Sax Player lends weight to local trio

Ronnie Cuber, a powerful baritone sax player based in New York City, is in town this weekend to add his big sound to a local trio that's starting to make waves playing straight-ahead and soul-jazz material. Cuber made his reputation with guitarist George Benson and organist Dr. Lonnie Smith and was a standout on the Mingus Big Band revival unit assembled by Sue Mingus. Tonight and tomorrow, Cuber will be blowing his horm with the group led by 24-year-old Vanessa Rodrigues. A McGill music school grad, her day job is church organist, but her passion is the Hammond B3 in a jazz setting. Rodrigues studied with Lonnie Smith, hence the link to Cuber. She has Cordell Henebury on guitar and Jean-Pierre Lévesque on drums, and the gigs start at 8:30 p.m. at l'Alizé, 900 Ontario St. E. Tickets at $20 can be pruchased in advance at tickets@canada.com or $25 at the door. Call (514) 523-0622.

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