{"id":664613,"date":"2026-05-12T14:45:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T14:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/664613\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T14:45:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T14:45:09","slug":"winnipeg-jazz-legend-ron-paley-honoured-with-major-tribute-concert-and-scholarship-fund","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/664613\/","title":{"rendered":"Winnipeg jazz legend Ron Paley honoured with major tribute concert and scholarship fund"},"content":{"rendered":"

For more than half a century, pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader Ron Paley<\/a> has been one of the defining figures of Winnipeg\u2019s musical community. Whether performing with the legendary Ron Paley Big Band<\/a>, collaborating with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra <\/a>and Royal Winnipeg Ballet<\/a>, or mentoring generations of young musicians, Paley\u2019s influence on jazz in Manitoba and across Canada has been profound and lasting.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Now, that extraordinary legacy will be celebrated in grand fashion on Saturday, May 23 at 8 p.m. at the Burton Cummings Theatre<\/a> during the Ron Paley Tribute and Scholarship Concert<\/a>. An evening of music, memories, and recognition for a musician whose impact extends far beyond the stage. The concert will also launch a campaign to\u00a0establish\u00a0the Ron Paley Jazz Scholarship Fund, with a goal of raising $25,000<\/a> to create a permanent endowment supporting future jazz students at the University of Manitoba\u2019s Desautels Faculty of Music.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Joining Paley in reflecting on the concert and his career were three distinguished saxophonists who have shared the stage with him over the years: Brian Klowak<\/a>, Julie Husband<\/a>, and Mark Kutcy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A Tribute Decades in the Making\u00a0<\/p>\n

Although the upcoming tribute concert may feel overdue to many in Winnipeg\u2019s jazz community, the idea has\u00a0actually been\u00a0circulating for years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Brian Klowak explained that several people had hoped to organize such an event in the past, including Jeff Riley, Larry Roy, and Jennifer Hanson<\/a>, but the project never fully materialized until recently.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s the story that I got is there was a number of people who wanted to do this in previous years, but it never quite got off the ground,\u201d\u00a0Klowak\u00a0said. \u201cIt was Curtis Newton that contacted me, I think, back in the fall of 2024. And this is the incarnation of that effort.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Putting the concert together ultimately became a collaborative effort among musicians who had long admired and worked alongside Paley. Klowak recalled how readily musicians agreed to\u00a0participate.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone was willing to do it,\u201d he said. \u201cI put out the word to, if anybody would like to form a committee and see what we could do for Ron. And the people that stepped up are to my left.\u201d [Julie Husband and Mark Kutcy]<\/p>\n

For Paley himself, the recognition\u00a0remains\u00a0deeply humbling. Asked what it feels like to have a major tribute concert held in his\u00a0honour\u00a0at the Burton Cummings Theatre, Paley answered simply: \u201cIt\u2019s an honor.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Building a Big Band Legacy\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Ron Paley Big Band was founded in 1976 and has since become one of Canada\u2019s most respected jazz ensembles. Over the decades, the band has performed everywhere from clubs and dance halls to concert stages, becoming a fixture of Winnipeg\u2019s cultural life.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Looking back at the origins of the ensemble, Paley said he never imagined just how significant the band would become.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I certainly hoped it would grow, and it did,\u201d he said. \u201cI just hoped it would do what it was about to do.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Before\u00a0establishing\u00a0the band, Paley performed with jazz giants including Buddy Rich and Woody Herman, experiences that shaped not only his musicianship but his approach to leadership.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned to try to… you have to work with different kinds of people, no matter what you do,\u201d Paley reflected. \u201cAnd it\u2019s important to get along with everybody.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

That philosophy became central to the atmosphere of the Ron Paley Big Band. Beyond his skills as a pianist and arranger, Paley earned a reputation for generosity, encouragement, and mentorship.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Still, Paley views himself as both\u00a0teacher\u00a0and\u00a0lifelong\u00a0learner.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI consider myself a student and a mentor… both,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

First Encounters with the Ron Paley Big Band\u00a0<\/p>\n

For many Winnipeg jazz musicians, joining the Ron Paley Big Band was both thrilling and intimidating.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mark Kutcy recalled first performing with the band in the early 1980s while studying at the University of Manitoba.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI started with the band probably back in about ’82 or ’83,\u201d\u00a0Kutcy\u00a0said. \u201cYeah, nervous, afraid, intimidated by the quality of the musicians.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kutcy\u00a0eventually moved into the baritone saxophone chair full time and has\u00a0remained\u00a0connected to the ensemble ever since.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Julie Husband\u2019s introduction to the band came through the university jazz program that Paley directed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember the night before I was to audition, I was so nervous, I didn\u2019t even go to the staff supper because I said, I have to make sure this audition is perfect so I can get into the band,\u201d Husband recalled.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Her eventual invitation to perform with the Ron Paley Big Band\u00a0remains\u00a0one of her fondest memories.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just so excited one day when Ron called and said, Mark\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0play a concert. Can you\u00a0come and play\u00a0with the big band?\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said. \u201cThat was just so exciting.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Klowak\u2019s story also began at the University of Manitoba, shortly after Paley arrived from touring with Woody Herman.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI still remember his being there in a long coat with, I think, it\u00a0was a yellow and black striped scarf around your neck,\u201d Klowak recalled. \u201cYou wanted to meet the players who would be joining the group the next year.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

From there, Klowak\u2019s involvement with Paley\u2019s musical world steadily expanded into years of performing with the big band.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Music, the Arrangements, and the Standard of Excellence\u00a0<\/p>\n

Among musicians, Ron Paley\u2019s arrangements are especially admired for their craftsmanship, energy, and sophistication.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Klowak\u00a0believes much of the magic comes from the standard Paley sets as both performer and leader.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause Ron sets such a high standard of playing, I think he encourages all of us to do our best,\u201d\u00a0Klowak\u00a0said. \u201cNot by telling us that, but just by the standard of excellence that he exhibits both in his playing, but also his improvisatory skills of just being in the moment and reacting to what\u2019s going on around him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kutcy\u00a0also spoke about the precision and care Paley brought to rehearsals and recordings.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cRon\u2019s arrangements, the voicings and the parts are just amazing to listen to,\u201d he said. \u201cThe fact that Ron runs his rehearsals so carefully made it easier to go into the recording studio because we\u2019d been working so hard.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the same time, Paley\u2019s perfectionism kept musicians on their toes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d play them in\u00a0a practice\u00a0and then we\u00a0come\u00a0to the next practice and some parts have changed,\u201d\u00a0Kutcy\u00a0laughed. \u201cThen we go to the next practice and then a couple more parts have changed… and then the recording is tomorrow.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

For Husband, performing Paley\u2019s music opened the door to jazz itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI was a classical flute\u00a0player\u00a0and I think I went to the dark side with jazz,\u201d she joked. \u201cAnd it was just so much fun.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Celebrating Winnipeg Jazz History\u00a0<\/p>\n

The upcoming concert promises to\u00a0showcase\u00a0the many dimensions of Paley\u2019s musical career. According to Klowak, audiences can expect a program that reflects the full versatility of the Ron Paley Big Band.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019ll be his instrumental arrangements and compositions, some big band swing favorites from the 1940s, and a lot of vocal tunes that you might hear at a particular dance job that Ron would be playing at,\u201d he explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Most of the evening\u2019s music will feature Paley\u2019s own arrangements and compositions, highlighting the enormous catalogue he has built over decades.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The concert will also feature guest speakers, including Owen Clark and Jeff Johnson, while celebrated entertainer Al Simmons<\/a> will serve as host.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For Husband, the evening\u00a0represents\u00a0both nostalgia and renewal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be like a trip down memory lane,\u201d she said. \u201cI hope everyone just has a fun evening because it\u2019s just fun music and the musicians are pumped up and it\u2019s going to be good.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kutcy\u00a0emphasized the broader legacy of Paley\u2019s work in Winnipeg, noting the many internationally renowned artists who performed in the city because of Paley\u2019s connections and reputation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s quite a few players\u2026 that have come into Winnipeg that Winnipeggers have had a chance to listen to because of Ron in the band,\u201d\u00a0Kutcy\u00a0said, mentioning names such as Frank Foster, Louis Bellson, and Billy Cobham.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Perhaps most\u00a0importantly, the scholarship fund attached to the concert aims to ensure that future generations of jazz musicians continue to thrive.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Klowak\u00a0credited trumpet player Shane Hicks with first suggesting the idea of creating something lasting beyond the concert itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said, \u2018Yeah, I\u2019m all in for having a concert, but it would be great if there was something lasting that would come out of this,\u2019\u201d\u00a0Klowak\u00a0explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As for Paley, what matters most is the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make music once again.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cSeeing a lot of friends I haven\u2019t seen in a long time and playing with them,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd just being alive to do it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

More than just a concert, the Ron Paley Tribute and Scholarship Concert <\/a>promises to be a celebration of Winnipeg\u2019s musical soul. An evening where generations of performers, students, and audiences come together to honour a man whose artistry and mentorship helped shape the city\u2019s jazz scene for more than 50 years. Filled with unforgettable music, cherished memories, powerhouse performances, and the unmistakable sound of the Ron Paley Big Band, the event will not only celebrate an extraordinary career, but help ensure the future of jazz in Manitoba through the creation of a permanent scholarship for young musicians. For longtime fans, former students, and anyone who loves great live music, May 23 at the Burton Cummings Theatre is shaping up to be one of the most meaningful and memorable musical events of the year.<\/p>\n

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