The Pearl Company

New Years at The Pearl: World-beat Jazz & Pearl-beat Dancing! Tuesday, December 31, 8:00 ‘til ?  $75 per person/ $65 Members/Seniors/Un(der)waged. Pricing available for groups. Ticket includes Champagne at Midnight.
There will be a DJ, one hugely satisfying jazz set, and as always a great buffet.

• We promise fun, great conversations, musical magic, and lots of dancing
• Chef Gary Santucci and sous-chef Rod MacTaggart outdo themselves every year; a pan-global buffet arrives throughout the night.
• Cash bar

We need you to RSVP via email, or phone or to buy your tickets online.  We are expecting a crowd so let us know as soon as you do!
https://www.ticketscene.ca/events/27798/

The Passion of Flamenco! TRONÍO FLAMENCO and Milena Tejada “la Tormenta” Return: Friday, September 13. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20. TRONÍO FLAMENCO and guitarist Dennis Duffin bring an exciting, dynamic Flamenco show straight from the small streets of Seville. This is the third in a series of tours in the past year for this quartet from Quebec to Toronto. Milena Tejada (nicknamed The Storm or la Tormenta…) is known for her emotional bursts of expression and dramatic flurries of technical prowess. Her recent studies in Sevilla and Madrid this summer will be the focus as TRONIO returns with powerful new dances, new music and plenty of FLAMENCO PASSION! Dennis Duffin, the Seville-based, Toronto-born guitarist, has toured the country many times over. He has hand-picked this team of incredibly talented young artists that are guaranteed to give you goosebumps and get your heart racing! Caracolillo is a remarkable singer native to Montreal with a strong passion for traditional cante. Hanser Santos Gomez from Havana, Cuba, is an incredibly talented percussionist now tearing up the Latin music scene in Montreal.
Tronío Flamenco delivers a powerful, authentic experience that will conjure a moment of duende for all.

Fin de Fiesta Flamenco presents: SEMPITERNO: Friday, July 26. Doors: 6:30pm. CHANGE OF TIME! From 8:00pm to 7:00pm. Tickets: $22 advance; $25 at the door. International flamenco music and dance ensemble Fin de Fiesta Flamenco presents their new production, “Sempiterno”. Though its members hail from Canada, France and Cuba, Fin de Fiesta Flamenco comes together in Spain every year and creates inspired new work to tour in North America and Europe. Immersed in the flamenco way of life, they create the vibrant and impassioned music and dance that has been dazzling audiences for the past seven years. “Sempiterno” tells the story of the magnetic pull of the flamenco art form, a pull that has drawn Fin de Fiesta’s members away from the countries where they were born, to Spain, the cradle of flamenco.
The searing vocals of Alejandro Mendia (Noces Gitanes, France) are accompanied by the intricate guitar arpeggios of Dennis Duffin (Ventanas, Seville) and the haunting flute melodies of Lara Wong (Madrid). Dancer Lia Grainger (2017 Certamen New York International Flamenco Competition finalist, (Madrid) brings the stage to life with fierce and sensual choreographies and improvisations and Hanser Gomez (Cuba) holds down the rhythm on cajon. Stunning dancer Deborah “La Caramelita” (Noces Gitanes, France) joins the ensemble for her second year on tour.
To the south of Spain and back again, Fin de Fiesta will leave you breathless, with the pulsing rhythms of flamenco beating in your heart.
“A rowdy and intense troupe that radiates flamenco passion.” – The Vancouver Sun WWW.FINDEFIESTAFLAMENCO.COM
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqI0LwyahbY 

The Passion of Flamenco! ADALANTE: Makeda Benitez with Dennis Duffin & Tamar Ilana: Saturday, July 6. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20. “Adelante” or “Onwards” is a passionate night of Flamenco straight from Seville, Spain — full of emotional bursts of expression to dramatic flurries of technical prowess. Toronto’s talented young dancer Makeda Benítez returns from studying and performing in Seville, Spain, to present a traditional Flamenco show “Adelante” in Toronto. She is accompanied by Flamenco guitarist Dennis Duffin (also based in Seville) and singer/dancer Tamar Ilana (of Ventanas fame). www.tamarilana.com
The show will transport you to the tablaos in the small streets of Seville. Featuring solos of guitar, singing and dance.
Makeda Benitez with “Persamenco” in Toronto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afLvPt6Idqo
https://www.facebook.com/mak.ben.77

ENCUENTRO FLAMENCO: Sunday, March 31, Doors: 7:00pm. Show: 7:30. Tickets: $20. A quest for freedom within the constraints of tradition. The artists: Tamar Ilana: vocals/dance; Matt Sellick: flamenco guitar; Derek Gray: percussion.
The dancer calls, the musicians answer; the guitarist sings and the singer replies. Each is an individual artist, but together, it becomes a whole universe into which the audience is invited. In Encuentro, Tamar and Matt share their discovery of each other as artists, themselves as individuals, and what it means to be Canadian flamenco artists. In this encounter between the new and the old, the original and the traditional, the composed and the interpreted, Tamar and Matt rearrange traditional pieces, present original choreographies, and share new compositions.
Powerhouse vocalist and dancer Tamar Ilana has studied, lived and performed in Paris, Seville and Barcelona; she has been featured in flamenco festivals across North America. She is releasing her third album with her award-winning band, Ventanas, this May. Tamarilana.com (more…)

An Evening of FLAMENCO PASSION! Tronio Flamenco: Friday, March 22, Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20. Milena Tejada is a young, incredibly talented dancer tearing up the flamenco scene in Bolivia, Seville (Spain) and now Montreal where she is currently studying and living.  She has recently been nick-named la Tormentita (the little storm) for her powerful and relentless footwork and superb technique.
Dennis Duffin, guitarist, originally from Toronto and now based in Seville Spain, tours regularly with Fin de Fiesta Flamenco, is an original member of Toronto world music group Ventanas, and is known throughout flamenco circles in Canada and abroad. Dennis is presenting this current formation of super talented artists based out of Montreal. Rounding out the roster is Fin de Fiesta companion, Hanser Santos Gomez on Percussion and the infamous Caracolillo de Montreal singing.
—Tronío Flamenco— Dance: Milena Tejada (Bolivia/France), Guitar: Dennis Duffin (Toronto/Sevilla), Voice: Caracolillo (Montreal), Percussion: Hanser Santos Gomez (Cuba)
Ticketscene: https://www.ticketscene.ca/events/23334/

New Years at The Pearl: A Night to Remember! Monday, December 31, 8:00 ‘til ?  $50 per person/ $40 Members/Seniors/Un(der)waged. Pricing available for groups. We want all our favorite people here! And, hey, if that’s still too much, let’s talk…. Ticket includes Champagne at Midnight.

We’re doing the grand hello to 2019 this year with DJ Michael Williams of MuchMusic fame and as always a great buffet.

This is not going to be your normal Monday night!
We’re doing the grand hello to 2019 this year with DJ Michael Williams of MuchMusic fame and as always a great buffet.

• We promise fun, great conversations, musical magic, and lots of dancing
• Chef Gary Santucci outdoes himself every year, with a pan-global buffet throughout the night.
• Cash bar
• We need you to RSVP via email, or phone or Buy your tickets online.  We are expecting a crowd so let us know as soon as you do!

PS: The Pearl Company will continue to operate until end of May ’19!

https://www.ticketscene.ca/events/22763/

An AFTERNOON of FLAMENCO PASSION! Milena Tejada:  RESCHEDULED! Saturday, November 24, Doors: 12:00 pm. Show: 2:00pm. Tickets: $20. With tapas, $25 (We are serving Tapas (Spanish appetisers) from !2:00pm on. This is for everyone but especially those who came to the suddenly and unexpectedly cancelled show last Saturday!)  Milena Tejada is a young, incredibly talented dancer tearing up the flamenco scene in Bolivia, Seville (Spain) and now Montreal where she is currently studying and living.  She has recently been nick-named la Tormentita (the little storm) for her powerful and relentless footwork and superb technique.
Dennis Duffin, guitarist, originally from Toronto and now based in Seville Spain, tours regularly with Fin de Fiesta Flamenco, is an original member of Toronto world music group Ventanas, and is known throughout flamenco circles in Canada and abroad. Dennis is presenting this current formation of super talented artists based out of Montreal. Rounding out the roster is Fin de Fiesta companion, Hanser Santos Gomez on Percussion and the infamous Caracolillo de Montreal singing.
—Tronío Flamenco— Dance: Milena Tejada (Bolivia/France), Guitar: Dennis Duffin (Toronto/Sevilla), Voice: Caracolillo (Montreal), Percussion: Hanser Santos Gomez (Cuba)
Ticketscene: https://www.ticketscene.ca/events/22608/

Another Jazzy New Year @ The Pearl! Sunday, December 31, 8:00 ‘til ?  $65 per person. We’ve found a drummer!  We are on for our usual fabulous entertainment, great buffet, and cash bar. The entertainment will be a brilliant collection of super-gifted jazz musicians. As always, we promise fun people, great conversations, musical magic, and lots of dancing before, between, and after the jazz sets!

To welcome in the New Year: Chef Gary Santucci, with major assistance from his son and also chef, Avery Santucci, will create a pan-global buffet with new dishes arriving throughout the night. There will be two musical sets from the collection of jazz artists assembled for the evening.

The 6-piece world-beat jazz ensemble, Spanjazz: Inspired by world music rhythms in a jazz context and featuring Jordan Abraham – keyboard, Jeff Plumbley – trumpet, Aidan Sibley – trombone, James Gannett – bass, Vincent Waters – drums and Gary Santucci – guitar. All musicians are highly respected performers in their own fields; the juxtaposition of their different styles and approaches creates the unique sound and experience that is Spanjazz.

Dancing between sets, lots of food and the cash bar round out the evening.

We need you to RSVP: Buy tickets online, via email, or phone.  We usually sell out so let us know as soon as you do! Online Tickets: https://www.ticketscene.ca/events/20079/   https://bruha.com/event/2640

BROWNMAN Ali explores Michael Jackson’s “THRILLER”: Monday, October 30. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00pm. $15 at the door, $10 advance. Brownman’s HALLOWEEN THRILLER: Michael Jackson through the Lens of Electric-jazz. Acclaimed jazz / hip-hop trumpet player BROWNMAN ALI is leading an all-star quartet through his popular annual Halloween Thriller concert. The much lauded BROWNMAN ELECTRYC TRIO + 1 will perform the entire Michael Jackson “Thriller” recording, interpreted and re-worked in National Jazz Award winning improviser Brownman’s Miles Davis-esque fashion. In addition to performing Thriller top to bottom, other MJ classics will be featured during this unique Halloween jazz party. States Ali: “Michael birthed so many incredible tunes over the years, but his collaboration with Quincy Jones on Thriller has to be one of the most towering musical achievements in pop music ever. Using that brilliant material every year on Halloween, as jump-offs for what we do makes for a party that’s danceable, but still rooted in exploratory improvising and deep reaching solos. We approach it the way Miles might have.”
The BROWNMAN ELECTRYC TRIO has won a National Jazz Award, a Toronto Independent Music Award, a SOCAN award for composition, and recently won an International Independent Music Award for “2015 Jazz-Funk album of the year” for “Gravitation”. Costumes encouraged – it’s Halloween after all.
Brownman Ali – electric trumpet / Nick Maclean – keyboards / Brad Cheeseman – electric bass / Geoff Bruce – drums.  Brownman Electryc Trio live: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFECA3E452FE2BC0D  www.ElectrycTrio.Brownman.com
“One of the next great voices in the new generation of jazz improvisers” — Randy Brecker, legendary 14x Grammy winning trumpet icon.
TICKETS: https://bruha.com/event/2151

(more…)

Fin de Fiesta Flamenco: “LIÁNDOLA”. Friday, September 1. Doors: 7:30. Show: 8:00. $22 in advance/ $25 at the door. Acclaimed flamenco ensemble Fin de Fiesta brings Spanish inspiration to Canadian soil with their Summer/Fall 2017 Canadian Tour. Comprised of award-winning artists from Canada and France, the electrifying music and dance ensemble will bring stages to life nationwide with their spirited new production, LIÁNDOLA. The show takes its name from a popular Andalucian figure of speech used to describe boisterously unrestrained behaviour, a playful fearlessness that cannot be contained. Simply put, Liándola means taking an ordinary experience and making it extraordinary. In Liándola, the searing vocals of Alejandro Mendia (Noces Gitanes, France) are accompanied by the intricate guitar arpeggios of music director Dennis Duffin (Ventanas, Canada) and the haunting flute melodies of Lara Wong (Canada). Dancer and artistic director Lia Grainger (Canada), brings the stage to life with fierce, sensual choreography and improvisation.
Tickets: online at www.ticketscene.ca  www.thepearlcompany.ca or 905.524.0606 For more info please visit: www.findefiestaflamenco.com

FLAMENCOS OF JEREZ: A Mini- Flamenco Festival @The Pearl Company!  May 25, 26 & 27 Featuring Cantaor: Carpio Heredia Juanillorro, Guitarist: Juan Manuel Moneo Carrasco, with Flamenco Dance Artists Kim Macedo and Hédi ‘La Forge’
Mini-Festival Program:
Thursday May 25: Lecture & Film Screening: 7:00pm – $10:00 Admission (Including refreshments). Kim Macedo & Gary Santucci will present a lecture and discussion on the history of Flamenco, followed by the notable film Latcho Drom.
Friday May 26: Workshops for would be Flamenco singers & guitarists: 7:00pm – 8:00pm. Juanillorro will lead a workshop where participants will learn to sing a basic Flamenco song.  He will also introduce the Art of Palmas (specialized flamenco rhythmic hand clapping). Juan Manuel will lead a workshop for guitar, teaching a basic Flamenco toque (rhythm).
The workshops will be followed by a Recital of Guitar & Cante by our two guest artists beginning at 8:30pm
$20.00 per workshop, $30.00 for the workshop and the recital.  Recital admission: $20.00 if not attending the workshops.
Saturday May 27: TABLAO FLAMENCO: @ 8:00pm. $25.00
Juanillorro – Cante. Juan Manuel – Guitarra. Kim Macedo – Baile. Heidi “La Forge” – Baile.
Tickets & Info: 905 524 0606. info@thepearlcompany.ca
Presented by Kim Macedo & Gary Santucci www.thepearlcompany.ca

Tamar Ilana & Ventanas: Saturday, April 15. 7.30 doors, 8:00 start. Tickets $20 each. Ventanas formed in 2011 after the stunning vocalist and dancer, Tamar Ilana returned to Toronto following one of several sojourns to Spain to study flamenco song, cante and dance, baile and teamed up with violinist Mark Marczyk of the Lemon Bucket Orkestra. They began exchanging flamenco, Sephardic and Balkan tunes and in no time had put together a repertoire and formed a stellar trans-Mediterranean ensemble that included flamenco guitarist, Dennis Duffin, Middle Eastern percussionist, Jaash Singh, and Greek oud player Demetrios Petsalakis – an eclectic group of well known musicians on the Toronto music scene.  While Ilana’s remarkable voice and intricate flamenco footwork is the heart of Ventanas, together they weave Sephardic love songs from North Africa and the old Ottoman lands, quirky Bulgarian dance tunes, captivating pieces in Greek and Turkish, original songs and deep flamenco. Ilana dances and alternates with her compelling vocals.  Ventanas’ virtuoso musicians offer oud, violin, lyra, baglama, double bass, derbukka, cajo?n, and hand percussion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRTYdFy1Fl0   http://www.nerudaarts.ca/artists/ventanas-tamar-ilana

(more…)

Hammer Hoppers Presents: Craig Roberts and The Jumpin’ Jive Band: Wednesday, January 11. Doors: 7:00/Lesson: 7:30/Show: 8:00. $15 / $10 students or with a MacSwing membership card. We are going to shimmy and shake our way into the new year with The Jumpin’ Jive Band from right here in Hamilton. Craig Roberts and The Jumpin’ Jive Band perform the great hits from the 1930s and 1940s drawing from Hoagy Carmichael, Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Louis Jordan, and Fats Waller. Join us on the dance floor and let’s get moving in 2017.
Never danced before? We will show you how! We have a Drop-In Beginner Lesson at 7:30PM. Dancing isn’t your thing (yet) but good jive is? We have lots of extra comfy seating at The Pearl Company. Come listen have a dance with us! The Theme: Frozen in Time (White & Blue). Hammer Hoppers offers dance instruction and socials for vintage swing dances, Lindy Hop, Charleston, Authentic Jazz, and Balboa.

Another Jazzy New Year @ The Pearl! Saturday, December 31, 8:00 ‘til ?  $75 per person.  Fab entertainment, a great buffet, and a cash bar. The entertainment will be a brilliant collection of super-gifted jazz musicians. As always, we promise fun people, great conversations, musical magic, and lots of dancing before, between, and after the jazz sets!
To welcome in the New Year: Chef Gary Santucci, with major assistance from his son and chef Avery Santucci, will create a pan-global buffet with new dishes arriving throughout the night. There will be two musical sets from the collection of jazz artists assembled for the evening:

The 7-piece world-beat jazz ensemble, Spanjazz: Inspired by world music rhythms in a jazz context and featuring Alex Tomowich – keyboard, Simon Wheeldon – saxophone, Jeff Plumbley – trumpet, Aidan Sibley – trombone, James Gannett – bass, Steve Wilson – drums and Gary Santucci – guitar. All musicians are highly respected performers in their own fields; the juxtaposition of their different styles and approaches creates the unique sound and experience that is Spanjazz.
Dancing between sets and lots of food and interesting beverages will round out the evening.
We need you to RSVP: Buy tickets online, via email, or phone.  We sold out last year so let us know as soon as you do!