GRAY MATTER
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Born of funky grooves and stirring lyrics, Gray Matter’s 2015 release, Footsteps, pushes the envelope of genre-boundaries and introduces the next generation of Canadian music-makers. Co-lead by Toronto-born brothers Justin &Derek Gray, Gray Matter teams Grammy-award winning Ingrid Jensen on trumpet with 35-time internationally award-winning tenor saxophonist Eli Bennett, Juno-nominated pianist Todd Pentney, and vocalist Jill Harris(The O’Pears).
With Footsteps, Gray Matter brings forward a unique blend of styles – from experimental jazz improvisation toR&B grooves to explorative vocal soundscapes. Rarely does a group’s debut album come forth with such a distinctive sound. Though their wide range of influences is ever apparent, Footsteps offers a singular focus: innovativeand challenging, yet entirely enjoyable original music. The music ranges from the funky title track, to a rap-centric cut featuring Toronto-based MC, Lalo, to an inspirational spoken word reflection on mortality by Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes (Grand Marshall of World Pride Toronto, Member of the Order of Canada).
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2015 CFMA Nominees: "World Group" & "Instrumental Group" of the Year
Debut Studio Album, Mandala, Nominated for 2015 JUNO (Recording Engineer of the Year)
2015 Official Showcases: Mundial Montreal & Folk Music Ontario Conferences
For the past nine years, Monsoon’s original Indo-Jazz fusion has evolved into a musically innovative tapestry that combines elements of creative Jazz and traditional Indian Classical music into a rich and meaningful cross-cultural expression. Monsoon’s Juno-nominated album, Mandala, is a genre-crossing collection of compositions that take the listener on a creative, mystical and transcendental journey deep into the heart and soul.
Spending years in India learning the traditional art of Indian Raga music, brothers Jonathan and Andrew Kay weave intricate melodies on saxophone, bansuri (Indian bamboo flute) and other exotic woodwinds, while Justin Gray’s collection of electric and acoustic basses sensitively compliment and provide a rich foundation. Tabla virtuoso, Ravi Naimpally’s intricate solos highlight India’s complex rhythmic language, which Derek Gray assimilates into explosive grooves on the drums and cymbals. Todd Pentney’s keyboards unite each element, sweetening the collective expression and harmonizing Monsoon’s unique compositional style.
Since Monsoon’s creation in 2006, the ensemble has made a large impact on the Canadian and International music scene, and has been a conduit for spreading their culturally rich influences across the globe.
In recent years, Monsoon’s feature performances have included: The Aga Khan Museum, Glenn Gould Studio,Markham Jazz Festival, Newmarket Jazz Festival, Richard Bradshaw Theatre, Ottawa’s Festival of India,Small World Music Festival and the Toronto Indo-Jazz Festival.
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VENTANAS
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2015 CFMA Nominees - “World Music Group” & “Traditional Singer” of the Year
2014 CFMA Nominees - “Best Ensemble” & “Best Traditional Singer” of the Year
Showcases: Pacific Contact 2016, APAP 2016, Folk Music Ontario 2014, Mundial Montreal 2013, Golden Fest Brooklyn 2012
Ventanas is a six-piece world music group based in Toronto, Canada. Led by powerful vocalist Tamar Ilana, Ventanas embraces the varied melodic and rhythmic traditions of Flamenco and the Sephardic diaspora to create fresh interpretations and original songs. Ventanas braves new ground on their second album, Arrelumbre, released in 2015.
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TESSERACT
"Tesseract is a ‘modern jazz quintet,’ with an emphasis on the modern.” (The Canadian Jazz Review)
Following up on their debut album “Impossible Images” (2012), Tesseract present their sophomore effort “Visions of Collisions,” featuring a more cohesive, yet equally energetic set of music. The band displays its recent growth in large doses by combining jazz, rock and classical influences into a confident and unified sound.
Formed in 2010, Tesseract have been in constant pursuit of honest improvised musical expression. Maturing through increased performances - most notably at the Rex Hotel in Toronto, The Upstairs in Montreal and the Atina JazzFestival in Italy - they are proud to present the fruit of their labours on “Visions of Collisions”.
“...expect some poised and expressive saxophone work from alto player Edwin Sheard and tenor player Leland Whitty, eclectic beyond-jazz sounds from guitarist Patrick O’Reilly, and a solid foundation from bassist Julian Anderson-Bowes and drummer Derek Gray.” (Peter Hum - Ottawa Citizen)
Visions of Collisions is available for download at: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/visions-of-collisions/id751549189
Derek Gray Patrick O'Reilly Edwin Sheard Julian Anderson-Bowes Leland Whitty
Drums Guitar Alto Sax Bass Tenor Sax
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ROARSHAQ
Roarshaq is a collective of four young Toronto musicians/composers dedicated to creating new and original works in jazz and improvised music. As the name suggests the group aims to be a musical inkblot, creating patterns, images and textures which the listener is free to interpret and experience in their own way, projecting their own state of mind through the music.
For several years these four musicians, each consummate professionals in Toronto’s music community, have been getting together to make music they love. They applied for a short-term winter residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts and were accepted to attend from March 4th to March 15th, 2013. Since then the group has been composing, rehearsing and performing in Toronto on a regular basis. In addition to this they will be touring Ontario and Quebec in April 2013 and recording a demo EP.
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MONSOON: SYNTHESIS
Exploring the timeless traditions from the East through a contemporary palate of creative confluence, the many strings of Monsoon:Synthesis resonates within the rhythmic canvas of worldly rhythmscapes and electronic dreamscapes.
Monsoon:Synthesis is a creative Indo-Jazz ensemble that features the unique Bass Veena, and instrument co-created by Justin Gray and Canadian luthier Les Godfrey. It is an adaptation of the fretless bass into a form more suitable for Indian Classical and Indo-Jazz music. This ensemble focuses the unique tonal pallet of the Bass Veena, in tandem with stringed instruments from India, unique worldly percussion instruments, traditional drones and various keyboards.
Derek Gray Andrew Kay Justin Gray Ed Hanley
Tibetan Mediation Bowls Alto Sax / Tampuri Bass Veena Tabla
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DEREK GRAY COLLECTIVE
The Collective is a contemporary music quintet, led by Derek Gray. Stepping out from behind the drum kit for the first time as a leader, Derek is joined by some of Toronto’s finest young musicians (vocalist Jill Harris, saxophonist Andy Ballantyne, pianist Chris Pruden, and bassist Jake Von Wurden) the group will be exploring their own approaches to Derek’s original compositions.
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Kayos Theory is a Toronto group exploring the sonic realms of improvised and composed modern jazz music deeply influenced by the music, mysticism, and spirituality of India & The Far East and it's connection with the music of John Coltrane. Led by Saxophone Brothers Jonathan & Andrew Kay, this group features some of Canada's most talented artists working together toward a collective vision.
Jonathan Kay - Tenor & Soprano Saxophones
Andrew Kay - Alto & Soprano Saxophone, Percussion
Featured Guests: David Mott - Baritone Saxophone, Mike Murley - Tenor Saxophone, Pat LaBarbera - Tenor Saxophone
Justin Gray - Upright Bass
Derek Gray - Drums, Cymbals & Percussion
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DOVIRA
DoVira [do-VEE-ruh] is a Canadian group that fuses Ukrainian and Eastern European folk music with jazz, rock, experimental, and other music influences from around the World.
'Obrys' (or 'Outline') is the debut release from DoVira, whose name translates to 'trust' in Ukrainian. The EP features re-mastered versions of their successful debut singles 'Nese Halya Vodu’, 'Oy Chyj To Kin' Stoit', and 'Jihav Kozak Mistom' (29,000+ YouTube views).
Lead by Ukrainian-born pianist Stacey Yerofeyeva (Stereoflavour) and bassist Mark Rynkun (Pakistani superstar JoSH), the group is set to release their first full-length album in Summer 2016.