Holiday Jazz & Reflection Concert

We are excited to present acclaimed Canadian Jazz musicians Joe Sealy, Paul Novotny and Heather Bambrick on Saturday, December 14th at 4:30pm as they celebrate the season with original songs and holiday favourites. Performing songs off their recent Christmas release, ‘The Man in the Red Suit’, as well as well-known holiday classics, this is not a concert you’ll want to miss!

Entry is pay what you can, with a suggested minimum donation of $10. All proceeds go towards Beach United’s year-round Community Programs.

About our Performers

Paul Novotny
In his 40-year career, Canadian bassist, composer, music producer, author, educator, and innovator Paul Novotny has performed with such eminent international jazz artists as Kenny Wheeler, Geoff Keezer, Cedar Walton, Junior Mance, Jo-Anne Brakeen, and singers David Clayton Thomas, Roger Whitaker, John Findley, Jackie Richardson, Ranee Lee, Aida Lee, Barbra Lica, and Holy Cole. 

A multiple Juno-nominated co-leader with pianist/composer Joe Sealy, Novotny produced five recordings, including Sealy’s 1996 Juno-winning Africville Suite on his Triplet Records label. In addition, he has co-written songs with singers Dan Hill, and Molly Johnson. 

In 1994, he produced singer Carol Welsman’s Juno-nominated recording Lucky to Be Me, which led to a performance at Club Blue Note in Jakarta, Indonesia. In 1993, he performed with the Holy Cole Trio at the Japanese Grand Prix Golden Disc Awards as the Trio won awards for Best New Artist and Best Jazz Album. In 2012, he produced, performed on, and released Barbra Lica’s first album That’s What I Do, which debuted at #1 on the Canadian iTunes jazz chart and was released in Japan by Universal Music. 

As a composer and performer, Novotny has created music and sound design for commercials, feature films, television franchises, and video games including: The Canadian Broadcasting Company’s The National (2021) and The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos (2004), Newsworld’s News Now (2005), the (2016) film short Mishka, and the soundtrack for the internationally acclaimed, multi-platinum award winning Cuphead video game in (2017). 

Novotny is on the faculty of Centennial College, Toronto, and the pedagogical educational advisory committees for Neumann, Eventide, The Les Paul Foundation, OekSound, Bettermaker, and Sonarworks. 

Joe Sealy
For more than five decades Joe Sealy has enjoyed a successful career as a musician, actor, composer, music director and recording artist. Tours have also played a significant part in Joe’s career. Some of the more notable ones include: 

  • 6 months on the road with Blood, Sweat and Tears; 
  • 19 concert tour of Africville Suite(including an appearance at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C.); 
  • 20 city national tour of Timothy Findlay’s Piano Man’s Daughter(along with Veronica Tennant and Sylvia Tyson); 
  • 2 week tour of Norway and Denmark including a performance at the world famous Jazz House in Copenhagen.

4 Time Juno Nominee and 1 juno Award Winner

All of this work and success has not gone unnoted. Joe is both proud of, and humbled by, the acclaim he has received. Major awards include: a Juno Award for CD, Africville Suite; the Dora Mavor Moore Award for music direction in the Toronto production of Ain’t Misbehavin; and a Gemini Award nominationfor his musical score for the documentary film The Road Taken.

In 2010, Joe was invested in The Order Of Canada.

Heather Bambrick
JUNO-nominated vocalist Heather Bambrick prides herself on being an entertainer through and through.  From her skillful, effortless interaction with audiences, to the variety and breadth of her material, Heather approaches every aspect of her performances with the goal of leaving audiences feeling far better after her shows than before they arrived.  This is why her concerts have been described as what happens when “Ella Fitzgerald meets Carol Burnett at a Newfoundland kitchen party”.

It’s not only audiences who appreciate Heather’s talent.  Critics and industry professionals place Heather on the top rung of the musical ladder.  “Heather hits every right note”, says Mark Rheume of CBC Radio.  WholeNote Magazine calls her “one of the finest jazz singers in this country”, and All About Jazz says her voice is a “paragon of clarity” and that “she’s the real deal in every way”.

As one of Canada’s top Jazz vocalists, Heather has collaborated with some of the best around, including Phil Nimmons, Fred Hirsch, Gene DiNovi, Guido Basso, Anne Hampton Callaway, Carol Welsman, Jackie Richardson, Ian Shaw, as well as the late Rob McConnell and Peter Appleyard.  She’s a founding member of vocal ensembles The Beehive Singers and Broadsway, and has appeared as a guest performer with numerous Jazz ensembles, as well as with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, the Hamilton Philharmonic, and the Windsor Symphony Orchestra.

Jazz & Reflection with The Larry Bond Quartet

Beach United Church is excited to present local jazz favourite Larry Bond and his quartet, as they explore the changing seasons in an afternoon concert featuring classic jazz and blues tunes.

Saturday, November 2nd, 2024 at 4:#0pm
RSVP here! (Entry is PWYC, with a suggested minimum donation of $10)

Tickets are not required; you may just show up at our doors on the day of the concert.


Artist bios:

Larry Bond

Toronto born pianist, composer and arranger, Larry Bond, holds an ATCL Diploma in classical performance from Trinity College of Music, London, England, and a Bachelor of Music Degree from The University of Toronto. He has studied composition and arranging with Gordon Delamont as well as Latin Jazz with Ruben Vasquez.

For the past twenty years he has worked as a sought-after jazz pianist in the GTA. His credits include events for The Toronto Symphony Orchestra, The National Ballet, The Mississauga Chamber Music Society, Music Niagara, and the Government of Ontario. Larry’s trio and quartet CDs have won enthusiastic response from the CBC and Whole Note Magazine.

Steven Farrugia

Steve Farrugia is a Toronto born and raised professional drummer who has shared the stage with the top musicians in Toronto and outside the country as well.

Some notable musicians Steve has had the pleasure to play with are Richard Hadfield (Winner of Britain’s Got Talent) Reg Schwager, Robi Botos, Adrean Farrugia, Bill McBirnie, Attila Fias, Brendan Davis, Allison Au, Peter Hill, Richard Whiteman, Nathan Hiltz, Ted Quinlan, Paco Luviano, Chris Gale, Artie Roth, Bruce Cassidy, Bob Brough, Sophia Pearlman, June Garber, Elaine Overhault, George Koeller, Shelly Berger, Jeff King and many others.

John Pagnotta

John Pagnotta is a professional jazz saxophonist and flutist and jazz educator. He has been teaching jazz both privately and in a classroom / big-band setting for over twenty-five years. He was the head of jazz studies at the Claude Watson High School Arts Program for fifteen years and has been the musical director and conductor of the We Are One Jazz Orchestra, in its many configurations, since the inception of the project in 2005. He has worked with international jazz legends Dr. Barry Harris, Charles McPherson, and Canadian jazz icons Don Thompson, Jane Bunnette, Pat Labarbera, Kirk MacDonald, Guido Basso, Lorne Lofsky to name a few. John is currently completing his Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies at York University in Toronto, Canada.

Leon Racine

Leon has been active in the Toronto Music scene for 50 years in a variety of capacities. He has played trombone, piano, and bass in dozens of big bands and small groups as a jazz musician, and filed the orchestra pit in a staggering number of musical theatre productions. He’s spent time on the road with Rock groups. He’s even spent time as a principal in local orchestras. He’s happy that he has found the Larry Bond group to enjoy his love of quartet jazz.

Beach United’s warm, inviting hall serves as the perfect backdrop for this concert – the concert is pay-what-you-can, and proceeds support our year-round community programs.

Jazz & Reflection with David Occhipinti

Beach United Church is excited to present our kick-off Jazz and Reflection concert for the season, “Through the Looking Glass” with local guitarist David Occhipinti. Joined by Carol Lynn Fujino on violin, Catherine Gray on Viola, and Mary-Katherine Finch on Cello, David explores new sounds he’s been experimenting with on the electric guitar, guided by the theme of Lewis Carroll’s famous work.

Saturday, October 5th, 2024
4:30pm
RSVP here! (Entry is PWYC, with a suggested minimum donation of $10)

Tickets are not required; you may just show up at our doors on the day of the concert.


Artist bios:

David Occhipinti is a composer, and guitarist whose music crosses borders from jazz and improvised music, into contemporary classical music and beyond. David’s musical accomplishments have earned him two Chalmers Arts Fellowships, as well as multiple JUNO nominations for his work as a recording artist. Among his nominated works are his critically acclaimed album Forty Revolutions in 2007; and Duologue, in collaboration with saxophonist Mike Murley, in 2003.

Camera, (2012) is a recording that features David’s chamber music compositions and guitar improvisations. It was heralded by his mentor, Jim Hall as: “an absolute gem… his writing is unique, his playing is completely original and stunning… an absolute work of art!”

David has performed and toured across Canada, the U.S., Europe, and Japan. He has performed Canadian premieres of works by Steve Reich and Gabriel Prokofiev.

Carol Lynn Fujino – violin
Carol Fujino has been a member of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra string section since 1991, having previously played with the National Ballet and Canadian Opera Company orchestras. An avid chamber musician, Carol regularly performs with Continuum Contemporary Ensemble, a group dedicated to championing new compositions and emerging composers. She has also appeared with the Amici Chamber Ensemble and the Gryphon Trio.

Catherine Gray – viola
Originally from Calgary, AB, Toronto based violist Catherine Gray is a JUNO nominated ensemble and orchestral musician. Ms. Gray is a tenured member of the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra and regularly performs with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the National Ballet of Canada Orchestra. She has been heard on CBC Radio, CBC Television, and BBC3, and has been described as “glorious… Gray is an immense talent… performer of superb musicianship and high quality”

Mary-Katherine Finch – cello

Cellist Mary-Katherine Finch enjoys a diverse performing career with numerous ensembles andin a wide variety of musical genres. She has appeared with the orchestra of the National Ballet of Canada, Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Esprit Orchestra, Kitchener Waterloo Symphony, and has served as guest principal cellist with Hamilton Philharmonic, Windsor Symphony, and Niagara Symphony, and is principal cellist of Mississauga Symphony. 

Beach United’s warm, inviting hall serves as the perfect backdrop for this concert – the concert is pay-what-you-can, and proceeds support our year-round community programs.

Jazz & Reflection with Beachside Brass

Beach United Church is excited to present local band Beachside Brass on Saturday, May 4th at 4:30pm as they present a fun show filled with jazz, pop, funk, soul and more. Get ready to clap your hands, move your feet, and head on down to Bourbon Street!

RSVP here! (Entry is PWYC)

Beachside Brass is a New Orleans style brass band based in the Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto. Formerly known as “Black Knight Brass”, the ensemble was formed from Malvern C.I. alumni. Even after graduating, they continued sharing their love of the New Orleans spirit with local and international audiences alike. The group has played venues ranging from Toronto music staples such as Drom Taberna and The Cameron House, to street festivals including Buskerfest and the Beaches International Jazz Festival. As artists in residence with Hope United Church, Beachside Brass continues to actively connect and maintain strong relations with their home community.

Beach United’s warm, inviting hall serves as the perfect backdrop for this concert – the concert is pay-what-you-can, and proceeds support our year-round community programs.