Kent Sangster’s Obsessions Octet

The Obsessions Octet has had a presence on the international jazz stage for over 15 years. The Obsessions Octet was founded in 2005 by Kent Sangster, a Juno nominated jazz saxophonist, composer/arranger, and his wife Joanna Ciapka-Sangster, a classically trained violinist, out of their long- held desire to make music together. Since then, the ensemble performed multiple performances all over North America and Europe: a debut concert in Carnegie Hall in 2012, completed two European Tours (2014, 2017) and was recorded by American PBS Television of their concert in Rochester in 2016 where the Obsessions Octet represented Canada as part of a Canada Council Oh Canada Series.

The distinct sound of this group is a rich fusion of classical and jazz elements, performing works by Astor Piazzolla, Maria Schneider, Chucho Valdes, Cole Porter and a collection of Kent Sangster’s original compositions. The Obsessions Octet has put out four notable recordings: “Obsession” (2006), “Melodia” (2010), “Steppin’ Up” ( 2016) “Reverence” (2019)

“Kent Sangster’s Obsessions Octet gave us a lot to obsess about during the concert—mainly how good they are. Sangster is an excellent saxophonist, and moreover, the group he assembled performed with both an infectious energy and a spicy rhythmical precision throughout the evening.”

– Anthony Aibel for New York Concert Review; New York, NY – NYCR Website