A slide guitar heavyweight, vocalist, song shape shifter, and collaborator extraordinaire is a thumb nail sketch of Lester Quitzau’s talents. One formidable artist and musician, this west coast resident has been taking his music to audiences all over Canada and Europe for the last 38 years in a multitude of settings,and most, if not all, are memorable for a host of reasons. Lester as of late, has been creating and dispensing riveting sounds in solo and duo settings, playing major events like the Vancouver Island Music Festival and Calgary Blues Festival or intimate shows at Festival Place in Sherwood Park and the Strathcona Performing Arts Center in Edmonton to enthusiastic audiences.

Whether he’s drawing on material recorded over the years in various configurations or creating on the spot improvisational pieces with drummer Sandro Dominelli, Quitzau is dispensing sounds where, “the musical spontaneity is very exciting for us on stage and the audience” Not surprising as Quitzau’s resume is onethat has been built on new horizons and cool collaborations that go hand in hand with his gifts.A long discography is compiled with sessions that were critically acclaimed, received prestigious music industry nominations and awards (Juno’s), and now years later most of his output sounds as fresh as theday it was released. Combing through his body of work, solo offerings like Keep On Walking, So Here WeAre and The Same Light bump up against the brilliant recordings produced as a member of the Junow inning trio Tri-Continental with Bill Bourne and Madagascar Slim. The final offering from that superb crew was 2019’s Dust Dance. Then there’s the beautiful music he made with his wife, celebrated singersongwriter Mae Moore. Amidst all that activity he made time for projects with jazz aces like Kent Sangster and A Love Supreme and performed with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

Quitzau has a lot of successes, lessons, and triumphs to draw on at this point in his career, it’s obvious there is a through line of exploration and innovation that runs deep and true through this journey. Canadian blues broadcasting guru Holger Petersen sums up his appreciation of Quitzau’s talents, reminding us that“Lester’s slide playing is in that rarified category and he has that great combination of skill, tone, and studied knowledge. He’s a class artist, whose music has a direct connection to the heart and soul.” “He shines equally in performance and on recordings. Lester’s melodious and sensitive approach is driven with power and he creates an intersection of blues, roots and jazz that became the signature Quitzau sound, says Cindy McLeod, the longtime producer of the Calgary Blues Festival.” “Playing with Lester allows me toopen up harmonically and melodically while supporting the deep groove he lays down. “ Sandro Dominelli As Doug Cox, a respected musical peer and longtime producer of the Vancouver Island Music Festival has stated, “if you get the chance to see him, don’t miss out, Lester Quitzau is one of Canada’s guitar Zen masters, simply one of our finest artists.”

Sandro Dominelli is one of Canada’s most creative, talented, and tasteful drummers. Through his continuing success as a much sought after composer, bandleader, side man, and producer, he has proven to be an established luminary in the Canadian music scene. Sandro’s musical sensibilities have caught the attention of international and local blues musicians alike, who have been inspired to perform or record wit hhis influence including David Clayton Thomas, Colin James, Tom Cochrane, Jack DeKeyzer, Jack Semple,Lester Quitzau.

Most recently, having won the 2018 Edmonton Memphis Blues Challenge and placing in the semi-finals of the International Blues Challenge, Sandro has firmly established himself in the Canadian blues community. As a composer, Sandro has received a Juno nomination, 2 Western Canadian Music Awards,Canadian Music Award, City of Edmonton Arts Awards, and more. Currently, Sandro is Executive Director/Producer of Dominelli Studios.