Scotiabank Group Presents:
The 5th Annual GLOBAL DIVAS
An International Celebration of Women and Song
benefiting St. Stephen's Community House
Tuesday June 12, 2007
PALAIS ROYALE
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Hosted by CBC 99.1FM Radio One
Musical Director: Jane Bunnett

Benefactor Reception: 6PM
Concert: 8PM (doors open at 7:30pm)

The 5th Annual Global Divas Gala will take place on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 at the historic Palais Royale Ballroom, recently restored to surpass its original splendor, as one of Toronto's most famous dance halls.

Global Divas is an international celebration of women and song. All proceeds support St. Stephen's Community House Youth Arcade.

This spectacular evening will begin with a cocktail reception on the deck overlooking Lake Ontario, featuring delectable tastes from some of Toronto's finest culinary artists. Then come inside, take a seat and be transported by the sounds of Grammy-nominated and Juno award-winning jazz virtuoso, Jane Bunnett and her band, the Spirits of Havana. Joining them will be five other world-class musical divas.

JANE BUNNETT

JANE BUNNETT, the Toronto soprano saxophonist, flutist and bandleader and member of the Order of Canada, has built her career at the crossroads between Cuban music and jazz. Twice nominated for Grammy awards and a fixture of the nominations for Canada's Juno awards, she has turned her bands into showcases for the finest musical talent from Canada, the United States and Cuba. Bunnett's latest offering, Radio Guantánamo: Guantánamo Blues Project Vol. 1 pays tribute to the Blues and solidifies Jane as one of Canada's premier musicians. Merging the heritage and history of the New Orleans Blues sound with the oldest form of Cuban Blues music, Changüi, Radio Guantánamo is perhaps Jane Bunnett's most adventurous and commercial release to date. Jane Bunnett and The Spirits of Havana will be backing each of this year's Global Divas. www.janebunnett.com

ABOUT THIS YEAR'S GLOBAL DIVAS:

EMELINE MICHEL, The reigning Queen of Haitian Song
A captivating performer, versatile vocalist and one of the premier Haitian songwriters of her generation, EMELINE MICHEL is the reigning Queen of Haitian Song. Emeline Michel is beloved by Haitians and throughout the French Caribbean for combining traditional rhythms with social, political and inspirational content. Her music emphasizes complex themes, conscious lyrics, and a broad palette of musical styles, which are reflected on her eighth record, Rasin Kreyol, released on the Times Square Records label. At 18, Emeline won a song contest in Haiti, which earned her a year studying music in Detroit. She became the first in her family to ever leave Haiti. She returned to Haiti and developed a career as one of the country's most prolific singer/songwriters, becoming also one of the few women record producers and bandleaders in Caribbean music. Emeline has lived in France and Canada, and currently resides in New York. She has toured the world, becoming one of the best-selling Haitian artists worldwide. A sensual and entrancing performer, Emeline Michel’s original lyrics are studded with Haitian proverbs and positive messages, conveyed through haunting melodies. emelinemichel.homestead.com/Home.html

TELMARY, Cuban rapera/jazz poet
TELMARY has been called "dangerously charismatic" by NOW Magazine. A product of the new 'alternative' music movement in Cuba, Telmary channels a variety of influences including hip-hop and Cuban jazz, from trova and salsa to latin pop and electronica, she has created a totally unique live presentation that has won over audiences in Cuba, Canada, Spain and Brazil. Telmary's highly acclaimed new album A Diario was recently nominated for four Cubadisco awards (the equivalent of Canada's Junos). It includes guest appearances by artists such as Los Van Van's Mayito Rivera, Spains Ojos de Brujo, and famed Cuban vocalist Yusa. On May 1st, Telmary will launch a tour of Japan, and she will also be traveling to Europe to perform concerts with the Afro-Cuban All-Stars as part of the promotion for the release of her album in Europe.

SUBA SANKARAN, autorickshaw's vocal star
Toronto based vocalist, pianist and percussionist SUBA SANKARAN'S musical career began at an early age studying south Indian classical music with her father, master drummer Trichy Sankaran. With a Master of Arts degree in ethnomusicology, Suba has studied south Indian classical vocal music with Sankari Krishnan, T. Vishwanathan, K. Subramaniam and N. Ramani, percussion with Glen Velez, Sal Ferreras and Russell Hartenberger, and piano with Casey Sokol and Francine Kay. Suba regularly performs with world music ensembles autorickshaw, who earned a Juno nomination for their release Four Higher; Suba has recently released a new CD entitled The Journey Goes. In demand as a choral director, arranger, adjudicator and composer, Suba won a 2006 Dora Maver Moore Award for Outstanding Sound Design/Composition (Bombay Black) in the Independent Theatre Division. Suba has numerous recording credits to her name and is in high demand as a private teacher.

RITA CHIARELLI, performing passionate Italian folk songs
Canadian singer-songwriter RITA CHIARELLI is a consummate musician whose style defies definition; although being dubbed by CBC Radio's Shelagh Rogers the "Goddess of Canadian Blues", Rita can croon an Italian folk song like nobody's business! After spending most of the 1980's working and performing in Italy, Chiarelli returned to Canada where her career took off. Her seventh album (released in 2006), Cuore: The Italian Sessions, features a collection of Italian love songs that showcases Chiarelli's three octave vocal range as she weaves effortlessly through stories of love, heartbreak, cultural invasion, and the beauty of Rome. Whether versed in the language or not, one cannot help but to sense the meaning of each song, as it is felt in the heart. www.ritachiarelli.com

Benefactor tickets (includes pre-show cocktail reception): $125 each
Concert-only tickets: $30
To purchase tickets please call
ext. 238

Media Contact/To Arrange Interviews:
Christine Liber, Liberty Ink
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T: x 1

Global Divas
Sponsorship Opportunities

5th Annual GLOBAL DIVAS Benefit for St. Stephen's Community House
To purchase tickets please call
ext. 238

GLOBAL DIVAS
Photo Albums

Global Divas 2007
Global Divas 2005
Global Divas 2004

Past Events

Global Divas 2005
» read more

Global Divas 2004
» read more

Global Divas 2003
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Global Divas
Press Releases

May 1, 2007
January 31, 2006
February 17, 2005
March 1, 2004
February 2, 2004