Heather Bambrick: 2018 Smordin Law Artist-in-Residence

I had a good feeling about our choice for this year’s Smordin Law Artist-in-Resident, Heather Bambrick, when I saw her newest music video back in May, for a cover of Bruce Cockburn’s ‘Lovers in a Dangerous Time’ from her JUNO-nominated record You’ll Never Know:

That’s not just one but TWO former Artist-in-Residences playing with Heather: pianist and 2015 Artist-in-Residence Adrean Farrugia, and saxophonist Colleen Allen who was Artist-in-Residence at last year’s festival. Clearly, we were on the right track by asking Heather to join us for this year’s festival!

I’m so excited for Heather to perform at this year’s festival. It’s our first time having a non-instrumentalist as Artist-in-Residence, and Heather will be performing twice: once with her quartet, and one with her cabaret group Broadsway:

Heather has collaborated with some of the best musicians around, including Phil Nimmons, Fred Hirsch, Gene DiNovi, Guido Basso, Lea Delaria, Anne Hampton Callaway, Carol Welsman, Jackie Richardson, Ian Shaw, as well as the late Rob McConnell and Peter Appleyard. Heather has appeared as a guest performer with various Jazz ensembles, as well as with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, and the Windsor Symphony Orchestra.

Heather’s solo recordings include It’s About Time and Those Were The Days, both of which were nominated for East Coast Music Awards and resulted in international airplay and critical acclaim. Her latest recording, You’ll Never Know, was nominated for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year at the 2017 Juno Awards. Heather’s been a guest artist on numerous diverse recording projects, from those of the Caliban Bassoon Quartet, to Sophisticated Ladies (the final recording of Jazz great Peter Appleyard), and Just Passing Through (the award-winning recording from Jeff and Don Breithaupt). She’s been honoured with Canada’s National Jazz Award for Vocalist of the Year.

More than just a vocalist, Heather is also one of Canada’s busiest voice actors, appearing on numerous commercial campaigns, as well as voicing characters on several Emmy-nominated animated series, including those for Disney, PBS, Comedy Network, and NBCKids. Since 2001, she’s become a beloved host at JAZZ.FM, Canada’s only all-Jazz radio station, and has twice been named National Jazz Awards’ Broadcaster of the Year.

Get tickets to see Heather October 24th and October 26th now!