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NYE BASH
December 31, 2018
John Zadro has been performing on a professional level both locally and abroad for over four decades. He is known as an accomplished pianist in the jazz idiom but in any performance he may draw upon his diverse background in other musical genres including R & B, sacred and gospel, pop and rock and musical theatre. As a result, no two performances by John may bear resemblance, but one can be assured of attending a spirited, emotional and imaginative musical occasion, whether he is performing in his ensemble or as a soloist.
The Joni Nehrita Soul Quartet – 9:30pm – late
Toronto-born Jamaican-Canadian singer/songwriter/musician Joni NehRita has become a staple on the regional scene of KW/Guelph since relocating there a decade ago. She is known for steadily releasing great music & being an engaging performer. While her musical tastes are eclectic, she is best known as a soul/R&B artist and as a jazz vocalist.The release of her 3rd album, Bloom showcases her best writing and production yet. The songs are infectious, poignant and groove hard. It is noticeably more “pop/funk” than her previous releases yet the themes of social consciousness and inner reflection that has connected her to her listeners remain. NehRita has a gift for writing well-crafted songs that are deeply personal. Much of her music hearkens back to a time when soul and funk music made you dance while also serving up social commentary and a call for change.She shines brightly during her live show & demonstrates her strength in be able to reach and connect with an audience. You know she feels the music and she leads you into feeling it too.Raji Sohal from CBC 3 Montreal may have put it best, “I can attest that in live performance her voice and stage presence are stellar and come off as endearingly natural. Joni had me hollering and cheering like I haven’t at an R&B show in a while.”
As a vocalist, NehRita is a class act and has had varied experiences from professional musical theatre to singing with the KW Symphony Orchestra and Hamilton Philharmonic to selling out small theatres in Kitchener, Waterloo & Guelph. As a solo act and/or backing keyboardist or vocalist she has performed on such stages/events as The Montreal Jazz Festival, Hillside Festival, Waterloo Jazz Festival, Massey Hall, The Centre in the Square and countless venues across North America, Germany, England and Australia. In 2011 her single, “Are You Ready” peaked at #6 on the UK Soul Chart and received airplay on Canadian, US, and British radio stations. She is a voice coach, musical director of Guelph Glee and has sat on juries for The Ontario Arts Council. Her album The Bare Truth was made possible by a grant from the OAC.
“Bloom” receives regular play on CBC in Toronto & Kitchener-Waterloo & has been added to the CBC’s national library. Working with industry veteran Rick Hutt of Cedartree Recording Studio proved to be the best recording experience thus far in NehRita’s career. His ears, instincts and attention to detail proved invaluable. She also gained a mentor and friend and is already planning her next project “Love & Protest” with him.
“Someone please call the people who decide the Juno Nominations and make sure they listen to…Bloom before making any big decisions. It will be a shame if the Canadian music industry gathers this spring & NehRita isn’t among the people being recognized for their work.”- Brian Williams, Editor of Guelph Life Magazine
“About 30 seconds into ”A Fine Time”, I was pretty damned confident that Joni NehRita was the real deal. The selections strike hard and soothe the spirit…” ~Addi Stewart Now Magazine
“What fans need to know is that I am a fan, first and foremost of music! I believe it to be a universal language and I believe in its power to evoke change.”, says NehRita herself.
Thomas Hammerton has been playing professionally since the age of 15. He is a graduate of the Humber College Music Program where he studied with pianists Bernie Senensky and Hilario Duran. Thomas is an in demand and versatile pianist performing with various acts; Odd Years, Joni Nehrita, The Minotaurs, Jason Raso, and Cuff the Duke. Thomas has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Randy Bachman, Jim Cuddy, Greg Keelor, Hayden and Nikki Yanofsky. His career has led him around the world performing and recording in all genres of music. Thomas lives in Guelph, ON.
Tyler Wagler is an in demand bassist as a performer and educator as his musical pursuits are diverse. He is at home in jazz, the blues, performing with gospel/folk singer David Sereda, roots reggae band Friendlyness & The Human Rights, Paul Quarrington, and Jay Douglas and The Legendary Platters. In 2011, Tyler released his own CD as a singer/songwriter. Tyler is a graduate of Humber College where he studied bass with Don Thompson, Mike Downes and Pat Kilbride, and holds a Bachelor of Music from Thompson Rivers University. After several years of teaching and performing professionally in Toronto, Tyler now lives in Guelph, ON.
Born and raised in Waterloo, Mike Rajna was very musically active in high school, playing in a number of bands and school directed musicals. From there, he went on to complete an Applied Music Diploma from Mohawk College, where he studied with Kevin Dempsey and Anthony Michelli. While at Mohawk, he also became a member of the Hamilton All-Star Jazz Band led by Dr. Russ Wiel, and was lucky to be a part of a three week European tour that included shows at the Montreaux and Vienne Festivals. After his time at Mohawk, Mike continued his music education with advanced standing at the University of Toronto and graduated in 2016 where he studied with Terry Clarke (C.M.), and played with Dave Young (C.M.), Terry Promane, Pat Collins, David Restivo, Jim Vivian and Kevin Turcotte. Mike has returned to living in Waterloo and is an active performer with Dylan Wickens & The Grand Naturals, John Lee and the Rhapsody Barrel Bar House Band, Jackets, TMJ trio, along with a variety of different groups.
