The following article and photo appeared in the November 3, 2010

edition of the Melville Advance (reprinted with permission).

Retreat a treat for Yorkton's Sinclair

While many people have a view of the world of jazz, as far-reaching and exotic, some of the greatest advocates for it are right in your own backyard.  That's the case for Yorkton born Ian Sinclair, who made his first visit to the Melville Jazz Society's annual retreat last weekend.

“I started out like many of these kids, through band in school,” admits Sinclair who has many awards to his credit for his jazz piano work. “In Grade 7 I started playing in the big band at Yorkdale (School) and I see they have students here at this retreat which is great.”

Sinclair, along with a passel of other talented teachers and musicians were busy teaching new chops to students and helping them to wrap their head around what jazz is.  “I think it's great students have the opportunity to gain the awareness of what they like and to perform as well.” say’s Sinclair who is currently based in Toronto and enrolled in the Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance (Jazz) program, “I especially find it neat to do my first retreat in the area where I grew up. Right now, I'm looking at the connection between jazz performance and how it connects to the wider culture.”  As part of that program, he has been studying piano with Juno Award - winning pianist David Braid and researching the relationships between popular song and jazz tradition.

Since leaving Yorkton, Sinclair has made a living as an educator, composer, arranger and performer, featured at one point as the Artist-in-Residence at the University of Idaho and part of one of the most acclaimed American jazz programs at the University of North Texas.   Coming back to his days in Yorkton as a student, Sinclair knows how much of his musical talents began at Yorkton and later the University of Saskatchewan.  “The fact there was a well supported, well-funded program to learn about music and jazz is what gave me the opportunity and the exposure to do what I do.”   While Sinclair has been involved in teaching for several years and also performs with his own trio, the retreat experience is kind of new to him and he’d like to take in more of the same types of events in the future.  “It really has been a positive experience. I hope it has been as positive for the kids as it has for me,” explains Sinclair. “There were no  retreats for me...I formed my own band in Grade 12 and had to learn myself. This is such a positive opportunity for the kids.”

While he’s enjoying his time in Melville, he has one small regret.  “Really, two days is too short.  What the kids need to do now is take the things they’ve learned and on their own see where it can take them, but this is definitely a good start.”