Canadian Big Band "To Your Health" Fundraiser for Meaford Hospital Foundation

Event Details

Event type: All Ages

Indulge in an evening of extraordinary musical flair and philanthropy at the Canadian Big Band "To Your Health" Fundraiser for the Meaford Hospital Foundation. Immerse yourself in the soulful rhythms and captivating melodies of an ensemble comprising Canada's finest talents taking you on an unforgettable auditory journey .

The 17 piece Canadian Big Band includes the most talented musicians in Canada including:

Pat LaBarbera - (Saxophone)  an American-Canadian saxophonist and composer known for his innovative approach to jazz and his virtuosic saxophone playing. Throughout his career, LaBarbera has performed with a wide range of jazz legends, including Buddy Rich, Louis Bellson, and Woody Herman. He is also known for his work with the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine, a group that he joined in the 1970s and toured with extensively throughout the world. LaBarbera moved to Toronto, Canada in 1974 after touring with the Buddy Rich Big Band.

Russ Little - (Trombone) An original Lighthouse member and one of Canada’s foremost session and jazz musicians, Russ Little is a prolific composer, scoring numerous television series, feature films, and documentaries. In 2007 Russ was voted Trombonist of the Year by the National Jazz Awards.

Allison Young - (Saxophone)  Born and raised in Ottawa, JUNO nominated saxophonist and composer Alison Young discovered jazz at an early age, gravitating towards the exuberance of Sonny Rollins and Cannonball Adderley, who continue to influence her to this day. As well as being featured in the National Youth Jazz Ensemble at the Ottawa jazz festival in 2001 and 2002, she began playing professionally as a teenager, developing an affinity for soul and R&B as well as jazz. Since moving to Toronto in the early 2000s to study music at the University of Toronto, Alison has been an active presence on the Toronto jazz scene. 

Ted Warren - (Drums) Ted has a solid reputation as a musical, versatile drummer. He is an active member of Canada’s jazz scene and has been recognized with Jazz Report’s Drummer of the Year award. He teaches at Humber and Mohawk College in their Jazz Studies programs and is a well-regarded clinician and adjudicator. Ted fronts his own quartet, Ted’s Warren Commission, which has just released their debut CD, First Time Caller. 

Steve Crowe - (Trumpet) one of Toronto’s consummate professional trumpet players. Graduating from Humber College in 1985, he quickly soared on the Toronto jazz scene working in numerous dance and club bands, big bands, Latin bands, ethnic orchestras, Dixieland bands, and several small jazz ensembles. He has played on countless jingles, film and television soundtracks, and recordings, and has worked in stage shows with Rich Little, Bernadette Peters, and Bob Hope.

William Sperandei - (Trumpet) is a Toronto musician, composer, arranger, and bandleader. His love of the trumpet began in grade school where he studied privately with Bram Smith. He continued his education at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, on a full scholarship and for two and a half years studied classical music and played in diverse ensembles including orchestra, wind ensemble, brass trio, and jazz ensemble, as well as leading his own jazz quintet.

Kevin Turcotte - (Trumpet) Kevin is recognized as one of Canada's major trumpet talents with an impressive list of recording and touring credentials. The more than 175 CD's he has played on range in style from folk legend Bruce Cockburn to opera star Measha Bruegergossman to Jazz great Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass to the unique and chamber music-like Quinsin Nachoff. Kevin's touring has taken him to places like the former Soviet Union with the Dave McMurdo Jazz Orchestra, Chile with the Dave Young Quartet, Mexico with vocalist Elizabeth Sheppard, Brazil with the David Braid Sextet and Italy with the Neufeld-Occhipinti Jazz Orchestra featuring clarinetist Don Byron.

Steve McDade - (Trumpet) McDade has been a member of Manteca and The Boss Brass since the ‘80s, touring the world with both bands and playing on their Grammy and JUNO Award-winning recordings. He has performed in major jazz festivals all over the world with Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass and more recently, as a member of The Rob McConnell Tentet. He led his own Steve McDade Quintet when they performed in the “Sound of Toronto Jazz” Concert Series on November 21, 1994, and appeared in the Series three more times after that: with Rob McConnell’s Jazz Band on October 19, 1998; as a member of the Ron Collier Orchestra on November 19, 2001; and with The Rob McConnell Tentet on March 8, 2004.

Karl Silveira - (Trombone) Karl Silveira is a GRAMMY (Hilario Duran Jazz Orchestra 2023) and Double JUNO Nominated (Lemon Bucket Orkestra 2013, Noam Lemish TWELVE, 2023) Trombonist from Toronto. He completed a Master of Music in Jazz Performance and Composition from the University of Toronto in 2019. He was also selected to attend the Banff Jazz and Creative Music Workshop in 2008. He is a regular member of the Sam Kirmayer Sextet, The Alex Dean Quintet, The Alex Brown Sextet, Hogtown Brass Quintet, The Harley Card Sunset Ensemble, The Noam Lemish TWELVE and has performed with the David Braid Sextet, The Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra and the Hilario Duran Jazz Orchestra.

Paul Tarussove - (Trombone) Paul Tarussov, trombonist, educator, and composer/arranger is among a new wave of musicians seeking to bring together and exploration of original music with a sound steeped in tradition. He is highly in demand as a freelancer in the Toronto area playing in a variety of genres – theatre, world music, rock, funk, and classical.

William Carn - (Trombone)  A long-time Canadian citizen, the heralded young trombonist, while still in his 30s, has emerged as one of Canada's leading contemporary jazz artists. 2008 marked the fifth consecutive time Carn was nominated in the National Jazz Awards’ 'Trombonist of the Year' Category, and the William Carn Quintet's debut recording, Other Stories, was nominated for a JUNO in 2007.

Vern Dorge - (Saxophone) A native of Medicine Hat, Alberta Dorge moved to the Toronto scene in 1974. Dorge, adept on saxophone and woodwinds is a sought after sideman and studio musician for clubs, orchestra, television and theatre. He is on faculty at Humber College.

Shirantha Beddage -  ( Saxophone)  Two-time JUNO-nominated musician Shirantha Beddage is a baritone saxophonist, composer and educator from Toronto, Canada. Currently, he serves as Head of Theory and Harmony in the Humber College Music department, where he teaches courses in Music Theory, Pedagogy, and Ensemble.

Danny McErlain - (Piano) One of the busiest players in Toronto, pianist Danny McErlain brings craftsmanship,  versatility, and a sensitive touch to every setting, from an intimate house party to the stage of Carnegie Hall. Musical director and arranger, Danny conducts two Toronto area choirs, the Queen's Park Civil Service Choir and The Ambiance Singers, and provides rehearsal piano and accompaniment for a wide range of artists.

Jack McFadden ( Bass) won a scholarship to the Congress of Strings, in Michigan in the Summer of 1966, and moved to Toronto that Fall, beginning to work immediately. He won scholarships to the National Youth Orchestra in 1967 and 1968, joined the National Ballet as principal bass, and frequently worked in pit-bands for shows at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. In between tours, he played jazz.

Ale Nunez - (Vocals) a 23 year old Canadian vocalist, songwriter and band-leader based in Toronto completing her fourth year at the Bachelor of Music Jazz program at Humber College. You can often see Ale perform in Toronto at the Rex, Jazz Bistro, Drom Taberna, The Emmet Ray and Manhattans in Guelph to name a few. She most recently completed a month long residency at The Rex in January 2024 and in December 2024 performed as part of Ontario Creates Women's in Music series curated by Sammy Jackson at Hugh's Room Live

Your attendance not only promises a night of entertainment but also serves a noble cause. With proceeds dedicated to the Meaford Hospital, your contribution directly impacts the health and well-being of our community. Each note played resonates with the spirit of generosity, making every beat a testament to the power of collective goodwill.

Join us for an evening of harmony and benevolence, where music intertwines with the noblest of intentions. Let the Canadian Big Band "To Your Health" Fundraiser be your symphony of support for the Meaford Hospital Foundation. Together, let’s create a crescendo of compassion and care.

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