Swingshift Big Band

Swing Shift Big Band has been thrilling audiences since 1996 and has earned a reputation as one of the top rated big bands in the province. Over the years Swing Shift Big Band has made dozens of appearances at Jazz Festivals including Beaches, Markham, TD Canada Trust Toronto, and of course Oshawa! and will perform all your favorite big band classics.

Come enjoy a memorable performance with vocalist Dave Statham as he sings all your favorite jazz standards, including Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble and Bobby Darin Classics.

Don’t miss this exciting show and be sure to check out the band at www.swingshiftbigband.com.

Eric St-Laurent Trio

Eric St-Laurent is a performing musician, a composer for film and television, and an emerging amateur chef at home.

He has been featured as a guitarist on over 30 recordings (name dropping), has produced albums, written scores for shorts, theatre, and toured extensively in Europe and Canada.

He has lived in Montreal, New York City and Berlin, recently relocating to Toronto, where new collaborations in the film world and work with his own new group are keeping him busy.

For more information visit www.ericst-laurent.com

Russ Little Trio

RUSS LITTLE
Russ Little is one of Canada’s leading musicians, having begun his professional career playing in the sixties with The Woody Herman Orchestra and The Count Basie Orchestra as lead trombonist and featured soloist. While touring with famed jazz orchestras, he found time to become an original member of “Lighthouse”. Throughout the 70’s Russ performed with Rob McConnell’s Boss Brass while composing/conducting and arranging for networks such as CBC, CTV, NBC, ABC and more. He wrote and recorded the theme song to SCTV.

After a lifetime spent performing on other people’s CD’s he decided it was time to create his own. “Snapshot”, his first release, was a huge hit on JAZZ.FM91 as were his follow-up recordings “Footwork” in 2006 and “On The Shoulders of Giants” in 2008. He performs regularly with his trio at The Old Mill Inn’s Home Smith Bar in Toronto’s West End every Thursday evening.

SCOTT ALEXANDER
Scott began playing bass at twelve years of age in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He moved to Ottawa where he worked with eht RCMP Band for several years which led to him sharing stages with jazz veterans, Oliver Jones, Clark Terry, Herb Ellis and Zoot Sims. Relocating to Toronto, Alexander quickly established himself as a first-call player; working with The Boss Brass, Moe Koffman, Guido Basso, Salome Bey and Alanis Morrisette, among others. Today, Scott plays bass with various bands including Steve McDade Quintet, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Carol Welsman and Don Francks.

REG SCHWAGGER
Reg Schwager is one of Canada’s leading jazz guitarists. His reputation has led to him performing with internationally acclaimed jazz artists such as Mel Tormé, Pepper Adams, Hank Jones, Junior Mance, Jimmy McGriff and Zoot Sims, and such celebrated Canadian jazz musicians as Diana Krall, Rob McConnell, Peter Appleyard, Oliver Jones, Dave Young and Don Thompson. Recent highlights include television, concert and club performances in the US, Japan and the Bahamas with master jazz pianist George Shearing. He has won so many awards rumour has it he has no room for books on his bookshelves.

Shakura S'Aida

Take an portion of Southern Baptist, flavour it with a drop of Brooklyn, stir in a spoonful of Swiss chocolate - and you've created a powerhouse singing sensation: Shakura S'Aida, who started off 2008 with a triumph at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, when she earned the 2nd runner-up position, competing against more than 100 bands from more than 20 different countries.

Calling both Switzerland and Canada home since leaving the U.S. when she was eight years old, her professional involvement in the Canadian music scene has been ongoing for the past 20 years, enriching the jazz, blues and classic R&B communities with her soulful voice, enthusiastic personality and commitment to music as an art form. Whether speaking Swiss-German, French or English, Shakura connects to her audience is a way that is 'simply dazzling,' at the same time richly demonstrating the "multiculturalism" that Canada prides itself on.

As a solo artist, Shakura's career has spanned genres and countries and taken her to some of the most noted stages in the jazz world. She has performed at the Apollo Theatre in New York and has been nominated three times by the Toronto Blues Society as the Maple Blues "Female Vocalist of the Year" (2004/2005/2008); she was also nominated as Entertainer of the Year for the 2008 Awards.

For more information visit www.shakurasaida.com

Lighthouse

Lighthouse burst onto the scene in 1969 with a unique fusion of rock, jazz and classical influences that defied all conventions. They were the first rock band to headline the Newport, Monterey and Boston Globe Jazz Festivals, and also the first to perform with a symphony orchestra. Lighthouse was the only act besides Jimi Hendrix asked to play both nights at the Isle of Wight Festival among performers that included The Who, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, the Doors and Chicago. They represented Canada at Expo ’70 in Japan and their performance caused a near riot. In recognition of their success Lighthouse was honoured with four JUNO Awards and fans responded by buying nine gold and platinum albums.

Today, Lighthouse is creating the same excitement with an extraordinary group of ten musicians featuring the original founders Skip Prokop, Paul Hoffert and Ralph Cole, an all-star horn section and dynamic lead vocalist, Dan Clancy.

Errol Fisher Blues Band

Mr. Errol Fisher continues to be a notable presence in the Toronto Jazz and Blues scene. For the past twenty-five years, Errol remains on top as an artist who can deliver a performance with exuberance and enchantment, drawing his audience in with his smooth voice, captivating stage presence and irrefutable charm. His dexterity to entertain, enrich and enlighten his guests stands in a class of it's own.

Mellow interpretations of classic standards, fall under " That Old Black Magic Spell" and rebound with a sense of style and deliverance that Errol has mastered. His range and selection of song lists vary from Blues to Jazz with a sultry sprinkling of Motown Mania a splash of R&B /Soul and always giving us a taste of his sweet reggae vibes, reminding us how effortless it is for him to change his style yet still dazzle us with his performance.

Harmonica Knights

Mark Stafford

It would be so appropriate to be able to imply that Mark "Bird" Stafford earned his nickname from his ability to soar on the harmonica in the fiery fashion of Charlie Parker. Sorry, Different "Bird", But – like Parker – Mark shares a phenomenal passion for making music and, as he's been performing since he was knee-high to a sharecropper, he's developed a musical voice that's become somewhat legendary in there parts and beyond.

For more information visit www.markbirdstafford.com

Jerome Godboo

Anyone who has seen Jerome live has the image seared in their mind. There's the machismo and the mischievous grin, the low-slung leather belt of harmonicas, and there's a tenderness and vulnerability as well. Based purely on first impressions, it's easy to make comparisons to Jagger and Morrison, but Jerome imitates no one. If the respect of his peers is anything to go by, Jerome Godboo is a giant on the music scene in Canada. All in all, it's a potent mix, one that combines the still vibrant musical legacy of more than a century of the blues with a passion and urgency that constantly renews itself.

For more information visit www.jeromegodboo.ca

Paul Reddick

Paul Reddick is a singer, songwriter and harmonica player whose songs help keep the roots of music tradition moving forward. His songs explore the beauties and mysteries of the blues, country and folk music, and take the road less travelled around the lost and found landscapes of longing and love.

For more information visit www.paulreddick.ca

Saturday Night Glad Rags

Extra, Extra…..! Is the Devils music coming to your town? SPAZZ music is taking over the minds of our youth!! What is SPAZZ you say?? Its a styling of Swing, Punk and Jazz. The main force behind SPAZZ is THE SATURDAY NIGHT GLADRAGS!!! A trio of misfits composed of Al" Lucky" Orr, a gambler, womaniser, bass player and singer. Brad "Mista beat" Baldwin on drums and voodoo charms. Ex-I.R.A chef Keith “Shorty” Brown on guitar and beat poetry. THE SATURDAY NIGHT GLADRAGS will swing you on the darkside of your top 40 hits.

Heather Luckhart

Since setting down in Oshawa in 2003 Heather Luckhart has been stirring the local folk blues and jazz scene up with her sultry vox and foxy swing. Originally from Inverhuron with schooling in Sarnia, Heather chose Oshawa at random. The City has been amazed by her since.

While she reaches for the heavens in song she stands grounded in the muddy waters of the Delta. She is a modern classic, a rootsy skip in heels. She brings the South North. Her voice is the sound of New Orleans in the rain. She has an old soul in her young heart. Her eyes know loss but there is hope and affirmation whenever she sings.

Heather was the partner of Glen Bensley in the Hokum Runners. Since his untimely death Heather has built a new cast of collaborators around her. The Luckhart Collective is a loose gathering of talented musicians of various styles. She was also a member of the Lapdog Band and is currently also a vocalist with the Royal Jelly Orchestra.

www.myspace.com/heatherluckhart

Kardiak Kids

A young band out of Whitby, Ontario playing too many different styles of music to choose one. The delicate guitar tones intertwined with punk ska rhythms float gently upon the wicked bass grooves that match up perfectly with the rock steady killer beats on the drums. Their Caribbean roots mixed with their love of punk, rock and funk fuse together giving one a mash-up they call skunkfunk.They have been playing together since January 2009. Since the average age of the band is 15 years old, the “kids” have been taking the stages of Durham by storm and continue to hope for the best.

www.myspace.com/kardiakkids

Lead Sled Rocket

Since their debut in early 2009, Oshawa/Bomanville band, Lead Sled Rocket have been captivating audiences with their aggressive brand of rockabilly. Their tireless efforts to fuse a traditional style with a newer, more modern sound has earned them the respect of fellow musicians and the title, 2009 Bandwarz champions. Rhythm guitarist Mark "The Machete" Sytnyk's aggressive in-your-face strumming, complimented by lead guitarist Stretch Smith's Passive Finger picking accompany Singer/Bassist Mickey Sick's slap technique brilliantly; all the while Little Vicious Keeps the beat and adds her own flare to the drums. Check them out at www.myspace.com/leadsledrocket.

James Mann

Fire and passion best describe the guitar virtuosity of James Mann, add to that over 25 years of live and Studio playing experience and you have a powerful combination that gives James his unique style and sound to his brand of the Blues with The James Mann Band.

http://www.coldshotlive.com

Deanna Knight

With over 30 years stage experience from a cappella performances to Big Band flare, psychedelic jammin' rock to lyrical spoken word, European choral tours to healing-sound ceremony, Deanna Knight is today exploring new ground with great old tunes in the Gypsy-jazz stylings of D & the Hot Club of Mars.

She is currently playing most live shows with Vancouver's Hot Club of Mars though you can sometimes hear her solo doing more of her original songs a cappella.

D has covered a good number of genres in her career including Canadian jam band The Fat Cats which she co founded in the early 90's.

Her original songs were honoured in her debut solo CD Shadow of a Star along side some of Canada's finest musicians. George Koller co-produced this organic mix of melodies and lyric and a taste of the finished pieces can be enjoyed here.

http://www.reverbnation.com/deannaknight