Starting in the mid nineties, Eduardo Ottoni and James Ong were the drummer and keyboardist in the band Spygirl, a group that was founded by singer Koralee Tonack and (Music Buddy host) Jane Gowan. The group embodied the spirit of collaboration, and the members developed a deep bond that created a safety net of creative and personal freedoms.
Over time, Eduardo and James’ focus turned from being bandmates to being business partners. Working together mostly in the context of festival production, they became trusted and much-loved members of the arts and cultural community in Vancouver, BC. Their understanding of each others' work styles, and their ability to play to each others’ strengths grew over time, and in 2020, they co-founded Event Lab, a live event production company with a focus on sustainability, community, inclusivity and economic viability. Their client list includes The Vancouver Jazz Festival, The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Pride, The City of Burnaby Deer Lake Concerts, the Vancouver Chamber Choir, The Elektra Women’s Choir, Push Performing Arts, Cellar Jazz, the West Vancouver Community Arts council, and the Coalition for Music Education in BC, to name just a few.
Eduardo and James have gracefully turned a creative and joyous musical relationship into a thriving and lucrative business partnership. Their story is one of friendship, shared values, trust, and hard work.
Enjoy this conversation with three old friends as they simultaneously celebrate the past, present, and future.
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MUSIC BUDDY IS:
Jane Gowan (host, producer, editor)
Tim Vesely (co-producer/co-host)
The show's theme song, "Human Stuff," is written by Jane Gowan and Tim Vesely, and performed by Jane and Tim, with additional vocals by Steve Wright and Connie Kostiuk
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