SPECIAL EVENT: KIRK MACDONALD & BRUCE BARTH

Tue, Jul 29

Toronto-based saxophonist, composer, and educator Kirk MacDonald will be joining forces with renowned New York pianist, composer, and educator Bruce Barth for a series of duet and quintet performances across Canada. Their tour will span from coast to coast, with the duo performing in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Ontario from late July through mid-August. The quintet will be featured in select performances in and around Toronto. Recognized as one of Canada’s most celebrated jazz artists, Kirk MacDonald is a two-time JUNO Award winner and eight- time nominee for his own recordings, in addition to receiving multiple nominations for his collaborations with other artists. His distinguished career has earned him numerous accolades, including an East Coast Music Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Toronto Musicians’ Association, the International Jazz Soloist Award from Monaco, and two Prix du Jazz Awards from the Montreal Jazz Festival. He was also honored with the Distinguished Faculty Award from Humber College for his contributions as an educator. Kirk has enjoyed long-standing collaborations with leading musicians from Canada, the U.S., and Europe, and has toured extensively throughout North America, Europe, Australia, India, Korea, and Egypt. His performances have graced some of the world’s premier jazz venues, including Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center in New York, Ronnie Scott’s in London, and Duc des Lombards in Paris, as well as numerous festivals across the globe. He has appeared on over 60 recordings, including 18 as a leader. Originally from Pasadena, California, Bruce Barth has been a key figure in theNew York jazz scene since 1988, when he began working with jazz legends Stanley Turrentine and Terence Blanchard. As a bandleader, Bruce has performed at major venues across the U.S., Europe, and Japan, including The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and festivals in the UK, Spain, Sweden, and Portugal. For over 15 years, Bruce has been a core member of the Terell Stafford Quartet, recording and touring extensively. He has also collaborated with esteemed artists such as Steve Wilson, Luciana Souza, Steve Nelson, Tony Bennett, James Moody, Phil Woods, Freddie Hubbard, Tim Armacost, Tom Harrell, Luis Bonilla, René Marie, Branford Marsalis, and Adam Kolker. Bruce has recorded on over 135 albums and film soundtracks, including 17 as a leader. His trio has also recorded live at the legendary Village Vanguard in New York City.