Jodi Proznick
Jodi Proznick is a Canadian jazz bassist and educator.Career
When she was thirteen, she began playing double bass and was taught by her father.
She won the General Motors Award of Excellence in 1993, then attended McGill University. After graduating, she worked in Montreal with Kelly Jefferson, Ranee Lee, and André White.
As a member of the Oliver Gannon Quartet in 2004, she was the opening act for Oscar Peterson. She was a featured soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, with the Vancouver Chamber Choir, and with Elektra. She accompanied Michael Bublé in the closing ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games.
Proznick is a member of a trio with her husband, Vancouver jazz pianist Tilden Webb, Trilogy, the Joel Haynes Trio, and the Oliver Gannon Quartet. She has also worked with Seamus Blake, George Colligan, Eddie Daniels, Eddie Henderson, Ingrid Jensen, Ryan Kisor, Kitty Margolis, Charles McPherson, David "Fathead" Newman, Mark Murphy, Houston Person, Jim Rotondi, and Ed Thigpen. Proznick has worked with Canadian musicians Brian Dickinson, Phil Dwyer, Kirk MacDonald, Celso Machado, Ian McDougall, Ron Paley, Don Thompson, Guido Basso, Sal Fererras, and P. J. Perry. In addition to recording her own Juno-nominated CD as a leader, Jodi has been featured on over 40 recordings as a side person.
Jodi's deep passion for education lead her to pursue a master's degree in Education at Simon Fraser University. She is a faculty member at Kwantlen Polytechnic University where she teaches improvisation, jazz theory, jazz history, popular music history, rudiments, jazz combo and bass lessons. She is the Artistic Director of the VSO School of Music Summer Jazz Workshop where she also teaches jazz bass, combo and jazz theory. She has been a guest adjudicator and clinician at many festivals, colleges, universities, and conferences across Canada.
In 2017, Proznick released her 3rd 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 features her husband Tilden Webb on the piano, brother-in-law Jesse Cahill on drums, lifelong friend Steve Kaldestad on saxophone and jazz artist and CBC Radio host Laila Biali on vocals.Awards and honors
- General Motors Award of Excellence, 1993
- IAJE Sisters in Jazz Competition winner, 1998
- Galaxie Rising Star Award, Vancouver International Jazz Festival, 2004
- Bassist of the Year, National Jazz Awards, 2008, 2009
- Acoustic Group of the Year, 2008
- Album of the Year, 2009
- Juno Award nomination, 2009
- Juno Award Nomination, 2019
- Western Canadian Music Award, Jazz Artist of the Year 2019
Selected discography
As leader
- 2006 Foundations
- 2008 Triology – with Bill Coon and Miles Black
- 2017 Sun Songs
- 2019 Stairway to the Stars - Triology
As sidewoman (selected discography)
- 2003 Live at the Cellar, Charles McPherson
- 2004 Cellar Groove, Tilden Webb Trio f. David Fathead Newman
- 2005 The Time Is Now, Joel Haynes Trio
- 2006 Run with It, James Danderfer
- 2007 Chances Are, Jane Fair
- 2007 Feel This, Kia Kadiri
- 2008 No Boundaries, Bill Coon
- 2008 Transitions, Seamus Blake/Joel Haynes
- 2010 Blow-Up, Steve Kaldestad
- 2011 Just Like That, Cory Weeds Quartet
- 2011 Down in the Bottom, The NIghtcrawlers with the Big Band Sound
- 2011 Anywhere But Here, Janice Finlay
- 2012 Sunalta, Jon McCaslin
- 2013 Live at Cellar Jazz Club, Peter Bernstein
- 2014 Change Partners, Champian Fulton
- 2014 Easy Sailing, Oliver Gannon Quartet
- 2014 Invitations, Jerrold Dubyk Quintet
- 2015 Drinky, Tim Tamashiro
- 2017 Keep Christmas With You, Katherine Penfold