Jam Session 2

Jean-Pierre Zanella is one of Quebec's most sought-after saxophonists, composers, and arrangers. A graduate of the prestigious Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York (Master's in Jazz), he launched his international career in 1982 performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival and the International Saxophone Congress in Nuremberg — the same year his recordings with the Eastman Jazz Ensemble and Saxology earned the Downbeat Recording Award for Best Jazz Group of the Year.
Over the course of his career, Zanella has collaborated with such celebrated musicians as Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn, Michel Legrand, Kenny Wheeler, and Gino Vannelli, and has performed at major jazz festivals across Canada, France, and Brazil. As founder of the Coop Jazz Big Band — winners of the Canadian Stage Band Festival — he has also left his mark as an arranger, notably crafting the instrumental version of the Montreal Jazz Festival's iconic theme, Summertime, in 1987.
Equally at home in jazz and popular music, Zanella has composed for radio, theatre, and the National Film Board of Canada, and has recorded alongside some of the country's finest instrumentalists.

Jon Gearey is recognized as one of the finest 7-string guitarists in North America, and has been an essential presence on the jazz scene since the mid-1980s. From Tokyo to New York, through Korea and the Montreal Jazz Festival, his career is that of an insatiable musician, always striving for perfection.
Settled in North Hatley since 2012, Jon and his wife Louise launched the popular Saturday Night Jazz at the Mercantile in 2022 — the beloved jazz evenings that ultimately sparked the idea for this very festival. A founding member of the festival's first edition, he now serves as President of the Festival de Jazz de North Hatley. A deeply committed educator, he currently teaches at Bishop's University and the University of Sherbrooke, while continuing to perform weekly in North Hatley and the surrounding area in a variety of musical settings.

Carlos Maldonado Cisneros is an iconic figure on both the Canadian and Mexican jazz scenes, moving effortlessly between two rich and complementary musical cultures. Having shared the stage with legends such as Marcus Miller and Tower of Power, and collaborated with international heavyweights like Ben Wendel and Greg Cohen, he brings to the festival a broad and diverse vision of jazz.
A graduate of the Schulich School of Music at McGill University (Master's in Jazz Composition and Performance), Carlos is also the founder of several bold ensembles, including the avant-garde Chocolate Smoke Gang, reflecting his constant drive to push the boundaries of the genre. A founding member of the Festival de Jazz de North Hatley, he serves as one of its Artistic Directors, bringing the same passion and boldness that defines his music to the festival's creative vision.

Eric Harding is one of Montreal's most recognized jazz pianists, with a career spanning more than 35 years accompanying many of Quebec's most iconic artists, leading his own groups, and performing across Canada and Europe. A versatile musician, he also plays drums when the occasion calls for it.
Eric shares a deep and personal connection with North Hatley — his family has been established above Lake Massawippi since the mid-1950s, making him an integral part of both the area's history and its vibrant musical scene today. It was only natural that he would name his trio Auburn, a tribute to a family legacy steeped in memory and belonging. Born in Montreal in the 1990s, the Auburn Trio first performed in the intimate lounges of the Hotel Vogue before finding new life at the Mercantile in North Hatley, a venue that has since given way to Café Bistro DuPont. A founding member and one of the Artistic Directors of the Festival de Jazz de North Hatley, it is his deep attachment to the region that guides his vision: to showcase the village's stages and celebrate the beauty of the iconic landmarks of the Massawippi Valley.