FreePlay, Jordana Talsky, Blunt Chunks, Haiye Zhu, Christine Duncan, Jean Martin

General Admission $40 (plus fees & HST)
Student & Arts Workers $20 (plus fees & HST)

Extraordinary Voices celebrates singing in its many fun and modern facets.  The night features six extraordinary vocal acts, all creatively using electronics to support their work across different styles from singer-songwriter/pop to jazz to global folk traditions.  The artists include the stunning duo Free Play, featuring Suba Sankaran and Dylan Bell, solo artists Jordana Talsky, Blunt Chunks, Haiye (Judy) Zhu, and the creative duo Barnyard Drama featuring Christine Duncan and drummer/electronic musician Jean Martin.  Thursday March 20.

FREEPLAY (Dylan Bell & Suba Sankaran)

On the heels of their recent tour of Bulgaria, FreePlay is thrilled to ‘bring it home’ to Hugh’s Room!

Using only their voices and innovative live-looping techniques, international vocal sensation FreePlay sings you around the world without you leaving your seat. New York jazz, UK pop, European classical, Indian ragas, Brazilian samba… FreePlay does it all, a cappella. Partners in music and in life, Dylan Bell and Suba Sankaran delight in sharing their unique and virtuosic a cappella style around the world, with performances in over 25 countries across 6 continents in support of their recent album, Talk To Me. 

Barnyard Drama is a duo featuring vocalist CHRISTINE DUNCAN and drummer/electronic artist JEAN MARTIN.   A musical chameleon, Christine Duncan uses her voice as an instrument in a wide range of diverse musical styles. She is involved in everything from jazz, R&B, gospel, improvised music, sound poetry, to new music, opera, and musique actuelle, and directs the Element Choir, an improvising choir in Toronto, active since 2007. Christine and the Element Choir have been performing with Inuit throat singer/experimental vocalist Tanya Tagaq since 2014. Duncan has been teaching in the jazz programs at Humber College and the University of Toronto since 2003.  JEAN MARTIN has works regularly with Tanya Tagaq and violinist Jessie Zubot, and is the Artistic Director of Barnyard Records, one of the most vital labels for contemporary music in North America. 

Jordana Talsky is a singer, songwriter, and vocal looper known for her jazz, soul, and indie-pop fusion. She offers diverse live experiences, from solo loop performances to jazz band shows and intimate acoustic sets, blending covers with her original songs. Her vocal loop track "RUN" was a finalist in CBC's Searchlight Contest, and she's been recognized in various competitions including the John Lennon Songwriting Competition and the Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition. Jordana has toured Canada, Europe, and the U.S., with a notable appearance at Summerfest. Her acclaimed releases include "Neither of Either," "Standard Deviation," and the EP "Zahava," which features original vocal looping music.

Blunt Chunks

Born out of curiosity for exploring the endless world of sound and song, Blunt Chunks is the solo project of Toronto-based multi-disciplinary artist Caitlin Woelfle-O’Brien. Traversing a wide range of genres, her music combines pop sensibility, ambient tones and vocal layering, the end result is music to keep close to your heart, honest, hypnotic and vulnerable. Over the past decade, she has shared stages and supported artists such as Charlotte Day Wilson, Lido Pimienta, Julianna Barwick and Nick Hakim.

Judy Zhu honed her craft in the jazz program at St. Francis Xavier University, but eager to delve deeper into experimental music and improvisation, and the intersection between voice and technology she moved to the University of Toronto to study with Christine Duncan, Laura Swankey, and Patrick O’Riley. Her musical journey is driven by a desire to push the boundaries of creative expression and a curiosity about the limitless possibilities of sound.

 296 Broadview is not yet a fully wheelchair accessible venue, with stairs between all levels. Our goal is to fix that, and we need your support to do so - please consider making a donation towards our goals to make HRL the best listening room in Toronto!