Wild Blue Herons are looking forward to being a part of the wonderful intimate concert series at Lions Den. Our band for this evening will be Bill Sample (keys /vocals; Darlene Cooper (vocals); Miles Foxx Hill (bass); Steve Hilliam (sax). We will be playing some music from our new CD plus standards from our You & I album and more.

AND the ticket includes wine tasting! See info below from the hosts:

“Join us in our cozy living room for unforgettable concerts featuring world-class talent — including Juno and Grammy award nominees and winners. Each 75-minute performance is an intimate, immersive experience that brings you closer to the music and the artists.  After the final note, linger a while — enjoy delicious food and drinks, meet the performers, and connect with fellow music lovers in a welcoming community atmosphere. Our home is easy to find, with convenient parking and no stairs for effortless access.

Once you’ve purchased your tickets, simply send us a quick introduction by email, and we’ll share our address and all event details. We’re happy to answer any questions — just reach out.”

Gergana Velinova - Artistic Director and Robert Levak - Executive Director

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.

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.”

Inlet Music Series is thrilled to host Marcus Mosely and Dawn Pemberton in “A Soulful Christmas” concert. Mosely, with his infectious gospel sound, joins forces with Pemberton, often called “Canada’s queen of soul”, for a holiday performance of soulful Christmas classics and inspiring seasonal tunes. Known for their dynamic stage presence, the pair promises a show that will move both your body and soul.

Bill Sample, a member of the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame, will lead the All-Star band. He has extensive experience as a musician, composer, arranger and musical director.

The band will be:

Bill Sample (keys/BGs); Miles Hill (bass); Randall Stoll (drums); Steve Hilliam (sax); Tim Porter (guitar); Darlene Cooper (BGs)

Ticket Link: A Soulful Christmas Tickets

Dawn Pemberton is a vibrant, soulful Canadian vocalist and multiple Juno Award nominee whose powerful voice moves effortlessly from gospel and soul to jazz, funk, and world music.

A staple of the Vancouver music scene, she has toured extensively across Canada and Europe, sharing stages with legends like Bettye LaVette and Kurt Elling, and opening for Maceo Parker and St. Paul & The Broken Bones. Dawn’s acclaimed debut album, Say Somethin’, earned her the title of “the new queen of Canadian soul.”

She is also the founder of the Roots ‘N’ Wings Women’s Choir, a sought-after educator, and host of Get on The Good Foot on CKUA Radio. With adventure, groove, and heart, Dawn brings music to life, hitting audiences where it counts and leaving them wanting more.

Marcus Mosely has sung throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, the South Pacific and Australia.  From Ralls, Texas, Marcus made Vancouver his home in 1985.  Since then he has starred in the stage productions Ain’t Misbehavin’, Black and Gold Revue (Arts Club), and Show Boat. He also created and directed It’s Time to Sing (Arts Club). In the studio, he has worked with Jim Byrnes, Colin James and appeared in the movie Twist of Faith and in  Holiday Heart as the voice of Ving Rhames. His was the singing voice of Fluttershy in an episode of the series My Little Pony. He is also a member of the award winning Sojourners (2014 Spiritual Album of the Year) who opened for Bobby McFerrin at the 2014 Vancouver Jazz Festival.  In 2011 he founded the Marcus Mosely Chorale (which performed regularly at the Vancouver Jazz Festival, Yule Duel, Festival of Trees in W. Vancouver, Vancouver Art Galley “Out for Lunch” series). In 2016, Marcus was inducted into the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame and in 2017 his CD “Labour of Love” was released.  

During the pandemic year (2020), Marcus did voice over work for Big Bad Boo Studios in which he starred as “Kenny” in their production “ABC’s with Kenny G”. This production won a Leo Award for the musical score and Marcus was nominated for a Leo for best vocal performance in an animated series.

It was also in 2020 that Marcus received the 2020 Legacy Award for outstanding achievement in Music from the National Congress of Black Women Foundation.

In May 2024, Marcus was awarded the BC Achievement Foundation’s Community Award and the Mitchell Award of Distinction, which recognizes those who have demonstrated an “unwavering commitment to elevating people around them” via work or volunteer activities.

Bill Sample is a composer, producer, arranger and pianist.

Bill’s career has spanned four decades and his reputation is unsurpassed. Bill is a ‘first call’ musician,  composer and musical director in Vancouver. As a jazz pianist, Bill opened for Oscar Peterson and Monty Alexander. He performed with Ray Charles, Mel Torme, Robben Ford, Art Pepper, Dee Daniels and Fraser MacPherson. As musical director for David Foster for 9 years, he performed with Celine Dion, Brian Adams, Peter Cetera, and Kenny Loggins, to name a few. He was music director for the Variety Club telethon from 1985 to 1995.

In 2003, Bill was inducted into the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame. In 2008, he played on the Grammy winning soundtrack Ratatouille. In 2010, he received both a Lifetime Achievement Award and Most Influential Jazz Musician from the Royal Canadian Music Project, and his band Sample Stearns Band (from the 70’s) received the Most Influential Group Award. In 2013, Bill was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. In 2014, he was awarded (along with Bob Sarti) an Ovation Award for The Raymur Mothers, a musical.

Bill started the Marcus Mosely Chorale with Marcus in 2011 and served as the musical director until 2022 when the chorale was retired.  He wrote songs and created arrangements for the chorale along with Darlene Cooper.