 Photo: John Reeves Host of Music To Listen To Jazz By, Saturdays 9AM to noon, President and Chief Executive Officer of JAZZ.FM91 since July of 2004, Ross Porter is acknowledged by jazz lovers from coast-to-coast as Canada’s preeminent jazz broadcaster.
Perhaps best-known to jazz aficionados for his lengthy and distinguished career as a broadcaster and producer with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s national radio network for many years, Ross Porter more recently developed, launched, and spearheaded programming for Canada’s national jazz channel COOL-TV, also managing day-to-day operations at CanWest’s 24-hour jazz station, COOL-FM and COOL Recordings.
Over past years, he amassed considerable credentials as a producer for widely-lauded network radio documentaries on jazz greats including Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Chet Baker and many others. He also produced critically-acclaimed television documentaries on music legends such as Oscar Peterson, Joni Mitchell, Quincy Jones, George Harrison, Brian Wilson, and Diana Krall.
Known for his impeccable taste in music, his unique delivery, and his matchless ability to articulate the colourful jazz landscape for radio listening audiences across the country as executive producer and host of CBC Radio’s highly successful daily “After Hours” jazz show, Ross Porter also shared his passion and unique understanding of the jazz genre with international air travelers as the host of Air Canada’s in-flight audio jazz channel for several years. His lengthy list of background credentials also includes stints as a respected print journalist, both as a music columnist for the Winnipeg Free Press and as a jazz reviewer for The National Post. Ross's current book,"The Essential Jazz Recordings: 101 CDs", is a bestseller. It is published by McClelland and Stewart.
Winner of numerous honours throughout his illustrious career, Ross Porter was accorded the 2000 CanWest Award for his ‘Outstanding Contribution to Jazz’. The prestigious National Jazz Awards named him ‘Broadcaster of the Year’ in both 2002 and 2004. In the spring of 2009 Porter was nominated, by the Jazz Journalists Association, for the Willis Conover-Marian McPartland Award for Broadcasting. |
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 Photo: Frank Nagy Ralph has been a broadcaster and performer for over 30 years. Along the way he has received numerous awards and honours in Television and Radio. His Radio career went into full swing with the CBC in Winnipeg where he teamed up with Ross Porter for 'Nightlines'. Now he comes full circle hosting and producing Benmergui in the Morning on JAZZ FM91, which can be heard Monday to Friday, 6AM to 10AM.
"I love bringing this beautiful music to people every morning." Ralph lives in Toronto with his wife and has four wonderful children. |
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 Photo: Frank Nagy Host of Midday Jazz, 10AM to 2PM weekdays, Terry has always had a fondness for new ideas in music, and was turned on to jazz early in life by hearing it on radio, presented in ways that made jazz approachable. That led him to a media career that included long stretches in radio. He began his broadcasting life by doing a jazz show, and spent many years in both established and alternative radio formats. Around the end of the last century he was brought on-board at JAZZ.FM91 to help build what was, at the time, a brand new, untried radio station.
Today, JAZZ.FM91 has a large audience with a loyal supporter base but Terry is always ready to welcome new listeners who are just discovering the wonderful art form that is jazz.
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 Photo: Frank Nagy It all started in Toronto's multi-cultural Kensington Market. Music in all its forms and genres flowed freely from diverse cultural sources. There was R&B, blues, and of course, lots of jazz. Given that kind of inspiration, Larry was smitten. It took a few years, but eventually Larry’s love of music led him to woodwind and music studies with the likes of Bernie Pilch, Morris Weinsweig and Moe Koffman.
After starting his working career (delivering mail) at the CBC, Larry began “spinning the discs” at radio stations in Niagara Falls and continued in Guelph, Penticton, Vancouver, Winnipeg and eventually in Toronto (and, unofficially, San Francisco.) His time spent at those stations allowed him to work as a writer, program host, sports broadcaster, and in all manner of radio formats. His expertise in music and broadcasting elevated him to management in radio and the music business, including serving as the National Promotions Manager for Warner Bros., Elektra and Atlantic Records, a position he held for 16 years.
Larry's career also includes being a TV host, producing and airing a nationally syndicated jazz radio program, and time spent as a voice and acting agent, and as an educator and consultant.
Larry can be heard weekdays 2PM to 6PM on Afternoon Drive, and Thursdays at 9PM on Jazzology, only on JAZZ.FM91. |
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 Photo: Frank Nagy Growing up in Nova Scotia, Brad attended St. Francis Xavier University getting his Degree in Jazz Studies as a bass major. This led to a 10 year career as a professional musician, spending 6 years recording and touring with The Pursuit of Happiness.
Brad then moved on and studied broadcasting at Humber College, which soon turned into securing various jobs at Toronto radio stations. When the opportunity to work at JAZZ.FM91 came Brad’s way in 2001 he jumped at it. Being Operations Manager and Music Director at one of the few 24 hour-a-day jazz radio stations in the world and the chance to work with JAZZ.FM91’s members and volunteers makes for a unique and very rewarding experience.
Brad is the host of Dinner Jazz, heard weekdays 6PM to 9PM. |
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 Photo: Graham Kennedy Jaymz Bee was born in North Bay, Ontario and made a bee-line for Toronto at the age of 18. He has had a colourful career as a nightclub owner, art gallery curator, best-selling author (Cocktail Parties for Dummies) and band leader. From 1985-94 Bee was leader and vocalist for the rock-funk-jazz-circus known as Look People. After many European and North American tours, Bee moved on to form The Royal Jelly Orchestra, a band that has released eight CDs, toured North American and continues to perform at award shows, charity galas, private events, jazz festivals and theatres.
Jaymz has hosted and produced television and radio for various networks for the past two decades. He has immersed himself in all things jazz since moving to JAZZ.FM91 in 2003. He produces events for the station such as JAZZ LIVES and The Sound Of Jazz Concert Series, as well as being the creator and host of the JAZZ.FM91 Jazz Safaris.
Jaymz Bee can be heard weekdays, from 7AM to 9AM on Benmergui in the Morning, and Saturdays from 6PM to 8PM on Jazz In The City. |
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 Photo: Frank Nagy Heather Bambrick, winner of the 2004 National Jazz Award for Vocalist of the Year, was destined to entertain.
This native of St. John's, Newfoundland is a past graduate and current faculty member at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music. As a professional musician, Heather has shared the stage and recorded with some of Canada's greatest Jazz talents, including Phil Nimmons, Kenny Wheeler, Guido Basso, Peter Appleyard, Rob McConnell, Carol Welsman, and the Beehive Singers. She's also a voice actor, heard in many commercials and television programs.
Heather brings her knowledge of jazz vocals and vocalists to JAZZ.FM91 for Sunday Afternoon Jazz from noon to 4. |
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 Photo: Frank Nagy Born and raised in Toronto, Walter became interested in broadcasting when he received a transistor radio for Christmas at the age of 10. During recess, Walter would go to his perfect spot, sit and listen to the various on-air hosts, up and down the dial, fascinated by the voices and music.
Walter has worked at several radio stations around Toronto, co-produced documentaries for television, was a casting agent for film and television, has been a DJ at some of the city's top hotspots, and has done promotions and publicity for numerous award winning Canadian musicians. All the while Walter has also been very busy as a voice actor, and realtor, helping people buy and sell homes.
Walter brings you Saturday Afternoon Jazz from noon to 4PM.
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As a broadcaster, Dani Elwell created and/or hosted such creative radio ventures as the "Alternative Bedtime Hour" on CFNY in Toronto, a wacked out talk show about music called "MusicTalk" on AM640 and a few CBC radio summer shows "The Music Room" and "The Witching Hour".
Dani lives in Toronto in a creaky old commercial building that houses her beautiful and very clever daughter, gorgeously talented husband, a big furry lug of a dog and her quaint little flower shop.
Dani can be heard Saturday and Sunday on The Morning from 6AM to 9AM on JAZZ.FM91.
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 Photo: Frank Nagy Glen's program, The Big Band Show, Sundays from 5PM to 10PM, has been a Toronto radio fixture since it began here on JAZZ.FM91 almost three decades ago. In Glen's other life he is an automotive writer for the Sun group of newspapers and Autonet.ca. Glen has just begun restoration of a 1971 Manic GT, a rare Canadian-made sports car from Granby, Que. It will join an award-winning 1947 Frazer Manhattan in Glen's garage in the Northumberland hills east of Toronto, where he lives with wife Connie and daughter Kate. |
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 Photo: Frank Nagy If there's a popular song from 1900 to now, chances are Danny Marks has heard it, and can sing it. And maybe even put a new spin on it: Johnny Cash performing Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love, or Elvis launching into reggae. An aficionado of the great blues singers of the '30s and '40s, Marks was one of the first guitarists to incorporate blues roots into rock music.
His big brother went out of his way to collect old recordings, and Danny grew up listening to rare blues, R&B and rock and roll records few people heard in the Toronto area. His tastes – and guitar licks – grew as he encountered such widely diverse guitar talents as Chet Atkins, Chuck Berry, the King Family, Andres Segovia and Los Indios Tabajaras.
Tune in to Danny Saturdays from 8 PM to midnight for BLUZ-FM on JAZZ.FM91.
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For several years, Joe Sealy has enjoyed a successful career as a musician, actor, composer, music director and recording artist.
He won a Dora Mavor Moore award for music direction in the Toronto production of Ain't Misbehavin'. Joe has performed with a wide variety of notable performers such as Sammy Davis Jr., and John Candy, and with jazz greats, Joe Williams and Milt Jackson., and won a Juno award for Africville Suite. Most recently, Joe was the music director of the highly acclaimed Tonya Lee Williams Gospel Jubilee television special and a CBC radio Words & Music Special called East Coasting.
Joe is the host of Joe's Jazz, heard Tuesdays at 9PM on JAZZ.FM91. |
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Toronto native David Basskin is a lifelong jazz fan (and occasional sax player) who loves to feature "the best music you never heard in your life" on his weekly show, Stolen Moments, heard Fridays from 10PM to 1AM on JAZZ.FM91. Basskin brings a lifetime's enthusiasm and knowledge of jazz composers, musicians and history to his show, highlighting artists you love in recordings you may not know, as well as a wealth of players that may be new to listeners.
He also appears as a regular guest on Benmergui in the Morning as the station's "resident biographer", profiling musicians, songs and stories from the vast history of jazz.
Trained as a lawyer, in his day gig David heads up the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency Ltd. (CMRRA), Canada's largest music licensing agency. A keen golfer, he maintains that his game is better than his scores would indicate.
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 Photo: Frank Nagy Singer-songwriter and artist Laura Fernandez was born In Madrid, Spain, lived in Switzerland as a child, spent her youth in Calgary, Alberta and her adulthood here in Toronto and traveling worldwide. True to her international roots Laura writes songs in English as well as Spanish and her musical compositions are a reflection of her many influences.
Laura is also an award winning artist and illustrator and has many published children’s books. Her work has been seen internationally on billboards, ads and packaging as well as in books and magazines. She has painted many portraits and her work hangs in private collections and in museums.
Laura comes to JAZZ.FM91 as a passionate enthusiast of jazz, and especially Latin Jazz, which has surrounded her throughout her life and is a part of her cultural upbringing. She is honoured to be part of the JAZZ.FM91 team and hopes to share the love and passion she has for this music with Café Latino listeners everywhere!
Laura can be heard on Café Latino, Saturdays from 4 to 6PM |
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Born and reared in Vallejo, California, Bob learned about jazz from his mother's Count Basie and Duke Ellington records. In high school Bob played tenor and soprano saxophones and flute and sang in road bands.
For 10 years jazz remained a hobby while he worked in psychiatric nursing at UCSF, developing interpersonal skills that would serve him well in the music business. After one routine day at the hospital, he heard Pat Henry of KJAZ in California inviting prospective deejays to submit audition tapes. Bob sent in his tape and Henry ultimately hired him to program Saturday evenings.
When he's not recording segments for broadcast, he can be found in the kitchen improvising dishes to satisfy his gourmet-cooking hobby.
Bob can be heard nightly on JAZZ.FM91. |
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