Toronto Jazz Festival 2019 | Stingray Rising Stars winners

By: ArianeMon, 07/01/2019

The TD Toronto Jazz Festival wrapped up its 33rd edition on Sunday, June 30th, after presenting more than 175 free performances throughout the ten-day run. As part of the festivities, the Stingray Rising Stars prizes were awarded to emerging talent in the Festival lineup.

The four finalists included vocalist Caity Gyorgy, Moneka Arabic Jazz, clarinetist Virginia MacDonald, and Sydanie & Kelson Fredericks from The Dirty B Sides. Each finalist received a $500 prize with Sydanie & Kelson Fredericks from The Dirty B Sides receiving an additional $500 as the winners of the Rising Stars Award.

Stingray was pleased to partner with the TD Toronto Jazz Festival for this inaugural award. Over the years, Stingray has partnered with numerous industry organizations and festivals to offer cash awards and provide showcase opportunities to great new Canadian talent of all genres. Congratulations!

From left to right: Ahmed Moneka (of Moneka Arabic Jazz), Danny Milwalkee (from The Dirty B Sides), Viriginia MacDonald, Josh Grossman (Toronto Jazz Festival) and Stacey Thompson (Stingray Radio: Boom 97.3 | The Breeze).
Photo credit: Randall Cook

About the finalists

Sydanie & Kelson Fredericks from The Dirty B Sides (winners)
This ensemble brings together three outstanding acts. Kelson Fredericks is part of an emerging generation of Toronto rappers who are proving that there is more to the Toronto sound than what we hear on the radio. Sydanie (Si-day-nee) is a star on the rise – she earned recent acclaim for her Canadian Music Week set and was named by the Globe and Mail as an artist breaking through Toronto’s hip hop scene. The Dirty B Sides are Toronto’s leading backing band for hip-hop and soul acts. They work with established local and touring artists while helping independent artists break out on Toronto’s hip-hop scene.

Caity Gyorgy

A talented vocalist from Calgary, Caity Gyorgy has been making a name for herself on Canada’s festival and talent-show circuits. She has an incredibly refined voice for her age, counting Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Esperanza Spalding and Cécile McLorin Salvant among her idols. But what sets her apart is her unparalleled vocal improvisations.

Moneka Arabic Jazz

Rooted in jazz and blues, Moneka Arabic Jazz draws from leader Ahmed Moneka’s Afro-Arabic heritage and influences along with Toronto’s multicultural mix to create a distinct, funky, and unique sound. Their repertoire introduces maqam, and weaves African identity, heritage, and influences into the mix. The contributions of the five talented musicians create a unique sound that embodies the diversity of Toronto in 2019.

Virginia MacDonald

Virginia MacDonald is a clarinetist who is on the verge of completing her Bachelor of Music at Humber College. She has already toured nationally and overseas and earned a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music’s summer intensive program in 2018. Earning acclaim especially for her compositions, she will be releasing her first album later in 2019.

About the TD Toronto Jazz Festival

Now in its 33rd year as one of the premiere jazz festivals in North America, the

TD Toronto Jazz Festival took place this summer from June 21st to June 30th. From concert halls to the streets of Yorkville, the Festival offered ten jazz-packed days, showcasing the very best in jazz from Toronto, across the country, and around the world!

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Kirk MacDonald and his daughter Virginia keep jazz all in the family

The father-and-daughter frontline make the trip from Toronto to Montreal and then Ottawa this weekend.

PETER HUM Updated: November 24, 2018

You get two interviews for the price of one today, as Toronto tenor saxophone great Kirk MacDonald and clarinetist Virginia MacDonald, who happens to be Kirk’s 24-year-old daughter swing east to play Diese Onze in Montreal tonight and Festival Japan in Ottawa on Sunday.

Below, Kirk discusses his new album, Generations, a collection heavy on ballads that also features Virginia, before introducing his daughter to music fans who may not have heard her in Toronto’s jazz clubs. Then, Virginia picks up where Kirk left off, discussing why she too is on the jazz path.

Q&A WITH KIRK MACDONALD

Q: What’s prompted you to make an album of ballads and standards?

A: I’ve always thought that it would be nice to do a ballads record and have had this on the back burner for a number of years. Many leading jazz artists have recorded collections of great tunes in this format. I felt after almost three decades of primarily recording my own music that I wanted to do a recording of standards that I’ve enjoyed playing over the years. Much of my music has been influenced by many of the great jazz and Great American Songbook composers. Both are equally represented on this CD. This is music that I grew up listening to and performing for many years. In many ways this recording represents a more tangible return to my musical roots, more so than my previous recordings. This format presents significant challenges, as you really need to relate to the music on a melodic level and get inside the songs. I think of this recording as essentially a ballad

Q: Why did you choose to record again with Harold Mabern, Neil Swainson and Andre White as the rhythm section?

A: I’ve done four tours in Canada with Harold in duo and with the quartet as part of those performances as well as recording the 2015 Juno-winning CD Vista Obscura with this group. There is a great chemistry and vibe to the music when we get together to play. I wanted to follow up with another recording with this group and felt this concept would work well. All the musicians are seasoned players with a deep understanding of the tradition and whom I’ve had long lasting musical relationships with.

s CD, but have included a few medium tempo tunes which are ballads (I Wish I Knew and Emily) and one straight eighths tune (Only Child) to add variety to the CD.

Many people think of Harold Mabern as a heavy hitter, a hard-swinging, bluesy, soulful pianist, which of course he is. But he is also a tremendous ballads player and great accompanist who has a deep understanding of the tradition and respect for the song. Harold and I have really developed a strong musical connection over the past five years which I wanted to capture on this recording.

Q: How does it feel for you to share the stage with Virginia, and to have gone into the studio with her?

A: It is such a joy to share the stage with Virginia. As a parent, of course I’m extremely proud of her. She is a wonderful musician who has a unique voice on the clarinet that she continues to develop. Virginia possesses a deep organic feel for music and has a mature melodic approach that belies her years. She is an exceptional instrumentalist, who is one with the instrument. Her abilities on the clarinet are deceptive as she is understated and approaches the music with a great sense of spontaneity and a music first attitude.

I wanted to capture a spontaneous feeling on this CD, so there was no rehearsal and although this session was recorded at the end of a tour, many of the pieces were first played together in the studio. Virginia came in to do her tunes later in the session on the first day, playing with the group for the first time in the studio. It was great to watch her interact with four elder statesmen in such a professional and confident manner.

Q: How involved were you in Virginia’s musical education?

A: Virginia started attending the Community Music School at Humber College at around six or seven years of age starting on recorder and switching to clarinet when her fingers were big enough to cover the holes. We would spend time in the earlier years together on basic things and playing together at home but much of Virginia’s development was helped along by many of my peers. Her first teacher was Jane Fair who was a fantastic role model and was very encouraging. As Virginia progressed through the program she was involved in masterclasses and ensembles that Lorne Lofsky and I conducted along with other Toronto-area musicians such as Jim Vivian, Luis Deniz and a number of others.

Later in high school she went on to be involved in the Youth Jazz Canada summer workshops and The National Youth Combo of which I am the artistic director. In the workshop she studied and performed with Toronto faculty such as Neil Swainson, Pat LaBarbera, Brian Dickinson, Nancy Walker, Barry Romberg and visiting artists Dick Oatts, Harold Mabern, Adam Nussbaum, Rich Perry, Seamus Blake and Ben Monder and others.

Virginia is finishing up her degree at Humber College this year and has studied with Pat LaBarbera over the past few years. She attended a special five-week summer workshop this year at Berklee College on full scholarship. It was a program created for young women jazz musicians headed by Terri Lyne Carrington.

Q: What concerns if any have you had about your daughter pursuing a career in music and specifically in jazz?

A: I suppose as a musician myself I never really had the usual concerns many parents have had about the financial instability associated with the freelance lifestyle of a professional musician. Having been heavily involved in education over three decades, I see a wonderfully supportive and inclusive community of younger musicians making their way in the world. While the landscape has changed in many ways since the time I came up, there are still many great opportunities out there for talented musicians to continue to grow and hone their craft. It is important for one to follow their passion in life and to realize and enjoy the gifts that a creative pursuit and lifestyle can offer.

Q&A WITH VIRGINIA MACDONALD

Q: You started clarinet at seven and were pursuing music seriously before you entered university. Was there ever any doubt that you would become a musician?

A: Not really! I had fleeting moments of doubt, like almost every other young adult has about their future, but I think I always knew subconsciously that this is what I would end up doing.

My experience is, of course, not the norm, in the sense that I witnessed firsthand what life entails as a jazz musician. From a young age, I was aware of the many hardships that musicians face, but I also saw the joy that music brought my dad, and the countless other jazz musicians who were present in my younger life.

I remember going to jazz shows as a young girl, surrounded by fans and other musicians in dark, hazy jazz clubs and thinking, “This is so cool!” I think that exposure to music, particularly live music, so early on in my life was integral to my love for jazz, and decision to pursue music.

I have always loved jazz. Again, my experience was atypical in that I grew up listening to John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and of course – my father. My mother ensured that I listened to my fair share of other music — particularly, the Beatles, who I still hold close to my heart. But I wouldn’t say it was something I learned to love — it was always there. As I got older, and spent more time developing my musical and theoretical skills, I was able to develop a better understanding of jazz, which only deepened my love for the music.

As an adult, I still listen to the same Sonny Stitt, John Coltrane, and Charlie Parker recordings I loved as a teenager, but now I am even more amazed by the sheer depth and knowledge within their playing.

I can’t speak for everyone, but there is just a “feeling” to playing jazz. When you get up on the bandstand on a good night, the band is locking in, and the audience is into the music, there is really nothing better. I think part of the appeal is having freedom to express yourself through a medium that other people can take part in — whether you are expressing a feeling, state of mind, opinion, etc. Jazz can be a vehicle for many different things, and that is very freeing.

Q: How would you describe your own musical direction?

A: I aim for my musical output to be as well-informed as possible, and honest. From a young age, the importance of respecting and understanding the tradition of jazz has been instilled in me. I am of the mind that for music to be progressive, it must also have firm roots in the past. As a young musician, I really just wanted to focus on playing the jazz repertoire and emulating my idols as much as I possibly could – and I still do want to, to a certain extent. Now that I am older and a bit more informed musically, I have shifted my focus to composing and performing my own music.

Within my own music, I try to stay true to myself and what I hear. The musicians and composers I appreciate most have a strong musical voice and direction, and so while I have an infinite amount of gratitude and respect for the tradition, I want to make sure that my own music has a voice of its own. I think the duality of my love for both traditional and modern jazz has opened doors for me musically, and I am lucky enough to play a variety of different musical styles for this reason.

Q: Who are some of your musical heroes and why?

A: The list is endless! To name a few of my biggest heroes and inspirations — Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Sonny Stitt, Jimmy Giuffre, Tom Harrell, Carla Bley, Dick Oatts, Clifford Brown, and Melissa Aldana. In particular, the music of Jimmy Giuffre and Carla Bley has been instrumental to my own compositional style. And of course — my dad. Without him, I would not be the musician I am today. His undying passion and dedication to the music provides endless inspiration for me, and he is a constant source of musical knowledge.

Q: What has it been like to share the stage with your father, and to go in the studio and record with him?

A: It’s great – and it feels totally natural. It is one thing to play with a person you have a musical connection with, but when there is also a deep emotional connection and understanding between musicians, I think it just serves to elevate the music. Playing with someone as dedicated and inspired as my dad pPlaying with someone as dedicated and inspired as my dad pushes me musically, and also reminds me how grateful I am to have him.

The Kirk MacDonald quintet with Virginia MacDonald plays:
Saturday, Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. at Diese Onze in Montreal. Admission: $12
Sunday, Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Festival Japan in Ottawa. Advance tickets $30 ($20 for students) 

Kirk and Virginia MacDonald, a father-and-daughter jazz team, join forces on the bandstand

The Toronto-based musicians play Festival Japan in Ottawa on Sunday night.

PETER HUM Updated: November 23, 2018

Unlike most girls, Virginia MacDonald attended plenty of jazz shows in “dark, hazy clubs” when she was younger. Her reaction to the music? “This is so cool!” says MacDonald, now 24.

Of course, her appreciation of the music was furthered by the fact that her father Kirk, one of Canada’s premiere tenor saxophonists, was on stage. “I saw the joy that music brought my dad, and the countless other jazz musicians were present in my younger life,” Virginia says.

She has followed in the footsteps of her Juno Award-winning father. Virginia picked up the clarinet at the age of six or seven, pursued music seriously in high school, and is in her final year at Humber College in Toronto, where her father teaches.

These days, father and daughter are recording and performing together. The MacDonalds are the front line of a quintet that plays Festival Japan in downtown Ottawa on Sunday night. The bi-generational group also includes veteran jazz players Brian Dickinson on piano and Montreal drummer Andre White, who have long playing histories with Kirk, plus the young bassist Marshal Herridge.

Virginia is on Kirk’s new record, Generations, a collection of music that’s heavy on ballads from the Great American Songbook and from jazz composers.

“This is music that I grew up listening to and performing for many years,” says Kirk, whose previous albums have focused on his original compositions.

The new album “represents a more tangible return to my musical roots,” he says. “This format presents significant challenges, as you really need to relate to the music on a melodic level and get inside the songs.”

The album was recorded in true, off-the-cuff jazz fashion, when Kirk and his band, which includes the veteran American pianist Harold Mabern, had just finished touring.

“I wanted to capture a spontaneous feeling on this CD, so there was no rehearsal,” Kirk says. “Many of the pieces were first played together in the studio.”

He says Virginia leapt right in on the first day of recording and wasn’t daunted by the session’s seasoned musicians. “It was great to watch her interact with four elder statesmen in such a professional and confident manner,” he says.

“As a parent, of course I’m extremely proud of her,” says Kirk. “Virginia possesses a deep organic feel for music and has a mature melodic approach that belies her years.” He describes his daughter’s abilities on clarinet as “deceptive.

“She is understated and approaches the music with a great sense of spontaneity and a music-first attitude,” Kirk says.

Virginia says it feels totally natural to make music with her father.

“It is one thing to play with a person you have a musical connection with,” she says. “But when there is also a deep emotional connection and understanding between musicians, I think it just serves to elevate the music. Playing with someone as dedicated and inspired as my dad pushes me musically, and also reminds me how grateful I am to have him.”

Virginia says that apart from some “fleeting moments of doubt,” she knew she would always be a jazz musician.

Kirk understands that many a parent would have concerns about the financial instability that comes with being a freelancing professional musician. But he sets aside such concerns and stresses the plusses of the jazz life.

“Having been heavily involved in education over three decades, I see a wonderfully supportive and inclusive community of younger musicians making their way in the world,” Kirk says. “While the landscape has changed in many ways since the time I came up, there are still many great opportunities out there for talented musicians.

“It is important for one to follow their passion in life and to realize and enjoy the gifts that a creative pursuit and lifestyle can offer,” Kirk says.

“When you get up on the bandstand on a good night, the band is locking in, and the audience is into the music, there is really nothing better,” says Virginia.

Kirk MacDonald with Virginia MacDonald
Generations CD release
When: Sunday, Nov. 25, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Where: Festival Japan, 149 Kent St.
Tickets: $30 ($20 for students) in advance via eventbrite.ca or by calling 613-220-3819, an extra $5 will be charged at the door

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