South Surrey-based jazzer Wendy Bollard is stoked -- and sure, a tad nervous -- to share a stage with so many Lion King cast members for a special cabaret show next week.

The Monday, July 26 benefit gig, dubbed Le Jazz Hot, is designed to raise money for two worthy local charities, Youth Community Outreach AIDS Society and National Congress of Black Women Foundation.

The speakeasy-themed shindig is being orchestrated by Ian Yuri Gardner, a Whalley-raised entertainer on tour with The Lion King for its run of shows at Vancouver's QE Theatre this month and next.

In the ultra-creative and colourful musical, Gardner is a "swing" performer who covers no fewer than nine roles, including a couple principles. Last Friday and Saturday, for example, he played Banzai, one of the evil hyenas. Over the years, he's been part of Lion King productions in Toronto, New York and Holland, where the shows, naturally, were done in Dutch. "I had to learn the language for those ones," he confirmed with a laugh.

For Monday's full-costume cabaret show, conceived by Gardner and staged at the Revue Stage on Granville Island, nearly two dozen King cast members will be part of the action, with Bollard the only local, non-cast entertainer. "It's very exciting," said the skilled singer, who doubles as publicist for White Rock Players' Club.

Bollard has been buddies with Gardner for two decades, back to the time they did dinner-theatre shows together in Vancouver and Port Coquitlam.

Gardner is aiming to raise $40,000 for the pair of charities over the next several weeks, via the cabaret show and also through collections at the QE Theatre.

Tickets are $30 for Le Jazz Hot, which includes admission to a special post-performance reception with cast members of The Lion King. The show will include solo and ensemble music, dance and audience-interactive numbers in a setting of a 1930s booze can. Call 604-629-8849 for info, or visit www.vancouvertix.com.

Reunion jam at Fusion Fest

What a gas it was to hear the opening guitar notes of "Peace of Mind" as the three founding members of Grapes of Wrath took the stage for the first time in 18 years.

The reunion of Kevin Kane and brothers Tom and Chris Hooper went off without a hitch Sunday evening as the sun set on the thrilling third edition of Surrey's Fusion Festival, at Holland Park.

Rickenbacker-blessed frontmen Kane and Tom Hooper convinced Chris Hooper to again drum with the band after a few years of doing the acoustic-duo trip.

Also in the fold for Sunday's reunion date -- and probably any others that materialize, moving forward -- was Dave Genn, on keys and second guitar. South Surrey-raised Genn, a member of 54-40 these days, had time for just one rehearsal with the Grapes guys before taking the stage -- two fewer than the others. "I'm such a fan of all those songs, so it was so cool being on stage with them for this show," Genn said later. Given such little jam time, the Grapes sounded amazing.

Backstage, 54-40 bassist Brad Merritt said he was thrilled to have witnessed the reunion a couple decades after the two bands shared so many concerts stages.

Merritt has returned to his roots in Tsawwassen, and lived in North Surrey from 1979 to 1994, during some of 54-40's most productive years. These days, when not out rocking or raising teenagers, he's pitching the Decent Coffee Cosy he created as an insulating, wrap-around jacket designed to keep coffee hot in French presses (www.decentcoffee.com).

All around, Fusion Festival was again a good time for the 80,000 people who streamed into Holland Park.

Pick of the Shore song contest

For musicians on the local scene, it's a fine time for talent contests staged by radio stations in the region.

This year, the groovy Shore 104 crew came up with a Sounds of Summer song contest, and a Surrey guy is among the top-10 finalists.

His name is Zaac Pick, a Cloverdale-area singer/songwriter who moved here from Medicine Hat five years ago to immerse himself in a larger music market.

"It's great," he said of the Shore contest, "because support and opportunities like this don't come around very often."

Pick's "My Century" song got him to the contest's final round and, as a result, a slot in the SHOREfest concert series staged in Vancouver as part of this year's Celebration of Light fireworks show. With full band, he's due on the so-called Rogue Bathhouse stage at 12:45 p.m. Saturday, July 24, with Spirit of the West, Kuba Oms, Wil, Leeroy Stagger and the Wildflowers and others in the mix that day.

A rule for songs entered into the Sounds of Summer contest (some 200 in total) was that the recording be limited to the performer/songwriter and one accompanist. For Pick, "My Century" was one of his few songs that fit the bill.

The other nine contest finalists are Reid Jamieson, Robert Wilson, The Belle Game, Scott Valentine, Quest Poetics, Garrett Kato, Lindsay May, The Matinee and Headwater. All are given exposure of their songs on the radio and "Rock Enroll" education by White Rock's Dave Chesney, among other prizes. The big winner is announced July 31 (see shoresoundsofsummer.com), with the champion crowned by music-biz heavyweight judges Bruce Allen, Sam Feldman and Nettwork Music Group founder/boss Terry McBride.

Pick's debut solo album, Fierce Wind, marks a departure from Doubting Paris, the band he joined (on keys, guitar) soon after arriving here from Alberta. "I'm not sure we've totally closed the book (on the band), but we have been on extended hiatus," he told the Now.

As for his name, "Zaac" is a spin on his real name, Zach -- a product of the way the people of Denmark spelled it during tours there by Doubting Paris. And his family name rings with a bit of irony. "Pick is my real last name," he said, "but I don't play guitar with one (a pick) very often."

Also of note, the annual Vancouver Seeds contest staged by the Fox radio station recently named Stars of Boulevard, Black Hat Villain and Beyond the Fall as winners. All three bands will play the Commodore Ballroom on Aug. 27, with special guest Arkells.

Meanwhile, finalists in the latest big-money Peak Performance Project, hosted by the Peak radio station, include North Delta-based foursome Behind Sapphire and Surrey-raised Christina Maria. More on that later this summer.

tzillich@thenownewspaper.com