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Whitney Ross-Barris

Whitney Ross-Barris is an Ontario-based jazz singer and songwriter with proud roots in the theatre. Her newest release, Curtains of Light is a genre-bending record of original music rooted in jazz but woven through with threads of soul, spoken word, classical, folk and choral music. The album reflects the full breadth of her artistic experience—intimate and expansive in equal measure.

A regular performer across Ontario's vibrant music scene, Whitney has released three jazz albums, including her self-titled EP, her full-length solo record Everybody’s Here, as well as The Bright Lunch Trio with guitarist Nathan Hiltz. She has also appeared as guest singer and lyricist on such celebrated recordings as The Art of Breath: Volume One with saxophonist John MacMurchy.

During the pandemic, with clubs and theatres either shuttering down temporarily or closing altogether, while isolating with her three young children and one obstinate cat, Whitney maintained her sanity through songwriting at her 117-year-old piano. With the support of the Ontario Arts Council and her community of fans, her new record Curtains of Light will be out November 21st, 2025.

Gear

Mics: Sennheiser E835 , Shure 55SH
P.A.: Yamaha Stagepas 150M, Mackie SRM 150
Keyboard: Roland FP E50
boom mic stand, straight mic stand, XLR & 1/4 inch cables, music stands

Whitney Ross-Barris: Curtains of Light

Read "Curtains of Light" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
March 1, 2026

On Curtains of Light, Whitney Ross-Barris offers a subtly ambitious work that resists easy classification while remaining deeply grounded in songwriting, tone, and emotional honesty. Blending jazz phrasing with a range of musical and non-musical forms, this 13-track cycle feels less like a collection of songs and more like a thoughtfully curated journal of recent years, shaped by the sensitive musicianship of Michael Shand and Drew Jurecka. The opening moments establish a reflective tone, soon brightened by “Bourgeois ...

"Ross-Barris is a fabulous torch singer, and when she lets loose, she holds the audience in her hands." – Bea Quarrie, Peterborough Examiner

"There is only the deepest of merit in the professed respect for the roots of an artform. Respect for a sound, style, and the practice of an art. Throw into this mix an influencers’ list as rounded and iconic as these names, Chet Baker, Tom Waits, Louis Armstrong, Anita O’Day, Mel Tormé, Marvin Gaye, Oscar Peterson; then further stir up the ante with a background in theater and you’re in for the spirited original artistry of Whitney Ross-Barris”. – John Devenish, JazzFM91