CHARLIE COOLEY & STAN CHANG

Charlie Cooley

Charlie Cooley is one of Canada’s most in-demand drummers. He has performed and/or recorded with such artists as Leonard Cohen, The Guess Who, Randy Brecker, Kellylee Evans, Long John Baldry, Anne Murray, Sass Jordan, Amanda Marshall, and The Blues Brothers (musical director – Paul Shaffer)Charlie is also a member of the Juno Award-winning world beat jazz ensemble Manteca. Manteca has performed in many territories around the world including The North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands (Holland), The Canadian Pavillion at Expo in Seville – Spain, The Aspen Jazz Festival, The Playboy Jazz Festival at The Hollywood Bowl and The Pori Jazz Festival in Finland.

Charlie has been the in-house drummer for many of Canada’s award shows such as The Junos Awards, The East Coast Music Awards, The Gemini Awards, The Canadian Country Music Awards, and Canada Day Celebrations from Parliament Hill (CBC)“When I’m playing music – in whatever situation – I’m thinking – what can I do best to support the music? My goal is to help the composition speak directly to the listener.”

Stan Chang

Stan has been playing the piano since he was 5 years old receiving training from the Royal Conservatory of Music as performing in Concert and Jazz Bands in high school and finally from Wilfrid Laurier University in the Honors Music program. He left the corporate world in the fall of 2010 and has since been a fulltime musician performing at music clubs, restaurants, weddings, and private functions across Ontario. Choosing to focus on his performing career, he voluntarily stepped down from his position as Music Director at The Church of Christ the King in Etobicoke in 2016 as well as giving up teaching privately. Monthly and weekly residencies include venues in Orangeville, The Millcroft Inn, and Spa in Alton, Manhattans Music Bistro in Guelph and J.Red & Co. in Brampton.

A favorite moment of his was in 2015 when he was signed to open the Opera House at the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival with drummer Erick Bruck and has since been asked to return yearly. Now collaborating mostly with Charlie Cooley, his repertoire includes blues, jazz, classical, pop instrumental and original works, drawing his playing and singing styles from artists such as Tom Waits, Ray Charles, Professor Longhair, and Dr. John.