Legendary Tommy Banks and favourite CBC personality Tim Tamashiro jazzed up the Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts May 12 offering up hits from the Great American Songbook.
The two Canadian icons started performing together for the first time in 2015. They say they enjoy their partnership and even find performing together “relaxing.” Tamashiro has nothing but praise and amazement for the jazz piano styling of Banks, and the night of the performance Banks had nothing but praise for the Yamaha piano at the Dekker Centre on which he said he was thrilled to perform.
The Honourable Thomas Benjamin Banks, OC, AOE, pianist, conductor, arranger, composer, TV personality, actor, producer, politician. The multi-talented, 80-year-old Tommy Banks has had a multi-faceted career in almost every aspect of the entertainment industry in Canada. A professional jazz pianist at age 14, he went on to lead his own bands, conduct symphony orchestras around the world, direct musical ceremonies at international events, host his own long-running television show and act in film and television. He also served nearly 12 years in the Senate as a member of the Liberal Parliamentary Caucus. There are a couple of pianos in the Senate end of Parliament, he told the audience at the Dekker Centre, and he was able to play them from time to time.
Since 2007, Tim Tamashiro has been the host of Tonic, and radio show featuring jazz, new and older, based out of CBC Calgary. Tamashiro is also a jazz singer, although he says he never plays his own music on his show.
