Scott Roos
Special to the Herald
The Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra’s (SJO) Women of Jazz concert on Saturday, March 22, at the Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon was a dynamic celebration of women in jazz music.
The all-women, all-Canadian ensemble, chock full of award winning musicians, curated by SJO artistic director Dean McNeill, showcased a remarkable range of talent, presenting a program that featured a stunning array of original compositions, which were oftentimes penned by members of the ensemble, as well as contemporary arrangements of familiar tunes.
Prince Albert’s own Shannon Fehr, a local music educator and tenor saxophonist who currently teaches at École St. Mary High School covering a maternity leave, was a part of this landmark performance in the saxophone section playing tenor specifically.
“I just remember being terribly excited when the email came in that this was going to be happening and I wasn’t sure whether I was actually going to be on the roster for the band, because (Dean McNeill) had emailed out to a lot of people to see who was available. But I guess I was one of the chosen ones,” Fehr said when speaking to the PA Daily Herald a few days after the show.
Fehr shone in particular during drummer Tetyana Haraschuk’s composition Irpin, which was inspired by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Fehr’s emotional tenor sax solo in this piece was both respectful to Haraschuk’s thematic intent and tasteful in terms of note choice and delivery.
Prince Albert’s own Shannon Fehr, a local music educator and tenor saxophonist who currently teaches at École St. Mary High School covering a maternity leave, was a part of the Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra’s (SJO) Women of Jazz concert on Saturday.
Her playing was both intimate and powerful, embodying the weight of the piece’s emotional content. Reflecting on her solo, which she volunteered to take the day of the concert, Fehr explained, “ I figured if I didn’t do something, I was going to regret not having put my foot in the water and taking a solo.”
Another highlight of the evening was the camaraderie among the all-female ensemble. Fehr observed how different the atmosphere was playing alongside other women.
“It’s funny how I knew that we needed it, but it’s funny how we (all) didn’t know how much we needed it until we had it,” she said. “It is just a completely different atmosphere playing together with other women.”
She pointed to the emotional depth of the music written by women, noting that pieces like Michelle Grégoire’s compositions, Tara Davidson’s The Epitaph (For Mom), and Haraschuk’s Irpin carried a unique emotional core.
“The music that’s written by women is just different and I can’t I can’t pinpoint what that is about it…. There were certainly a lot of emotions flying around that stage simply because of some of the background to some of those pieces of music…. There’s just so much core to the pieces of music that they write and the way they write. It’s just amazing to play it.” Fehr said, reflecting on the connection between the music and its composers.
Fehr also highlighted the underrepresentation of women in the jazz world, something she has long been passionate about. According to Fehr, women make up less than 5 per cent of professional jazz musicians, despite their longstanding contributions to the genre.
“(In the jazz industry overall) it’s still a place where we’re looking for equality,” Fehr explained. “The ultimate goal is to …. really judge people based on what they bring musically to the table, not what they bring in sort of an exoskeleton or their…. appearance. It’s got to be so much more than that. The music is so much more than that.”
Fehr also shared her thoughts on being a music educator and performer. A handful of her students were in attendance on this night due to the Prince Albert Youth Jazz Band being present to take in the event.
“I think there is so much that we need to demonstrate for our (students) as teachers beyond giving instruction in the classroom…. I think when people find joy in music that’s what goes viral—the joy and that part of it. I think our kids need to see that that can last for life. You don’t need to be a professional player, you don’t need to dedicate your whole life to it in order to enjoy having it as part of your life.”.
Throughout the concert, the ensemble’s performances were marked by exceptional musicality. Mallory Chipman’s vocal work on Midnight Lady was a crowd favorite, with her scat solo receiving particular applause. Audrey Ochoa’s trombone feature on Snap, Crackle, Flop was whimsical and fun, while Tara Davidson’s The Epitaph (For Mom) was deeply emotional, honoring her late mother with a beautiful, moving tribute.
The Women of Jazz concert was a celebration not just of the music, but also a proverbial tip of the cap to women and the role they’ve played in shaping the jazz landscape for decades. For Fehr, it was an unforgettable experience to perform alongside so many incredible artists.
“It was just an amazing experience,” she said. “I didn’t want the concert to end.” And for those in the audience, it was a reminder of the richness that women bring to jazz—both on stage and beyond.
