expansion
a living forest concert series 

James Meger (bass), Malcolm Jack (vocals & guitar) & Cole Schmidt (electric guitar)

A shuttering refrain, a fragment of melody lost, a pattern of words remembered just before they echo downstream. Using the surrealist songwriting of Malcolm Jack as a jumping off point, the trio of James Meger (Bass), Cole Schmidt (Electric Guitar) and Malcolm Jack (Vocals & Guitar) dip in and out of lucid poetry, field recordings, improvised drones and traditional folk structures, embodying the tangled essence of their natural surroundings. As songs shift in and out of focus, we hear the transient nature of our formal efforts reclaimed by the endless chatter of creation. The Earth Slips trio have already documented a wealth of improvised folk music, recorded live to tape at Malcolm’s home studio on the Sunshine Coast and set for release in summer of 2026.

Budge Schachte (guitar), Arista Hawkes (bass) & Karen Graves (tenor sax)

Budge Schachte (guitar)
Budge has had the great opportunity to play with an eclectic array of artists over his career including; poets, world music groups, jazz ensembles, pop artists, symphony orchestras and everything in-between. With tours in USA, Europe, Canada, China and the Caribbean. Budge co-leads the well-known eclectic string ensemble "Van Django” …with 4 CD recordings. His playing is featured on the feature film soundtracks; "Head In The Clouds”,” Eulogy" and ”Love and other Dilemmas" for which he composed, recorded and performed the soundtrack. Budge love’s living on the Sunshine Coast with his wife and son enjoying the great community, fresh air, hikes in the forest and awesome beaches!

Arista Hawkes (bass)
Arista started music lessons at a young age, taking up double bass at age 12. A road trip from Stroud, Glos. U.K. to Gambia, West Africa at age 17 played a life changing role in her musical trajectory. Her Father’s love of eclectic free jazz & later hip-hop drum n bass, funk, classical & world music was a large influence on her.  Arista went on to study At the New School of Performing Arts NYC, where she studied with many of her jazz idols including Reggie Workman, Cecil McBee and Ron Carter. In 2012 she returned to the U.K. and formed the alternative indie pop band Guillemots with which she recorded 5 studio albums and toured the world for almost 10 years. Guillemots were nominated for a Mercury & Brit award & received a gold record for their debut album Through the Windowpane. Arista is now a mom of three and enjoys life in Gibsons, B.C.

Karen Graves (tenor sax)
Local Karen Graves is a passionate and fiery jazz flautist, sax player, composer and vocalist. She has played with the who’s who of BC Jazz Artists including Brad Turner, Miles Black, Tom Keenlyside, Celso Machado and Jennifer Scott. While playing in the Banff Jazz orchestra under the direction of Hugh Fraser, Graves studied and played with Slide Hampton, Maynard Ferguson, Chucho Valdez and Kenny Wheeler.

Elisa Thorn (harp & voice), Nikko Whitworth (bass) & Madeleine Elkins (guitar)

Elisa Thorn (harp & voice)
Contemporary harpist/vocalist Elisa Thorn (pronounced eh-lee-sah) makes music that drifts easily between folk, pop, jazz, post-rock, and experimental traditions—music she likes to think of as good bath-time listening. Rooted in curiosity and accessibility, her practice embraces unconventional sound worlds while inviting listeners in with warmth and openness. This music is inspired by the intelligence and interconnectedness of the forest—drawing from the subtle communication of plants, the calls and rhythms of birds, and the deep mythologies that trees have carried across cultures and time. For fans of Bjork, Andrew Bird, and Feist.

Nikko Whitworth (bass)
Nikko Whitworth (they/them) is bassist working across the metal, experimental, jazz, and improvised music scenes. Their diverse musical career has included performances with artists and ensembles ranging from the internationally acclaimed power metal band Unleash the Archers to the experimental chamber-pop project Wallgrin. Equally at home in heavy music, contemporary composition, free improvisation, and jazz, Whitworth has developed a reputation as a versatile and adventurous performer. They hold a Bachelor of Jazz Studies from Capilano University, where they refined their skills as both an electric and upright bassist.

Madeleine Elkins (guitar)
Guitarist Madeleine Elkins writes intricate compositions at the crossroads of jazz, folk, and rock. Inspired by exploratory artists like Bill Frisell and Mary Halvorson, Elkins merges contemporary jazz with modern bluegrass and with post-punk guitar sounds. Named as one of the “10 Vancouver music acts to watch in 2026” by the Vancouver Sun, she has performed with Mali Obomsawin, Wayne Horvitz, Kaïa Kater, the Sister Jazz Orchestra, and many more diverse bands and artists. She released her first album, Brighton Train, on the Infidels Jazz label in October 2025.