Back to Digital Program
EBONY ROOTS
Featured Artists:
Brandon Thornhill (Vocalist)
Carlos Joe Costa (Percussion)
Leo D.E Johnson (Vocalist/Guitar)
Olaf de Shield (Guitars/Vocalist)
Russell Jackson (Bass/Vocalist)
Benjamin Sigerson (Guest Keyboard/Vocalist)
Aaron Quibell (Sound/Production Manager)
Please see below for further details.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
(click for biographies)
Lead Producers:
Brandon Thornhill
supported by Sound the Alarm: Music/Theatre
Music Director:
Olaf de Shield
Brandon
Thornhill
Vocals/Co-Producer
African-American bass-baritone Brandon Thornhill is a well-rounded and diverse musician, performer and professional voice actor. On the opera stage, he has performed the roles of the Sergeant in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Flora’s servant in La Traviata with Vancouver Opera. Brandon has also performed as a soloist in Inferno and Eurydice Fragments with re:Naissance as part of IndieFest 2024 and 2025. Brandon performed principal roles in Burnaby Lyric Opera’s productions of La Boheme as Schaunard and Il Barbiere di Siviglia as Don Basilio. In celebration of his bi-racial heritage, Brandon co-created/ produced Ebony Roots with Sound The Alarm Music Theatre which is a project that celebrates black musicians and the history of black music. As an active voice over artist, Brandon’s voice has been featured in spots for Yahoo Sports, the Toronto Raptors, the Cincinnati Bengals, the MLB, TSN, and the 2020 Euro Cup Final. Brandon enjoys curating performances at retirement residences across the Lower Mainland.
Carlos
Joe Costa
Percussion
Carlos Joe Costa is a Latin/ jazz percussionist and flautist originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and has been performing and recording for over Fifty years. He has performed and recorded with such notables as Carlos Santana, Taj Mahal, Jeff Kashawa, Neal Schon (Journey), Elvin Bishop, Narada Michael Walden, The Trinidad Steel Drum Band, Louie Belson and many more. He’s been in Vancouver BC for over 30 years and has recorded 2CDs, African Science and Renaissance Now. Carlos has explored many genres of music but focused on jazz, R&B and Blues. He’s continues to record and perform and has been writing, performing and co- producing with original lead sing of the Ohio Players, Dutch Robinson. He considers himself a freelance artist with many more projects on the go.
Leo D.E Johnson
Vocals/Guitar
Leo D.E Johnson, (He/Them), is a Black, Trans, Scotian Rock 'n' Roll artist whose
music encompasses a unique blend of Neo Soul, Galactic Gospel and Rock n Roll. As a
captivating storyteller, Leo weaves tales of resilience, hope, and perseverance into his
performances, adding depth to his soul-stirring music. Often compared to the musical stylings of
Britney Howard, Johnson draws on their personal experiences and culture for lyrical inspiration,
crafting thought-provoking songs that explore identity, belonging and spirituality, creating an
emotional sonic experience unlike any other. Re-releasing his 3-Disk Set, LIONHEART,
QUEENBEE and FOUND BEEHIVE in November 2022, Johnson is set to release his latest
sounds in Spring 2026. Leo's work celebrates the power of connection, inspiring listeners to
think differently about themselves and their place in the world. With a passion for pushing
boundaries musically and conceptually, Leo's sounds are as ambitious as they are thoughtful,
and his live performances are nothing short of spectacular. Johnson is involved in various
artistic roles, curating and hosting events focusing on sharing the Black, First Nations, POC
LGBTQ2S+ experience. Having had the pleasure of opening for Frazey Ford at the Commodore
Ballroom in November 2022, singing on 54-40's latest album, and being a runner-up on CTV's
Season 2 of the Launch, Leo brings an unfettered level of energy and passion to every stage he
graces. Sit back and enjoy the reflection!
Olaf de Shield
Guitar/Vocals/Arrangements/Music/Director
Olaf de Shield is a Vancouver based guitarist and vocalist. Over the years he has performed with many local and international artists in venues and events ranging from the TD Jazz Festival, to the Burnaby Blues Festival, to the iconic Blues For Xmas at the Commodore, and all points in-between. Focusing mainly on his solo act and his Jazz and Blues trio these days, Olaf still enjoys expanding his horizons with the various eclectic projects that come his way. To that end, Olaf is looking forward to being part of the production entitled Ebony Roots, which will present the history and cultural significance of Black Music, in all its varied forms.
Russell
Jackson
Bass/Vocals
Russell Jackson has more than five decades under his belt as a master of both acoustic and electric bass. He’s fluent in many styles and was the first to employ the slap bass in a blues context, over time earning the moniker, “the Groove Guru”. A disciple of the legendary Willie Dixon, Russell continues to champion the tradition of the stand-up bass.
Memphis born, as a young man Russell Jackson moved to Chicago to hone his craft. He was soon hired by one of the blues city’s greats, vocalist Otis Clay. During this time, he was spotted by none other than Mr. B.B. King, who invited him to join the B.B. King Orchestra. He spent the next seven years traveling the world with the legendary ‘Ambassador of the Blues’. Memorable moments include performing with the B.B. King Band for a New Year's Eve (2016) television production of Austin City Limits, and the induction of B.B. into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame.
With dual citizenship, Russell works regularly on both sides of the border. His Austin roots go back to the 80’s, when he established himself as an in-demand session player and busy band member for Katie Webster, Lucky Peterson, Kenny Neal, Matt Guitar Murphy and Luther Tucker. It was then the original Silent Partners were formed, with Russell on bass, guitarist Mel Brown (Bobby Blue Bland Band), and drummer Tony Coleman (B.B. King Band). The trio recorded an album If It’s All Night, It’s All Right (1989), on the famed Antone’s record label. Silent Partners also toured with Charlie Musselwhite for six months in (1987). From 1989-90, Russell toured with Youngbloods Of the Blues, (Kenny Neal, Lucky Peterson, Tony Coleman and Boney Fields), opening for Buddy Guy. In Canada, Russell has been a fixture on the scene since the early 90’s, spending 1993-94 with the Powder Blues Band. He tours Canada regularly with his Russell Jackson Band, and can also be found touring globally with Canadian based blues & boogie giant, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne.
Russell’s solo releases feature all originals, including The Alley Man (1994), Becoming Blue (1999) and Have Mercy (2007). He’s also heard on numerous notable artist’s albums, including Otis Clay, B.B. King, Albert Collins, Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Kenny Neal, Luther Tucker, Long John Baldry, Frankie Lee, and Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, among them.
In 2021, Russell Jackson and Tony Coleman, two founding members of Silent Partners, reunited to create a sound that has become a foundation for many artists’ recordings and tours. The reinvigorated Silent Partners hit the studio to create Changing Times (2022). The album hit the top of the charts and was nominated for Blues Blast’s Contemporary Blues Album of the Year and the Sean Costello Rising Star Award, while Russell was nominated Bass Player of the Year and Tony Coleman for Drummer of the Year.
An in demand session player, Russell is equally at home in the studio or providing bass tracks remotely. His long and lengthy discography is a testimony to the huge library of music (and still growing) featuring Russell on bass.
Russell’s been sought out to be a Music Director in a number of settings, including his work with Touring Chicago Bluesfest from 2005-10 that featured Willie Hayes, Shakura S’Aida, Tasha Taylor, Wayne Baker Brooks, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, Eddie Taylor Jr. Wilbert Crosby, James Armstrong, Sandra Hall, D.C. Bellamey and more.
Benjamin
Sigerson
Keyboards
Benjamin Sigerson is a composer and jazz pianist from Vancouver, B.C. A recipient of a Bachelor’s in Music Composition from McGill University in Montréal, having studied with Brian Chereny and Christine Jensen, and a Bachelor’s in Education from Simon Fraser University. Sigerson has won several awards for his compositions in both classical and jazz idioms, and his pieces have been performed internationally on concert stages, jazz clubs, and in recording studios. Sigerson has served as composer-in-residence for ensembles such as the Halifax Camerata Singers in Halifax NS and Coastal Sound Music Academy in Coquitlam BC, and has been commissioned by choirs and ensembles across the country. As a pianist, Sigerson has shared the stage with Canadian jazz greats like Cory Weeds, Kevin Dean, Jim Doxas, Campbell Ryga, Ira Coleman, and many others. His playing is featured on several albums, including a recent project as a leader funded by the Canada Council for the Arts for a five-keyboard jazz ensemble titled “The Forest for the Trees”, released on the Cellar Live label. In addition to his work in writing and performing, he is an active educator, teaching privately and delivering workshops and masterclasses, and in the Coquitlam school district. He also serves as the music director at St. Alban’s Anglican Church in Richmond BC. Being a biracial Korean-Canadian artist based in BC, his music is inspired by relationships between land and heritage, and a practice of moving beyond boundaries.
Aaron Quibell
Sound/Production Manager