At 24 years of age, Winnipeg-based drummer Lucas Sader has established himself as a recording artist, composer, bandleader, and educator. Sader released his critically acclaimed debut album Apollo in 2012. Upon its release, Apollo was the #1 jazz album in Canada (!earshot). "Apollo reminds us of a golden age in jazz while introducing a young talent to watch" (Kerry Doole, New Canadian Music). 

The Lucas Sader Project returns to the TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival with a fresh, progressive sound. The group will feature Sader on drums, Laurent Roy on guitar, Paul Balcain on alto and tenor saxophones, Karl Kohut on bass, and vocalist Joanna Majoko. The group will perform Sader’s brand-new compositions and arrangements, along with works from Apollo.  

Sader released Apollo through Lucas Sader Music, the dynamic record label, production company, and marketing firm he founded in 2012. That same year, Apollo was awarded 4 stars by the Winnipeg Free Press (Chris Smith). The Lucas Sader Project was featured previously in the TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival in both 2012 and 2013. In 2014, The Lucas Sader Project was nominated for the Julian Award of Excellence, a national award recognizing emerging Canadian jazz artists. 

Lucas graduated with his Bachelor of Jazz Studies Degree from the University of Manitoba in 2013. As a student in the program, Lucas studied with Quincy Davis, Steve Kirby, Terreon Gully, George Colligan, Laurent Roy, and Anna-Lisa Kirby. Other teachers and mentors include David Schneider, Curtis Nowosad, and Jauvon Gilliam. Sader has collaborated with a variety of artists in his career, including world-renowned trumpeter Derrick Gardner, JUNO-nominated vocalist Erin Propp, country recording artist David James, and hip hop artist KayR.

Sader has worked extensively as a private instructor, primarily out of his own studio, and as a guest clinician in middle schools, high schools, secondary institutions, and music camps. Lucas was a keynote presenter at the 2014 Winnipeg DrumTalk Festival. His writing has been featured in dig! Magazine.

Beatmaker, instrumentalist, composer from Perth.

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