The Adema Manoukas Octet is an energetic eight-piece ensemble co-led by Nick Adema and Alex Manoukas. All of the band members attended the University of Toronto together, and it was here where the band’s initial bond was formed. Over several years, that band has been regularly performing at the Rex Hotel in Toronto, performing a wide variety of arrangements to find the band’s sound.
Coming on the heels of his first full-length album demiLAN, (“teeming with originality and confidence” – Yoshi Wall, The WholeNote), trombonist Nick Adema has teamed up with saxophonist Alex Manoukas for a new recording project with their newly formed band the Adema Manoukas Octet. These eight young Toronto all- stars have been performing together in various combinations for years, providing an alternative perspective on the Canadian jazz sound. Together, they offer a glimpse of a new music full of blistering solos, thought-provoking melodies, and world-class ensemble playing.

Personnel:

Evan Dalling – Trumpet
Brenon Parmar – Alto Sax
David Hodgson – Tenor Sax
Nick Adema – Trombone
Alex Manoukas – Baritone Sax
Josh Smiley – Piano
Evan Gratham – Bass
Keith Barstow – Drums

Check out:  “New Roots”   “Eastern Avenue”

Cettina Donato is an internationally acclaimed classical and jazz pianist, composer, arranger and conductor. Her highly original work often blurs the lines between genres: from jazz to classical, and from symphonic music to theatrical music. In 2011, while based in Boston, Donato formed the Cettina Donato Orchestra, a full size jazz big band with a string quartet featuring musicians from all over the world. Across the ocean, in Italy, Donato is the only woman that conducts classical symphony orchestras performing a jazz repertoire while also contributing her own arrangements as well. Cettina Donato conducts the Bari Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra (Bari, Puglia), the Vittorio Emanuele Symphony Orchestra (Messina, Sicily), the Lucca Jazz Orchestra (Lucca, Tuscany), the Molfetta Youth Symphony Orchestra (Bari, Puglia), the New Talents Jazz Orchestra (Rome). Along with her many large ensemble works, she regularly collaborates in a duo, trio and quartet setting (as a bandleader) with some of the most renowned musicians of the international jazz scene (Eliot Zigmund, Stefano Di Battista, Fabrizio Bosso and many others).

Donato was awarded the prestigious JazzIt prize (Italy) by the review JazzIt as Best Arranger in 2013, 2016, 2018 and 2019, the Alumni Eccellenti prize (Italy) by the University of Messina in 2019, the Carla Bley Award by Berklee College of Music (MA, USA) in 2011 among many other achievements. In 2017 Donato released Persistency-The New Project featuring drummer Eliot Zigmund. Donato’s other works were released in 2008 (Pristine, Cettina Donato Quintet), 2012 (Crescendo, Cettina Donato Orchestra), 2015 (Third, Cettina Donato trio), 2019 (Piano 4 Hands), 2021 (I Siciliani -Vero Succo Di Poesia- with the renowned Italian actor Ninni Bruschetta and BIM Orchestra, compositions and arrangements and conducting by Cettina Donato), 2023 (Mito).

Donato graduated from Berklee College Of Music (Boston, MA, USA) with degrees in Jazz Composition and from Conservatory “A. Corelli”, Sicily (Italy) in Classical Piano, Jazz Music, Musical Didactic, from University of Messina in Social Psychology. Donato’s artistic career is accented by teaching Jazz Piano courses at the Conservatory “N. Piccinni” in Bari (Puglia, Italy).

Personnel:

Derek Hines’ book of vocals is quite diverse.  The themes focus on traditional standards from Evans to Monk.  The sub-plots are a jazz take on legends from Lennon/McCartney to Jimmy Webb. This wonderful local singer and chef brings an amazing band to his yearly Jazz Room show.  Derek sings jazz as it should be sung, with skill and emotion.  Highlights of his career include performances with Freddy Cole, and 70′s television great John Davidson. Interesting interpretations of old and new standards. A series of introspective conversations between old musical friends.

Derek is, if nothing else consistent. Each time he performs at the Jazz Room he brings a new band and new additions to the set list. This performance will be no different. Nothing crazy, just some guys who enjoy hitting stuff.  Music that swings and will hit your heart when you least expect it.

Personnel : 

Alexis Baro was born into a musical family in Havana, Cuba. Classically trained, he took up the
trumpet at the age of age 8 and completed his musical education receiving a teaching
certification at the prestigious Amadeo Roldán Music Conservatory in Havana.
While in school he became a member of Buena Vista Social Club superstar singer Omara
Portuondo’s band and at the age of 19 played lead trumpet for the National Radio and
Television Orchestra.

After moving to Canada in 2001 he was discovered in Toronto by iconic Canadian jazz drummer
Archie Alleyne where he flourished as a writer and performer for eight years as a member of the
Canadian award winning ‘hard-bop” band Kollage.
As a band member and contributor, he was nominated for “Best Jazz Trumpeter” by the
Canadian National Jazz Awards in the years 2006, 2007, and 2008.

Alexis Baro has participated in more than 80 albums and can be heard as a feature soloist on
some of the most transcendent Latin albums made in Canada such as Hilario Duran’s Grammy
Award nominated album “From the Heart”.
He has released six albums as a solo artist “Havana Banana” (2004), “From the Other Side”
(2009), “Blue Skin” (released 2012), “Guilty Pleasure”- released 2015 (2016 “Global Music
Award Gold Medal for Jazz), “Sugar Rush” (2017) and his 2019 Juno Award Nominated
recording “Sandstorm”

His 2022 release titled “Mi Raiz” (My Root) is his tribute to “The Cuban Trumpet” and all the
great Cuban musicians and composers who have contributed to bringing its distinctive sound
to prominence in the world of music throughout its history.

Personnel:

 Alexis Baro – Trumpet
Jeremy Ledbetter – Piano
Yoser Rodriguez – Bass
Ahmed Mitchell – Drums
Papiosco (Jorge L. Torres) – Conga and percussion

Check out:   “Timba Jam-Live at the Redwood Theatre”  “Sandstorm”   “Bye Bye Blackbird”

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, danceable, and musically fulfilling material, he put together the top players in the region and they began work on a high-energy repertoire heavily influenced by James Brown, Tower of Power, Stevie Wonder, Chicago, and more.

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, and a new album of high energy funk fusion is in the works and planned for release in 2025.

Today, the band continues performing the crowd-pleasing funk and rock hits that put everything in motion back in 2016 and also seeks out opportunities to share their original fusion music

Check out:  “Original Music Clips”  “Hang Up Your Hang Ups”   at the Jazz Room in 2017.   “At the Guelph RibFest”

A unique blend of Swing, Gypsy, Bebop and more, Charlotte McAfee-Brunner and her Fireflies will take you on a toe-tapping journey to their favorite places. Exciting bebop Clarinet, swinging Trombone, firey gypsy Guitar and engaging basslines come together in a beautiful way you might not expect. Bandleader, trombonist and vocalist Charlotte McAfee-Brunner interprets the lyrics of Great American Songbook classics in a way that reaches the hearts of young and old.

Personnel: 

Charlottw McAfee-Bruner-trombone

Jared Higgins-guitar

bass

drums

piano

Check out:      “Pennies from Heaven”             “Bellair St. Tuesdays”

This performance is part of the WOMEN IN JAZZ series, sponsored by DIVA INTERNATIONAL, makers of the Diva Cup.

London’s London’s award-winning Jazz songstress Sonja Gustafson is a talented vocalist with a unique style and polish.  Her traditional approach reflects an appreciation for the forerunners of vocal jazz, bringing a cool verve to classic and lesser-known standards.  Honest and soulful in her delivery and grace, Sonja Gustafson is dazzling whether performing torch ballads, scatting with abandon, or crooning popular covers. Her collaborations with many of London’s top jazz instrumentalists led to the release of her debut CD “Sonja Gustafson” in 2007, as well as a double Christmas CD entitled “Comfort & Joy” released in December 2010. Both albums were well-received and can be heard on CBC radio and found on iTunes, or ordered at www.sonjagustafson.com.

Her audience is often surprised to learn that she is also an accomplished classically trained soprano with a MMus from UWO. She is a popular guest with symphonies, choirs and big bands alike and has been soprano soloist at First St. Andrew’s United Church in London, ON since 1999.  Sonja also has her own opera company, Diva Lounge Productions, which produces fully staged chamber operas.  But make no mistake, when it comes to jazz, she is the “real deal” according to her listeners and colleagues – her mellow jazz vocals are worlds away from her soprano roots. So whether singing in an intimate jazz club or in front of a symphony, this multi-faceted performer is an engaging songstress who connects deeply with her audience and shares her love of song with passion.

Personnel: TBA

Checkout:   “Overjoyed”   “Fields of Gold”

This performance is part of the WOMEN IN JAZZ series, sponsored by DIVA INTERNATIONAL, makers of the Diva Cup.