Downchild Blues Band
“Donnie Walsh has been called the ‘father of Canadian blues’ and with good reason.”
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| Downchild Blues Band |
Canadian blues legends the Downchild Blues Band have drawn enthusiastic audiences across the country since 1969. Co-founded by brothers Donnie (“Mr. Downchild”) Walsh and the late Richard (“Hock”) Walsh, Downchild Blues Band was the inspiration for the film classic The Blues Brothers, starring the late John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, who took a guest turn on the band's most recent CD, “I Need a Hat.”
Inspired by blues pioneers Sonny Boy Williamson, Elmore James and Muddy Waters. Donnie Walsh is recognized around the world as a blues harp virtuoso with few equals, and an unusually expressive guitarist. With bandmates Chuck Jackson on vocals, tenor sax player Pat Carey, drummer Mike Fitzpatrick, bassist Gary Kendall, and pianist/organist Michael Fonfara, Downchild presents musicianship of the highest order, sharp arrangements, strict adherence to its legitimate sources, slick pacing and a steely fix on the moods of its audiences. Individually and collectively, the members have collected dozens of Maples Blues Awards, as well as a Juno for Best Roots and Traditional Album.
Ambassadors Dixie Band
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| Ambassadors Dixie Band |
The Ambassadors Dixie Band bring their high-spirited renditions of early jazz classics to our Saturday morning "Blow Your Own Horn" Jazz Parade, before opening the Saturday afternoon program in our Concert Tent. The band's seven members are well known to area audiences, performing with a variety of different combos including the Ambassadors Big Band, which closed out our Festival in 2009.
Rémi Bolduc – “Hommage à Parker”
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| Rémi Bolduc Jazz Ensemble |
Renowned as one of the greatest alto sax players in Canada, Rémi Bolduc brings his Jazz Ensemble to Port Hope to present “Hommage à Parker.”
“Charlie Parker was and will forever remain for me a true musical Genius, a perpetual source of inspiration,” Bolduc says. Bolduc's new CD “Hommage À Charlie Parker” presents nine tracks either composed by "Bird" or performed regularly by the bebop legend.
Bolduc currently teaches improvisation and ensemble classes at both McGill and Concordia Universities in Montréal. In addition to leading combos and composing his own pieces, he has worked with many other renowned musicians including Seamus Blake, Lorraine Desmarais and Vic Vogel.
Michelle Grégoire Quintet
“one of Canada's most intriguing jazz composers” – Ottawa Citizen
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| Michelle Grégoire |
Pianist Michelle Grégoire was raised in Manitoba, and she has carved out a solid reputation as a performer, composer, arranger, bandleader, and teacher. A professional musician since the age of 17, she studied at St. Francis Xavier University and Florida State University, and attended several residencies at Banff. Since earning a Master of Music degree she has returned to Winnipeg and become an integral part of that city's cultural scene.
With four powerhouse bandmates (saxophonist Kirk MacDonald, trumpeter Kevin Turcotte, bassist Jim Vivian and drummer Ted Warren), Grégoire and her Quintet have released two acclaimed CDs featuring her own compositions.
Michelle Grégoire is a Distinguished Patron of the All-Canadian Jazz Festival, and she last performed her in 2006.
The Lost Fingers
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| The Lost Fingers |
"In a music world with no shortage of Django Reinhardt style bands, The Lost Fingers stand out.” - CBC Radio
Québec gypsy-jazz sensations The Lost Fingers grabbed Platinum certification for their debut CD Lost in the 80s, with 100,000 copies sold within Quebec alone with 12 weeks of the CD's release. Trio members Alex Morissette (backing vocals, double bass), Dr. Christian Roberge (lead vocals, guitar), and Byron “Maiden” Mikaloff (backing vocals, guitar) take their inspiration from guitar great Django Rheinardt (who lost two fingers in an accident, and responded by creating his own very distinctive style of guitar playing). But when they marry a Hot Club of France sensibility to 80s hits by the likes of Céline Dion, Bon Jovi and AC/DC, they create a sound all their own.
TD Canada Trust Young Jazz Showcase
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| Kai Basanta |
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| Emma Love |
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| Paul Morrison |
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| Simon Millerd |
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| Sam Dickinson |
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| Eli Bennett |
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| Matthew Chalmers |
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| Lauren Falls |
The TD Canada Trust Young Jazz Showcase (YJS) has been a highlight of the Festival since 2002, bringing five or six of the finest high school jazz musicians to Port Hope each September for intensive workshops, culminating in two sets on the main stage at the Festival. For our 10th Festival, we present a very special Young Jazz Showcase, featuring some of the finest performers who have participated in the Showcase over the past nine years. These performers now bring a wealth of professional experience, along with training in the finest post-secondary music programs on the continent.
Drummer Kai Basanta (YJS 2009, 2010) is currently enrolled in Jazz Performance at McGill University and is very grateful to be studying with master teacher Chris McCann. He has had the great privilege of playing with such names as Bobby Carcasses, Dal Richard's Orchestra, the Yamaha All-Star Band, the Young Jazz Showcase, Max Zipursky Trio, McGill Big Band III, Anthony Braxton Sonic Genome Project, the High School Jazz Intensive, along with many others.
Originally from Nanaimo, British Columbia, vocalist Emma Love (YJS 2004) has developed a repertoire that encompasses everything from the standard songbooks, contemporary jazz, folk music, and musical theatre. She’s had the pleasure of working with and learning from Ingrid and Christine Jensen, Maria Schneider, Phil Dwyer and more. Maintaining a home base in New York City after her recent graduation from the New School University, Emma is currently pursuing work as a musical theatre performer, singing with various groups and writing original music.
Born in BC's Okanagan Valley in 1989, pianist Paul Morrison (YJS 2007) played guitar and drums before taking up piano at 12 and discovering jazz at 14. He has studied with some of BC's greatest jazz artists including Hugh Fraser, Campbell Ryga, and Phl Dwyer. He is the most recent recipient of Humber College's highest musical honor, the Oscar Peterson Award, and he has performed in the Ottawa Jazz Festival Youth Jazz Showcase.
Simon Millerd (YJS 2004) started playing trumpet when he was 11 years old, and soon became passionate about jazz. He has played in the Clifford Brown/Stan Getz Fellowship, and was recently selected as the Canadian representative in the European Jazz Orchestra, which toured Europe in April 2011. His talents have been recognized with the CBC Galaxy Rising Star Award, and the National (USA) Foundation for Advancement in the Arts Silver Award. He currently lives in Montreal and leads his own quintet performing original music.
Sam Dickinson (YJS 2009) began piano when he was 5, then switched to guitar at the age of 8. He was in the Humber College Community Music program for 6 years. He has studied with musicians like Ted Quinlan, Lorne Lofsky, and Geoff Young. He has won the Steve’s Music “Outstanding Guitarist Award” two years in a row, has received over five gold awards at Musicfest Canada, and recently received the “Rex Hotel Upcoming Artist Award”.
Tenor saxophonist and composer Eli Bennett (YJS 2005, 2006, 2007) is becoming one of the most compelling young voices on the Canadian jazz scene. Bennett has been awarded over twenty-five prestigious national and international awards, including the Oscar Peterson Grant for Jazz Performance from the Hnatyshyn Foundation, and the CBC Galaxie Rising Star Award from the National Jazz Awards. He has performed concerts with Oscar Peterson, Dave Holland, and Terence Blanchard, and was selected to perform at the Grammy Awards for two consecutive years.
Drummer, vibraphonist and composer Matthew Chalmers (YJS 2009, 2010) just graduated from Etobicoke School of the Arts and is now working towards his degree in Contemporary Jazz Performance at Humber College. Matthew has received numerous awards and scholarships including Zildjian’s Most Outstanding Young Jazz Drummer Award at Musicfest Canada four times, the MIAC scholarship in 2010 for Most Outstanding Individual Instrumental Performer, the Lou Williamson Scholarship for Most Outstanding Drum Set Player, and the Oscar Peterson Developing Artist Grant for Jazz Performance from the Ray Hnatyshyn Foundation. He currently has his own quartet and sextet.
Bassist Lauren Falls (YJS 2002, 2003, 2004) has come a long way from the small town of Port Alberni BC, and she is making a big impact on the New York jazz performance scene. Having toured all over North America and England, Ms Falls has performed at the Kennedy Center and at jazz festivals including The Mary Lous Williams Jazz Festival in Washington DC, Ottawa International Jazz Festival and The Vail Jazz Festival. She holds a master’s in jazz performance from Manhattan School of Music as well as a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance from Humber College in Toronto.
The TD Canada Trust Young Jazz Showcase is led again this year by Denny Christianson, Director of Music at Humber College.
Aspects of Oscar, presented by Dave Young, Robi Botos, Kevin Turcotte Reg Schwager & Terry Clarke
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“Who better to pay tribute to the great Oscar Peterson than Dave Young, the bassist who performed with the piano legend for many years?” – Winnipeg Free Press
Dave Young leads a fabulous band for our Saturday Night Headline Concert, featuring compositions and favourite standards performed by Oscar Peterson. Robi Botos (who thrilled audiences here in 2009 with his ‘Tribute to Oscar Peterson’ set), takes the seat at the grand piano, with Kevin Turcotte on trumpet and Reg Schwager on guitar. On tunes such as Wheatland, Cake Walk, Just Friends, and I’ve Never Been In Love Before, this all-star group reminds us why Oscar Peterson was the most popular jazz musician this country has known.
Commenting on the group's Aspects of Oscar concert in October, 2010, Oscar's daughter Céline Peterson wrote: “I have seen Dave perform many times and with various people in his group. Also of course, when he performed with Dad. This particular night was special. Watching Dave play songs that either Dad wrote or performed often, but with Dave's touch on them, was magical. As a musician, being able to pay tribute to someone by playing songs that they wrote or were known for is quite the task. Dave Young accomplished this that evening.”
Sharon Riley & Faith Chorale
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| Sharon Riley |
Sharon Riley has become one of Canada's best known and most loved Gospel artists, but her career had a difficult start to say the least. While recovering from a terrible car accident in 1990, she began working with a Toronto-based gospel ensemble that would eventually become Sharon Riley & Faith Chorale.
From those initial days with Sharon in a wheelchair, until the present day where she can be seen exuberantly sashaying across the stage aided only by a cane, Sharon has embraced both the change and the growth.
Sharon Riley & Faith Chorale were the first black gospel artists from Canada to sign an international recording contract. The group performed at the 1999 Grammy Awards, at the 60th birthday party for US President Bill Clinton, and won a Juno Award for Best Gospel Album.
TD Canada Trust Young Jazz Showcase
See bios above.
Planet Earth
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| Planet Earth |
“Planet Earth takes an original spin on just about everything under the sun. It certainly won't be long before Planet Earth funks you right out of the world you know and straight into theirs.” Kristina Koski, Pop Can magazine
Planet Earth is one of Canada's foremost original R&B/jazz acts. With an incredible lineup of some of Canada's greatest jazz musicians, this group never fails to leave the audience wanting more! Ben Riley, son of jazz great Doug Riley, is co-leader and drummer of this fabulous group alongside bassist Glenn Olive, keyboardist Dylan Heming, and singer Ron Littlejohn. Filling out the band is Tristan Clark (guitar), John Johnson (sax), Kevin Turcotte (trumpet) and Steve Donald (trombone).
Planet Earth has opened for Maceo Parker as well as for the Toronto International Film Festival two years in a row. Planet Earth has released three studio CDs plus their 2010 disc, Live At the Glenn Gould.
Influenced by artists such as Bill Withers, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Tower of Power, A Tribe Called Quest, the Roots, and many others, it is no wonder that Planet Earth have been hailed as Toronto's heaviest funk band.
Brownman Electryc Trio
“Canada's preeminent jazz trumpeter” – Village Voice, New York
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| Brownman Electryc Trio |
Born in Trinidad, schooled in NYC, and now based in Toronto, Brownman Ali is often heralded as one of the most acclaimed improvisers in Canada today.
Rising to prominence as a protégé of trumpet legend Randy Brecker, this multi-award winning trumpeter has been nominated 11 times at the National Jazz Awards (with 2 wins) and tirelessly leads & composes actively for no less than 6 ensembles of his own. As a studio musician he is one of the most recorded trumpet players in the country, with over 300 CD recording credits ranging from bebop to hip-hop to Cuban salsa to Brazilian samba.
Brownman has been on the cutting edge of modern music in the nation for the last decade, winning multiple awards nationally, achieving international recognition while touring the globe, and is widely considered to be a vanguard for the evolution of jazz in Canada.
His energized BROWNMAN ELECTRYC TRIO (National Jazz Award winners for “Electric Jazz Group of the Year”) delve deeply into modern improvisational electrified jazz, often augmented by the use of electronics, aptly capturing the spirit of Miles Davis' electric period while staying grounded in the sounds of today.
“… extraordinarily talented … a modernist for sure … a truly gifted improviser with an original creative voice” – Gary Bartz, saxophonist to Miles Davis in the 70’s
Kellylee Evans
Juno Award winner, Vocal Jazz Album of the Year, 2011
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| Kellylee Evans |
All-Canadian Jazz Festival audiences gave Kellylee Evans standing ovations when she first performed here in 2006, and again when she returned in 2007. Now the whole country knows what a wonderful performer and songwriter she is, especially since she took home the Juno Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year in March, 2011.
Her latest recording, Nina, channels one of her favourite singers, the great Nina Simone. The album came about when French recording label Plus Loin Music invited her to record an album of standards of her choice. The result is a disc of 11 tracks, which honour Nina Simone without imitating.
“Ottawa resident and singer Kellylee Evans has managed the rare feat of re-ownership, reinterpreting a series of Nina Simone standards to considerable critical and popular success.” –Ottawa XPress
The Galaxy Orchestra featuring Ross Wooldridge
“The King of Swing Meets The King of The Clarinet” - A Tribute to the Big Bands of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw
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| Ross Wooldridge |
Bandleader Ross Wooldridge leads his big band for our close-out show this year. A multi-instrumentalist, Wooldridge has appeared with many combos on our stage, including a 2003 appearance with the late Jeff Healey’s Jazz Wizards, and a 2010 set with his own sextet paying tribute to Benny Goodman.
The fourteen-piece Galaxy All-Star Orchestra reaches back to the Swing Era, when big bands filled dance halls across the continent with their lively and distinctive sounds. Two of the most famous bandleaders, Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman, were also among the most accomplished clarinetists of the past century. Perhaps no Canadian musician is better suited to presenting this music than Wooldridge, who has been nominated as National Jazz Award's Clarinetist of the Year for five of the past seven years.