About the Band
“Incredible musicianship from every one on stage and unique but very musical and thoughtful arrangements on every song!”
Wild Blue Herons (WBH) are the magnetic husband-and-wife duo of Bill Sample (piano/keys) and Darlene Cooper (vocals). They embrace a broad sound from groove oriented jazz with a pop/gospel twist (reminiscent of Joe Sample and Lalah Hathaway) to intimate ballads by the great ladies of jazz.
Bill’s emotional, playful and meticulous accompaniment added to Darlene’s “rich stunning vocals, where every note is delivered flawlessly” (Tom Haugen, Take Effect ) create a warm and mesmerizing synergy.
Sharing a particular passion for song stylist, Nancy Wilson, they tug on your heart strings through their beautiful spin and storytelling.
“Pure emotion… a full on listening experience that sizzles deceptively” (Chris Spector, Midwest Record)
This husband and wife team have a deep history in music: Bill has been an in-demand sideman for over 40 years, working as musical director and keyboard player for the legendary David Foster, while Darlene has built a reputation not just as an engaging jazz/soul/gospel singer, but an educator, choral conductor and session musician too.
Bill and Darlene met through the Vancouver-based Marcus Mosely Chorale (MMC) working together as musical (Bill) and choral (Darlene) directors. Bill and Darlene found an instant connection through a shared love of theory, complex chords and funky rhythms and soon began to co-arrange and co-write many of the choir’s tunes. Often, during planning meetings, Bill and Darlene would find their way to a piano or even grab a napkin and start writing a song idea.
Mirroring their personal life, their co-working showcases a kinship and spark as they write from their own life experiences of love and loss but also a mutual concern for equality, love and compassion around the globe. (eg. Stop the Madness, It’s All About Love, If You Fall)
Formed in 2017, Wild Blue Herons perform as a duo or as a full band complete with horns at times and have played in numerous festivals (the Filberg Festival, Ft. Langley Jazz and Arts Festival, Vancouver Folk Festival) as well as various Jazz Clubs (Frankies Jazz Club - Vancouver; Hermann’s Jazz Club - Victoria, Jazz Bistro - Toronto, Vernon Jazz club, to name a few).
The group has been featured with such artists as Eric Bibb, Marcus Mosely and the Marcus Mosely Chorale, Shari Ulrich, Jane Mortifee and debuted their show, “The Great Ladies of Jazz”, at the historic Columbia Theatre in New Westminster, BC, in 2019.
In 2017, they released their first album, “On the Outside”, which they feel describes themselves - “in music and life, the ‘outside’ is where you are when you are different. Good things can happen there”. The album, featuring a full band with horns, paid homage to their wide ranging music influences with all original songs but one.
Their latest musical adventure (released November 2021) is an intimate and personal collection of jazz standards - “You & I”, weaving their own love story into the fabric of this album.
Recorded in their home studio during the 2020/21 lockdown, the album displays two musicians with both skill and sensitivity; Bill’s mastery as an accompanist shines through whilst Darlene’s classy phrasing tells the stories. This duo album was released in CD and Vinyl and the cover features the artwork of Canadian artist, Joe Average. The art piece is appropriately titled “Unconditional Love” which is their mantra for life.
Bill and Darlene are adding a new role as music contributors – that of, music promoters/producers. Starting September 2022, they are producing an exciting new music series at the 200 seat Inlet Theatre in Port Moody, BC as well as a series of house concerts at “The Herons Nest”.
Facilitating live music to their area is important to them as “it brings joy and vibrancy to the soul of the community. Music brings us together and helps us to focus on what unites us a humans … we need more of this in these times of division throughout the world.”
Music Samples
Darlene Cooper
“Darlene’s distinctive, beautiful vocals combine powerfully with the songs and arrangements to stir our hearts and set our feet to dancing. ”
Darlene Cooper (formerly Ketchum) is a singer, composer, arranger, conductor, and music educator.
For Darlene, music is about connection. She uses her soulful and sultry voice to take her listener on an emotional journey through the song. She especially loves singing Soul, Jazz, Gospel, R&B/funk covers as well as her original songs. Her passion for harmonizing and collaborating has led her to work with artists such as Eric Bibb and Leon Bibb, Shari Ulrich, Jane Mortifee, Ann Mortifee, Dee Daniels, plus other Vancouver artists. Darlene toured the Okanagan and Kootenays for 4 summers (2014-2017) with the Darlene Ketchum Quartet. Darlene and her co-writer/arranger husband Bill Sample, released their first recording, “On the Outside” in 2017 as the newly formed band, Wild Blue Herons.
Darlene is the choral director of the Marcus Mosely Chorale alongside Marcus Mosely and Bill Sample and has written and arranged music for the chorale. As a composer, the vocal freedom of jazz, combined with the rich chords and funky laid-back groove inspire her songs. Three of her songs have been nominated for awards and she released her first solo album “Soul Connections” in 2014.
In addition, Darlene is a music educator who has designed and directed music programs as well as developed curriculum for college-level music students (specializing in teaching Contemporary/Jazz music theory, Song Writing, Charting and Arranging, piano and vocal coaching). She leads Gospel-style singing workshops alongside Marcus Mosely and Bill Sample; teaching the traditions/history, the heart/soul, and the vocal techniques in singing this inspiring music.
Whatever she does, her passion is to impact others with the power of music and song. Musical success is connecting to heart and soul.
Visit Darlene online at www.darlenecooper.com
Bill Sample
Bill Sample is a composer, producer, arranger and pianist.
Bill’s career has spanned four decades and his reputation is unsurpassed. As a ‘first call’ musician, arranger, and composer in Vancouver, he is known for his versatility and ability to create the right sound and feel for any project. His passion for the music is always evident. As a jazz pianist, Bill opened for Oscar Peterson and Monty Alexander. He has 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, Bryan 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 for 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.
In 2015, Bill released an album of original instrumental jazz compositions for his trio entitled, Small. In 2017, he and co-writer Darlene Cooper, released their album On the Outside under the name of their band Wild Blue Herons. In December of 2020, he released a solo piano Christmas album entitled We Three Kings.
Bill has a degree in Music Composition from the University of Victoria and studied piano and arranging at Berklee College, Boston. As an educator at Malaspina University-College in Nanaimo, he had a young piano student by the name of Diana Krall.
Visit Bill online at www.billsamplemusic.com
