07/16/2026
Jazz Night @ Trinity United with Brian An and Ali Berkok
Brian An, "one of Ontario's most exciting young jazz trombonists" (Mark Ferguson, Canadian trombonist and pianist) and "a compelling hard bop trombonist with plenty to say on his horn" (Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen) joins forces with pianist Ali Berkok for a tribute to the music of the legendary Thelonious Monk; pay-what-you-can in cash at the door.
An Ottawa native, Brian An (pronounced “on”) has been dubbed "one of Ontario's most exciting young jazz trombonists" (Mark Ferguson, Canadian trombonist and pianist) and "a compelling hard bop trombonist with plenty to say on his horn" (Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen). Brian's previous appearances include The Rex and the Jazz Bistro in Toronto, the Ottawa International Jazz Festival and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, and The Jazz Room and the Registry Theatre in Waterloo. He has also performed with some of Canada's great jazz musicians, including Ted Warren, Brian Dickinson, Adrian Vedady, Ethan Ardelli, Roddy Ellias, John Geggie, and Mark Ferguson. Brian has also been interviewed by CBC regarding his career and performances. In addition to his own projects as a leader, Brian has also performed with groups such as Broken Social Scene, the Ottawa Jazz Orchestra, and The Espionage Orchestra (a tribute to the music of James Bond led by Juno award-winning trumpeter Ed Lister.)
Ali Berkok composes, designs sound, and plays piano and keyboards. He has produced six albums as a leader for jazz outfit Arkana Music, and later, electro-acoustic ambient improvising group Aurochs. His solo piano album, Never Get Lost for Long, features reinvented jazz standards (“Cheek to Cheek,” Coltrane’s “Giant Steps”) and spontaneous extemporized compositions. His music for the screen includes a self-produced chamber score for Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin, short film Advances, and the comedy series You’re Never Alone (Thought4Food). Berkok’s sound design and composition credits for theatre include Carol Shields’ 13 Hands (Alumnae), Marina & The Cryptids (Silent Protagonist), What I Call Her (Crows) and Unsafe (Canadian Stage). As well, as a more recent Ottawa mainstay, he has created music and sound for The Unplugging, Benevolence, and Beowulf in Afghanistan (GCTC).
