Guitarist and composer Roddy Ellias combines a deep relationship with both classical music and jazz in his composition, improvisations and interpretations of jazz standards. He’s performed and/or recorded with numerous jazz giants including Lee Konitz, Tom Harrel, Joel Frahm, and David Liebman, and has toured with his own projects throughout Canada and the United States. His latest CDs, Sticks and Stones and Monday’s Dream have both received glowing reviews from highly respected publications Including Downbeat Magazine, Just Jazz Guitar, All About Jazz, Sound/Stage Xperience, the CBC, and The Ottawa Citizen. In 2013, Roddy was the only Canadian recipient of the Jazz Journalists of America Jazz Hero Award.

Born in Eastern Europe, brought up in the wilderness of the Great White North, and later thrusting into the urban Jungle of New York City, it is no surprise that Petr Cancura’s musical pallet is as wide as it is. A saxophonist with a vast knowledge of Jazz, Balkan, African and American folk traditions, Petr performs on banjo and mandolin as well as on the medium format black & white camera… all of which influences each other into a Roots Song & Improvising music machine with a visual sensibility. Petr has performed with Grammy-nominated Danilo Perez, Grammy-nominated Julian Lage, Bob Moses, Joe Morris, Jacek Kochan, Kathleen Edwards, Kenny Wollesen, Joe Maneri, Cecil McBee and the Juno award-winning Mighty Popo. He is currently performing as part of the Ghost Train Orchestra, The Richie Barshay RB3, The Forro Brass Band amongst others. Petr’s source of expression is most focused on his blend of Americana roots music and jazz in his groups Big Sky and Down Home.

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