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Linda Szentes and Jazzlinks is a jazz combo made up of friends who are also accomplished, improvising musicians. Linda’s core rhythm section  includes Michael Toth, guitar, Johan Worst/Mark Bender, bass, and Zoltan Kollar/Buff Allen, drums.

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Linda is an accomplished and versatile singer in many genres who has loved and listened to jazz throughout her life; she started studying in earnest with Bob Murphy, the great Canadian jazz pianist, in 2013. Linda is a musician and a singer: combined with her lyrical, flexible voice and consistent swing feel, she is a natural improviser.

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This group is distinctive for two reasons: it successfully interprets a wide repertoire - vocal and instrumental jazz hits from the 20’s/30’s to the 70’s -   and a diversity of styles within the jazz genre: classic jazz standards,  blues-inflected jazz, latin/bossa, bop, and 70’s funk. Jazzlinks also has a distinctive sound which comes from working with the same personnel consistently; warm and blues-oriented with an infectious swing feel and melodic improvising.

 

Since restrictions were gradually lifted, Jazzlinks has been busy performing in outdoor music concerts in Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge and the Mill Lake Music series in Abbotsford in September 2022; entertaining seniors in the Tri-Cities/Langley/Fraser Valley through Rick's Heart Foundation; and playing in Jazz Vespers services in Vancouver (St. Andrews Wesley) Burnaby (Brentwood Presbyterian Church) and the Fraser Valley (Northwood/Surrey) and has played in lounges (Sylvia Hotel, Mixt Lounge at the Sheraton Guildford).

 

Jazzlinks started off the year with an appearance at Surrey Ted-X in January 2024 at the Bell Centre. The group is one of the featured bands at Surrey Heritage Rail's summer music series and will be featured at Lulu Island Winery's Friday Vibes and Vino series/summer music series in 2024.

 

Jazzlinks has been recognized as a musical force in the Fraser Valley with several nominations: in November 2020, 2021, and 2022- the Fraser Valley Music Award (FVMA) in the jazz category; in Sept 2021 and 2022, the Arty Awards sponsored by the Abbotsford Arts Council in the musical performance category. The group won the Arty Award in 2022.

 

Linda was recently interviewed on CIVL radio, the sponsor of the Fraser Vally Musical Award, on the "Merry Memories" radio programs by Edgar Wilson; check out the Feb 15, 2024 @ 3pm broadcast here: Merry Memories | CIVL Radio.

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