro
* 2016 ''– This Bitter Earth –'' Jaclyn Guillou
* 2017 – ''Keep Christmas With You –'' Katherine Penfold
* 2018 ''– Step Up'' – Miles Black Quartet and David Rehorick
* 2019 ''– Loving Memory'' – Gary Macdonald
* 2021 – ''Live @ Cory Weeds' Cellar Jazz Club –'' Joe Magnarelli and Gary Smulyan

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