Safe Travels: B.C. pianist honours late music partner Ross Taggart

In Canada's music scene, there are few pianists who play as sensitively or thoughtfully as B.C.'sSharonMinemoto.

Minemoto, a music teacher atVancouver Community College,is currently on a tour through Canada, playing music from her latest album, Safe Travels.

She wrote the album to honour the memory ofher late music partnerand one-time husband, Ross Taggart, who died after a battle with cancer.

Minemoto first met Taggartwhen he was her piano teacher at the beginning of her musical career.

"Ross was a very kind teacher, very supportive," said Minemoto.

Later on in her career, Minemotoformed theSharonMinemotoQuintet, which Taggartplayed in.Together, theycollaborated on numerous musical works.

Taggart was a beloved member of the B.C. jazz community and a founding member of many jazz bands currently performing in the province.

He was known for his swinging saxophone and piano music and thevast knowledge he had of jazz history. His famousSelmer Mark VI saxophone was gifted to Vancouver musicianChris Startup, 55, shortly before Taggartdied.

Startup waswas going toplay a series of concerts with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra using the instrument, but it mysteriously went missing during a rehearsal at the OrpheumTheatre on Granville Street earlier this year.

TheSharonMinemotoQuintet recorded Safe Travels in the aftermath of Taggart's death, and the album is full of reflection, humour and hope.

Minemoto has been playing music with the band's drummer,Bernie Arai, since they were in high school together.

Safe Travels' title track was written shortly after Taggart diedand was meant as a joyful pondering of what happens to someone's soul after that person dies.

"I started thinking more about the journey the body would take from the time it passed to whatever comes next," said Minemoto.

" ... Taking you on a harmonic exploration of what happens once you're out there and it's over for your time on earth."

TheSharonMinemotoQuintetplays the Shadbolt Centre on Tuesday, Feb. 27 andFrankie's on Friday, Mar. 2.

With files from Hot Air