FabCollab

Singers

ELIANA CUEVAS

Hailed as “a major international talent that’s on its way” by the Toronto Star, Venezuelan vocalist Eliana Cuevas performs dynamic songs that defy expectations of Latin music. Eliana has toured across Canada and abroad collaborating with Juno and Grammy Award-winning performers, and she has released 7 albums of original Latin music under her name:Cohesión (2001), Ventura (2004) Vidas (2007), Espejo (2013), Golpes y Flores (2017), El Curruchá (2021) and, most recently, Seré Libre (2023). Seré Libre marks a debut recording with the Angel Falls Orchestra — a new musical entity featuring some of the best and most versatile classical musicians in Canada — arranged, conducted, and produced by Juno Award-winning pianist Jeremy Ledbetter. Eliana has never been constrained by genre boxes in her songwriting, drawing freely from jazz, Latin, folk, and world music elements, and her eclectic discography has brought her multiple wins at the National Jazz Awards, Toronto Independent Music Awards, Canadian Folk Music Awards, and the Independent Music Awards in the US.

ALINE MORALES

A leading force in Canada's Brazilian music scene, Juno-nominated percussionist, composer and vocalist Aline Morales delivers a personal and intimate perspective on contemporary Brazilian pop -- incorporating global folkloric and jazz elements with vintage Tropicalia and MPB. Morales' strikingly clear and confident vocals shine alongside her evocative compositions and the lush arrangements contributed by long-time collaborator, producer and guitarist David Arcus. Also a highly-regarded percussionist, Morales has changed the face of Brazilian music in Canada through a wide range of projects, showcasing her strength and versatility as bandleader and instrumentalist.

ANA LÍA

Ana Lía lights up a room. A Dominican-Canadian, her charming, vibrant performances deliver an unmistakable experience for every audience. The singular blend of Rhythmic Dominican and Latin songs, jazz, pop, flamenco, and even hip-hop, shape the way she crafts music today. Her bright, rich voice, makes her music enjoyable beyond language. In June 2023, she released her debut album, Cíclica. As an artist, she's garnered over 209K streams, more than 117K listeners in 90 countries on Spotify. She's opened for Alex Cuba in concert in 2022, has played at the NXNE 2022 and recently showcased at the Canadian B2BBQ pre-WOMEX 2023 in A Coruña, Spain, Phoque OFF 2024, Syli d’Or 2024 and at BIME Bogotá 2024. This up and coming firecracker is here to stay and infect us with her luminous energy.

Dancers

COTEE HARPER

Born and raised in Toronto, Cotee's roots stem from the Cree Shawnee Potawatomi Nation and she is also a member of the Mistawasis First Nation in Saskatchewan. As the youngest daughter of the late urban elder Vern Harper, she merges her heritage as an Indigenous dance artist with a contemporary dance style. For 25 years, she studied classical ballet and contemporary dance at Anna McCowan Johnson’s Interplay School of Dance. Harper is also a traditional dancer of fancy shawl and jingle dress and has performed for dignitaries, in schools, and festivals throughout Ontario, as well as in the music video of tenor and composer Jeremy Dutcher. She was featured in the opening performance of the 2017 Indspire Awards as well as in the Canada 150 “Our Home on Native Land” celebrations at Toronto’s Harbourfront with the ensemble Meegwetch.

DAILYN MARTINEZ

Dailyn Martinez was born in Havana, Cuba and is an experienced salsa performer and instructor based in Toronto.She has been sharing her passion for salsa for over twenty years on stage as well as teaching others the art of the dance. Dailyn has performed with internationally recognized Cuban bands such as Van Van and Charanga Habanera and has shared the Cuban culture internationally by dancing in Poland, Germany and Australia. Dailyn is passionate about sharing her love of Cuban arts and culture with others. Since arriving in Toronto, she has been introducing others to Salsa and teaching individuals how to master the dance.

LIA GRAINGER

rn in Vancouver, Lia Grainger began her flamenco dance training in 2002, studying with renowned local maestros Oscar Nieto and Kasandra “La China.” She cut her teeth performing at local flamenco tablao Kino Cafe and with Vancouver’s Mozaico Flamenco Dance Theatre, before relocating to Toronto and then Seville, Spain, to devote herself full-time to flamenco dance. From 2015 to 2019, Lia lived and trained full-time in Spain, first in Seville and later in Madrid, returning home to perform at festivals and arts centres across Canada. In 2019, the ensemble completed a 40-show tour of Canada and France. Lia was one of six North American flamenco dancers selected to compete in the 2017 CERTAMEN USA, a competition that takes place annually at Lincoln Center in New York City. In 2019, Lia founded Flamencolía Dance Company and Academy. The company’s first major work “La Forastera,” was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Peformance by an Individual. Lia currently tours internationally with the Turkish-flamenco music and dance Qairo.

Musicians

VENTANAS

“The sound of Toronto” - Amirali Alibhai, Director of Programming, Aga Khan Museum Ventanas has released three albums (2013, 2015, 2019) and been nominated for four Canadian Folk Music Awards, including Best Traditional Singer (Tamar Ilana) and Best Ensemble. They are currently working on their 4th album, to be released in October, 2024 which includes three new works that they debuted with the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra in April 2022. Featuring some of the city’s finest musicians from across the globe, Ventanas has showcased at APAP, FAI, Pacific Contact, Mundial Montréal, CINARS, Global TO, Mundial Montréal in both Montreal and WOMEX in Lisbon, resulting in multiple cross-Canada tours, tours on both coasts of the US, Colombia, Ireland, Spain and Portugal. Ventanas, meaning “windows” in Spanish, merges the members’ musical and cultural backgrounds together, creating their own sound which reflects the sound of their city, Toronto.

ANH PHUNG

“Anh Phung is a shining example of the modern musician: as a child, she earned her virtuosity while sweeping flute contests across Canada, and has since used her mastery of the flute as a compass to navigate countless styles of music, constantly learn new instruments and consistently deliver exciting performances. Not bothered by the conventions and standard limitations of the flute, her powerful musical voice steers her through everything from hip-hop to bluegrass to Bulgarian folk music, and she is the leader of prog-rock tribute band Tullstars and performance art act Hairbrain. ” - Alan Mackie

BAQUE DE BAMBA

An Afro-Brazilian percussion group based in Toronto founded in 2009 by Juno Nominee, Aline Morales, leader of the former Maracatu group, Nunca Antes. They perform afro rhythms from the northeast of Brazil, mostly in the city of Recife, with a principal focus on the Maracatu de Baque Virado style, among other percussive styles like Coco, Ciranda and Ijexá. The group is a contemporary version of this century old Brazilian Afro tradition, represented through drumming, singing, and dancing, delivered with considerable energy and audience engagement. Natural elements (fire, earth, wind, and water), the Orixás (deitias) of the Candomblé tradition, and the meeting of cultures within Colonial Brazil and Africa inform the group’s music, which manifests pride, artistic expression, solidarity, resistance, empowerment, and a sense of community. Baque de Bamba shines a light into the depths of Brazilian folkloric music and dance, while still remaining entirely contemporary.

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