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Brenda Carol
A major jazz singer and educator based in Toronto, Brenda Carol has built an important career that has touched the ears and hearts of a countless number of listeners and young singers. Her open-minded approach has found her often interpreting songs drawn from the rock, pop and folk music worlds, transforming them through improvisations and arrangements into jazz without losing their essence, while also performing her own highly personal versions of jazz standards.
Born in Sudbury (a small town in Ontario), she grew up in nearby Brantford, which is in a very rural area. “I had a lot of time to listen,” she remembers. “ Toronto was the big city that I would visit to go see concerts.” Brenda sang often as a child, took piano lessons from age nine, and played saxophone in school. She switched her focus from tenor sax to voice when one of her high school music teachers began to offer singing ensemble lessons. “The teacher regularly introduced jazz songs to me. I did not appreciate them that much then but I learned them and later on it really helped me because I knew so many songs.”
Brenda at the time was much more into progressive rock, including the music of Genesis and Yes. At 17 she began singing with a rock band and was soon performing all across Ontario, often singing backup in rock and folk groups. At York University she earned a degree in psychology (working with the handicapped) while minoring in music. She sang with the Moors, which she describes as a bit like “Peter, Paul and Mary meets the Stranglers.” She also had a progressive folk trio, CinderBloc Garden, that had unusual instrumentation including bassoon and Moog. An important turning point in her career occurred when she met Max Roach. She took a long bus trip with friends to Chicago to attend a blues festival only to find it rained out. At Joe Segal’s jazz club, she caught Roach’s quartet for two nights and met the great drummer. “After asking me to sing for him, he suggested that I sing jazz, saying that he thought I could be a jazz singer.”
Eventually Brenda took Roach’s advice. She had always been drawn to jazz a bit due to its spontaneity, improvising and openness. In the mid- 1990s she co-organized ClaireVoyance, a progressive jazz ensemble that, in addition to standards, sometimes takes its material from unlikely sources (such as the songbooks of Joni Mitchell and Stephen Stills) and turns the songs into jazz. ClaireVoyance has featured many top Canadian players through the years including Brenda’s husband pianist Stephen Gardner and, for the past decade, flutist Bill McBirnie. In 2005, Brenda performed a few special concerts with ClaireVoyance that featured the group performing the music of Yes. “We gave the Yes songs jazz solos, altering some of the pieces to become jazzier, and jamming them out pretty far.” She also performs duets with Stephen Gardner as Oui. The duo has gained attention for its ability to perform very difficult compositions.
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Our 18th Year: Brenda Carol & Clairevoyance Live At The HotHouse
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Brenda Carol
Our 18th year: Brenda Carol & ClaireVoyance Live at The HotHouse Restaurant and Bar. TWO NIGHTS: SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2014 and MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2014 Time: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm This all ages, two evening event features some of Canada's finest jazz artists including Brenda Carol - vocals/percussion, Toronto pianist and educator Stephen Gardner on keyboards/backing vocals, master Bill McBirnie on flute, bassist Brendan Davis and t.b.a. on drums/backing vocals. ClaireVoyance will perform at The HotHouse Restaurant and Bar, ...
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Sweet Sixteen: Brenda Carol & Clairevoyance Live At Hothouse Cafe 2012
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Brenda Carol
TWO NIGHTS: SUNDAY, JUNE 24, 2012 and MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012 This all ages, 2 evening event features some of Canada's finest jazz artists including Brenda Carol, Toronto pianist and educator Stephen Gardner on grand piano, Bill McBirnie on master flute, electric bassist and backing vocals of Bryant Didier and Chris Burrell on drums. ClaireVoyance will perform at HotHouse Cafe, 35 Church Street (At Front) 7:30 pm start with two sets at 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm. Performance dates: Sunday, ...
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Brenda Carol & ClaireVoyance's 15th Year at HotHouse Cafe June 26 - 29, 2011
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Brenda Carol
SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2011WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2011 TORONTO, ON CANADA: ANNOUNCING BRENDA CAROL & CLAIREVOYANCE AS PART OF THE 2011 TD CANADA TRUST JAZZ FESTIVAL LIVE AT HOTHOUSE CAFE. SUNDAY, JUNE 26, MONDAY, JUNE 27, TUESDAY, JUNE 28, & WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2011 This all ages, 4 evening event features some of Canada's finest, jazz artists including Brenda Carol, Toronto pianist and educator Stephen Gardner on electric piano, Bill McBirnie on master flute, tenor saxophonist Rob Christian (Paul Mifsud on ...
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Announcing The 5th Annual Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fair - Sat. Feb. 5, 2011
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Brenda Carol
THE BRENDA CAROL RENAISSANCE JAZZ FAIR SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5th 2010 At Remarks Bar & Grill, 1026 Coxwell Avenue, Toronto, ON. Starting at 8:00 pm / Doors open at 7:30 pm All Ages Event. TorontoCelebrating the Fifth Annual Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fair, Ms. Carol and Jon Long of Long & McQuade are proud to announce the 2011 Jazz Fair featuring some of Canada's finest up-and-coming jazz artists including: BRENDA CAROLvox/percussion/guitar, JON MEYERbass, ROB CHRISTIANsax/flute, STEPHEN GARDNERkeyboards/vox, ...
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Brenda Carol & Clairevoyance - Live at Hothouse Cafe as Part of the TD Canada Trust Jazz Festival, Toronto 2010
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Michael Ricci
TORONTO, ON CANADA: ANNOUNCING THE PERFORMERS OF BRENDA CAROL & CLAIREVOYANCE AS PART OF THE 2010 TD CANADA TRUST JAZZ FESTIVAL LIVE AT HOTHOUSE CAFE. SUNDAY, JUNE 27, MONDAY, JUNE 28, TUESDAY, JUNE 29, & WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2010 This all ages, 4 evening event features some of Canada's finest, jazz artists including vocalist Brenda Carol, Toronto pianist and educator Stephen Gardner on electric piano, Canadian jazz/latin flutist Bill McBirnie, saxophonist Kirk MacDonald, bassist George Koller, and drummer Dave Langguth. ...
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2010 Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fair
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All About Jazz
SINGING FOR YOUR SUPPER ANNOUNCING: THE BRENDA CAROL RENAISSANCE JAZZ FAIR SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6th 2010 At the Children’s Peace Theatre - 305 Dawes Road, Toronto, ON.- Starting at 8:00 pm each night /Doors open at 7:00 pm Toronto - Celebrating the Fourth Annual Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fair, Ms. Carol and Jon Long of Long & McQuade are proud to announce the 2010 Jazz Fair featuring some of Canada’s finest up-and-coming jazz artists. Featured artists to be announced soon. As ...
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Living Jazz: For the Love of It 2009 Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fair January 30-February 1
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All About Jazz
LIVING JAZZ: FOR THE LOVE OF IT ANNOUNCING: THE BRENDA CAROL RENAISSANCE JAZZ FAIR JANUARY 30th – JANUARY 31st - FEBRUARY 1st 2009 At the Renaissance Cafe - 1938 Danforth Avenue - Starting at 8:00 pm each night /Doors open at 7:00 pm Toronto - Celebrating the Third Annual Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fair, Ms. Carol and Jon Long of Long & McQuade are proud to announce the 2009 Jazz Fair featuring some of Canada’s finest up-and-coming young jazz artists ...
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Brenda Carol Master Class: Choosing Repertoire for Auditions
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All About Jazz
A JAZZ MASTER CLASS WILL BE PRESENTED BY ACCLAIMED VOCALIST BRENDA CAROL ON JANUARY 31, 2009 Jon Long of Long & McQuade and Brenda Carol Vocal Lessons along with the generous support of the Beaches Jazz Festival Youth Initiatives are pleased to present a Free jazz/rock master class with internationally acclaimed singer Brenda Carol. This master class lecture is funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Ms. Carol will be highlighting the choices of repertoire as it applies to admissions programs ...
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Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fair, February 1 - 3, 2008
Source:
All About Jazz
THE BRENDA CAROL RENAISSANCE JAZZ FAIR ANNOUNCES A VERY IMPRESSIVE LINEUP FOR THE FEBRUARY 1-3, 2008 FESTIVAL Following on the success of the initial Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fair, Ms. Carol and Jon Long of Long & McQuade are proud to announce a particularly strong lineup for the 2008 Jazz Fair. Featured are some of Canada's finest up-and-coming young jazz artists. Friday February 1, 2008 will showcase guitarist Nathan Hiltz, bassist Ross MacIntyre, singer Sarah Jerrom, Janice Hawke on vocals, ...
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Brenda Carol Master Class January 17, 2007
Source:
All About Jazz
A JAZZ MASTER CLASS WILL BE PRESENTED BY ACCLAIMED VOCALIST BRENDA CAROL ON JANUARY 17, 2008 Jon Long of Long & McQuade and Brenda Carol Vocal Lessons are pleased to present a jazz master class with internationally acclaimed singer Brenda Carol. Ms. Carol will be highlighting the fine art of jazz and rock singing, revealing her approaches to practicing and discussing microphone technique training featuring Apex microphones. She will be accompanied by guitarist Nathan Hiltz and bassist Ross ...
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"Jazz musicians who also have roots in progressive rock, especially the music of Yes, seem a very unlikely prospect, but with vocalist Brenda Carol, pianist Stephen Gardner, and their group ClaireVoyance, this is what we have, and it works beautifully. Make no mistake, this is a "real" jazz group, using acoustic instruments,... and not playing fusion or any of that watered-down "cool" stuff." - Bill Martin, associate professor of philosophy, DePaul University, Chicago author of Music of Yes and Listening to the future
Primary Instrument
Vocals
Location
Toronto
Willing to teach
Beginner to advanced
Credentials/Background
* Bachelor of Arts, Psychology York University, Toronto, ON Canada
* 28 years of formal and private study: vocal, guitar, theory and piano.
* Instruments: voice, guitar, clarinet, flute, tenor saxophone, piano, and percussion.
Professional Experience:
* Producer and professional recording artist - Independent Releases: "brenda carol" 1998 and "Live At HotHouse Cafe" 2000 (see discography)
* Songwriter, music composer, artistic director, musician, event organizer.