While growing up in Colwood, Jenny Ing had her sights set on becoming a professional musician.

B次元官网网址淚 started piano lessons when I was four years old B次元官网网址� That was the dream,B次元官网网址� she said.

A little later in life, Ing found herself at Dunsmuir middle school, playing tuba for her middle school band career before attending the University of Victoria for a music education degree with a saxophone in hand.

But three years ago she decided to take a chance on her dreams and headed off to live in Los Angeles. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just so much bigger than Victoria B次元官网网址� There are more people in California than all of Canada,B次元官网网址� she said, while walking down Sunset Boulevard on the fourth of July. B次元官网网址淚t was an adjustment, but it was the dream.B次元官网网址�

Ing lives with her husband, Chris Wabich, in the Echo Park area, which Ing said is close to downtown L.A. but still has a great vibe. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really nice to have a much more homey atmosphere,B次元官网网址� she said.

The couple met at Alix Goolden Hall in 2011 when Wabich was playing drums with Sketchy Black Dog. At the time she was still based out of Victoria and he in L.A.

B次元官网网址淗e was not my husband or my boyfriend when I moved down here,B次元官网网址� Ing said. But Wabich helped connect her with the right people. B次元官网网址淏reaking into the scene is the toughest thing to do,B次元官网网址� she added.

One of her first big breaks came in the form of an opening act for a stand-up comedian in a Saturday Night Live style format. B次元官网网址淚t was a great gig and we got to tour around the U.S.,B次元官网网址� she said.

While living in L.A. has been an adjustment, touring different states was also an eye-opener for the smalltown girl. B次元官网网址淚t was very interesting to go to different parts of the same continent that are very different.B次元官网网址� But, she admitted, B次元官网网址淚 love being from Victoria.B次元官网网址�

During her time in the Sunshine State, Ing has played as a backing musician or in her own band and worked with a number of big names in the industry, including Brian Johnson of AC/DC, John Oates from Hall and Oates and Jason Paige, who is a B次元官网网址済host singerB次元官网网址� for a number of hard rock and metal bands but is best known for singing the Pokemon theme song.

Ing and Wabich now co-direct a jazz quintet called Thelonious Monkey. The group was originally a duo, something Ing said was much more challenging than she expected. B次元官网网址淚n the last year we decided to make the band bigger B次元官网网址� The cool thing about that is we got to bring in strings.B次元官网网址�

Now the group is led by Wabich (drums, percussion and steel drum) and Ing (keyboards, saxophones, vocals), with Lauren Baba (violin), Irina Chirkova (cello) and bass players Lyman Medeiros, Jerry Watts and Ric Fierabracci, who rotate in the role.

While Ing spent Canada Day on her own, celebrating in a little poutine shop she found in L.A., sheB次元官网网址檒l have more reasons to celebrate at the end of the month as the group is playing their first Canadian tour to promote the release of Thelonious MonkeyB次元官网网址檚 first album as a band, Fat Baby.

Having been limited on her ability to travel home during the past year while sorting out her green card, this trip will be extra special for the couple. B次元官网网址淭his is the first time weB次元官网网址檝e played at home since weB次元官网网址檝e been married.B次元官网网址�

Two of those tour dates, July 22 and 23, are in Victoria at HermannB次元官网网址檚 Jazz Club, a spot that has special meaning for Ing and Wabich. B次元官网网址淐hris and I met when I was helping to book other bands (there),B次元官网网址� she said.

Ing would come in on the nights he was playing to listen and he would do the same. B次元官网网址淣ow weB次元官网网址檙e playing there together,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e were so sad to hear of HermannB次元官网网址檚 (founder Hermann Nieweler) passing last year. We just had to put it on the tour B次元官网网址� It is the jazz club in Victoria.B次元官网网址�

The group is also doing something a little different for their first album.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e actually releasing it on vinyl.B次元官网网址� She noted the group chose to take a B次元官网网址渟tep backwards,B次元官网网址� as she called it, to capture an authentic sound. B次元官网网址淰inyl sounds so different B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 quite the process.B次元官网网址� She added, B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e all in for vinyl.B次元官网网址�

Tickets for the upcoming Friday and Saturday night shows are $20 each.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with showtime at 8. HermannB次元官网网址檚 is at 753 View St.

katie@goldstreamgazette.com