"Jessica Heaven" by John Lyon

A dear friend and fantastic Jazz series organizer tells me what he sees in me.

John (left) plays a tune with Jess (right) at a friend's house concert fundraiser this past Fall.

John Lyon is a singer and guitarist who has worked in Vancouver, Toronto, and California. He opened the first Mission Folk Festival, and has played several other festivals, including the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island Folk Festivals. He currently performs at local venues, and hosts and books the Deep Cove Coffee House in North Vancouver.

“‘Lovely and talented’ is an overworked phrase, but it fits Jessica Heaven to a tee.”

"Jessica Heaven" by John Lyon

Jessica Heaven is a vocalist who hits every note she aims for, with perfect accuracy, beautiful tone, and often, a playful swinging sense that is the envy of many singers far older and more experienced than she is. I have seen Jessica perform many times in many settings over the past couple of years, as both soloist and as a member of the “Heartbeat” ensemble that performed at Saint Andrews Wesley Church on Burrard Street in Vancouver. I have seen Jessica perform at house concerts and at the Deep Cove Coffee House (where she is booked to do a feature presentation). I have seen Jessica perform at the student concert at the B.C. Swing Music Camp, and I have seen her perform with the big band at the North Vancouver Swing Dance series at Saint Agnes Church.

Jessica, as her Facebook profile indicates, is a skilled modern dancer, a bassoonist, and a gifted jazz singer. A graduate of the jazz program at Capilano University, she is, in my opinion, one of the outstanding young performers on the Vancouver music scene today. Her soprano voice, a tool she controls with taste and a wonderful sense of swing, has a wide range and a rich and pure timbre. She can hit those Really High Notes with perfect accuracy! Her repertoire, including her own compositions, is large and varied, and never boring. As I can attest from attending her performances, Jessica has a reputation for outstanding singing, and audiences are moved by her performances, both on barn-burner swing tunes and slow ballads.

I have also had the pleasure of several conversations on the subject of music and the art of performance, and have always been impressed with Jessica’s warmth, intelligence, level-headedness, and confidence. And---how can I say this and remain politically correct?---Show business can be cruel. A performer has to tick all of the boxes. ‘Lovely and talented’ is an overworked phrase, but it fits Jessica Heaven to a tee.

Check out the Deep Cove Coffee House's Facebook page here!