WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE OUR FEATURED ARTISTS FOR THIS YEARS’ SOUTH COAST JAZZ AND BLUES FESTIVAL

AUGUST 17 - 18, 2019

PORT DOVER – We have yet another fine lineup of artists from the Jazz, Blues, Funk, Soul and R&B arenas for your entertainment pleasure. Please be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more exciting news about the festival as it becomes available. This years’ festival runs for two days, August 17th – 18th, 2019 in Norfolk County.

LIST of FEATURED ARTISTS

TOM LAVIN and The Legendary Powder Blues Band

For nearly four decades Powder Blues has been Canada’s leading blues band. The mix of swing, blues, jazz, rock & roll and r & b has an appeal so wide that people from seven to seventy often swing side by side at a Powder Blues concert. Over the years the band has toured non-stop through Canada, the United States and overseas, spreading a feel-good groove that makes people dance and shout.

Powder Blues debut album, ‘Uncut’, was shrugged off by the major labels who told the band there was ‘no market for the blues’. Undiscouraged, the band sold it off stage and sent it to radio stations whose switchboards lit up with calls asking ‘who’s that?’ After selling 30,000 copies in a few weeks, the same record labels competed to distribute this ‘non-commercial’ product. To date Powder Blues have sold over a million records worldwide.

Band highlights include winning Canada’s Juno, headlining the world-famous Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, winning the Blues Foundation Award in Memphis, Tennessee and touring the US and Europe with legends like Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, James Brown, Albert Collins, James Cotton and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Leader, Tom Lavin has written many of the band’s best-known songs including ‘Doin’ It Right’ [‘On the Wrong Side of Town’] and ‘Boppin With the Blues’. Born in Chicago where he watched and worked with local bands and blues legends, Tom moved to Vancouver gigging nightly in the downtown nightclub scene. This led to work as a studio musician, song writer, band leader, record producer and film composer.

Tom has won BCMIA awards for ‘Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter and Producer of the Year’, a Juno award for ‘Best New Band’ and the American W.C. Handy award. He has over a dozen gold, and platinum records for Powder Blues, Prism, April Wine, Long John Baldry, Amos Garrett, and many others.

2017 is the band’s 39th Anniversary. Their more than dozen CD titles and DVD continue to sell world-wide making Tom Lavin & the Legendary Powder Blues one of Canada’s longest-standing musical ambassadors.

DAVE RESTIVO

David Restivo is an award-winning pianist and composer. Born in Lansing, Michigan, molded by the mountains and coasts of New England, and based primarily in Toronto, Canada since 1982, he has been a sought-after and influential figure in Canada’s jazz community since the late 1980s.

Well-known for his work with Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, the Mike Murley Quintet, and legendary songwriter Marc Jordan, David has performed and recorded with such renowned artists as Dave Holland, Curtis Fuller, Mel Tormé, Kenny Wheeler, Jon Hendricks, and David Clayton-Thomas. A dedicated music educator for over 20 years, he currently serves on the music faculty at the University of Toronto. His own teachers have included Muhal Richard Abrams, Jim McNeely, and Kenny Werner.

Immersed in the arts from birth, a chance discovery of a Dizzy Gillespie recording at an early age led him to eventually focus on jazz and improvised music, though he derives inspiration from a wide range of musical and non-musical sources, including John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Joni Mitchell, Genesis, Hazrat Inayat Khan, Gustav Mahler, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Marc Chagall, and J.S. Bach.

“...simply one of the most exceptional jazz pianists of his generation that Canada can boast of...” (Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal)

FAWN FRITZEN

Fawn Fritzen's life journey has taken her across Europe, Asia, and the three Canadian territories. Along the way she picked up four languages, church hymns, Broadway tunes, the feathered hat of a vaudeville star, and the love of her life.

Currently based in the Yukon, Fawn is a multilingual performer who embodies Canada’s diversity with her mixed cultural roots of Chinese, French, and German. She has two studio albums under her belt and is the winner of the 2014 Julian Award of Excellence for Emerging Jazz Artists.

Fawn's eclectic shows reflect her travels, with beloved standards alongside originals, blending elements of roots and gospel into her singing. Reflecting on the crucial role of music in shaping society, her song-writing draws on themes of conflict, feminism, aging, and connecting deeply with another human.

CLARK JOHNSTON

Clark Johnston started his professional career as a bassist in 1994 and since has had the opportunity to work with the likes of Peter Appleyard, Diana Panton, Reg Schwager, and Don Thompson – just to name a few. He performs regularly with Drew Jurecka, Adrean Farrugia, James Brown, Neil Brathwaite, and Ashley St Pierre, as well as many other great musicians.

Clark has released three CDs with Shields Johnston Fielding featuring his original compositions and can be heard on many other people's recordings.

He holds a Master's degree in Music Composition as well as a Bachelor of Education from York University. In addition to teaching at Mohawk, Clark is currently on faculty at McMaster University and Hillfield Strathallan College.

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ALISON YOUNG

"Wearing gleaming red stilettos and a black orchid over her left ear, she played with endless creativity and flair." Ted Panken for Downbeat Magazine

Alison Young is a Toronto based saxophonist and composer. Since moving to Toronto in the early 2000s to study music at the University of Toronto, she has been an active presence on the jazz scene both as a leader and side-person, appearing regularly in the city's jazz venues with a wide variety of projects. Young has toured across North America, Europe, South America, the Caribbean, and Asia with acts such as Alysha Brilla, Joe Sealy, Big Rude Jake, Johnny Reid, and the Shuffle Demons, and has appeared on nearly 30 recordings, including Juno nominated albums by Alysha Brilla and Shakura S'Aida. Her recordings have been featured regularly on JazzFM and CBC2. In 2017 Alison was chosen as one of the 'Best 35 Canadian Jazz Artists under 35' by the CBC. Later that year, she was featured in Pat LaCroix and Ted O'Reilly's book, "Toronto Jazz Treasures" alongside many of her musical heroes.

Alison has been leading her own band in various formations since 2012. In 2018 she released her debut album, "So Here We Are", which received a 2019 JUNO nomination in the "solo instrumental jazz" category.

"Alison Young is a rising star in Toronto and beyond. One of the most versatile musicians in Canada!” - Jaymz Bee

ERIC ST-LAURENT

Born and raised in Montreal, St-Laurent studied improvisation in New York before moving to Berlin where he toured with both the big and small names of the German and Scandinavian music scenes.

Since returning to Toronto, Canada, St-Laurent has recorded and toured with Till Bronner, Dave Liebman, Dave Douglas, Rebekka Bakken, Slide Hampton, Luc de la Rocheliere, Sylvie Paquette, Richard Underhill, David Binney, Jojo Mayer, Carlos Del Junco, Bernard Primeau and represented Canada at the International Guitar Summit in Nice (MIDEM).

Winner of the SOCAN award for Best Original Composition at the Montreal Jazz Festival and The Best Band Award at the Vienne (France) Jazz Festival, St-Laurent has been featured on over 50 recordings, produced multiple albums, composed scores for short films and theatre, and toured extensively in Europe and Canada.

In 2013, the St-Laurent released "Dale," featuring bassist Jordan O'Connor and percussionist Michel DeQuevedo.

ALYSSA FALK

Alyssa Falk is a drummer, percussionist, educator, clinician & composer, based in the NYC area. Her talents and unique style have led her around the world to perform in many popular venues. Alyssa received both a Masters in Jazz drumset performance (Manhattan School Of Music - 2006) & Bachelor in music education/percussion performance (Crane School Of Music - 2004).

In the United States, Alyssa has performed with a variety of traditional & experimental jazz groups. In Canada, she has shared the stage with acclaimed artists Alex Dean, Pat Labarbera & Dave Restivo. Awards include: International Association of Jazz Educators Sisters, drummer (2001), Jazz Composition Award (2004). She has toured with the American Wind Symphony & has performed as part of many music festivals including the Mary Lou Williams Women In Jazz Festival. Alyssa's current musical projects & performances are based in NYC & Canada.

Internationally she has mentored jazz students in Canada as part of the Always on Stage Festival for 3 years. Compositionally, Alyssa writes for small & large jazz groups, percussion ensembles and concert bands. Her style is varied and works are performed regularly. Alyssa has recorded with a number of musicians (USA & CANADA) and continues to actively record with new up coming projects/bands in the area. Her most recent involvement is with a group she co-started along with long time friends, called “project3tet.”

RYAN FOLEY has had the opportunity to study and perform with many talented artists over the years. He currently teaches and performs in Toronto with the Toronto Rhythm Initiative, City Dance Corps, Tap Dance Centre, Millennium Dance Complex and his family owned studio - Performing Dance Arts. He has worked with TRI in all 12 shows since their conception in 2011. In the summer of 2013 Ryan was a featured artist at the TD Toronto Jazz Festival with TRI, performed in Tap Internationals as part of the NYC Tap City Festival (Lisa LaTouche), and was an original cast member in Love.Be.Best.Free, a full-length tap show in Vancouver choreographed by Danny Nielsen. In 2014 Ryan returned to Vancouver for the show’s second engagement at the Vancouver International Tap Festival and was also on faculty that year. Most recently he embarked on a 6 week BC tour of the show that closed with rave reviews.

Ryan has been involved with The Big Band Tap Revue (Allison Toffan & Josh Grossman) since it’s inception in 2014 and again in 2015 which was directed by Emmy Award winner Ted Louis Levy. He is a regular contributor to Rhythm & Sound, produced by Cori Giannotta and Johnathan Morin annually at Canadian Stage. Other highlights include: featured soloists in “Putting on the Ritz” (TheArt House), featured performer in both Johnathan Morin and Dianne Montgomery’s commissioned works at the 2017 Toronto International Tap Dance Festival, Fall For Dance North, and returning to Boston to teach and perform at Tap United, featuring tap dancers form across the globe. Ryan continues to practice, teach, perform and share his passion for the dance.

Up next, he will tour with TRI as featured soloist and faculty and member, and is commissioned to create a work for the 2020 Toronto International Tap Dance Festival.

AARON BELL and The White Pine Dancers

Aaron has always been an artist of some way, throughout his life. During high school, his favourite subjects were English, Art and Drama.

After being accepted to Sheridan College to Classical Animation, Aaron soon realised his talents should move into drama. After holding numerous jobs, he found work at the Woodland Cultural Centre and this is where his love of sharing the First Nations culture came to life.

After five years at Woodland Cultural Centre, Aaron, again, followed his heart and became a youth worker within the Niagara Region for two more years. His love of sharing his gifts with children of all ages began there.

Returning to Brantford, Ontario, Aaron was hired to be the curriculum designer for Kanata Native Traditional Village. Kanata Native Traditional Village was a reconstructed Iroquoian village using all traditional materials, such as corn husk mats, dolls, longhouses, dugout canoes and so on.

When Kanata Native Traditional Village closed down, Aaron began his own sole proprietorship business sharing the First Nations Culture in his own unique way, with friends and family that he has met over the past twenty five years.

White Pine Dancers was created and still operates, to this day, as First Nations Curriculum Design Company sharing within schools, festivals and events across Canada.

• 1999 Created White Pine Dancers
• 2002 Principal Storyteller, Opening Night, Toronto Festival of Storytelling, ROM
• 2002 Winner of Canadian Tourism Commissions “Best Winter Cultural Experience”, Kanata Native Traditional Village, curriculum design and implementation.
• 2003 Principal Actor, “The War That Made America”, Pittsburgh, Ohio
• 2003 Principal Narrator and Storyteller, “Ohio: One State, Many Nations” P.B.S ( distributed to all schools in Ohio State)
• 2003 Winner of “Individual Arts and Culture Award”, Brantford Ontario Shining Stars Tourism Awards
• 1999 – 2004 Kanata Native Traditional Village; Assistant Manager / curriculum designer
• 2001 White Pine Dancers performed at Pier 21, Halifax, Nova Scotia
• 2004 Guest speaker for “Mysterious Canada” speaking on Windigo
• 2005 Released first Storytelling CD “How the oceans became salty”
• 2007 Chosen as one of three storytellers to represent Ontario for TDCanadatrust Children’s Book Week and travelled to Winnipeg and various other communities within Manitoba
• Released second storytelling CD “Painted Imagination”
• 2008 White Pine Dancers were on the roster of the prestigious Prologue to the Performing Arts based out of Toronto, Ontario (three years and over 50 schools across Southern Ontario sharing dance, story and song)
• 2009 Dundurn Publishing asked Aaron to write a book. The book became “Jak’s Story” and was the bestseller for Dundurn during the fall of 2010
• White Pine Dancers performed at the prestigious Folklorama Festival, Winnipeg, Manitoba
• 2015 White Pine Dancers performed during the Olympic torch run in St. Catherines, Ontario
• White Pine Dancers performed at the Mississauga Waterfront festival for three consecutive years, gaining critical acclaim for creating understanding for First Nations Peoples.
• 2015 St. Catherines Folk Arts Festival, White Pine hosted the event, contributing vendors, performances, storytelling, drumming and teachings.
• 2016 White Pine Dancers organised and held a Village to Brantford’s International Villages festival (the first time in ten years that First Nations had been represented at the festival)
• White Pine Dancers performed for two weeks at Canada’s Wonderland and helped to reopen Ontario Place in Toronto, Canada

These are just a few of the things that Aaron Bell has shared and accomplished over the past years… he is constantly looking for new things to do and new things to explore in order to create more understanding today, so that there is less misunderstanding for all of our children in the future…

Please visit our website at www.ojibwaystoryteller.com as well as at facebook at White Pine Dancers.

MAKE SURE TO GET YOUR TICKETS

A rural beach destination featuring world-class music, wine, food and fun, South Coast Jazz and Blues runs for two days only, AUGUST 17-18, 2019.

Media- interviews with artists or director call 519-774-2787 (ARTS) or email info@southcoastjazz.com