BC Renaissance jazz fair

2010 Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fair

The 2010 Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fair will be taking place SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2010. The fair will be held at Peace Theatre, 305 Dawes Road, Toronto, ON. CANADA Cost: $20.00 at the door. The event is by Private Invitation Only. You will need to be on the guest list to attend and please rsvp by emailing: brenda carol One night only! Doors open at 7:00 pm for hospitality and seating. All Ages Event.

* Note to guests: There is a pylon with balloons at the foot of the driveway. Please park in the lot just before the driveway (our overflow parking lot).

Up-and-coming young jazz artists featured include singers: JANICE HAWKE, SUZANNE MALLET, HALEY SMALL, JEN SAGAR, MELISSA LAUREN with guitarist NATHAN HILTZ, bassist GEORGE KOLLER, pianist STEPHEN GARDNER, saxman ROB CHRISTIAN, trumpeter BROWNMAN, guitarist MARK SEPIC, percussionist RICK SHADRACH LAZAR and BRENDA CAROL. The series is presented by noted jazz artist Brenda Carol and Long & McQuade’s JON LONG.

The jazz fair is proud to be exhibiting the new contemporary landscape paintings of JUDY GIBBS. Born in Smith Falls, Judy learned about nature from her Grandfathers in the Ottawa Valley. She began painting at age 7 and was inspired to do so by her father who was a very skilled painter. Her landscapes share with us Judy's freedom in expressing the moods of Eastern Canada, most beautifully. www.jagibbsoriginalart.com

Details about the Featured Performers of the 2010 BCRJF:

Featured guitarist Nathan Hiltz was raised in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. His first musical experiences were in church choirs and piano lessons with the organist. At the age of twelve he began writing folk songs on a flat-top guitar. As a teenager in Halifax Nathan became involved in the high school jazz band and studied privately with local jazz legends Ross Anderson, Jerry Granelli, and Don Palmer. Nathan continued his studies in Toronto at Humber College where he received the Peter Harris Award for Guitarist of the Year and the Duke Ellington Award for Excellence. Nathan Hiltz will be featuring his lastest recording project material from The Griffith Hiltz Trio - "now & then".

Featured bassist George Koller (Bassist/Composer/Producer/Multi-Instrumentalist) has accumulated hundreds of wildly diverse performing and recording credits in his expansive musical career: The Shuffle Demons, Phil Woods, Peter Gabriel, Loreena McKennitt, Bruce Cockburn, Holly Cole, Ian Tyson, Marc Jordan to name only a few. A prolific composer and producer, yet recognized primarily as a bass player, George also plays a variety of instruments; many featured on his award-winning(HMV “fresh blood” grand prize) solo CD,"Music for Plants, Animals, and Humans". He has performance and/or producer credits on on over 500 cds . George has toured for 11 years with Holly Cole. He has also toured and recorded with Ken Whiteley, Sharlene Wallace, Julie Michels, Joe Sealy, Carol Welsman, Valdy, and many others. He has also produced artists such as (Amanda Martinez, Eliana Cuevas Deanna Knight, Andrée Bernard, Julie Michels, Patricia O’Callaghan and The Toronto Tabla Ensemble). George is continually composing new music (guitar, voice chants), and appearing on many new recordings. . Most recently, he has also produced music for Yoga, and Indian Classical music artists. His playing of Indian stringed Instruments: Sitar, Sarode, Tanpura, and the violin-like Esraj and Dilbruba are featured in the motion pictures "Such a long Journey" and "Possible Worlds", and on Loreena McKennitt, Jane Siberry and Bruce Cockburn recordings. Recent activities include touring Canada with Joe Sealy and Cindy Church, with their recording "The Nearness of You... the Songs of Hoagy Carmichael". He continues to produce concerts and recordings in the jazz, world and Indian Classical music styles, and is composing new east-west fusion music. George was presented with the 2007 national jazz award for “bassist of the year” and is currently performing with his own quintet. George Koller will be featuring and promoting his lastest recordings: "Travelin Light", "India", "Breathing for Relaxation" & "Music for Plants, Animals, and Humans". http://www.myspace.com/georgekoller

 

Rick Shadrach Lazar — Rick was voted Percussionist of the Year in 2000,1999,1997 and 1996 by Jazz Report magazine and has released 3 CDs with his own group Montuno Police: Bang 1990, Juno-nominee Touch 1995 (Best Contemporary Jazz Album), The Call - Live in 1999, which features special guest Randy Brecker on trumpet.

Rick has worked/recorded with the likes of Bruce Cockburn, Barry White, Paul Shaffer, Brian Hughes, Blues Brothers, Vuja De, Levon Ichkhanian, as well as being a regular collaborator with Loreena McKennitt on five of her CDs, including her Juno winner, The Visit and Book of Secrets, which was No.#1 on Billboard's World Music Charts.

Rick is also the creator and artistic director of Samba Squad, a sizzling group of 30 percussionists, forging new traditions in Brazilian " batucada."

Rick also instructs Latin Ensembles at Humber College of Music, and is kept busy doing a variety of live and studio gigs.

Rick's knowledge of world drums and music combines with his passionate energy to create a unique percussionist who is first call for a diverse array of artists.

Canadian born Lazar descends from the ancient Assyrian people & his Middle Eastern musical roots can be heard in his Afro-Latin-New World Fusions.

Rick received his first musical instruction in his hometown, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada from his father who gave him lessons on piano and woodwinds. In high school Rick got seriously into drums and percussion and soon co-led the most popular band in town with his good friend Paul Shaffer of David Letterman fame.

After getting his B.A. (History major) from Lakehead University, Rick studied percussion at Indiana University's famed school of music and soon found himself in I.U.'s renowned University Jazz Band, which included Peter Erskine on drums.

After university, Rick played with innovative funk and fusion groups in the mid-west, as well as touring the U.S. as percussionist with Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra.

Returning to Canada, Rick established himself in Toronto, performing with jazz fusion band, Manteca, and doing a variety of record dates, film sessions and jingles.

In the early 80's, Rick formed Coconut Groove, a high-energy dance band featuring ground-breaking "World Beat & Jazz Rap" . This exciting group was a pivotal force on the Toronto music scene and its creative influences can still be heard today.

In 1987, Rick formed the Montuno Police, a six piece instrumental band which combines strong original compositions, wicked grooves, and creative interplay that takes it to the edge. MP wowed audiences in appearances at the Du Maurier Toronto and Montreal International Jazz Festivals.

In 1990, Lazar began his musical association with Loreena Mckennitt. Since then he has become a regular collaborator, adding his musical talents to 4 of her C.D.'s [including Juno award winner "The Visit"] as well as being an integral part of the musical group that accompanies her on her world tours.

Having established a reputation as a clinician by giving informative and exciting workshops in world music drumming styles (Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and Arabic), Lazar became a music educator in 1996 when he joined the percussion faculty at the Humber College of Music (Toronto) as an instructor, leading Latin Music Ensembles.
http://www.vervemusicgroup.com/artist/default.aspx?aid=7124
http://www.sambasquad.com/
http://www.montunopolice.com/shadrach.html

Brownman - trumpet
Born 'Nick Ali' on the small Caribbean island of Trinidad, the multiple award winning Brownman is the NYC-schooled protégé to his teacher, Grammy-winning trumpet legend Randy Brecker. In the spirit of supreme trumpet genre-crossing visionaries such as Brecker and Miles Davis, he tirelessly leads and composes actively for no less than 6 ensembles of his own and is a musical director and/or featured soloist in countless others; testament to his unparalleled diversity of musical vision and skills making him one of Canada's most in demand session calls for both Universal and Sony recording studios in forms of music ranging from be-bop to hip-hop. As a featured soloist he has appeared with Canada's leading Latin, urban, hiphop, reggae, island and DJ artists in addition to his foundational jazz milieu. With just under 150 recording credits to his name - many of these albums having won or been nominated for Junos (Canada's Grammy) - he is considered to be one of the most unique and provocative improvising trumpet players on the scene today, recently being called "Canada's preeminent jazz trumpeter" by NYC's Village Voice.

As a leader his group CRUZAO has toured this country's jazz festival and club circuit extensively and has been called by the Globe and Mail "the most in demand jazz ensemble of 2002". Europe welcomed the NICK ALI TRIO in 2002 & 2003 and the BROWNMAN ELECTRYC TRIO in 2004 as the group toured the continent and recorded 2 records released on European labels. 2005 would see an extensive Canadian touring in early months of the year and the later with a South American tour beginning in Cuba. At the personal invitation of legendary pianist Chucho Valdes, he would represent Canada at the Havana Jazz Festival; leading CRUZAO HAVANA comprised of an all-Cuban rhythm section featuring members of the essential Afro-Cuban ensemble IRAKERE performing original Brownman compositions as recorded by his multi-award winning Justin Time Records signed latin-jazz outfit - CRUZAO. This performance marked the beginning of a two month extensive tour of South and Central America concluding with a gig with GARY BARTZ in Belize and a recording session in Cuba with legendary timba group CHISPA Y LOS COMPLICES. Brownman is currently recording a second release with CRUZAO, simultaneous to a recording of his energized Miles Davis influenced ELECTRYC TRIO.

Brownman has performed (or recorded) with the likes of Wayne Shorter, Randy Brecker, Charlie Hunter, John Scofield, Soulive, Fertile Ground, Kenny Wheeler, Hugh Fraser, Don Thompson, Kirk Macdonald, Pat Labarbera, Dave Restivo, Dave Young, Stich Wynston, Kelly Jefferson, Quincin Nachoff, Rita Di Ghent, Philosopher Kings, Kyprios, Rikoshay, K-OS, Pocket Dwellers, Divine Brown, Grüvoria, Juke Joint, One Step Beyond, Kush, Jason Wilson, Tabarruk, D'bi Young, Dub Trinity, Kobo Town, Irakere, NG La Banda, Chucho Valdes, Hilario Duran, Energia Latina, Chiva, Bestial, Cimarron, Tumbao Inc., Ricky Franco, Fito Blanko, Eliana Cuevas, Plan C, Macondo, Pacande, Banda Bella, Dominicanada & far too many more to list here.

Brownman leads and composes actively for 6 groups of his own, all of which have gained critical acclaim in their own diverse idioms - the award-winning latin-jazz unit CRUZAO, a 15-man large ensemble version of that group - CRUZAO GRUPO MONSTRUOSO, jazz-hip-hop group GRUVASYLUM, mainstream hard-swinging threesome The Brownman ACOUSTIC QUARTET, the Miles Davis influenced BROWNMAN ELECTRYC TRIO and the 10-piece Salsa powerhouse MARRÓN MATIZADO. BROWNMAN.COM

HANK FURMAN

Hank started playing piano and accordion at the age of 12 where he grew up in NYC.  Thanks to support of his older tenor-sax-playing brother’s encouragement he was soon gigging at Weddings, and Dances around NYC.  He spent 3 summers playing in a band at various hotels in the Catskill resort area. At 18 he moved to Chicago for his engineering work and was soon playing in piano bars on weekends for the 2 years he lived there.

During the past several years in Toronto he has provided solo performances playing mostly light jazz in various Toronto clubs including the Gate 403, and the C’est What Cafe, as well as for private parties. His jazz trio has also entertained at many private functions.

He was invited to perform at the Seniors Jubilee and was fortunate to play on one of Glen Gould’s pianos.

He has provided piano accompaniment with singers including Greg Finnegan – a Verve recording artist, Paul Schillaci, Brenda Webb, Suzanne Mallet, Gloria Valentine, and his versatility has been utilized in Country, Old Time, Klezmer, Blues, Standards, Latin, and Jazz music styles. 

Hank Furman will be accompaning Janice Hawke and Suzanne Mallet.

 

Mark Sepic is an accomplished guitarist/composer who, whlie completing an honours music degree at York University, took classes with John Cage, and Canadian jazz legends Sonny Greenwich and Lenny Breau. A respected and sought/after performer and
educator, Mark's original projects have been featured in thirteen consecutive Toronto Downtown Jazz Festivals and have taken him abroad to Germany, Cuba and Singapore. With the innocence of a young child, Mark - a big fan of Spike Jones, Mel Blanc and Bobby McFerrin - incorporates electronic looping, found objects, body percussion, jaw harps, a bag of vocal tricks and audience participation in his free-form pieces. These offer refreshing contrast to his more traditional guitar repertoire of jazz, blues, R&B, flamenco,and latin styles. Whether alone on stage or leading his exciting ensemble, Mark delivers a unique and delightful show. As an arts educator, Mark has distilled his rich and diverse experience into an integrated arts program, which has introduced countless students and teachers to the irresistible joys of music. www.marksepic.com

Jen Sagar, Vocals
An elegant, accessible vocalist who sings straight from her heart, Jen Sagar's dedicated approach to a melody is reminiscent of Martha Tilton and Peggy Lee. Her warm approach brings out expressive performances that always put the song first. www.jensagar.com

Suzanne Mallet (Photo by Greg King 2010 BCRJF)

Suzanne Mallet is a singer/songwriter who has been performing at festivals, church, school, community and private events all of her life. Her lower vocal range has been applauded by listeners of all genres of music ranging from heavy rock and folk to New Age and soft jazz. She is a key member of Toronto Artists for a Better World and has received recognition for her community work as an artist who supports goodwill and humanitarian events.

Melissa Lauren is an accomplished singer making her mark in the Toronto music scene. With a strong influence in jazz, Latin, and blues, Melissa has developed an original style of her own melting together old school sounds with modern flare.

Melissa's love for swing and jazz music started when she started performing with the Toronto All-Star Big Band during her adolescence ; she continued singing with them until 2004. During her time with the band, she studied music at York University and completed her Bachelors of Fine Arts.

After releasing her first solo CD, Melissa was invited to sing at Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival in the Summer of 2006 as well as the Beaches Parti Gras Festival, and since then has been immersing herself in the Toronto music scene. She has been playing regularly at venues such as Trane Studios Ten Feet Tall, Jacobs & Co., Gate 403, Dominion on Queen, and Statlers. She has also added song writing to her list of talents and is eager to get into the studio to record her second album of originals. Her latest demo combines bluesy changes with straight to the heart lyrics with some more modern pop sensibilities.

In addition to her own music, Melissa has recently been lending her voice to studio work in the electronic music scene. She has sung on five of producer/writer Hibernate's recently released tracks, one of which was the opening track on seminal pioneer trance DJ Paul Oakenfold's most recent compilation album, released under Perfecto Records. You can check out these tracks on the links page of the website.

Melissa is looking forward to a thriving career and further establishing her presence in an international music scene. www.melissalaurenmusic.ca

18 year old Haley Small is an aspiring R&B-Pop singer/ songwriter with big talent and big dreams. Anxiously striving to make her mark in the music industry since she was 10-years-old, she has been writing, performing, collaborating, recording and doing anything and everything else to try and expand her horizons. Haley continues to try new things, and learn from everything and everyone around her, with hopes to successfully one day share her music with the world. At the moment, Haley is re-assessing her career path and herself as an artist with plans of recording some new music that expresses the music that she has loved since a child and continues to love today. She will be promoting a new image, new updated music, and continuing to perform and work diligently with the circle of musicians and industry participants that she has surrounded herself with to improve her career and herself as an artist. Haley will be performing some jazz inspired original compositions with Rob Christian on keyboard.
http://www.myspace.com/haleysmall

 

Rob Christian - saxman/flute
Rob Christian is an amazingly talented, award winning, jazz flute sax and piano player, who has been performing extensively in the Toronto area for over 7 years. Rob's cool interpretations cause people to do a double take, when they realize it is such a young person performing. His technique, musicality and stage presence stop people in their tracks! Seeing (and hearing) is believing! Rob has an extensive repertoire of jazz, swing, latin, funk, classical and popular standards as well as original material. Rob also works with jazz/soul vocalist Marisa Lindsay, plays sax and flute with the Quincy Bullen Band and is a member of Ninja Funk Orchestra. Rob has performed at the Beaches International Jazz Festival, Toronto Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Ottawa Jazz Festival, Markham Jazz Festival, Parti Gras at the Distillery District, several other jazz and street festivals in southern Ontario as well as many other Toronto area events. He is also in demand for private and corporate functions. www.robchristianjazz.ca

Brenda Carol, Vocals/percussion

A major jazz singer and educator based in Toronto, Brenda Carol has built an important career that has touched the ears and hearts of a countless number of listeners and young singers. Her open-minded approach has found her often interpreting songs drawn from the rock, pop and folk music worlds, transforming them through improvisations and arrangements into jazz without losing their essence, while also performing her own highly personal versions of jazz standards. More featured artist biography information to come...

About the jazz fair

The 2010 Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fair will be taking place Saturday, February 6, 2010. The fair will be held at Peace Theatre 305 Dawes Road, Toronto, ON. Cost: $20.00 at the door. The event is by Private Invitation Only! You must be on the guest list to attend. One night only! Doors open at 7:00 pm for hospitality and seating. 8:00 pm show start. All Ages Event. Email: brenda carol or Call Brenda at: 416-467- 7959

This is a small grass roots festival that features young up-and-coming artists. All proceeds (Door) go to Peace Theatre, 305 Dawes Road, Toronto, and the many artists who perform in this fine festival. Our generous sponsor Jon Long of Long & McQuade, Brenda Carol Vocal Lessons and Gardner Piano & Guitar Lessons make this all possible for this our FOURTH year. Thanks also to all the media support.

Please listen, attend, appreciate and purchase as much independent music as you can, always!

What is Peace Theatre:

Peace Theatre is an award-winning, community arts organization with a unique methodology, blending theatre arts with social activism to empower children and youth to share their stories of conflict and their visions of peace.

Peace Theatre launches “Keep the Peace”:

Keep the Peace is an invitation to join us in a celebration. 2010 marks our tenth Anniversary and we are celebrating the countless young people who have been transformed by our work. But this invitation is also a challenge to our community - make your Peace Theatre better than ever and in a position to serve you. We can get there, but only with your help.

Why do we need your help now?

As a registered charity, the life blood of Peace Theatre is public grants, charitable donations and gifts from organizations and the community. In the last year this funding has been significantly reduced, putting our future at risk. If we are to continue to provide the same level of impact on the community, we need your help now.
How you can help:

Become a Member

Donate Now

Become a Volunteer

In The Past:

Past artists at the Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fairs have included: Carin Redman & Pat Murray, Sienna Dahlen, Blues Element, Lisa Particelli, Shannon Butcher, Kyle McGregor, The Masies, Kate Schutt, Carlo Berardinucci, Sophia Perlman, Brownman, Max Sennitt, Tom Ionescu, Jen Sagar , Larra Sky, Christine Bougie, Tyanna Nikitta, Nicole Rampersaud, Sarah Jerrom, Ilana Waldston, Cindy Doire, Margot Roi, Layah Jane, Ori Dagan, Geordie Haley & Brandon Valdivia, Arnold Faber, Melissa Pisarzowski, Tina Nodwell, Alexis Cole, Vanessa Hanson (Ptarmigan) and more... I am indebted to these incredible artists for sharing their talent of music with everyone.

As is always the fashion, many audience members of the festival are jazz musicians themselves so a jam is bound to ensue! This video footage is of Rob Christian soloing with Nathan Hiltz on guitar and Ross MacIntyre on bass, "Giant Steps".

Rob Christian at the 2009 Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fair from chris jemmett on Vimeo

BC Renaissance Jazz Fair Master Class

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SINGING FOR YOUR SUPPER: A FREE JAZZ/PROG MASTER CLASS

WILL BE PRESENTED BY ACCLAIMED VOCALIST BRENDA CAROL AND PIANIST

STEPHEN GARDNER ON FEBRUARY 6, 2010

Jon Long of Long & McQuade and Brenda Carol Vocal Lessons are pleased to present a jazz/Prog master class with internationally acclaimed singer Brenda Carol. Ms. Carol will be highlighting the fine art of jazz and Prog rock singing, revealing her approaches to performance and recording featuring Audix microphones. She will be accompanied by Stephen Gardner on keyboard. Participants are encouraged to bring repertoire to sing among peers. Please bring appropriate charts for yourself and the accompanist.

Brenda Carol is one of the finest jazz singers of recent times. Her master class will give young singers, students, jazz fans, rock, Prog and music lovers a rare opportunity to gain valuable information from an important vocalist.

This informative, educational and entertaining master class will be held at Long & McQuade, 925 Bloor Street in Toronto on Saturday, February 6, 2010 from 1 – 2:30 p.m. in the clinic room upstairs.

For more information call (416) 467-7959 or Email: darwynrecords@yahoo.com

Admission is Free and all ages. For more information visit: brendacarol.com.

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Our Sponsors & Media Support

Long & McQuade
Yorkville Sound
Audix Microphones

Bill McLean of The Beach Metro Community News
Eye Weekly
Now Toronto
Toronto.com
All About Jazz.com
Gary 17 of To-nite Magazine
CIUT 89.5 Take 5 with Andy Frank
CHRY 105.5 Some Experiences In Jazz with Rob Fogle
91.1 Jazz FM
CBC Radio 2
Makeup by Victoria Dixon
Hair by Daniel Nguyen
Videographer Chris Jemmett
Kerry Doole - Tandem Magazine
Louise Peacock - Indietalent.ca
Norm Nelson of The East York/Riverdale Mirror
The Wholenote Magazine
Thanks, Dr. Hands - VOX CURA
Glen Sutherland/ Rhonda Martin - hearforlife.ca
Roger Humbert - The Live Music Report
Greg King - Photographer
Mike Colyer - Photographer