▪ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
The Peterborough Jazz & Blues Workshop ▪
The Jazz & Blues Workshop is an extra-curricular band program that began in October 2000. High
school aged instrumentalists meet weekly in an informal setting and learn Jazz and Blues music
styles. The Band is in a "combo" format that would include saxes, trumpet, trombone and a
rhythm section, for up to seven parts. The music is original arrangements, created for this
group; jazz and blues standards, Latin and rhythm and blues music. There is a emphasis on being
able to improvise, and to be flexible in many musical styles. Many "graduates" from the Workshop
have used this opportunity to prepare for college and university.
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Steve McCracken- Facilitator
Trumpet - Maire Bleszynski
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Alto sax - David Bigg
Keyboards - William Davies
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Drums - Dylan Clark
Bass - Brandon Steele
▪ 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm STAToS
Miki Petkovski: Keyboards
Miki has been a professional musician, composer, producer, performer and teacher for over 25 years. After obtaining his Bachelor of Music in
Europe, he attended York University to pursue Jazz Studies under John Gittens, Frank Falco and Don Thompson. His European experience includes
several albums and CDs involving working with Grammy Award Winner Producer Martin Levan and Brand X Percussionist Morris Pert. His North
American experience includes touring, performing and recording with many renowned artists including Grammy Award Winner Allanah Myles, Jeff
Healy Band Bassist Joe Rockman etc. He has toured throughout Canada and the USA, performing at venues such as Roy Thompson Hall, Canada’s
Wonderland and on CBC & TVO. As the former head of the Jazz Piano Section of the Peel Music Festival, one of the oldest competitive music
festivals in Canada, Miki Petkovski elevated an appreciation and awareness of jazz among today’s young musicians. Through his efforts, Oscar
Peterson agreed to serve as Honorary Patron to the Festival for over half a decade.
Jody Ellis: Guitars
A veteran of too many bands to mention Jody adds an edge to the band’s
smooth sound. He has composed music for movies, commercials and
Sesame Street. He has worked in the studio with the likes of Pink Floyd
producer Bob Ezrin and Deep Purple producer Nick Blagona. Jody is also
an accomplished audio engineer who has mixed hundreds of television
shows and has been nominated twice for a Gemini award for Best Sound
in a Documentary.
Craig Riley: Percussion
A resident of Richmond Hill, Craig has been performing for many years. At
the age of sixteen, Craig was introduced to vocals, taught by Tobi Lark.
Soon after that he studied Latin percussion with Jorge Santos, Joaquin
Nunez Hidalgo, and Chi Sharpe. Craig has toured Canada & the U.S. as a
percussionist/vocalist with the likes of Tobi Lark (Ronnie Hawkins), Al
Conelly (Glass Tiger), James Miller and the 90's dance band Tribe. Tribe
also shared the stage with Bananarama, Robin S, Tito Puente jr. and Tag Team (Whoop there it is) to name just a few.
Gerry Felding: Drums
Gerry doesn't mind if he doesn't make the scene. He's got a daytime job. He's doin' alright. But he can play the honky-tonk like anything. He's savin'
it up for Friday night!
Peter Crolly: Bass
Peter has played bass with latin jazz band Mondo Loco, R&B band Groove Corporation, and rock bands Sylum and Frank Soda and the Imps, among
countless others. Peter is also an accomplished flute player.
Alessandro Allegranza: Saxophone
Alessandro Allegranza is a talented multi-instrumentalist and composer that joined STRAToS in 2014 after searching for a group that would best
complement his sound and style. From a young age, Alessandro developed a passion for music which influenced him to learn several instruments
independently. Breaking the confines of traditional musicianship, he relied heavily on learning music by ear which led him to take a keen interest in
improvisation and song writing. As a saxophonist, he draws his inspiration from players such as Getz, Stitt and Rollins but stays committed to
adjusting his style and timbre to complement the sound of each musical moment.
▪ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm The Toronto Jazz
Orchestra ▪
Formed in 1998, the 18-piece Toronto Jazz Orchestra is one of Toronto’s
most exciting big bands. Created to perform music by some of the most
important composers in jazz (including Thad Jones, Bob Brookmeyer,
Phil Nimmons, Rob McConnell and more), their repertoire now includes
compositions and arrangements ranging from classic swing tunes to the
leading edge of contemporary jazz. The Toronto Jazz Orchestra seeks to
educate, entertain, and increase the public’s understanding and
appreciation of big band jazz.
Over the past fifteen years the Toronto Jazz Orchestra has performed
regularly at Toronto’s Rex Hotel and has released three recordings: their
self-titled debut (2001), Under A Tree (2003) and The Path (2009). The ensemble won top prize at the Markham Jazz Festival’s Jazz Stars of the
Future competition in 2000, and has since appeared in the JVC, Beaches, Lakefield, Markham and TD Toronto Jazz Festivals. The ensemble has also
performed at the Milton Centre for the Arts and at the Richmond Hill Performance Arts Centre.
As part of their regular performance schedule, the Toronto Jazz Orchestra has undertaken several special projects including: the Cuban Fire Suite
(as recorded by the Stan Kenton Orchestra); an evening with Phil Nimmons, featuring a performance of The Atlantic Suite; music from West Side
Story, featuring 12 new arrangements by 5 local composers; Miles Ahead, with guest trumpeter Kevin Turcotte, featuring the original Gil Evans
arrangements from the Gil Evans/Miles Davis collaboration; and four editions of the Radiohead Jazz Project, each of which featured standing-roomonly crowds. The ensemble has also presented tributes to the orchestras of Stan Kenton, Duke Ellington (including a performance of the Such Sweet
Thunder Suite), Buddy Rich and Thad Jones/Mel Lewis.
In 2004, the Toronto Jazz Orchestra created the Young Composers Competition, which has evolved into an annual Call for Scores, resulting in
submissions from composers across Canada. The performance of Canadian repertoire is a key component of the Toronto Jazz Orchestra mandate,
and each year the ensemble presents “O Canada”, a performance exclusively featuring original Canadian big band compositions.
The Toronto Jazz Orchestra was nominated for a 2006 National Jazz Award in the Best Big Band Category, and has been awarded grants by the
Toronto Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.
Toronto Jazz Orchestra founder, Artistic Director and Conductor Josh Grossman is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Jazz Performance
Program where he studied trumpet with Chase Sanborn and Kevin Turcotte. He has performed in big bands under the direction of Phil Nimmons,
Paul Read, Ron Collier and Paul Ashwell, and has played with The Whitney Smith Big Steam Band, Freeflight, the Array Jazz Orchestra, the Hamilton
All-Star Jazz Band and the Chris Hunt Tentet. Josh has been Artistic Director for Toronto Downtown Jazz, which produces the annual TD Toronto
Jazz Festival, since 2010, and has been Administrator for Continuum Contemporary Music since 2007.
Founder and Artistic Director
Josh Grossman
Saxophones
Chris Roberts
Taylor Cook
Chris Hunsburger
Paul Metcalfe
Erica Jensen
Trumpets
Steve Dyte
John Pittman
Patrice Barbonchon
Trombones
Christian Overton
Pat Blanchard
Mark Grieve
Sylvain Bedard
Rhythm
Todd Elsliger (guitar)
Carissa Neufeld (piano)
Mark Godfrey (bass)
Dave MacDougall (drums)
Mark Micklethwaite (drums)
Voice
Sophia Perlman
Alex Samaras
▪ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Barbra Lica ▪
Barbra Lica is an artist incapable of artifice. Real truth and genuine warmth shine through both the singing and songwriting of the fast-rising young Torontobased artist, as is showcased on her delightful just-released second album, Kissing You.
There are no theatrics in her singing style, one that stresses subtlety and grace. Similarly, as a writer she concentrates on the minutiae of life, on the beauty that
can be found in the day-to-day. She describes her 2012 debut album That's What I Do as "a celebration of mundane life with all its ups and downs," but she
infuses the theme with real insight.
Lica's eclectic and open-eared approach to music is reflected in her list of current
favourite artists, one that ranges from such fellow free-spirited singer/songwriters as
Regina Spektor and Sara Bareilles to bluegrass groups Nickel Creek and the Punch
Brothers. She explains, "I was also obsessed with impressionist music for a long time,
especially Ravel. His music was all I ever wanted to play in piano lessons. When it comes
to jazz though, my favourite songwriter ever is Irving Berlin. One of my first records was
Ella Fitzgerald singing the Irving Berlin Songbook. Berlin always has a tune that fits exactly
what I'm thinking or feeling."
She also cites Doris Day as an influence on her vocal style. "I channel her as much as I can,
as I have an understated voice. It's less about making it big and flashy and more like 'what
is the story of this?'"
The recording of Kissing You took place in a relaxed yet very productive fashion at Desert
Fish Studios in Toronto. Multiple Juno-winning engineer/mixer Jeff Wolpert (Holly Cole,
Loreena McKennitt) was also at the console, and a stellar grouping of elite Toronto
players is featured on the album. That list includes Reg Schwager and Kevin Turcotte (both
also featured on That's What I Do), Scott Alexander, Mark Kelso, Marc Rogers, Robert
McAlpine, Scott Irvine and Kevin Fox, while Pomanti's virtuoso keyboard playing figures prominently. The judicious use of cello, ukelele, tuba and trumpet adds
colorful textures to the core piano/bass/drums/guitar template, and Lica's skill as an accomplished and adventurous arranger flourishes on Kissing You.
Kissing You was introduced to the public in December 2014 with an enthusiastically-received sold-out performance at the 1,100 capacity Koerner Hall, prior to its
official release in January 2015. Lica received standing ovations before singing a single note!
There is musical talent in Barbra Lica's genes, for her mother achieved real success as a professional singer in Romania prior to immigrating to Canada. Her
parents always encouraged Barbra to pursue her passion for music, even expressing displeasure when she scaled back her musical aspirations for a period. "I
actually planned on becoming a doctor," says Barbra. "When you know your whole life you want to be a singer, you kind of fight it. It feels like a delusional
dream, and I just wanted to be self-sufficient."
Her internal conflict over a career choice showed in her academic pursuits. Lica is surely the only University of Toronto student to have graduated with a
Bachelor of Music in Jazz Voice Performance with an additional major in Human Biology! She laughingly recalls, "I'd be doing my jazz combo rehearsals in my lab
coat then running down to the sciences building!" In her musical studies, Lica learned from the best, with noted singers Heather Bambrick, Christine Duncan and
Sienna Dahlen serving as her tutors (she credits Juno-winner Dahlen for really encouraging her songwriting).
Even prior to graduating from U of T, Lica was honing her performance chops on major Toronto stages. She sang with the Juno-winning John MacLeod Big Band
at the Rex Hotel in 2009 and with the Dave Young Sextet at The Old Mill, and also dazzled at jazz festivals in Oakville, Port Credit and Prince Edward County.
Barbra's career really took flight with the 2012 release of her debut album, That's What I Do. It was produced by Juno-winning jazz producer/bassist/recording
artist Paul Novotny, and featured such A-list instrumentalists as Schwager, Turcotte, Joe Sealy, Robi Botos, Archie Alleyne, Steve Heathcote, Perry White, Brian
Dickinson, and Rob Piltch. Novotny and Sealy had first been introduced to Lica's talent when she guested on the duo's acclaimed 2009 album, Songs. The track
featuring Barbra, "You're Gonna Miss Me," was played on JAZZ FM, marking the first time Lica heard her voice on the radio.
That's What I Do soon placed Lica in high demand on the Ontario jazz club and festival circuit, earning recognition as one of Canada's Top 5 Female Jazz
Singers according to Tonic host Tim Tamashiro on CBC - Radio 2. Prominent festivals at which she has made a real impact include the TD Toronto Jazz Festival,
Beaches Jazz Festival, and the Orangeville, Niagara, Prince Edward County, Markham and Trenton Jazz Festivals. She has also participated in the concert series at
The McMichael Art Gallery, had anthem performances at the Rogers Cup and Honda Indy, sung with Bob Dorough at the Jazz Bistro, appeared on Breakfast TV,
and shone on the CBC's 75th Anniversary Special with host Michael Enright, an event that also featured Serena Ryder and Sylvia Tyson. Barbra will now promote
Kissing You with Ontario dates in the months ahead as well as beginning her first U.S. tour in early May.
▪ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Carpe Noctem ▪
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We are a group of jazz musicians in Peterborough, Ontario, who play periodically because we
love this music!
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John Climenhage – drums
Andy Cragg – sax
Mark Davidson – sax
Pete Woolidge – piano
Craig Paterson – bass
▪ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Ethan Ardelli Quartet ▪
Originally from Sydney, Nova Scotia, Ethan Ardelli is a freelancing drummer on the Toronto jazz
scene. Since graduating from the University of Toronto in 2006, Ethan has had the good fortune of working
with such artists as Dewey Redman, Mark Turner, Mark Feldman, Jeremy Pelt, George Mraz and Mulgrew
Miller. Ethan has played on two Juno award winning albums (Jane Bunnett's "Radio Guantanamo" and
Mike Downes' "Ripple Effect"). As well as leading his own group Ethan is currently a member of the Darren
Sigesmund Quintet, Nancy Walker Quintet, Mike Downes' Trio, Brian Dickinson Trio, Harley Card Quintet
and William Carn's "Run Stop Run".
▪ 9:30 pm - 11:00 pm Funk It Up ▪
Is a new horn band in the Kawarthas which features singing sensation Beau Dixon on
lead vocals. The band is made up of some of the top musicians in the area. Our sound
is unique as we blend soul music, jazz and R&B into blues, up-tempo R&B, Motown and
riveting funk for a sound that will entertain your crowd for hours. Combine this with
an outstanding lead vocalist and you have one of
the most dynamic and entertaining groups in Southern Ontario.
Beau Dixon
The band is fronted by powerhouse vocalist Beau Dixon. With incredible
range and versatility, this charismatic singer will undoubtedly give a performance to
remember!
Horns
Royce Williamson (trumpet)
Lori Davidson (trumpet)
Roger Chong (trombone)Kevin Goss (sax)
Sean Hully (sax)
Rhythm
Curtis Cronkwright (drums)
Mike Graham (guitar)
Brent Turner (keyboards)
Gerry Gregg (bass)