Led by Niagara based jazz musician and educator Randy Stirtzinger, and formed in 2015 the ORGANOMICS mandate is a simple one ; to use the classic 1960’s Soul Jazz sound of organ, guitar and drums to explore the vast literature of the subsequent decades while maintaining the traditions of the original era.

Randy Stirtzinger: Hammond B3 Organ

Randy Stirzinger has been and still is to this day, a pillar of jazz music in the Niagara community. He has performed all over the region and beyond as a pianist, bass player and vibraphone player. He first discovered his passion for jazz when he heard Oscar Peterson’s ‘Hello Herbie’ album, Herbie Hancock’s ‘Maiden Voyage’ album and HH’s ‘Headhunters album’ around the of age 16. Since then he has never looked back. His first instrument is the bass guitar and later on came piano, vibes, latin percussion and then upright string bass. Some of his influences include: Milt Jackson, Cal Tjader, Tito, Mongo, Ray Brown, Don Patterson, to name just a few.

Graham Lear: Drummer

Graham Lear is a legendary drummer who has played with the likes of Santana, Gino Vanelli, Paul Anka, and REO Speedwagon just to name a few. An opportunity to hear his insight on ‘Drums and Bass’ is not to be missed.

“The anchor of any musical group is the rhythm section. In particular, the drums and bass. Nowhere is the interplay between these two more important and essential to the soloists than in jazz repertoire.
This session will demonstrate and discuss how these two instruments engage to influence jazz time and feel, in addition to setup, equipment, teachers, influences and jazz drum set technique.” Graham Lear

Roy Patterson: Guitar

Catching the tail end of the 1960s provided Nova Scotia guitarist Roy Patterson a broad palette of musical styles to draw from. He performed with local groups touring Atlantic Canada and in 1978 the 24 year old made the move to Toronto bringing along an intense practice routine and a burning desire to play. Since then Roy has performed with many of Canada’s elite, including Don Thompson, Terry Clarke, Doug Riley, The Bob Mover Quartet, Pat Labarbera and many other highly accomplished artists. His style has drawn comparisons with some of the most respected guitarists in North America, and his playing has taken him to Finland, Istanbul, Italy, Taiwan and the U.S.A.

Along the way, Roy earned a Master of Music degree and has taught at McGill University, the University of Toronto, workshops in Poland and Italy and is currently an adjunct faculty member at York University. For decades he was a regular contributor to the US quarterly, “Just Jazz Guitar.”

Roy’s interest in music extends beyond jazz to include an exploration of americana music with a jazz sensibility; part of an evolving trend that includes artists Bill Frisell, Victor Krauss, Julian Lange, Jim Campolongo, et al. Songs From My Father’s House (2014) displays a hybrid form of instrumental americana drawn from impressions of the music he heard on a daily basis on the radio growing up in rural Nova Scotia during the late 1950s, 60s and early 70s.