What a year! It's been full of wonderful experiences, lots of excitement and unexpected concerts. Here are some of the highlights:
JANUARY - NEW ZEALAND
Ten shows on the North and South Islands in beautiful New Zealand, including the Nelson Jazz Festival and the Waiheke Island Resort.
FEBRUARY - INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS NOMINATIONS
We were nominated for two Independent Music Awards (IMAs), including "Best Jazz Song - Instrumental" for Rush Mode and "Best Jazz Song with Vocals" for Last of the Summer Days.
MARCH - MADEIRA
Concerts at SCAT, a wonderful jazz club on a the magical Portuguese island off the coast of Marocco.
APRIL - JAZZAHEAD!
We had our own stand at the jazz trade show/conference in Bremen, Germany where we met some wonderful people and started an excellent relationship with TonART Promotions.
MAY - ROME
Almost cancelled at the last minute, our Rome concert at Gregory's Jazz Club was a wonderful success.
JUNE - TORONTO JAZZ FESTIVAL
Beginning our residency at Harlem Restaurant every Friday night, we performed three concerts during the Toronto Jazz Festival.
JULY - SUMMER RESIDENCY AT HARLEM
Playing every Friday night throughout the summer, we played for some great audiences and packed crowds, especially during the Summerlicious food festival!
AUGUST - NEWMARKET AND NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE FESTIVALS
Just missing some big rainfalls, our outdoor concerts at the Newmarket and Niagara-on-the-Lake Jazz Festivals were so much fun!
SEPTEMBER - NEW ALBUM PLANNING
After writing a bunch of new songs this year, we started working with producer- and arranger-extraordinaire, Shelly Berger, to prepare for the first recording sessions for our third album.
OCTOBER - MORE TOUR PLANNING
Even though preparations started months ago for the upcoming tour, October was a busy month getting ready to leave for up to six months at the end of the year.
NOVEMBER - KIEV, UKRAINE
An unexpected trip to Kiev to play for Savik Shuster, a local TV star and studio owner. All five of us flew over from Toronto for three nights for this unforgettable experience.
DECEMBER - RUSH MODE WINS SEVEN MORE AWARDS, LOS ANGELES AND NEW ZEALAND
Rush Mode wins five Aurora Awards and two Independent Music Video Awards. We begin a three month stretch on the road with a show at The Lighthouse Café in Los Angeles and then off to New Zealand for more concerts.
