Jack Semple And The Free Style Boogie Band

Jack Semple has been acting as the Saskatchewan Pavilion’s Music Director since September, 2009. Part of his duties as Music Director was to form a band, comprised of Saskatchewan artists. This band will entertain Pavilion guests for the duration of the Games. Members of the band include Jack Semple, Dave Chobot, Sheldon Corbett, Martin Blonski and Craig Salkeld.

Jack Semple

Jack Semple is one of those rare guitar players who leaves a crowd speechless, one of those players who leaves a crowd in total astonishment, in absolute awe of what they have just experienced. Listening to and watching Jack play fills one with a sense of having witnessed an event in time, one not soon to be forgotten. Jack Semple is a guitar players - guitar player. An absolute virtuoso of his art form Jack plays with unparalleled feeling and total technical control.

Now did I mention the man can sing? Jack has a set of pipes that are smooth as silk and as raw and jagged as rocks cutting through an ocean shoreline. His vocal talents alone are an event to behold.

Semple has played from Vancouver to Montreux, has worked for CBC radio and TV, won a Juno award, and shared the stage with a wide range of top artists, from Martha Reeves to k.d. lang. He was the 1992 national winner of the Much Music "Guitar Wars". Now, if you can't get to see him perform near you then I highly recommend getting a copy of his most recent CD release entitled "Tribute to Lightfoot". Discover for yourself the treasure called Jack Semple!

Dave Chobot

Dave Chobot has been a professional musician for over 30 years. Born and raised in Regina, he has experienced countless performance and recording situations in almost every genre of music throughout many areas of Canada and the United States. From playing small venues and theatres, arenas and stadiums, television, radio and live internet broadcast, to recording sessions in a wide variety of studio situations, large and small across the country, Dave has used his "multi-instrumentalist" talents and production knowledge to aid in the entertainment of all ages. 

Sheldon Corbett 

Sheldon Corbett, a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan music department, is one of Saskatchewan’s most active freelance musicians. He is in demand as a saxophone and keyboard player and teacher in genres ranging from jazz and blues through world music, children’s entertainment and classical to pop and rock.. His thirty-five year professional career has encompassed work in television, radio, dance, the recording studio and the theatre. He wrote and produced music for the opening ceremonies of Wanuskewin and the 1989 Canada Games, as well as many advertising and album projects. He recently scored incidental music for Home Ice at Persephone Theatre. Immediately after the Olympics he’ll be acting as musical director for Kinsmen Telemiracle. 

www.myspace.com/sheldoncorbettmusic

Martin Blonski

Martin is a graduate of "The Drummers Collective" in New York City.  He has played with the Jack Semple Band for five years, and is considered the most in-demand drummer in Regina.

Craig Salkeld

Born and raised in Saskatoon and now dividing his time between Regina and Vancouver, Craig has been a working musician for nearly 30 years. His favourite thing to do - work-wise that is - is write and arrange music. He has composed and arranged everything from commercial jingles to theme songs for political campaigns to film scores to pop songs to jazz songs to - well, you get the idea. In Saskatchewan, he has worked extensively with Saskatchewan Express, Jack Semple, and many others. He is currently working on many exciting projects with the great Rory Allen. And this past summer he was music director for a musical based on the career of Anne Murray.