Wild Blue Herons Vancouver Album Release at Frankie's Jazz Club
Wild Blue Herons are once again flying into Frankie’s Jazz Club and this time with a brand new recording - “It’s All About Love”! The album releases on February 14th and will be available in CD and Vinyl formats as well as digital.
Come and pick up the album in person and celebrate with them!
“By the final tracks, I am fully awake, aware that this is one of those recordings that quietly reaffirms why jazz continues to matter…Some albums invite casual enjoyment. Others demand scholarly attention. The rare ones, this among them, manage to bridge both worlds, reminding us that jazz, at its best, is not a museum piece but a living, evolving conversation.” - Thierry de Compensat (Paris Move) (he marked our album is - indispensible - a must)
The husband-and-wife team of Bill Sample and Darlene Cooper - known collectively as Wild Blue Herons - return in 2026 with It’s All About Love, a soulful, groove-driven set of original music shaped by a lifetime of shared artistry. Blending jazz, funk, gospel and contemporary pop influences, the band’s third album captures the expansive sound they’ve honed on festival stages and club dates across Canada.
It’s All About Love is set for release on February 14th, 2026
With It’s All About Love, Sample and Cooper widen the lens. Adding a full horn section in 2023 sparked a shift toward a more groove-oriented, Crusaders-meets-Steely-Dan aesthetic - deep pocket, joyful energy, and sophisticated arrangements shaped by Sample’s writing. The album moves fluidly between jazzy swing, funk-driven anthems and soulful ballads, unified by themes of presence, gratitude and keeping love at the centre.
Wild Blue Herons Album Release Concert at Blue Frog Studios
Come and celebrate with us at our album release concert for “It’s All About Love” !
We can’t wait to share the music of our new album with you! It will be a rare opportunity to hear the full band!
The Wild Blue Herons bring a tight, soulful mix of jazz, pop, funk, and gospel led by husband-and-wife team Bill Sample and Darlene Cooper. An inductee into the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame, Bill Sample brings a wealth of experience, having served as musical director and keyboardist for the legendary David Foster. His credits read like a music history timeline, having played alongside icons such as Celine Dion, Ray Charles, and Kenny Loggins, and even opening for Oscar Peterson. Complementing this extraordinary resume is Darlene Cooper, an engaging jazz, soul, and gospel vocalist, composer, and educator who has built a respected career having collaborated with artists such as Eric Bibb, Marcus Mosely, Dee Daniels, and Leon Bibb.
The Wild Blue Herons’ sound is broad, embracing everything from intimate, heartfelt ballads by the great ladies of jazz to groove-oriented funk and jazz with a contemporary pop and gospel twist, reminiscent of artists like Joe Sample’s Crusaders and Steely Dan. Whether performing as an intimate duo or as a soaring full band—complete with a powerful horn section and a rhythm crew whose members have backed Van Morrison, Tom Cochrane, and k.d. lang—they captivate audiences with their world-class live show.
Catch the evolution of their signature funky jazz sound with the release of their brand new original album, It’s All About Love, available in Vinyl, CD, and digital formats in February 2026.
“Pure emotion… a full on listening experience that sizzles deceptively.”
“The interplay is sensual, beautiful and intimate.”
“Top-notch… a terrific vocal jazz recording.”
