presents
Live from the Alt Hotel
Hot on the heels of the TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival’s APART TOGETHER online concerts, Live from the Alt Hotel is a series of six performances recorded live from downtown’s stylish Alt Hotel Winnipeg. These free online concerts aim to stretch the boundaries of jazz and turn up the volume on genres like funk, soul, blues, hip-hop, and global beats. Concerts premiere on Jazz Winnipeg’s Facebook page each Thursday at 8 pm and are free, and donations are strongly encouraged.
July 23
Kelly Bado
With influences from her African heritage, la chanson française and American gospel, Kelly Bado’s music crosses cultural barriers to bring people together in joy and hope. Striking vocals and uplifting melodies make for a performance that stays with the audience long after the show is over. Kelly has created a sound and message that is an intoxicating blend of soul, world, and pop.
Her debut French language recording, entitled Entre Deux, won her World Artist of the Year at the 2018 Western Canadian Music Awards.
Watch Kelly’s set on YouTube.
July 30
Will Bonness Quintet
Will Bonness has been an active member of the Winnipeg, Canadian and international jazz scenes since his teen years. At age 17, Will joined Maynard Ferguson’s Big Bop Nouveau Band for a world tour which included performances at such venues as the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York and Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London.
After leaving Maynard’s band in 2004, Will completed his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Manitoba and traveled to New York and Boston to continue his studies with Fred Hersch, Taylor Eigsti, and Charlie Banacos. Will has appeared extensively in performance with Derrick Gardner, Quincy Davis, Jon Gordon, and many others. He has performed abroad with Regina Carter, Avishai Cohen, Lionel Loueke, and at jazz festivals throughout Canada.
He continues to perform regularly throughout Manitoba in small ensembles and in larger groups including the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra.
Watch Will’s set on YouTube.
August 6
Sheena Rattai
Sheena Rattai is a Winnipeg-based musician and lead singer of the avant-folk trio Red Moon Road. She studied classical and jazz voice at the University of Manitoba. With a soulful, honest, and engaging stage presence, Sheena has established herself as a prominent figure in the Winnipeg music community and as one of Canada’s most enchanting singers.
Watch Sheena’s set on YouTube.
August 13
Curtis Newton
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Curtis Newton is one of the brightest stars on the Canadian blues, boogie and swing scene. He is a soft-spoken, almost shy young man except when he has a guitar in his hands. His style goes from the fiercely ferocious to sweetly subtle and his sound comes straight from the heart.
Watch Curtis’s set on YouTube.
August 20
Len Bowen
Len Bowen is a Canadian rap veteran from his start with the renowned Shades of Black crew to his solo work. In his career, Len has topped college radio charts and graced Much Music's Rap City top ten lists.
Bowen’s music is halfway between the boom bap sounds of the mid nineties East Coast hip hop - think Common and Nas - and the earnest, honest content of more contemporary artists on the hip hop charts today, like YBN Cordae and H.E.R. Through his music, you can feel the contemplative negotiation he’s having with the listener, defining his place in the landscape as the narrator of his own epic.
Len’s new EP, Flow Nostalgic, was released in May 2020 and was produced entirely by BBS Steve. The first single off the EP, Vol. 1 The Breaks, was inspired by rap’s golden era in which Len was raised. It’s a bittersweet look into his past, present and the future he continues to fight to create for himself.
Watch Len’s set you YouTube.
August 27
Apollo Suns
Born from the fusing of nine Winnipeg-based musicians Apollo Suns have created a refreshing and innovative sound combining instrumental, jazz, rock and psychedelic music. They were awarded Instrumental Artist of the Year at the 2018 Western Canadian Music Awards.
Built on the strength of two sold out release shows in Winnipeg and several Canadian tours supporting their 2019 sophomore EP, Dawn Offerings, the album spent eleven weeks on Earshot! National Top 50 charts with its top spot at #7. Some of their most notable shows include support slots for The Brooks, The Wooden Sky, Five Alarm Funk, Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer, Kobo Town and Anomalie, as well as showcases at Canadian Music Week, Winnipeg International Jazz Festival, Festival Du Voyageur, Folly Fest, Big Fun Music Festival, Ness Creek Music Festival, and Golden Sound Music Festival.