“THEY SAY YOU NEED 10,000 HOURS TO MASTER YOUR CRAFT, AND I’M SURE I’VE TRIPLED THAT.”

Practice Makes Perfect

“They say you need 10,000 hours to master your craft, and I’m sure I’ve tripled that,” he estimates.

“My five years of touring 300 shows a year as an original member of the Powder Blues Band kept me in shape and gave me a good launching pad.

“Then, after I left the band, I was performing six nights a week and doing studio advertising jingles in the day, so my chops were always finely tuned.

“Nowadays, with occasional international concerts, where travel time exceeds playing time by a factor of thirty, and my weekly Sunday jazz gig at the Admiral Pub in Burnaby, I find I need to spend more focused daily time with my face to the horn to maintain my chops.

“I’m making a new album so that helps.

“Muscle memory ain’t what it used to be, either.”

Gigs And Dogs And Cars

Home time for Gabriel Mark Hasselbach is spent in the Burnaby penthouse apartment that he shares with his wife, Sylvia, and two musically-named dogs: Bebop and Tutti.

“I used to be a cat person, but my daughter Megan convinced me to get a hypoallergenic dog about seven years ago, and I can’t believe what I had been missing all those years,” he says.

“My wife and I got a second dog from BCSPCA a few years after that and there is no turning back: daily exercise for all, and lots of love and cuddles.”

Not surprisingly, transportation to and from Hasselbach’s various gigs is provided by his prized BMW 328i!

“I’ve always been a Beemer guy with numerous iterations under my belt,” he acknowledges.

“The new models look awesome and I’ll probably go electric—but just like my trumpets, I have a soft spot for the vintage ones.

“Calling my Cherry 1999 328i a vintage automobile is arguable, but I love it. It will go a million miles with that cast iron block and good maintenance.

“Good soft top, no rust, good paint and sound system—it’s a solid bet for me.”

It’s summertime and the living is easy.

And just as the weather sets your morning mood, the right tunes set the tone.

“WAVE 98.3 FM Vancouver’s Coolest Vibe” morning host Tara Jean (TJ) Stevens has been designing that musical template each weekday morning from 5:30a.m. – 10:00a.m. while waking up Vancouverites since the station launched in July 2022.

TJ's early morning energy is infectious and her love of music is apparent, whether it’s a contemporary tune, an R&B classic or a smooth instrumental.

"They all have what we describe as a groove," says TJ.

"Having a gig at the WAVE has taught me that music that gets you moving doesn't always have to be a full tilt, energetic banger. When I'm playing a song, I know in my heart I'm playing the best song on Vancouver radio at that moment, and it really lifts me up.

"Let’s Groove"

– Earth, Wind & Fire

"Earth, Wind & Fire always provides a groove that can get me going, even when I'm not in the mood. There's something in the rhythm that triggers something in us that makes everything seem all right—even when it isn't."

"Sweat"

– Alexander Zonjic

"Alexander's a Grammy-nominated Canadian flutist and the second you hear his flute it's a beckoning call to get up and start moving. It's an absolute bop!”

"Baby you’ve got what it takes"

– Michael Bublé with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

"It's been covered for decades by beloved artists like Van Morrison and Jerry Lee Lewis, and knocks it out of the park with its retro vibes. If you love the swinging sound of the sixties with a modern twist, it's definitely one to get you moving."

WAVE 98.3 is Vancouver’s Coolest Vibe, owned and operated by Durham Radio Inc., an independent Canadian broadcaster.

The station uniquely combines a rhythmic smooth groove with a mix of contemporary and classic hits, presented by the best on-air lineup in the city.