Mississauga Big Band Jazz Ensemble
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Friends

  • Web Link Don Menza

    Don Menza is a powerful tenor saxophonist, with an dynamic and distinctive sound and soloing style. Born in Buffalo, New York in 1936, Menza started playing tenor saxophone when he was 13. After getting out of the Army, he was with Maynard Ferguson’s Orchestra (1960-1962) as both a soloist and an arranger.

    A short tenure with Stan Kenton and a year leading a quintet in Buffalo preceded a period living in Germany (1964-1968). After returning to the U.S., he joined Buddy Rich’s 1968 big band in the “jazz tenor” chair, recording the famous solo cadenza on “Channel 1 Suite” (Recorded “live” at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas) that utilized circular breathing and has become known as a classic among music educators and musicians alike.

    His compositions, such as “Groovin’ Hard” and “Time Check” (both favorites of Doc Severinsen’s NBC Orchestra and Buddy Rich’s Big Band) have become standard repertoire in jazz studies programs at colleges and universities worldwide.

  • Web Link John LaBarbera

    John LaBarbera is a two time recipient of the U S National Endowment For the Arts award for Jazz Composition.  His works have been recorded and performed by Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Sammy Davis Jr., Mel Torme, Chaka Khan, Harry James, Bill Watrous, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Al Cohn, Bill Perkins, and Phil Woods just to name a few.  John's GRAMMY® nominated Big Band CD, "On The Wild Side" (JC 1007) and "Fantazm," (JC 1011) on the Jazz Compass label have received critical acclaim in every major jazz journal.

  • Web Link Pat LaBarbera

    Pat LaBarbera is an American-born Canadian jazz tenor, alto and soprano saxophonist, clarinetist, and flautist best known for his work as a soloist in Buddy Rich bands from 1967–1973.  He has played with musicians from Louie Belson to Woody Herman to Carlos Santana.  In 2000, he won a Juno Award for Best Traditional Instrumental Jazz Album for "Deep In A Dream."  He is a member of the Music Faculty at Humber College.

  • Web Link Rick Shadrach Lazar

    Rick Lazar is a percussionist extraordinaire!  He has been named Jazz Report Magazine’s ‘Percussionist of the Year’ four times.  His 1995 album "Touch" was nominated for a JUNO Award as ‘Best Contemporary Jazz Album’. A dedicated educator, Rick Lazar is on the faculty of York University.

  • Web Link Joel Sheridan

    Classic jazz and adult pop vocalist Joel Sheridan (previously known as Joel Hartt) possesses a rich, warm, and emotionally expressive baritone voice, as well as an engaging personality that delights audiences. Sheridan sings with passion, humour and poignancy; solidly swinging on rhythm numbers, and intimately confiding on ballads.

  • Web Link Alan Reid

    Alan resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Since 1989, he has been a well respected and sought after independent voice teacher, as well as an active singer and entertainer.  Alan has predominantly music directed for Curtain Call players beginning with The Wizard Of Oz in the late nineties, followed by Singing in The Rain, The Music Man, and The Sound of Music.  In 2013 Alan music directed South Pacific for Scarborough Music Theatre and again will be MD in 2014 for A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to Forum.

  • Web Link Andre Anthony

    Andre Anthony is a MARTY award winning artist, union actor (ACTRA & Equity) singer, model and dancer with diplomas in Music and Acting from Humber College. He also has a degree in music from Thompson Rivers University and has studied at City Dance Corp and the Tap Dance Centre. Andre sings a fusion of gospel, R&B, Jazz, and Soul in Sophisticated Funk. He is proud to present his long- awaited debut Jazz recording entitled "Andre Anthony: The Gentleman".

  • Web Link Rosana Filipe

    Rosana is an accomplished singer/songwriter living in the greater Toronto Area. She started her career in musical theatre, and I has dabbled in genres including jazz, hip hop, country, rock, and even a little bit of Latin. She is for hire to sing in any band, group or choir, or as a solo act or with her regular pianist Stan Chang.

  • Web Link Denise Leslie

    Vocalist Denise Leslie originally received formal training (grade 9 Royal Conservatory) in piano. She received a BA and later a degree in Interior Design from Ryerson, but over the years, while practising interior design, she remained a devoted jazz fan, and listened, listened, listened! After starting a family, Denise began to sing seriously. A key television spot on Calgary’s A Channel was followed by gigs at jazz clubs and private functions. Over the past 10 years, she has played the Carlu, Healy's, The Hard Rock Cafe, Gate 403, Ten Feet Tall, Joe Mama's, The Trane, Ten Feet Tall, Burlington Ribfest, The Annex Live, Thornhill Golf & Country Club, Mississauga Golf Club, Jazz at Oscar's and Islington Golf Club.  She has a distinctive knack for the art of syncopation and fluid phrasing - whether working with an accompanist, a trio or with a full big band!

  • Web Link Ben Agro

    Ben Agro performs as a Tribute Artist to Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. He has been performing over 14 years at Legions, Private Parties, on Cruise Ships, in Theaters and for Corporate Functions. Ben hails from Brantford, Ontario and is a member of The Brantford Musicians Association,

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New players welcomed - Call Rob for details at (905) 270-4757

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