Angela Verbrugge - 2020 JazzTimes Readers' Poll for Best Female Vocalist - infuses passion and emotion with each beautiful note. The trio of Ray Gallon on piano, Mark Hodgson on bass and Stephen keogh on drums provide flowing and swinging jazz instrumentation that blends in perfectly and creates a close-nit style of classic, timeless jazz.
Angela Verbrugge "possesses a winsome, brightly-burnished, pliable voice, with ample emotional intelligence, and conspicuously good taste.”
Jazz Times
Angela Verbrugge
JazzTimes Magazine writes that charismatic Canadian jazz vocalist Angela Verbrugge "possesses a winsome, brightly-burnished, pliable voice, with ample emotional intelligence, and conspicuously good taste.” Angela won the 2020 JazzTimes Readers' Poll for Best Female Vocalist. She released her debut album, The Night We Couldn't Say Good Night, through Gut String Records (NYC). Toronto Music Report described, “Verbrugge addresses each song with the breathtakingly, absolutely natural purity of her voice. A rare perfect album.” CBC Radio host Laila Biali described, "There's so much joy in delivery.” WSJ-writer Will Friedwald describes, "a vocal sound that's full of depth and nuance - welcoming the light without denying the darkness”. Angela was one of the youngest graduates from Toronto’s George Brown School of Performing Arts after a youth spent in Ontario. She relocated to Vancouver (1997) and after having kids and three brushes with death, she decided to follow her passion to jazz. She relocated to Victoria in 2019. Angela is primarily influenced by the swing era, vintage musicals, and bebop. She has appeared at the Vancouver International Film Festival, Victoria Jazz Festival, and top jazz clubs such as Frankie’s, Hermann’s, and the Rex. Her trios have included such Cameron Brown, Neil Swainson, Miles Black, Cory Weeds, Bernie Senensky, and Terry Clarke.
Ray Gallon
A NYC-native, pianist Ray Gallon has been a mainstay on the jazz scene for over thirty years. Rooted in bebop and blues, his expressive, swingin’ playing melds old and new into a fresh, original style. As a young player, Ray was taken under the wing of piano giants John Lewis, Hank Jones, and Jaki Byard. He has performed at major jazz festivals and venues around the world with such luminaries as Ron Carter, Lionel Hampton, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, George Adams, Les Paul, and Wycliffe Gordon. Ray has appeared at the White House and the Kennedy Center, sharing the stage with jazz legends Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Jackson, Sweets Edison, and Joe Williams. An in-demand accompanist, he has worked with many vocal greats, including Jon Hendricks, Sheila Jordan, Dakota Staton, Gloria Lynne, Jane Monheit and Chaka Khan. Ray's inventive compositions have been recorded by acclaimed artists T.S. Monk and George Adams. His latest trio album, "Make Your Move", features the stellar rhythm section of David Wong and Kenny Washington. Ray is a full-time faculty member of the jazz program at The City College of NY in Harlem and the Vermont Jazz Center’s summer workshops and has taught at Juilliard and The New School.
Angela Vergrugge (vocals)
Ray Gallon (piano)
Mark Hodgson (bass)
Stephen Keogh (drums)