A Toronto Downtown Jazz Special Project Initiative:

Guitarist Nathan Hiltz and vocalist Beverly Taft’s new CD features 10 of their original jazz and blues songs, with an all-star band playing Nathan’s four-horn arrangements. Although some of the themes in these songs are familiar and some are contemporary – ranging from love and loss to urban ennui, pastoral bliss, 1950s courtship, economics in Cuba, and running away to West Virginia! – the music swings, and is very much in the tradition of the jazz standards that Nathan and Beverly have revered and performed for many years. These launch concerts will also include favourite standards from Brasil and the Great American Songbook, in full band and small combo. Special thanks to Toronto Downtown Jazz for designating April 24th as a “TDJ Special Project Initiative.”

Nathan Hiltz (Co-writer, arranger, guitarist):

Nathan is a Juno winning guitarist and composer originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a recipient of the Peter Harris Award for Guitarist of the Year (Humber College), the Duke Ellington Award for Excellence (Humber College), an Ontario Arts Council Recording Grant, and the 2008 Juno for Traditional Jazz Album of the Year (with Brandi Disterheft, for “Debut”). He has appeared on over 20 albums and has performed with the likes of Terry Clarke, Phil Dwyer, Mike Murley, Jill Barber, and Renee Rosnes. Nathan has studied arranging with Terry Promane and the late Rob McConnell, and has written for string quartets, traditional jazz big bands, and hybrid ensembles of classical and jazz players. Some of his arrangements have included hammond organ, bass foot pedal synthesizers, and even a tap dancer (Allison Toffan). He has arranged for vocalists Carlo Berardinucci, Terra Hazelton and Heather Luckhart, as well as The Outreach Ensemble and The Big Six.

Beverly Taft (Co-writer, vocalist):

Best known for her interpretations of jazz standards (described by critics as “delightful”, “charming”, “all full of energy” and “100 per cent pure beautiful jazz”), Beverly has performed throughout Ontario, at such venues as Cherry Street Restaurant, Dominion on Queen, Homesmith Bar at The Old Mill, The Montreal Bistro, The Reservoir Lounge, The Rex Jazz & Blues Bar, U of T’s “Friday Jazz at Oscar’s” Series, and jazz festivals in Barrie, Markham, Muskoka, Orangeville, Orillia, Peterborough, and Southampton, as well as The Celebrate Toronto Street Festival, and the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival – her Bossa Nova Project (in English & Portuguese) has become an annual feature. A multi-linguist, she lived in Japan for two years, performing in small clubs there, and she returned to tour there in 2008. Beverly has always approached music as a storyteller, with a keen interest in the lyrics of each song, and how best to communicate them to an audience.

Beverly Taft – vocals

Nathan Hiltz – guitar

Adrean Farrugia – piano (Tania Gill on Apr 26)

Artie Roth – bass

Morgan Childs – drums (Ernesto Cervini on Apr 26)

William Carn – trombone (Kelsey Grant on Apr 26)

Shawn Nykwist – tenor sax

Rich Underhill – alto sax

Jake Wilkinson – trumpet

Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 24, 25, and 26 at 9pm

MUSIC CHARGE: $15 (Thursday/Friday); $20 (Saturday)