richard whiteman
At just 25 years of age, Toronto-based bassist and composer Brandi Disterheft has already been named one of Cannada's rising stars and was nominated for the CBC Galaxie Rising Star Prize at the 2004 National Jazz Awards. While Brandi has been receiving local and national recognition for her musical endeavors, she has also broken international bounderies performing with her co-led quartet in 2002 at Carnegie Hall.
This North Vancouver native's muscial career began in her late teens performing with her mother, jazz pianist Fran Jare, and other local Vancouver artists. She attended Humber College on full scholarship, studying with Canadian jazz luminary Don Thompson for two years. In January of 2000, Brandi received international recognition when she won a spot as bassist in the IAJE's Sisters in Jazz Collegiate Competition All-Stars Sextet. Within the year, this group went on to perform in New Orleans, at the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival in Washington DC, and at the Vinna Jazz Festival.
Having studied with the TSO's principle bassist Ed Tait, along with jazz bass legends Rufus Reid, Neils-Henning Oscar Pederson and Rodney Whitaker, Brandi gained national recognition at the age of 21 when she perfromed as a featured soloist with David Warrack's Canada Pops Orchestra.
In June of 2003, Brandi represented Canada as she was selected as a composer and performer to participate in Chicago's Ravinia Jazz Festival and the Ravinia Jazz Program under the direction of jazz greats Danilo Perez, James Moody, and David Baker.
As a bandleader, Brandi has led her own group since the age of 19 performing in the Vancouver International Jazz Festival in 1999, 2000 and 2004 and performing in venues across Canada incluing Vancouver's Jazz Cellar, and Toronto's Rex Hotel and The Top of the Senator.
As a side-man,
Brandi has been a band member of Canada's leading artists, appearing in
the Mike Murley Quartet, Phil Dwyer Quartet, Richard Underhill Quintet,
and Michael Kaeshammer Trio just to name a few. In 2005, Brandi recorded
albums with both the Laila Biali Trio and the Richard Whiteman Trio, and
performed in the Vancouver, Toronoto, Montreal and Atlantic Jazz Festivals.