The Consonance will be playing their brand of jazz-infused pop in Jasper on Oct. 23.

The band, from Edmonton, is made up of Vicky Berg on keyboard and vocals, Jesse Dollimont on vocals, Justin McDonough on drums and raps, David Riddel on guitar, Melissa Walker on bass and Sophie Heppell on alto saxophone. 

The Consonance began in 2008, after the four women and two men met at Grant MacEwan University. They are travelling to Jasper for the first time. 

“We have never played in Jasper so we are really excited,” said Heppell. 

The band recently returned from a show in Banff, where they had a great time meeting people from all over the world. They hope to have a similar atmosphere in Jasper. 

Heppell said the band appeals to a wide variety of music fans. Each individual member brings their own style into the mix for a constantly changing sound. 

“Our originals are generally a mix of jazz, pop, and soul, but it varies from song to song,” she said. “That’s why we seem to appeal to a vast audience as we are such a meld of genres.”

The atmosphere at a Consonance show is just as diverse.

“Anyone could really enjoy it, whether they are looking to dance or just sit and listen,” Heppell said. 

When outside of Edmonton, Heppell said they gravitate towards smaller venues that allow much more interaction with the audience. 

“When playing outside of Edmonton, our hometown, we can only really play small venues. It’s great though because small venues allow us to be more interactive with the crowd, while playing, as well as afterwards,” Heppell said. “There is a real intimacy that you can lose in a bigger venue. You can really connect.”

Heppell enjoys that smaller shows allow more people to be reached because the cost can be kept down. 

“Smaller shows are accessible to more people – cheaper cover so more people are willing to come,” she said. 

The Consonance toured this summer to support their latest record, Come The Day, that was released in July 2010. Jasper will be their only stop before returning to Edmonton on this trip, but the band is beginning to write new material for their next album. 

“During the year it’s harder for us to tour due to work and school etc. so we’re trying to do weekend shows out of town so our music can reach a broader audience,” Heppell said. 

The Consonance will appear at the Whistle Stop Pub on Oct. 23.