Chance Devlin

Reviews     (4 Reviews)

Experience

Calgary's Favourite Piano Entertainer Chance Devlin has played literally thousands of social gatherings of every size and description since 1998.
A Life of the Party with a song repertoire of over 2000 songs, he's a hit on Cruise ships, at Weddings, corporate events, Fancy soirees, Fundraisers, seniors residences and casual Living Room Sing-alongs.
Chance was the first to bring dueling pianos to Calgary back in 2001 with his "Rowdy Pianos” show.
Song requests can be made right at the piano or online using a Webform via QR Code.
Chance leads a jazz/pop trio, full party band, solo ... piano show or two pianos "dueling piano" style. always happy to take the time to learn your special song, he's flexible & easy to work with and Every show is unique.
If you're planning an Event, contact chance at Big Deal Entertainment to discuss the possibilities for live music! Read More

Previous Clients

I play corporate events, weddings, private events of all descriptions since 1998 across Western Canada.

Suitable for

Anniversary Party Awards Ceremony Bachelor / Stag Party Bachelorette / Hen Party Bar / Bat Mitzvah Birthday Party (Adult) Birthday Party (Child) Birthday Party (Teen) Bridal Shower Casinos Charity / Fundraising Event Christmas Party Club Party Cocktail Party / Drinks Reception Community Event Concerts / Tours Conference / Meeting Corporate Event Cruise Ships Dinner Party Engagement Party Festival / Outdoor Event Funeral/Memorial Service Graduation Party Grand Opening Party Halloween Party Hanukkah Celebration High School Reunion HM Forces/Army/Navy/Military Event Holiday / Theme Parks Hotel Event Jewish Wedding New Year's Eve Party Nightclub Event Nursing / Care Home Event Private Party Product Launch / Promotion Prom Night Quinceañera / Sweet 16 Party Restaurant / Bar / Pub Event Retirement Party School Event Session Work Social Club Theaters / Stage Trade Show / Exhibitions University / College Event Virtual Event Wedding Ceremony Wedding Cocktail/Drinks Reception Wedding Reception

Acting Experience

My music has been featured in two or three film/TV placements, and I acted a small role in the TV series Eureka.

Meet the Act

Chance Devlin has been singing and playing piano at parties across Western Canada since 1998. On his parents’ advice he went for a university degree as a French teacher with a minor in Music — but just never found his groove there. Chance was happy to discover he could get paid well to do what he loves, playing private parties, classy weddings and corporate shindigs around Calgary & Banff, and also Vancouver & Whistler.
Chance did not grow up in a musical home, but soaked up music like a sponge. Early piano lessons were boring. At 16 he quit and started teaching himself what he wanted t ... o play. As it turns out sheet music doesn’t always match the recording, so he spent countless hours listening to vinyl records discovered at the Calgary Public Library, picking up the needle on the record to analyze and play back what he heard: Classic Jazz like Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, and pop music like every Beatles record, and hard hitting R&B bands like Sam & Dave and James Brown, a new underground band called U2 and new sounds from the 80’s like Duran Duran and Tears for Fears motivated Chance to keep learning and discovering music.
Making the leap to full-time professional piano player happened fast. As it turns out, once you can play the piano by ear, you need very little practice time to sound like you know what you’re doing.
Inspired by a David Foster interview, he learned to “take the gig” first, then learn what you are asked to do later. Clients would challenge Chance to assemble a Jazz Band, a Swing Orchestra, a Salsa Orchestra, various dance bands and Dueling Pianos. He taught himself how to write musical arrangements for horn section and full band, so the music could come to life quickly without a lot of rehearsal time.
His first gig was to assemble a “The Livin’ In Swing Orchestra” for the grand opening of a ski lodge in Lake Louise. They went on to play swing dance parties and got a weekly feature at “Swing Night at the Palace” in downtown Calgary for two years. Regularly featured on the party scene around Calgary & Banff for the last 25 years, and now rebranded as “The Distractions Party Orchestra”.
In 2001 Chance was the first to bring dueling pianos to Calgary with his two piano all-request show “Rowdy Pianos”. Inspired by Howl at the Moon in San Antonio, he brought back what he learned and shared it with the Aussie Rules bar in Calgary. They are still going strong over 20 years later.
Chance became a solo piano entertainer long after he was a bandleader. Entertaining at the piano and taking requests live onstage wasn’t easy at first. You find out very quickly what you DON’T know when you start asking a live audience for song requests. Now twenty years later, Chance is much more comfortable entertaining without a set list.
Learning new songs has become an obsession. Over pandemic Chance learned 500 new songs, and developed a fast and effective way of learning new music.
Music producing and songwriting is also an obsession for Chance. He has three albums of original music and several singles recorded in styles ranging from Jazz to Pop to Latin and Electronic Dance, with a few placements in film/TV. His song "Year 2000" released in 1998 was a top seller on MP3.com and became a cult-hit among computer programmers pulling all-nighters to avert the highly overblown Y2K crisis.
Now fast foward to today, Chance feels ready as ever to rock any party.
But it all started with a love of Jazz & Big Band music. Seldom asked to play his own favourites for a listening crowd, Chance relishes the opportunity to make beautiful music together with his jazz hero Jeff Antoniuk.
Chance first heard Jeff Antoniuk play saxophone way back in 1995 at Kaos Cafe on 17th avenue in Calgary. It was such an inspiring memorable night, that for decades afterwards Chance wondered whatever became of Jeff Antoniuk. A Chance encounter was to happen at the Banff Springs Hotel in 2021.
Chance’s solo piano style had grown more fluid and melodic since singing was banned due to pandemic health protocols. Jeff was visiting the Rundle lounge, and he came up to talk with Chance, and the brain wheels started turning.. Okay he’s a Saxophonist from Edmonton.. who studied at North Texas.. “HEY do you know a guy named Jeff Antoniuk?” he asked. “So funny story, I’M Jeff Antoniuk” was the reply.
Now Jeff & Chance are creating their second musical passion project together, playing the music that moves them, in front of an audience who appreciates beautiful music, made in the moment, with reverence for the magic of a melody.
www.ChancePlaysParties.com
403-604-5483
Music@BigDealEntertainment.ca
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Virtual Services Offer

Online Piano Bar

I can entertain over Zoom! All set up with high-res cameras, lighting and several virtual enhancements.