WCRA

Grand Prize Winner at the 2023 John Lennon Songwriting Contest, Canadian jazz singer-songwriter Ori Dagan has attracted a dedicated and growing audience worldwide. He brings a wry and agile sense of swing to everything he does, whether interpreting a standard, spinning a pop tune on its head or introducing his own original music and lyrics. Dagan's rich bass-baritone is unmistakable. His consistently forward-thinking style is inspired by hundreds of heroines and heroes, including Sheila Jordan (with whom Dagan recorded a duet in 2017).

Kicked off by the audaciously truthful "Viruses," which netted him a Grand Prize at the Great American Songwriting Contest, Dagan’s 2022 release "Click Right Here" solidifies his strengths as a lyricist. The album is a darkly humorous tongue-in-cheek sendup of life in the digital age, with songs about online dating, social media and other 21st-century blues ironically paired with the old-school sound of an 8-piece jazz band. "Click Right Here" was praised by John Devenish of JAZZ.FM91 as “fun, provocative, fancy-free and spirited,” while George W. Harris of Jazz Weekly proclaimed: "Rare are the male singers these days who are just as clever with the pen as the vocal sword. Toronto-based Ori Dagan fits into that category with this clever release of originals." 

Ori’s previous recordings, S’Cat Got My Tongue (2009) and Less Than Three <3 (2012), established his creative artistic voice. In 2017, with the support of an ambitious crowdfunding campaign, he collaborated with seven directors from around the world on the visual album Nathaniel: A Tribute to Nat King Cole, which garnered him invitations to headline around the world, won critical acclaim and recognition at film festivals worldwide, as well as an official showcase at SXSW. During the pandemic, Ori’s weekly live-streamed concert Jazz It Up garnered over one million views collectively. He has entertained thousands across Canada and has performed in the United States, Japan, South Korea, Morocco, Macedonia, and Germany. In July 2023 Ori Dagan placed on the Downbeat Critic's Poll in the Rising Male Vocalist category.

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Insta: @oridaganjazz

Heather Bambrick is a JUNO-nominated vocalist who has collaborated with Phil Nimmons, Fred Hirsch, Gene DiNovi, Guido Basso, Lea Delaria, Rob McConnell, Peter Appleyard, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, and others.

Heather has released three solo recordings, including You’ll Never Know, which was nominated for Vocal Jazz Recording of the Year at the 2017 JUNO Awards and Jazz Recording of the Year at the 2018 East Coast Music Awards.

Heather has been a featured guest on numerous projects, and has been awarded Canada’s National Jazz Award for Vocalist of the Year.

Beyond singing, Heather is one of Canada’s top voice actors, voicing characters for commercial campaigns and several animated series including Emmy-nominated Wild Kratts, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, and Justin Time. She is also an award-winning broadcaster on JAZZ.FM91 (Canada’s only all-Jazz radio station), and a highly regarded adjudicator and clinician, working at schools and festivals across Canada.

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Web: www.heatherbambrick.ca

Insta: @heatherbambrick

The Angela Pincente Octet is a jazz ensemble featuring the compositions and arrangements of Angela Pincente. Her approach to large ensemble arranging highlights the trombone as a featured soloist as well as features each member of the ensemble in new and unique ways. This ensemble includes Toronto's most notable young musicians and gives a platform for them to showcase their artistry. The Angela Pincente Octet was created to further the lineage of the large ensemble music scene in Toronto and to spotlight young musicians within the undergraduate category.

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Insta: @angelapincente

What happens when a seasoned blues band steps outside the genre and covers all the hits from the past few decades in pop, rock, funk, R&B?.. You get Left Turn. Born out of the popular Friday Night Blues Jam, the house band decided that they needed an act that would allow them to combine all the different influences the members bring to the table.

This high energy act plays with the conviction of a blues band, which creates a unique vibe and experience for the listener. The band has been gaining attention with a standout debut performance at the 2023 East York Blues Festival. Come see what all the buzz is about!

On “powerhouse vocals” Juliet Ann, “searing guitar” Mike Sedgewick, “thundering bass'“ Text Bach, and “solid groove” drums Paul Domanski

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To be announced.

In its grandeur and freedom, Groovy Turtles Band aspires to convey emotions through music. Music, a beautiful gift, is something they are eager to share with everyone without exception. Bringing joy and love through music is the most exquisite expression for them. 

The Groove Turtles Band explores the realms of jazz, fusion, soul, and funk. They genuinely revel in the fusion of captivating jazz harmonies and the freedom of improvisation. Through the remarkable possibilities these styles offer, they endeavour to express our profound love for the world and present the magnificent and boundless art of music as a gesture of gratitude.

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Insta: https://www.instagram.com/groovy_turtles_band