Modasaurus

James McGowan (piano), Jamie Holmes (drums), Alex Moxon (guitar), JP Lapensee (bass)

Thank you James McGowan for donating the piano tuning!

These four outstanding musicians present a collaborative and engaging performance of original compositions. Enjoy every moment as you listen to cool grooves, compelling melodies and beautiful solo work!

The jazz-fusion quartet Modasaurus formed in early 2016 when Carleton University professor, pianist and composer James McGowan joined together with the HML trio: Jamie Holmes, Alex Moxon, Jean- Philippe (JP) Lapensee, some of the busiest musicians and educators in Ottawa, Canada.

With the name “Modasaurus,” they combine the fun yet imposing dinosaur name with “mode,” which is crucial to jazz-fusion music in its rich tonalities and sonic palettes. A second meaning - that of a style or fashion - is relevant here as well: the Modasaurus sound is a fusion of a wide range of styles, such as the Celtic-jazz fusion in “Crazy Ceilidh” and Middle- Eastern jazz in “Khaleegy.” 

About: James McGowan (PhD Eastman) is a pianist (ARCT), commissioned composer, choral conductor, organist, award-winning educator, and published music theorist at home in classical, jazz, and improvised styles. He serves as the Supervisor of Performance Studies at Carleton University (2018–), Carleton Chair in Teaching Innovation (2020–23), Assistant Director of the Carleton Jazz Camp (2011–), and Associate Professor teaching courses in music theory, musicianship, composition, and community music. He has been a clinician and adjudicator for different arts organizations (Junos, Kiwanis, Lions, Canadian Music Showcase, City of Ottawa Arts Grants, etc.), and given workshops on topics including introductory improvisation, choral singing, jazz piano approaches, jazz music theory, and managing performance anxiety. He has performed in music festivals, including the Ottawa Jazz Festival, Stewart Park Festival, Skylight Festival and Merrickville's Jazz Festival.

As a pianist, Dr. McGowan specializes in collaborative performance and accompanying, and has performed in the USA, Canada, and Europe. He performs with a number of Ottawa-based musicians, including the jazz-fusion quartet Modasaurus that features his own compositions. In September 2020, Modasaurus released its sophomore full-length album, 4K, after its debut album Two Intents in 2017. He also co-led an album with United-Church funded EvenSong Jazz quintet in 2019, and a duo album of improvised music with Dong-Won Kim (who performs in Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble) in 2018.