2019/20 SEASON GUEST ARTISTS

Sherrie Maricle drummer, Leader of DIVA Jazz Orchestra
For Swing - Sun, October 27, 2019• 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm • WAG

From the drum set Sherrie Maricle leads The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, her quintet FIVE PLAY and co-leads the 3Divas. From Carnegie Hall, she performs with The New York Pops and she is also music director for Broadway star Maurice Hines.
Sherrie’s bands have performed at many of the world’s most acclaimed music venues; from Lincoln Center to the Hollywood Bowl and Jazz Festivals around the globe. DIVA was featured on TCM’s broadcast of the 25th Anniversary of the Kennedy Center and is prominently featured in the award-winning documentary film The Girls in the Band.
Sherrie’s awards include a 2014 Ovation award for “Best Music Direction - Tappin Thru Life;” the 2009 Mary Lou Williams-Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award and a 2013 State Department grant to tour Vietnam with FIVE PLAY. DIVA’s most recent recording is 25th Anniversary Project” (2017, Artistshare.) In 2019 FIVE PLAY released “LIVE” from the Firehouse Stage and in 2016 the 3Divas released their self-titled debut CD recorded “LIVE” at WVIA radio.
David Braid pianist and composer
​Alliance - Sun, November 17, 2019• 2:00 pm • SOPAC
Hailed in the Canadian press as "one of his country’s true renaissance men when it comes to music" (The Ottawa Citizen), and "a jazz genius to call our own" (Maclean’s Magazine), Braid is an eight-time Juno nominee, and winner of three Juno Awards for his solo piano recording, ’Verge’, large ensemble recording, ’The David Braid Sextet Live.’, and small ensemble, "The North". Braid concertizes his original music and improvisations in the UK, Scandinavia, Continental Europe, Russia, China, Australia, The United States, and Canada. Combining the discipline of European classical music with the spontaneity of jazz, Braid’s music is described as "brilliant" (Montreal Gazette), "wide-ranging, exploratory" (South China Morning Post), "une force poétique" (Le Soleil) and "hauntingly beautiful" (The Globe & Mail).
David Braid is a Steinway Artist, a Special Associate Artist of Sinfonia UK, an Artist-in-Residence at the University of Toronto, a Research Fellow at the University of Leeds, and a visting adjunct professor at the Danish National Academy of Music (Odense). He is a recipient of the Ontario Foundation for the Arts’ prestigious prize: ’Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award for Keyboard Artistry.’
His arrangements and compositions were an integral part of the Chet Baker-inspired film, ’Born to Be Blue’ and his jazz score received praise for its                                            "contemporary patina without sacrificing period authenticity" (The Times, UK).               He also won ’Best Original Score’ and ’Best Original Song’ at the 2017 Screen                     Awards.

Philippe Cote trombonist, radio host/producer, educator/community builder
​Alliance - Sun, November 17, 2019• 2:00 pm • SOPAC

Composer, saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist and improviser, Montreal-based Philippe Côté is a musical explorer at the crossroads of jazz and classical. 
Lungta, his first album of original compositions for jazz quintet and wind orchestra, was produced by world-acclaimed American saxophonist David Binney. Philippe Côté spent many years crafting the album’s intriguing jazz and classical perspective, culminating in a body of work earning critical appraisal.
Master of Music (M.Mus.), Philippe studied classical orchestration under the supervision of respected Canadian composer John Rea. Philippe’s work was shaped by his time spent in New York, the scene of two seminal moments for the composer: his encounter with long-time mentor David Binney, and his first experience with Lennie Tristano’s teaching method, learned from pianist Marc Copland.
The 2019-2020 season will bring various new projects: an exciting collaboration between Philippe, Marc Copland, and Quatuor Saguenay as well as the first album by Philippe Côté Chamber 5tet.


​Quinn Greene  actor
Music from A Charlie Brown Christmas and other seasonal favourites - Sat, December 7, 2019 - 3:00 pm • WAG
& Sun, December 8, 2019 - 2:00 pm • WAG

​Quinn Greene is a prolific comedian, actor, writer, director, and producer. Quinn co-produced and co-directed the hit stage show Evil Dead: The Musical (Winnipeg 2018) and plays Bernie The Giant Recycling Raccoon in the popular Manitoba Recycle Everywhere commercial campaign. For more of Quinn's animated antics, tune in to his lifestyle series Quinnssential Winnipeg (Foundation Film & Media) on Fibe TV1 and follow his sketch comedy group HUNKS on all social media platforms.

Jayme Giesbrecht  vocalist
Music from A Charlie Brown Christmas and other seasonal favourites
​- Sat, December 7, 2019 - 3:00 pm • WAG
& Sun, December 8, 2019 - 2:00 pm • WAG

​Jayme Giesbrecht first took to the stage 20 years ago, in a small church in Springing from her vocal roots in a small church in Winkler, Jayme Giesbrecht has broadened her repertoire from traditional gospel spirituals and hymns, to the soul classics of Aretha Franklin, Etta James, and Tina Turner. Through collaborations with jazz pianist John Alexiuk and blues man JP Lepage, Jayme was able to record and release her debut album To Keep You From Falling in 2016, which was sponsored by Golden West Broadcasting. As a co-host of CFAM 950’s morning show, she has become well-known on the air as an informed advocate for Manitoba musicians, and regularly interviews and highlights new artists on the weekly program Made in Manitoba.
Kiko Freitas, drummer
LINDO MARAVILHOSO!- Sun, February 9, 2020• 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm • CCFM 

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Marco Castillo, guitarist
LINDO MARAVILHOSO!- Sun, February 9, 2020• 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm • CCFM

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Jennifer Hanson, vocalist
RESPECT - THE MUSIC OF ARETHA FRANKLIN Sunday March 15, 2020 7:30 pm only -CMHR

​ The youngest of seven children, Jennifer learned to love 30's and 40's era standards at her father Bill's knee. In order to get just a little attention ...in the midst of all those kids, she began singing them for anyone who would listen around 1972, and then after her short, but throat blistering career in rock ’n’ roll, actually got paid to sing the really good stuff around 1993. 
Jennifer's reputation for great vocal chops and notoriety for countless public appearances singing national anthems at NHL games, and touring the country with her band, began to attract the attention of a new audience among jazz fans.
Her torchy, seductive vocal style is among the finest in the current generation of jazz singers, while her stage presence is that of the classic generation of singers like Rosemary Clooney, Julie London and Vera Lynn. She's definitely not just another voice in the crowd.
Andrina Turenne, vocalist
RESPECT - THE MUSIC OF ARETHA FRANKLIN Sunday March 15, 2020 7:30 pm only -CMHR
​​Born in Saint-Boniface, Andrina Turenne is a proud Franco-Manitoban and a child of the prairie. A passionate music lover, singer and musician, she has helped establish several musical projects since 1996, including the groups Rudimental, Madrigaïa and Chic Gamine. Her vocals have been featured on more than 18 albums, and she has released 7 recordings with her own groups. She and Chic Gamine won the 2009 Juno for Best Folk/Roots Album, and were nominated in the same category in 2011. Andrina has toured extensively over the past 20 years, performing across North and South America and Europe in venues ranging from small, intimate halls to massive festival stages. Since 2016 she has been focusing on developing her career as a solo artist.
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Heitha Forsyth, Vocalist
​RESPECT - THE MUSIC OF ARETHA FRANKLIN Sunday March 15, 2020 7:30 pm only -CMHR

Ego Spank
​RESPECT - THE MUSIC OF ARETHA FRANKLIN Sunday March 15, 2020 7:30 pm only -CMHR

John Stetch, pianist
Carpathian Blues Sunday April 26, 2019 2:00 pm & 7:30 PM Centre Culturel Fanco-Manitobain
Steinway Artist John Stetch is a 6-time Juno Nominee, and has written over 50 compositions for solo piano, jazz combo and more recently some classical chamber formats. He has worked at the top clubs of New York City including Mezzrow, Smalls, Smoke and the Jazz Standard, played on many continents, toured Canada a dozen times as a leader, and was a member of Rufus Reid’s group for nearly a decade. He taught at Cornell University for several years, won the Prix Du Jazz at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 1998, and was a finalist in the Thelonious International Monk Competition twice - once as a composer and once as a performer. Stetch is especially interested in blurring the lines between classical and jazz , and fusing ethnic or popular music with his personal jazz stamp. He is currently pursuing a Master’s of Music in classical Composition at UBC and is on the faculty of the VSO School of Music. Stetch just recorded his 16th album – “Ballads for Solo Piano”.