Pianist Don Thompson and guitarist Pat Coleman join musical forces to help the Cowichan Valley Hospice Society during Tuesday’s benefit concert at Sylvan United Church.

“Don comes every year for the Victoria Conservatory of Music workshop and I try and snag him,” organizer Pat Selman said of the triple Juno Award winner and Order of Canada recipient.

Thompson will be in good company with Coleman who’s a fixture on the West Coast’s jazz scene.

Powell River product Thompson is a multi-instrumentalist who appears on a dozen discs.

He’s also worked and toured with jazz royalty spanning Ed Bickert, George Shearing and Fraser MacPherson to Maynard Ferguson, Lenny Breau, Zoot Simms and Paul Desmond since the 1960s.

The freelance musician, sound engineer and teacher is a member of the band JMOG and leader his own quartet.

Coleman can’t be taken lightly either.

The U.K. native has recorded extensively, and has worked with Quincy Jones in L.A.

Coleman started playing jazz guitar in 1969 after hearing Breau.

Gigs in Vancouver clubs and bars in the 70s eventually led to joining Capilano College’s music faculty. He now teaches at Vancouver Island University.

He’s also a coveted studio player who’s penned jingles for Labatt’s, McDonald’s and other clients.

Coleman’s also written film and TV scores beside jazz record productions.

Coleman’s stagemates range from Pat LaBarbara, P.J. Perry, Moe Koffman, and Guido Basso to Tommy Banks, Hugh Fraser, Marvin Hamlisch and others.

Coleman now fronts a trio consisting of Ken Lister on bass and Buff Allen on drums.

Your ticket:

What: Hospice benefit by Don Thompson and Pat Coleman

When: July 21, 7 p.m.

Where: Sylvan United Church, 985 Shawnigan-Mill Bay Rd.

Tickets: $20 at Cardino’s, plus Ten Old and Volume One bookstores. Call 250-7434301