JENIE THAI & FRASER MELVIN
6.00
Three-time Maple Blues Award nominee, Jenie Thai is a singer, songwriter, and pianist with an old-school soul, and a voice that spans more than three octaves. Inspired by America’s great songwriters, she blends her love of classic R&B and roots music in tough but tender ballads and fiery house-rockers. Jenie spent a decade on the road with 270 + dates a year across Canada, pockets of the US, and Mexico. Recent accomplishments include receiving standing ovations on stages such as Massey Hall, Mariposa Folk Festival, and the New York Jazz Forum Arts Festival. Furthermore, she has been on a multi year tour as a supporting act for the Downchild Blues Band.
ODD FELLOWS
8.30
Hailing from the hills of Quebec ‘Miranda Ceara & The Odd Fellows Orchestra’ reimagine the sounds of prewar jazz, blues, and calypso, weaving them together to create an original and entirely modern cabaret-noir of brass, strings, and rhythm, bound by Miranda’s unique songwriting and vocal delivery.
The Odd Fellows are: Miranda Ceara (Vocals, Banjo), Corey Pool (Drums & Percussion), Oscar Evans (Trumpet), James Arif (Sousaphone, Trombone)
15$ cover after 10pm, with all proceeds going directly to the musicians performing.
HUMBER COLLEGE COSMIC FUNK ENSEMBLE
11.30
Humber College's Cosmic Funk Ensemble is a collective of musicians bound by groove, spirit, and the belief that music can move more than just bodies—it can move hearts, minds, and even history. Rooted in the deep rhythms of 1970s funk, infused with the improvisatory soul of jazz, blues, and rock, we play music that reflects the struggles, hopes, and energy of our time. Our sound is both a celebration and a statement. The bass pulses with urgency, the horns call out like voices demanding to be heard, the synthesizers shimmer with visions of something greater. We play not just to entertain, but to connect—to tap into something raw and real, to offer a space where music becomes a form of sonic liberation. We create original music forged in the fire of our times, soundscapes of struggle and liberation. Funk is not just a genre—it’s resistance, it’s power, it’s freedom. If your mind is open and your soul is ready, step inside. The revolution has a rhythm.
BLUE HOUR
2.30
Blue Hour, also known as the David Piluso Quartet, are an instrumental fusion band based in Toronto. Their sound incorporates a variety of influences from jazz fusion and progressive rock. Blue Hour’s sound varies across their original compositions with catchy guitar driven melodies, improvisation, and experimentation. The group features David Piluso on guitar, Tristan St-Pierre on keys, Damien De Oliveira on drums, and Russell Molina on bass.
Their debut album, Blue Hour, was released in the summer of 2024, marking an exciting milestone for the band. This instrumental fusion record showcases their diverse influences and was developed over two years while David and the band members pursued their studies in the Master of Arts in Music program at York University, with most of them also obtaining their bachelor's degrees there.
Since its release, Blue Hour has garnered attention, receiving regular airplay on Canadian radio stations like JazzFM. At its peak, the album reached 1500 monthly listeners on Spotify and landed a spot on the first page of the Bandcamp charts for jazz and fusion. The group is preparing for more performances and anticipates releasing their second record with new bassist Russell Molina in the summer of 2025.