Saxophone (alto/tenor/soprano), flute, clarinet, accordion and vocals

A multi talented musician, Colleen Allen can be enjoyed on alto, tenor and soprano sax, as well as the flute clarinet and accordion. Known for her skill and presence on stage, she has performed with Gino Vanelli, Rita MacNeil, Anne Murray, Holly Cole, Oliver Schroer, Shirley Eikhard, David Serada. The list grows with Allen accompanying Canadian giants like David Suzuki, Cirque de Soliel, Colm Wilkinson and John McDermott. When not busy touring, she has recorded with such diverse talents as Ani DiFranco, Rik Emmett, Lorraine Segato and Treble Charger. Colleens work can also be found in selected television and video work for Bravo, Much Music, Big Ticket specials and the Gemini Awards.

Bass

The Jazz Report magazine calls bassist Mike Downes "one of Canada's immensely talented young giants". Since Mike began performing in the early 1980’s, he has become recognized as a world-class bassist, composer, and educator. He has delighted audiences across Canada, Eastern and Western Europe, Bermuda, Brazil and the United States, performing with great jazz artists such as Dave Liebman, Peter Erskine, Lew Tabackin, Oliver Jones, Pat LaBarbera, Ranee Lee and others. He has played on numerous recordings, including Lorne Lofsky's Juno nominated "Bill Please", and Ranee Lee’s Juno nominated “Dark Divas”. As well as maintaining a busy performing schedule, Mike is the head of the bass department at Humber College in Toronto, and is much sought after as a clinician at festivals and music camps across Canada. Mike is also an active composer who leads his own group and recently published his own book.

Drums

Mark McLean began his career as a gifted classical pianist at age nine, by fourteen he had started a second career playing the drums. By eighteen, the drums eclipsed the piano as Mark’s voice for musical expression and it wasn’t long before Mark was playing with fellow Canadian and jazz icon, Oscar Peterson. Mark moved to New York City in 1999 with a grant from the Canada Council of the Arts. He began study with jazz drummer Kenny Washington and was immediately seduced by the drive and energy of the city’s thriving jazz scene.

Mark’s reputation as a superb musician resulted in calls from various top talents such as singer and pianist Andy Bey who describes Mark as ‘an intelligent, immensely talented young musician with a curious mind and a listening ear’. The next call was from saxophonist Dewey Redman and soon there were performances with Diana Krall, Jimmy Webb, Glen Campbell, Carla Cook, Joe Sample, Andy Ezrin, Patti Austin, the Backstreet Boys, Quincy Jones and others. Recording highlights include Gladys Knight, Linda Eder, Andy Bey, Peter Cincotti, Andrea Bocelli, Serena Ryder, and Jane Bunnett. Said legendary producer Phil Ramone following a recording session with Billy Joel; ‘Mark McLean is a tasty, sure handed drummer, a song man’s musician.’

Guitar

Guitarist and composer Rob Piltch was born in Toronto, by the age of 17 he was working professionally, including a stint with his late father in the Bernie Piltch Quartet. In 1979 he joined Blood Sweat & Tears to tour and record for two years, and then returned to Toronto to begin work as a session player, recording with Canadian artists such as Hugh Marsh, Kim Mitchell, Shirley Eikhart, Marc Jordan, Amy Sky, Guido Basso, Rob McConnell, and Peter Murphy (Bauhaus). Rob released his own Juno nominated album "Bells" with Canadian jazz virtuoso Don Thompson in 1983, a solo self titled album for Duke Street Records in 1988, and won a Juno for his work with Dave Young and Phil Dwyer on "Fables & Dreams" in 1993, and was again nominated for a Juno as Vehkavaara & Piltch for Mediterranean Nights in 2005. He is featured on the soundtrack for the films "Crash" (Cronenberg) and "The Blue Planet", as well as various television shows. Rob continues to perform live and on disc. Along with Martin Tielli, he is one of the remaining original members of the band "Nick Buzz" who recently released their 2nd recording, and is finishing work on a new recording of his own.

Piano, Vocals

Piano, vocals

Andrew Craig is a Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist, producer, director, composer, broadcaster and impresario working in multiple musical genres, with particular emphasis on the musics of the African diaspora (including African-American music, Afro-Caribbean music and popular forms from the African continent), as well as European Art Music. He has worked with such diverse artists as Ashley MacIsaac, the Nathaniel Dett Chorale and Wynton Marsalis, and has directed musical performances for such luminaries as Nelson Mandela and Quincy Jones. Andrew is currently the host of CBC Radio Two's "In Performance", and is Co-Chair of the Music Committee of the Toronto Arts Council.

Vocals

"Enough about me already..."