Bios of band members:
Bernardo Padrón (leader/composer/saxophone/flute/percussion)…was born in Caracas, Venezuela and raised in Ottawa.
After graduating from the University of Toronto's Faculty of Music Performance program in 1987, Bernardo moved to Caracas where played with Venezuela's top pop and jazz artists (Frank Quintero, Kara, Luz Marina, Biela DaCosta, and Martes 8:30, among others).
There, he recorded and his first CD of original compositions entitled “Seadance", released in 2001. The lyrical "Seadance", now in its second edition, has been very well received and continues to get airplay on National jazz radio stations.
Since his return to Toronto in 2003, Bernardo has led several groups, playing his original compositions at jazz clubs in Toronto and Ottawa. He has also played with Hawksley Workman, David Alexis Baro, The Nathaniel Dett Chorale, David Buchbinder, Evaristo Machado, Rubén Vasquez and Friends, Guiomar Campbell and Parabólica, The Alchemistas, Marc Sepic, Dominicanada, Tumbao, Luis Mario Ochoa, and others.
As well as his jazz pursuits, bernardo also leads the group “Orinoco†which specializes in the study and performance of Venezuelan traditional folk music. Orinoco has performed in several world music venues and Festivals in Toronto. His explorations into this genre have since led to formal studies in ethnomusicology at York university where he is currently pursuing his Master’s degree.
With the support of the Canada Arts Council, Bernardo is currently completing the production of his latest CD, “Tales of la Juanaâ€, due to be commercially released in January, 2007.
Marilyn Lerner (piano/accordion)
Winner of Western Canadian Music Awards, best jazz recording, (Special Angel) 2004, Marilyn is currently with Improvisational: Queen Mab Trio (Marilyn Lerner/Lori Freedman)Ig Henneman, Peggy Lee/M. Lerner, Jazz Hilario Duran M. Lerner, Sonny Greenwich Duo, new Jewish music: From Both Ends of The Earth, Flying Klezmer Bulgar Band, Marilyn Lerner/ Dave Wall duo, Adrienne Cooper, audio art: Ken Gregory/Marilyn Lerner spoken word Marilyn Lerner/Patrick Friesen.
In the past she has performed with Jane Bunnett, Paquito D’Rivera, Jean Derome, Michel Donato, Christian Escoudé, Jon Faddis, Vinny Golia, Gerry Hemingway, Ig Henneman, Bobby Hutcherson, Steve Lacy, Thomas Lehn, Joelle Leandre, David Mott, Torsten Muller, Tito Puente, Claude Ranger, Danielle Roger, Arturo Sandoval, Don Thompson, Dave Young, Bill Watrous.
Some recording highlights: Luminance-(solo piano), Special Angel (duo with Sonny Greenwich C.B.C), Sweet Return (Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band), Struck (Peggy Lee, Marilyn Lerner), Close (duos and trios), Queen Mab (Marilyn Lerner/Lori Freedman), Birds Are Returning (Marilyn Lerner in Cuba), Broken Bowl (with poet Patrick Friesen C.B.C.), Quarter To Three (Roy/Lerner Group), among many others.
Andrew Downing (acoustic bass)
As the leader of “The Great Uncles of the Revolutionâ€, he was nominated for a Juno Award in 2004 for Best Contemporary Jazz Recording. The group also garnered him a West Coast Music Award, Best Non-Classical Instrumental Album for their 2001 record Stand Up! (Black Hen/Festival), and the prestigious Grand Prix de Jazz for their performance at the 2002 edition of the Montreal International Jazz Festival. The quartet has toured Canada extensively, and has travelled abroad to play the Manchester Jazz Festival in England in 2002.
As a freelance bassist he has performed with jazz greats such as Don Byron, Ed Bickert, P.J. Perry, Marty Morrel, Ingrid Jensen, Phil Dwyer, Mike Murley, Bernie Senensky, Bob Moses, Leon Parker, Louie Bellson, Craig Handey, Pat Labarbara, Moe Koffman’s, Mernie!, Patricia O’Callaghan, Jenny Whiteley, Kelly Jo Phelps, Bruce Cockburn, Stephen Fearing, John Reishman, Emory Lester, Eugene Chadbourne, Debashish Battacharya, Jane Bunnett and classical trio Amici.
Justin Haynes (guitar)
Justin's early musical training began with the classical guitar. He later went on to study jazz guitar and composition with Rod Ellias, Ralph Towner, and Gary Peacock. He has performed across Canada, the US, and Scandinavia, at Jazz, Folk, New Music, and Chamber Music festivals with the likes of Kevin Turcotte, Nexus, Tena Palmer, Rebecca Campbell, Ian Tamblyn, Andy Stochansky, Cate Friesen, Hilmar Jensson, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra.
As a leader he has recorded Not Drowning... Waving, and Show, both on Unity/Page. Tug with Rebecca Campbell and as a side man has participated on recordings by Jean Martin, Andrew Downing, Oliver Schroer, Nick Fraser, Snailhouse, Jordan O'Connor, among many others.
Mark Duggan (marimba/congas/percussion)
Percussionist Mark Duggan is a versatile performer and composer comfortable in many genres. His passionate blend of classical and world percussion has impressed audiences from the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and Tongyeong Music Festival in Korea, to the Lincoln Center in New York.
Mark has performed in a wide spectrum of chamber music contexts appearing with the Philip Glass Ensemble, the percussion group Nexus, singer Maryem Tollar, Lee Pui Ming, Kevin Barrett, cajun group Swamperella, singers John Millard and Andy Stochansky, bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Tootie Heath.As a session player Mark has appeared on dozens of film and commercial recordings. He leads the group Vuja dé which specializes in Brazilian styles.
In the classical world Mark has appeared with Toronto New Music Concerts, Esprit Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony, the National Ballet Orchestra and the Ensemble Intercontemporain de Paris directed by Pierre Boulez. He is also a founding member of the Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan (since 1983) which has over the years performed throughout Canada and internationally in Europe, Asia and the US.
Some Recording highlights: Book of Life (Maryem Tollar) Citizens Awake! ( John Millard), Mistura and Mudanças (as leader of Vuja dé), A Time to Remember (John Mcdermott), River Road and other Stories (Sylvia Tyson), Feast (Caliban Quartet) among many others…
Alan Hetherington (drums/maracas/percussion)
Alan Hetherington is a Canadian drummer/percussionist who has studied and performed widely in North and South America and the Caribbean. He has studied Cumbia in Colombia, the Joropo tradition (maracas) in Venezuela, Afro-Peruvian music in Peru, Cuban folkloric music in Havana, and specializes in the many musical styles of Brazil. He has performed with The Vancouver Symphony, The Toronto Symphony, The Canadian Opera Company, Nexus, Peter Erskine, John Wyre and World Drums, Glen Velez, Trichy Sankaran, and Celso Machado. He is a member of the Contemporary World-Jazz group, Vuja De, and Ravi Naimpally’s Indo-Jazz ensemble, Tasa. He has made many recordings for television and film and has toured with ensembles and as a solo artist throughout Europe, North and South America and Japan. Since 1989 Alan has spent Toronto winters in Brazil performing with Sombra e Agua Fresca, Denys Christian, Bell Brasil, Carlos do Cavaco and Filo Machado. The Escola de Samba de Toronto and Alan’s connections to Brazil are the subject of filmmaker Avi Lev’s recently released documentary, We Are Samba.
