2024 ARTIST INFORMATION
Jakob Durst Quartet
Friday July 19, 2024
5:00pm
Jakob Durst is a young and devoted student of music. Although drawing his main influence from creative and improvised music, namely the Black American Art-form “Jazz”, he is also interested in a variety of other musical stylings. The dedication Jakob shows towards music has lead him to study and perform with many great artists, including Mike Murley, Marianne Trudel, Kelly Jefferson, Neil Swainson, Morgan Childs, and many more. Jakob currently studies at the University of Toronto.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm_matH4muuQbXgfHGFmAEQ
Nezquik
Friday July 19, 2024
6:30pm
Ralf Buschmiere b3
Friday July 19, 2024
8:00pm
Laila Biali
Friday July 19, 2024
9:30pm
Multi award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter, pianist and CBC Music national radio host Laila Biali has headlined festivals and venues spanning five continents from New York City's Carnegie Hall to Beijing's National Centre for the Performing Arts, and supported international icon Sting. In 2020, Laila was honoured by SOCAN Music with the Hagood Hardy Award for Excellence in Songwriting. In 2019, Laila’s eponymous release won her a JUNO (Canada's GRAMMY) for "Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.” The year prior, she was awarded top prize at the Canadian Songwriting Competition in the Jazz category. Laila was also the youngest-ever double winner at Canada’s National Jazz Awards when she was named "SOCAN Composer of the Year" and "Keyboardist of the Year." She received her first JUNO nomination for Tracing Light (2011), and a spot on DownBeat Magazine's "Best Albums of the Year" for Live in Concert (2013) and Out of Dust (2020). In September of 2017, Laila was brought on as the host for CBC Music's national radio show, Saturday Night Jazz, a weekly show broadcast to listeners across Canada. While Laila continues to earn high honours in the Jazz world, her signature sound transcends genre as she "masterfully mixes jazz and pop, bringing virtuosity and unpredictability to songs that are concise and catchy" (Washington Post). Laila's highly anticipated album, Out of Dust, which features multiple GRAMMY nominees and winners including Lisa Fischer, Alan Ferber, John Ellis, and Larnell Lewis, released March 27, 2020 and was also nominated for a 2021 JUNO Award.
Saturday July 20, 2024
Youth Jazz Ensemble
Saturday July 20, 2024
12:30pm
Under the leadership of Jason White, the Youth Jazz Ensemble is always one of the highlights of the Festival. Young aspiring musicians come together to learn more about jazz culminating in an opportunity to be showcased onstage. You never know what inspiring performances you will see!
Natu Trio
Saturday July 20, 2024
2:00pm
“Napoli-Rio: round world, flat ninths” is a musical trip from Napoli, in the south of Italy, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The journey will start with classical Neapolitan songs (famous examples of which are “‘O sole mio” and “Torna a Surriento”) arranged in latin jazz, and end with instrumental Brazilian popular music, including samba, bossa nova, and choro compositions. The collection of tunes played by Natu Trio will follow the common thread in the harmonic sonorities of these two traditional forms of music from, only apparently, distant worlds.
Gennaro Notomista is a roboticist and a musician from a small town in southern Italy, halfway between Napoli and the Amalfi coast. Classically trained, he has played in a number of small jazz ensembles (trios and quartets) as well as big bands, both in Italy and in Canada.
Greg Prior has been established in the Waterloo scene for over 16 years. He has been a regular performer with local groups such as The Phoenix Jazz Group, Big Band Theory, Ernie Kalwa, and played with many other local performers. Prior to moving to the region, Greg toured out west with artists such as Prairie Ceilidh (Celtic/Canadian), Barrage (Fiddle group), Vibre (Jazz Ensemble), and Vicky Oveson’s Masacote (Latin Jazz). He has played 9 major jazz festivals across Canada, and toured and recorded extensively. Comfortable with symphonic, jazz and Latin styles, Greg brings diverse talent to the stage.
Rico Oliveira is a musician from São Paulo, Brazil. He began his musical activities at an early age while in contact with many cultural influences in his local surroundings. He completed his education at the Conservatório de Música do Morumbi. He has been a professional musician for 43 years performing in festivals, shows, and nightclubs. He recorded with various musicians in Brazil, Portugal, Canada, and Europe.
GiGi KC AB
Saturday July 20, 2024
3:30pm
GiGi KC AB are a dynamic trio blending decades of musical expertise into unforgettable performances.
Genevieve "GiGi" Marentette, known for her transcendent vocals, brings each song to life with her emotive power and unique interpretations. Her performances are a deep dive into the soul of music, enriched by her long-standing collaboration with KC, which brings an electrifying chemistry to their shows.
KC Roberts, a Toronto-based guitarist and bandleader, showcases a profound versatility with a repertoire that spans jazz, funk, reggae, and rock. His innovative finger style guitar playing not only captivates but also creates intricate soundscapes and innovative arrangements that resonate with a diverse audience.
Adam Bowman, the trio's drummer, complements with his nuanced and sensitive approach to percussion. With a rich career that touches jazz, folk, funk and beyond, Adam's drumming is both precise and evocative, providing the perfect rhythmic foundation that enhances the group's harmonic explorations.
Together, KC, Gigi, and Adam deliver a rich musical experience, celebrating their favorite classics and innovative originals with passion and musical prowess!
Friends of the Festival
Saturday July 20, 2024
5:00pm
“Friends of the Festival” is a jazz musician collective based in the Waterloo Region with more than 200 years of collective experience playing jazz music. They had their public debut in 2023 playing a fund-raising concert at the Jazz Room for the Sunlife Uptown Waterloo Jazz Festival. Under the leadership and tune curation of Stephen Preece, “Friends of the Festival” gathers regularly to explore tunes not often played by the many other groups in which the members belong. Friends of the Festival is delighted to be on the stage together at the 2024 festival in Waterloo, a city where they belong and like to contribute to the jazz scene.
Paul Fehderau, trumpet
Ken Hadley, saxophones
Andy Macpherson, drums
Rico Oliveira, percussion
Steven Preece, piano
Greg Prior, bass
Allison Au Quartet
Saturday July 20, 2024
6:30pm
Allison Au (pronounced “ow”) is a JUNO award-winning saxophonist and composer based in Toronto. She has released four albums: “The Sky Was Pale Blue, then Grey” (2013), “Forest Grove” (2016), “Wander Wonder” (2019) and most recently, “Migrations” (2023).
Allison has toured extensively in Canada and the US. Winner of the 2017 Montreal Jazz Festival TD Grand Prix de Jazz, the 2017 Halifax Jazz Festival Sting Ray Rising Star Award, and a 2017 Finalist for Toronto Arts Foundation Emerging Jazz Artist Award, Allison was also featured in SFJAZZ’s 2018 list of "10 Rising Instrumentalists You Should Know.”
Tim Louis
Saturday July 20, 2024
8:00pm
Hilario Duran & His Latin Jazz Big Band
Saturday July 20, 2024
9:30pm
Sunday July 21, 2024
Youth Jazz Ensemble
Sunday July 21, 2024
12:30pm
The Youth Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Jason White returns with a different lineup. Consisting of students interested in learning more about jazz music, they have been involved a two week residency that culminates in a main-stage performance. One of the Festival highlights, this is a great way to start your Sunday of jazz.
Patti Payne Trio with Ian Whitman
Sunday July 21, 2024
1:30pm
Canadian Jazz Collective
Saturday July 21, 2024
3:00pm
2023 ARTIST INFORMATION
Friday July 21, 2023
Cheri Maracle Quintet
Friday July 21, 2023
5:00pm
Cheri Maracle is a multi-award nominated singer and actress from the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, Ontario. Cheri has been performing in Canada, the U.S. and Europe in the last 20 years, and has extensive music, theatre, television & film credits to her name. Cheri's early music influences began in the women's traditional hand drum group Tiyoweh. She then penned two original music albums to critical acclaim - Closer To Home (2006), and If I Am Water (2013).
Cheri's original music style is jazz fueled, percussion driven, layered with her trademark smooth sultry smoky vocals... at once evocative, haunting and unforgettable...Her recent release, jazz CD, titled Ache of Love, reflects her passion for fiery torch driven diva inspired songs, and is her most complex writing so far.
Cheri has been performing with her quartet in the last three years at various jazz and blues festivals across the country. She also frequently performs original compositions and contemporary and classic jazz standards, locally, with her piano partner of 12 years, Brendan Peltier. Together they incite an enveloping and inviting expressive sound that keeps them being invited back to perform at festivals, and gin-joints across Canada.
Jonathan Chapman Trio
Friday July 21, 2023
6:30pm
Award-winning bassist, Jonathan Chapman, stands strong as a multidimensional artist. As a bassist, composer, and bandleader, Jonathan aims to deliver coherent music that challenges any listener to rewarding depths.
Currently residing in Toronto, Jonathan has become a welcomed asset to the music scene. He has performed with an extensive list of artists including Dave Liebman, George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi, Kirk MacDonald, Jason Palmer, Darren Barrett, Joe Sullivan, Kevin Dean, and Andre White, among many others. Jonathan graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA (2012-2016) where he studied on a full-tuition scholarship. In 2018, he earned a Master of Music from the Schulich School of Music at McGill University.
https://jonathanchapmanmusic.com
Freshwater Funk
Friday July 21, 2023
8:00pm
Fresh Water Funk was formed in late 2016 by band leader Samuel Daniels and began performing in 2017. Wanting to keep the band open to fun and danceable yet challenging material, he called in the best musicians in the Waterloo region and began work putting together a high-energy repertoire heavily influenced by James Brown, Tower of Power, Stevie Wonder, Chicago, and the Average White Band.
Although the first few years of the group were spent primarily playing danceable covers of funk and rock hits, most of the players in the group have a long history in the jazz scene. In 2019 the band recorded their first EP of original funk fusion music.
Now the band is excited to continue performing the crowd-pleasing funk and rock hits that put everything in motion back in 2016 as well as look for opportunities to share their original music. Contact us today if your venue or special event needs some good times with a great band!
https://www.freshwaterfunk.com
FB: freshwaterfunkband
Instagram: freshwaterfunkband
Alex Cuba
Friday July 21, 2023
9:30pm
Alex Cuba is a GRAMMY and JUNO winner. A singer-songwriter who is not tied to tradition, Alex has a vast musical vision. His sugarcane-sweet melodies, pop-soul hooks and powerful guitar riffs relinquish a conventional stereotype that exemplifies much of the Latin music landscape. In 1999, Alex moved to Victoria, B.C where he recorded an album titled Morumba Cubana alongside his twin brother Adonis, as The Puentes Brothers. Alex then went on to record his solo debut album Humo De Tobaco which earned him a JUNO award for World Music Album of the Year in 2006. The following year Alex released Agua Del Pozo which also earned him another JUNO award for World Music Album of the Year in 2008. In 2009 Alex released his third album, a self-titled project Alex Cuba.
In 2019 Alex Cuba embarked on his first ever self-produced collection of songs featuring 5 collaborations, this time with Latin American singer songwriters, recorded in Gibsons BC with John “Beetle” Bailey and mixed at John’s Drive Shed studio in Ontario. The album received a Latin GRAMMY Nomination and performance at the televised Award Show in Miami November 2020.
2021 saw Alex recording at home and adding recording engineer to his credits as musician, singer-songwriter, producer. From the healing voice of GRAMMY Award winning Lila Downs on “Mundo Nuevo”, to his colourful collaboration with world-renowned flamenco artist, Antonio Carmona, and commissioning a 13-piece horn band from his native country of Cuba, Alex’s vibrant eighth studio album, Mendó, is filled with international collaborations. The artwork for the album marks another international project, created by an artist in Trinidad and Tobago, Brianna McCarthy, who caught Cuba’s eye when he noticed her work on the cover of a book and was drawn to “her unique interpretation of the African diaspora”. Mendó took home the 2022 GRAMMY for best Latin Pop Album on April 3! It was Alex Cuba’s 4th nomination and first win, a tremendous accomplishment for an independent artist.
His musical evolution for years was all about searching for the simplicity and soul in Cuban music – taking apart the complex arrangements, mixing it with North American influences, adopting the melodic simplicity of pop music, looking to Cuban folk traditions for inspiration – he’s always exploring, always creating something fresh and new, and always, it seems, getting it just right.
Saturday July 22, 2023
Jeff Daniels
Saturday July 22, 2023
1:30pm
Jeff Daniels is a jazz pianist and retired music educator who currently lives in Guelph. He
earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a major in Jazz piano performance from York
University, and a Bachelor Of Education from the University of Toronto.
Jeff has taught high school Music for 28 years, and he has been playing jazz piano
professionally at clubs, weddings, private functions, and corporate functions since 1983. Jeff
currently is a regular performer at Manhattan's pizza bistro in Guelph, as well as a regular
performer at the Jazz Room in Waterloo. He is also the current pianist for the KW Big Band
Theory, an 18-piece big band based in Waterloo that is currently completing their third full length
CD which features Canadian composers and arrangers.
So Long Seven
Saturday July 22, 2023
3:00pm
So Long Seven is a delicious mix of jazz, classical, blues, folk, and music from around the world is both a funky, relentless force and an atmospheric cornucopia of sound. Nestled in the rhythmic drive of tabla player Ravi Naimpally, Neil Hendry (guitar), William Lamoureux (violin), and Tim Posgate (banjo) create an aural space beyond boundaries.
This highly skilled quartet references several global traditions including traditional musical forms of India, Europe, Africa and the many musical traditions of the Americas, in a unique and cohesive cultural bridge. So Long Seven has performed in Canada’s top global music venue, Small World Music Centre, and have played concerts and clubs across the country. From a tour of Vancouver Island, appearances at Victoria Jazz Festival, Ontario’s Hillside Music Festival, and Sunfest, the band is a national force.
The band has also performed internationally with multiple concerts across Europe. The album Kala Kalo, was recorded at the historic Grant Avenue studio founded by music legend Daniel Lanois and used by the likes of Gordon Lightfoot, Johnny Cash and U2. This environment along with the attentive recording process of producer Anthony Michelli resulted in the sophisticated and textured album. Kala Kalo was nominated for best Instrumental album in 2019 at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.
On So Long Seven’s latest recording, frogs, elephants, stars and indigenous modernist painter Kenojuak Ashevak are all inspirations for new tunes. Produced by violinist William Lamoureux, it includes his arrangements for string quartet and original compositions such as l’unique étoile de la tolérance. The track Mara features the exceptional Hindustani vocalist Samidha Joglekar, who frequently collaborates with the band at both live concerts and on recordings. only elephants know her name continues the band’s tradition of exploring new musical territory and is a joyful salve for our complex times.
http://www.solongseven.com
Eric DiVito Trio
Saturday July 22, 2023
4:30pm
New York guitarist and composer Eric DiVito has been leading his own groups and performing as a sideman in the greater NY area since 2003. He has performed at many of NYC's top jazz clubs, live music venues and festivals including Smalls, The Iridium, The Kitano, The Garage, The 55 Bar, Swing 46, 1803, The Flatiron Room, Tomi Jazz, Maureen's Jazz Cellar, Daryl's House and more. In Canada he has appeared at The Rex, The Jazz Room, GigSpace and more. He also appears at many music and arts festivals including The Uptown Waterloo Jazz Festival, The AirTrain Jazz Festival, The Garner Arts Festival, The Bayside Food and Music Festival and more. Eric has also performed and recorded with some of NYC's greatest Jazz musicians and has worked in orchestras and jazz groups for Carnival Cruise lines and The Bateaux NY. Eric is also the guitarist and arranger for BarChords, an acoustic duo formed in 2021.
As an educator, Eric has taught classroom and instrumental music in the NYC public school system for eleven years and in Westchester public schools since 2017. Additionally, he teaches music theory and history courses and directs ensembles at Dominican College in Orangeburg, NY. Eric also teaches guitar techniques privately at his home studio both in-person and remotely.
In 2011, Eric signed with the Ontario based record label Pioneer Jazz Collective (PJC Records) and released his debut album as a leader, Breaking the Ice (2012), as well as a follow up record, The Second Time Around (2013). Both records have received national and international acclaim.
Eric is an Eastman guitar artist and has been published several times in Downbeat Magazine, as well as RAE Magazine, and Play Jazz Guitar.
Ted's Warren Commission
Saturday July 22, 2023
6:00pm
Sammy Jackson
Saturday July 22, 2023
7:30pm
For Toronto-based singer-songwriter and 2021 JUNO Award winner Sammy Jackson making music has always been a fundamental part of life. Lessons with JUNO-award-winning jazz singer Sienna Dahlen and classical soprano Patricia O’Callaghan helped Jackson to hone her skills and develop the confidence to audition successfully for the program; during her time at U of T, she continued her studies with Dahlen, as well as acclaimed vocalists Christine Duncan, Alex Samaras, and the legendary bassist Jim Vivian.
It was in 2016, during her second degree at U of T – an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Spanish – that Jackson released her first EP, Take Me Back. It was on Take Me Back that she was able to successfully combine her varied stylistic interests in a way that felt true to her musical passions. Throughout the EP, Jackson deftly weaves together pop, R&B, and jazz into a beautiful tapestry of personal history, singing self-assuredly about love, desire, doubt, and nostalgia with a singularly entrancing voice, equally at home with dense runs as with wordless, clean-toned melodies.
Jackson’s JUNO-Award winning EP With You – released in 2020 – was a collaborative effort, and co-writing with fellow Toronto-based vocalist Jacqueline Teh was a formative part of the compositional process. Jackson’s initial goal was, simply, to sound more like herself, both musically and lyrically; as the recording process unfolded, she realized that seemingly disparate pieces were really part of a larger narrative, a story about her life that she was writing in song. Working with inspiring band members (including Teh, guitarist Tom Fleming, pianist Chris Pruden, bassist Mark Godfrey, and drummer Ian Wright) allowed Jackson to bring in relatively simple lead sheets, and to work with the band to craft exciting arrangements. The mutual respect, admiration, and trust that Jackson shares with her bandmates paid off; With You is a sophisticated, intelligent, heartfelt portrait of a musician coming into her artistic prime, surrounded by collaborators who share her vision.
Today – with a resumé that boasts a JUNO Award, collaborations with top artists such as Barbra Lica, Robi Botos, Rich Brown, and Larnell Lewis, and performances at some of Canada’s most prestigious venues and festivals, including the Glenn Gould Studio, Koerner Hall, the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, and Westben – Jackson’s career is flourishing, with new projects and new releases on the horizon. Through it all, Jackson has stayed true to her love for music, and in doing so has created a uniquely compelling style all her own, which continues to captivate audiences in concert halls, on the radio, and on streaming services worldwide.
Jesse Cook
Saturday July 22, 2023
9:00pm
An accomplished guitarist, producer and equally prolific film maker, Jesse Cook has evolved his talents to create experiences that delight audiences both in concert, and online.
From composing his first instrumental album, Tempest, over 25 years ago , Jesse could not imagine that such a humble recording, in which he played all the instruments, would spark into a musical legacy with thousands of concerts performed around the world.
The public response to Jesse’s unique blend of nuevo flamenco rhumba led first to sales of 2 million physical albums and then as the digital era took hold over, there has been over 600 million streams of his songs across the internet so far .
Similarly, his vivid visual content has also become popular with 5 of Jesse’s concert specials airing on PBS TV , in a digital parallel, his prolific YouTube library of 250 music videos filmed to chronicle his diverse musical journey is engaging a million fans a month across the globe from Memphis to Marseille.
Join Jesse and his extraordinary band as they showcase their signature styling of rhythm and rhumba to audiences across North America and Europe in 2023.
Follow the Journey @ www.jessecook.com
YouTube: JesseCook
Instagram: musicianjessecook
Facebook: @JesseCookHQ
MANAGEMENT: globalcreativepartners.com
Sunday July 23, 2023
Barbra Lica Quintet
Sunday July 23, 2023
1:30pm
Barbra Lica is a Juno-nominated artist singer-songwriter based in Toronto. A seasoned act on the North American club and festival circuits, Barbra has performed everywhere from New York City’s legendary Birdland to Toronto’s prestigious Koerner Hall. She has also headlined at festivals across the continent including Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, Vancouver International Jazz Festival and Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, and opened for the likes of Christian McBride, Pat Metheny, Bob Dorough, and Terence Blanchard.
Barbra’s debut album That’s What I Do (Triplet / Universal Jazz Japan) was released to widespread acclaim in 2012, ranking her in Canada’s Top 5 Jazz singers on the CBC, as well Top 5 up-and-coming Toronto jazz artists on blogTO. Shortly after, her band made their Japanese debut live at the Tokyo International Jazz Festival in 2015 for over a thousand Japanese fans Her first album with Justin Time Records, I’m Still Learning, was released September 2016 and subsequently nominated for a 2017 Juno Award in the category of “Best Vocal Jazz Album”. Her subsequent project, You’re Fine (Justin Time Records) marked the introduction of Folk an Americana elements to her repertoire and has amassed over 4.9 million streams to date on Spotify.
In addition to writing for herself, Barbra has written cuts for such artists as jazz crooner Matt Dusk (Entertainment One/Universal), rising J-Pop singer Harumi (Sony Music Japan), and Taiwanese pop recording artist, Morrison Ma (Universal Music Group/X Entertainment).
She is currently promoting her first self-produced EP – Imposter Syndrome (released October 2022) – with generous support from FACTOR, as well as her new chamber orchestra project featuring all-original music arranged for 14 instruments plus voice.
FB: barbralicafanpage
Twitter: @beelica
Instagram: barbralica
3D Jazz Trio
Sunday July 23, 2023
3:00pm
Sherrie, Amy, and Jackie met in May of 2014 at the Cleveland Playhouse while playing in The DIVA Jazz Orchestra as part of Maurice Hines’ award-winning show Tappin’ Thru Life. From their first shared downbeat, they became kindred-swinging spirits and the resulting musical synergy was fast and fierce...or as the New York Times said…"Blistering Hot!"
Since its inception, 3D has performed at many of the world’s most prestigious venues and festivals, including: The Blue Note (NYC) Dizzy’s Club (NYC), Mezzrow (NYC), Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors (NYC), The Jazz Kitchen (Indianapolis, IN), Blues Alley (D.C.), Tri-C Jazz Festival (Clvd, OH), The Deer Head Inn (DWG, PA), Rochester International Jazz Festival (Rochester, NY), The Gilmore International Keyboard Festival (Kalamazoo, MI), and soon at the Festival Internacional de Música La Guarapachanga (Pinar del Rio, Cuba). They were featured on The Kate TV’s “live” music series with Maurice Hines (PBS) and three times on WVIA radio’s Homegrown Music Series.
The band’s latest recording, 9 to 5 was released in December of 2022.
Other notable recordings include Christmas in 3D (2020), I Love to See You Smile (2020), and 3Divas (2017). Both of 3D’s 2020 recordings, I Love To See You Smile, (released in April 2020) and Christmas in 3D (released October 2020) were recorded at Red Rock Recording Studio in Saylorsburg, PA. Both albums received widespread critical acclaim, with I Love To See You Smile landing a four-star review in Downbeat Magazine and inclusion on Downbeat’s year-end “Best of 2020 albums,” and a ranking of #10 overall on RMR’s “Top Jazz Album Chart 2020,” as well as in the top 50 of “Top Albums of 2020” on the NACC year-end chart. Christmas in 3D was featured first in line in the New York Times “20 Albums That Put a New Spin on the Holidays,” and Ranked #4 overall with Christmas in 3D on RMR’s Top Holiday Album Chart for the Year 2020, peaking at #1. All of their recordings can be purchased directly here through their website, Amazon, downloaded from Bandcamp and iTunes and streamed on your favorite service. The band’s first CD, 3Divas was released in 2016 and recorded “live” at WVIA Radio.
3D is: Jackie Warren: Cleveland Jazz Legend Award Winner. Sought After Guest Soloist. Revered Educator at Tri-C College. Amy Shook: Critically Acclaimed Jazz Bassist. Clinician and Guest Artist. Multi-instrumentalist and composer. Sherrie Maricle: Ronald McDonald House – New York, Music for Hope Award-Winner; Kennedy Center - Mary Lou Williams Lifetime Achievement Award Winner; Ovation Award for Best Music Direction – Tappin Thru Life. Dedicated teacher.
Each member of 3D is a crazy cat lady.