Results for "Toronto"

Irene Atman

Born: December 1, 1968

“My greatest inspiration as a child came from my father's old record collection stored in a box in the fruit cellar. I listened to the music of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee and popular singers like Petula Clark and Dusty Springfield. All of the greats". While attending the University of Toronto, Irene Atman began her career as a jazz singer as the lead vocalist with the Stan Hiltz Orchestra. "One of the greatest things about singing with this big band was that some of the best musicians in the world would sub in - greats like Moe Koffman on flute and sax." "I learned a lot from just listening to these guys." Soon after, as word traveled quickly through the jazz community, Irene was invited to perform with other jazz luminaries like the Boss Brass, Guido Basso and Oscar Peterson alumni, Dave Young and Terry Clarke

Hilario Duran

A 2003 JUNO Award Nominated Artist for his Havana Remembered CD, and a 2005 JUNO Award Winner for his New Danzon CD, Hilario Durán, Pianist, Composer, Bandleader and Arranger of the first order, is one of the greatest virtuoso Jazz pianists emerging from Havana, Cuba. Hilario Durán was a member of the Arturo Sandoval's band for nine years (1981-1990). As a composer, arranger and producer, as well as a performer—playing both piano and keyboard- he toured at major Jazz Festivals around the world, sharing stages with legendary musicians such as the late Dizzy Gillespie, and composer/arranger Michael Legrand. In 1990, Hilario formed his own band “Perspectiva” which toured successfully through Latin America and Europe

Nabil Amarshi

Nabil is a Bassist and Composer/Arranger from Vancouver, Canada. Since the age of 18, He has provided the earthy, soulful low-end on numerous performances and recordings ranging from jazz, soul, folk, and pop, to world music, and orchestral settings. A graduate of Humber College of Performing Arts in Toronto, he began as a sideman with local veteran jazzmen Archie Alleyne and Doug Richardson in various groups. Since 2007, Nabil has been spending several months of the year in the UAE, where he performs with regional and touring artists as well as composes for film and media. More recently, Nabil has been developing a unique voice in his original compositions, blending uncommon instrumentation while redefining the boundaries of genre

Luis Mario Ochoa

Guitarist, vocalist, composer, arranger and band leader Luis Mario Ochoa, the Cuban-born, Toronto based musician, released his fifth album Forever Lecuona, on April 6, 2022. A tribute to world renowned Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona – known as the Gershwin of Cuba – the album features ten of some of the legendary artist’s most beloved compositions, presented in a concert style recital program. As the primary force behind the emergence of Cuban music around the world in the early 20th century, Lecuona’s compositions encapsulated the spirit of Cuban, African and Spanish influences producing a library of music across multiple genres including popular songs, piano solo compositions, as well as music for theater, ballet and opera

Andy Ballantyne

Born: June 13, 1965

A native of Toronto, Canada, Andy Ballantyne began learning music in the Toronto public school system, studying clarinet and saxophone. He soon developed an interest in jazz and studied privately with Woody Herman alumnus Steve Lederer. Later teachers included Pat Labarbara, Alex Dean and Mike Murley. Exposure to recordings of the Stan Kenton Band, Nimmons and Nine Plus Six, and especially Rob McConnell’s Boss Brass fueled an early interest in composition and arranging. Andy went on to study arranging, orchestration and composition with Ron Collier at Humber College and Phil Nimmons at the University of Toronto. Andy gained his first professional experience at Expo’86 in Vancouver playing daily for five months with the Humber College big band under the direction of Ron Collier, and went on to play in the Ron Collier Jazz Orchestra up until the time of Ron’s death in 2003. Over the past 20 years, Andy has established himself on the Toronto scene as a versatile performer on both tenor and alto saxophones, as well as a skilled woodwind doubler, arranger, composer and jazz educator

Michael Herring

Born: June 20, 1978

Michael Herring is JUNO-nominated a double-bassist and composer based in Toronto who writes, performs and records across genre lines, equally comfortable in jazz as in folk, world, and pop/rock settings. Herring is a major contributor of original music to a number of groups that he leads and co-leads: Michael Herring Quartet, a chordless two-saxophone band drawing inspiration from 1960’s jazz, especially Mingus and Ellington; Way North (New York/Toronto/Ottawa collaboration with Petr Cancura, Rebecca Hennessy and Richie Barshay) exploring folk musics through improvisation - one Ottawa Citizen top Canadian Jazz albums of 2015; Peripheral Vision, a JUNO-nominated modern-jazz quartet co-led with guitarist and long-time collaborator Don Scott

David Braid

"Braid has accomplished much for someone still in the early stages of a career. He has been evolving so quickly that he doesn't just need to be watched--he needs to be watched closely." - All About Jazz Touted as one of Canada's most gifted young jazz pianists and composers, David Braid is a Juno Award winner, National Jazz Award recipient, and has performed extensively across Canada, Europe, Australia, Korea, Japan, China and other parts of Asia. Braid graduated from the University of Toronto in 1998 and was nominated for the Canadian Governor General's Academic Medal. In 2001, the Canada Council for the Arts (JazzID program) selected and showcased Braid as one of five important young composers and jazz musicians in Canada. Braid made a relatively late entry into music and an even later foray into jazz

Fern Lindzon

Born: December 10

JUNO Award nominee, Fern Lindzon has just released her 4th CD (November 2024) as a member of  TRYPTIQUE with Colleen Allen (flute/saxophones) and George Koller (bass). Combining the fluidity of jazz improvisation with the precision of chamber music, Tryptique brings an innovative sound that spans centuries, embracing Baroque, bop, blues, and beyond, with a distinct nod to Canadian composers. https://www.fernlindzon.com/tryptique/

Lindzon is a muti-faceted pianist/vocalist/composer with a technique Whole Note Magazine called “intricate, yet commanding”, and her latest CD Two Kites, “breathtakingly beautiful.” Montreal critic Irwin Block writes that Fern is a “rare and fascinating talent”, and the Los Angeles Jazz Scene’s Scott Yanow describes her as having “a warm and haunting voice along with excellent technique on the piano and an adverturous spirit.” Fern's highly original arrangements fly gracefully on the winds of contemporary jazz.

Brownman

Born: December 2

Trinidadian-born, NYC-schooled & heralded as “Canada’s preeminent Jazz trumpeter” by NYC’s Village Voice, multi-award winning trumpet player BROWNMAN ALI stands at the forefront of innovation in the Canadian jazz community. A protégé to his teacher, Grammy-winning trumpet legend, Randy Brecker, he tirelessly leads 8 unique ensembles of his own including the internationally acclaimed Miles Davis influenced BROWNMAN ELECTRYC TRIO, and the award-winning CRUZAO latin-jazz quintet. In 2009 he launched his own Brooklyn, NY based record label: Browntasauras Records, which saw the Electryc Trio's flagship release "Juggernaut" shoot to number 3 on the iTunes USA jazz charts

Tobias Hughes

Born: April 25, 1966

I play alto, tenor and baritone saxophones. I am constantly searching for new ways to play free.* Born in Ottawa and raised in Toronto. Studied clarinet and saxophone at Northern Secondary School

Current Employment:

The Don Valley Stompers

Frankie Foo and The Yoyo Smugglers

The Vic Lawrence Seven

Bertie and The Gents

The York Jazz Ensemble

The Magnolia Brass Band

Performed with:

Loaded Dice (Dixiland Swing) 1986 Toronto, ON

Five Guys Named Moe (Dixiland Swing) 1987 Toronto, ON

Medusa's Raft (Alternative Rock) 1988-1993 Ottawa ON-Vancouver, BC