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December 10, 2022, 7:30 pm
Broadway Theatre & Live Streamed
Celebrate the holidays & give thanks ala swing with the SJO (ft. Alexis Normand)

About This Concert

Watch the live stream of this concert on demand: https://concertstream.tv/programs/swingcomfortjoy

Join the SJO in our swinging annual holiday December concert featuring local favourite musicians and our very special guest vocalist, the always stunning Alexis Normand! We have a lot to celebrate and be thankful for as a community. Come join the fun and bring the whole family as we give thanks à la swing, performing joyous and groove-filled holiday music appropriate for all ages!

Win a pair of SEASON TICKETS!

At the end of our 2022-2023 concert season we'll be giving away a bunch of free concert tickets, including a pair of season tickets to our 2023-2024 season, plus a some of other jazzy goodies. How do you win? All you have to do is subscribe to the SJO newsletter!

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Our Supporters

This show is made possible by generous support provided by these organizations

Featured Artists

Alexis Normand

(Saskatoon)
Vocalist
vocalist
/
vocals
Artist Bio

Personnel

Conductor Dean McNeill
Guest Conductor Colin Grant
Alto Sax 1 Gerard Weber
Alto Sax 2 Glen Gillis
Tenor Sax 1 Trent Reschney
Tenor Sax 2 Sheldon Corbett
Baritone Sax Sarah Suchan
Trumpet 1 Dean McNeill
Trumpet 2 Barrie Redford
Trumpet 3 Sam Boyd
Trumpet 4 Terry Heckman
Trumpet 5 Nick Fanner
Trombone 1 Spencer Kripps
Trombone 2 Erika Rybinski
Trombone 3 Don Schmidt
Trombone 4 Dawn McLean Belyk
Piano Paul Suchan
Guitar Rory Lynch
Bass Nevin Buehler
Drums Luke Newman
Vocals Alexis Normand

Setlist

Set 1

  1. Jingle Bells Composer: James Pierpoint, Arranger: Ernie Wilkins
  2. Comfort and Joy Composer: Traditional, Arranger: Rick Hirsch
  3. Cool Yule Composer: Steve Allen Arranger: Sherman Irby
  4. What Child is This Composer: Traditional, Arranger: Vincent Gardner
  5. Sans mots Composer: Alexis Normand, Arranger: Paul Suchan
  6. The Night Before Je T’aime Composer: Alexis Normand, Arranger: Paul Suchan
  7. Christmastime is Here Composers: Vince Guaraldi, Arranger: Tom Kubis
  8. Jingle Bells Composer: James Pierpoint, Arranger: Tom Kubis
  9. Yo Tannenbaum Composer: Traditional, Arranger: Gordon Goodwin

Set 2

  1. The First Noel Composer: John Gardnow, Arranger: Bob Curnow
  2. Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow Composers: Words by Sammy Cahn, Music by Jule Styne ,Arranger: Alan Baylock
  3. You’re My Thrill Composer: Jay Gorney, Arranger: Marion Evans
  4. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Composers: Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, Arranger: Alan Baylock
  5. Voir la vie de haut Composer: Alexis Normand, Arranger: Colin Grant
  6. Tous les matins Composer: Alexis Normand, Arranger: Colin Grant
  7. We Three Kings Composer: John Henry Hopkins Jr., Arranger: Carlos Henriquez
  8. Deck the Halls Composer: Traditional, Arranger: Tom Kubis
  9. We Wish You A Merry Christmas Composer: Traditional, Arranger: Tom Kubis

Song Lyrics

Sans mots
Paroles et musique par Alexis Normand

Berce, berce, petit bébé
Dans mes bras, toute la journée
In and out of tender sleep
Les secondes passent au ralenti

Quand tu ouvres les paupières
Mon cœur se gonfle de lumière
Mes yeux se noient en t’regardant
J’suis fière et j’ai peur en même temps

J’sais pas quoi dire bébé
My words all melt away
Je suis sans mots quand ça vient à toi

Berce, berce, ABC
I wish that I knew how to say
Cuddle time and cutie pie,
Peak-a-boo and lullaby.

I’ll look them all up one by one
J’le fais pour nous, ma p’tite mignonne
Berce, berce, one, two, three
Compte sur moi, tendre chérie

Je suis sans mots quand ça vient à toi

J’t’offre ma fortune
Plus grande que le ciel et la lune
La voix de ma grand-mère
Portée par ses enfants fiers

Berce, berce petit enfant
Chante fort ton bel accent
Cette mélodie coule dans nos veines
Elle suit les courbes de la plaine

J’sais pas quoi dire bébé
My words all melt away
Je suis sans mots quand ça vient à toi

Without Words
Music and lyrics by Alexis Normand

Rocking, rocking little baby
In my arms, all day long
In and out of tender sleep
Seconds pass in slow motion.

When you open your eyelids
My heart swells with light
My eyes are flooded when I look at you
I’m proud and scared at the same time.

I don’t know what to say, bébé
My words all melt away
I am speechless when it comes to you

Rocking, rocking, ABC
I wish that I knew how to say
Cuddle time and rock-a-bye
Peak-a-boo and lullaby

I’ll look them all up one by one
I’ll do it for us, my cutie pie
Rocking, rocking, 1, 2, 3
Count on my, tender dear.

I am speechless when it comes to you

I offer you my fortune
Bigger than the sky and moon
My grandmother’s voice
Carried by her proud children

Rocking, rocking little child
Sing your beautiful accent loudly
This melody runs through our veins
It follows the curves of the plains

I don’t know what to say, bébé
My words all melt away
I am speechless when it comes to you


The Night Before Je T’aime
Music and lyrics by Alexis Normand

The gentle rain and soft moonlight
Fall on the tent, our home tonight
Tucked underneath our wool duvet
Your slumber dreams the hours away
You keep me warm as you hold me through the night

Oh, what a day we had once more
The lake and woods outside the door
Where hiking trails, are just yours and mine
And wild grass smells like summertime
This feels so right; like nothing I have known before
You feel so right; like nothing I have known before

I lay awake again
Because I want to say, je t’aime
I just can’t seem to unwind
I replay us in my mind

The glowing warmth and blushing skies
Dance on your lips and dozing eyes
This morning light may soothe my chest
But spinning thoughts won’t slow to rest
Is this meant to be?
What does that even mean?
Laying here is so damn easy
Et je ne dors plus la nuit
I lay awake again,
The night before, je t’aime.


La saison de noël (Christmas time is Here)
French lyrics by Alexis Normand
English (original) version by Vince Guaraldi and Lee Mendelson

La saison de Noël
Où toutes les rues sont belles
Et décorées d’étoiles dorées
Qui nous font rêver

La neige tombe du ciel
J’entends les chants d’noël
On revit les traditions
D’anciennes générations.

Écoute et on entend
Les grelots dans le vent
Et dans les cœurs, murmure un chant
D’amour que l’on ressent

La saison de Noel
Où toutes les rues sont belles
Et on espère qu’un jour viendra
Où la paix règnera
Et on espère qu’un jour viendra
Où la paix règnera

[Instrumental solos]

Christmas time is here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all that children call
Their favorite time of the year

Snowflakes in the air
Carols everywhere
Olden times and ancient rhymes
Of love and dreams to share

Sleigh bells in the air
Beauty everywhere
Yuletide by the fireside
And joyful memories there

Christmas time is here
We'll be drawing near
Oh, that we could always see
Such spirit through the year
Oui on espère qu’un jour viendra
Où la paix règnera


Voir la vie de haut
Paroles et musique par Alexis Normand

Escalader la montagne, sortir pour changer d’air.
Depuis que l’ennuie m’accompagne, j’ai perdu mes repères.
Je marche de plus en plus haut, de plus en plus loin, de plus en plus près du sommet.
C’était le temps de m’éloigner, de libérer mes regrets.

Le sentier est connu mais caché,
Je le prendrai un jour les yeux fermés.
Pour voir la vie d’un point de vue un peu plus frais.
Je voudrais voir la vie d’un point de vue un peu plus vrai.

Plus besoin des « je devrais », ni des « j’aurais dû »
Mon cœur-boussole distrait, j’y vais l’esprit nu
Je marche d’un pas plus léger, de plus en plus près du sommet.
Je me retourn’ de temps en temps pour voir mon progrès.

Depuis longtemps la route est délaissée,
Mais je connais le ch’min les yeux fermés.
Pour voir la vie d’un point de vue un peu plus frais.
Je voudrais voir la vie d’un point de vue un peu plus vrai.

Les plaines sont une tapisserie, la ville est un hameau.
Et comme la montagne, je fais partie d’un plan plus gros
Je me sens plus près des dieux, plus près du sommet.
Quand je revois ma p’tite vie, je me promets

De voir la vie de haut d’un point de vue un peu plus frais.
Voir la vie de haut d’un point de vue un peu plus vrai.
Je voudrais voir la vie d’un point de vue un peu plus vrai.
Voir la vie de haut et voir la vie pour ce qu’elle est.

Seeing life from atop
Music and lyrics by Alexis Normand

Walking up the mountain to get some air.
Loneliness made me lose my bearings.
I walk higher and higher, further and further and closer to the summit
This was long overdue - I needed to free a few regrets.

The path is known, but hidden.
One day I will know it by heart
To see life from a fresh perspective
I would like to see life from a more real perspective.

I don’t need “should haves” and “would haves” anymore.
My heart’s compass is distracted and so I climb with an open mind.
My step is lighter as I get closer and closer to the summit.
I turn back from time to time to see my progress.

This path was abandoned
a long time ago.
But I have since learned it by heart
To see life from a fresh perspective
I would like to see life from a more real perspective.

The prairie is a tapestry, the city is a hamlet.
Like the mountain, I fit into a bigger picture
I feel closer to the gods, the higher I am, the closer I am to the summit
When I look down at my life, I promise myself

To see life from a fresher perspective
To see life from a more real perspective
I would like to see life from a more real perspective
I would like to see life from a fresh perspective and see life for what it really is


Tous les matins
Paroles et musique par Alexis Normand

Mes nièces me réveillent en sautant sur mon lit
« Matante, c’est le matin! »
Elles viennent de commencer une guerre de chatouillis
Et de bisous-câlins
On sort dehors
Et je leurs mets d’la crème solaire
On construit des châteaux d’sable
Jusqu’à ce qu’une parte en colère

Tous les matins, tous les matins.

“It’s too early for their nap,” dit mon beau-frère en me passant
Un café avec d’la crème.
Souvent c’est lui qui se lève avec les enfants
“It’s not even 8 am.”
On partage le chalet
De 750 pieds carrés
Toute la famille élargie
And another on the way

Les petits mettent la table
Même s’ils ne savent pas comment
C’est tellement beau d’voir la façon qu’on
Travaille ensemble maintenant
Le bouquet de pissenlits est
Dans le vase de maman
Y’a tout ce dont j’ai besoin
Tous les matins, tous les matins

Pépère nous apporte des brioches à la cannelle
Achetées chez Country Crossroads
On se garoche tous en même temps pendant qu’elles
Sont toujours chaudes
On se chicane pour le beurre
Mémère apporte un autre couteau
Sur le quai en pyjamas
On se lave les doigts dans l’eau

Les petits mettent la table
Même s’ils ne savent pas comment
C’est tellement beau d’voir la façon qu’on
Travaille ensemble maintenant
Y’a le bouquet de pissenlits
Dans le vase de maman
Et leurs bisous-câlins
Tous les matins, tous les matins

Tous les matins
Music and lyrics by Alexis Normand

My nieces jump on my bed and wake me up
“Aunty, it’s morning!”
They just started a tickle fight
With ‘hugs-and-kisses’
I bring them outside
And put on their sunscreen
We build sand castles
Until one leaves in tears

Every morning, every morning

“It’s too early for their nap,” my brother in law says as he passes me a cup of coffee with cream
He is usually the first up with the kids
“It’s not even 8am”
We share the 750 square foot cabin,
The whole extended family
And another on the way

The littles set the table
Even though they don’t know how
It’s so beautiful to see the way
We work together now
The bouquet of dandelions
Is in mom’s vase
There is everything I need
Every morning, every morning.

Pépère shows up with cinnamon buns
He bought at Country Crossroads
We all quickly gather round to eat them while they’re still warm
And we fight over the butter
Mémère brings another knife
On the dock in our pjs,
We wash our fingers in the lake.

The littles set the table
Even though they don’t know how
It’s so beautiful to see the way
We work together now
There’s the bouquet of dandelions
In Mom’s vase
And their ‘hugs-and-kisses’
Every morning, every morning.

Remembering Michael Brecker: Ode to a Tenor Titan
April 27, 2024, 7:30 pm
Live at the Broadway Theatre
Exploring the incredible musical legacy of “Tenor Titan” Michael Brecker, featuring Jim Brenan
Concert Details

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