COLIN HUNTER & THE JOE SEALY QUARTET

Colin Hunter

Jazz Crooner and entrepreneur Colin Hunter is a man who is simultaneously making his mark in the world in both of his chosen business careers in Hospitality /Tourism and the Entertainment Industry.

He is the Founder, Chairman of the Board,of Sunwing Travel Group, now the largest leisure travel company in North America. The Sunwing travel group encompasses Sunwing Airlines, Sunwing Vacations, Signature Vacations, and Vacations Express.

Passionate about the Travel Industry, Colin Hunter has over forty years of experience and expertise which has earned him and his son Sunwings CEO Stephen Hunter Entrepreneurs of the Year in 2007 and 2009.

Equally passionate about his music, specifically, influential 50’s Jazz and pop standards recorded by crooners such as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, and Tony Bennett, Hunter has

honed his musical craft over the years to emerge as Canada’s # 1 Jazz Crooner.

Known for his smooth voice, rhythmic inflections, and popular song choices, Colin Hunter has made his presence known all over Canada, the US, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and even Dubai. He has just returned from playing in Beverly Hills and Hollywood with Eloise Laws and continues to croon his way into brand new hearts every year.

In 2005, as he launched Sunwing Airlines, he commemorated the occasion by recording his first Big Band CD, entitled “COME FLY WITH ME.”

Since then, Colin Hunter has recorded more than 12 CD’s of the classics from the Great American Songbook. Several of the CD’s were recorded with Big Band Leaders Anthony Terpstra in

Ontario and Roland Martel in Quebec City, and several with the Joe Sealy Quartet in Toronto.

Hunter’s music is featured as part of the inflight entertainment on Sunwing Airlines. His passengers are delighted to hear his voice as they fly and

tune in as he croons them to their destination.

Joe Sealy

Joe Sealy has enjoyed a highly successful career as a musician, composer, recording artist and radio broadcaster. His 1997 Juno Award winning Africville Suite inspired Ron Foley MacDonald of The Halifax Daily News to write; “This may be the most important jazz album released in Canada this year”. Joe has presented “The Africville Suite” in concert venues and at music festivals across Canada as well as Denmark, Norway and the USA.

As a pianist, he has toured with “Blood Sweat and Tears” and performed with such artists as Joe Williams, Milt Jackson, Veronica Tennant, and Timothy Findlay. As well, Joe and his longtime music partner Paul Novotny have created a unique sounding jazz duo. Together they have released four CD’s, achieved two Juno nominations and shared the concert stage in Montreal & Toronto jazz festivals with Michel Petruciani, Brad Mehldau / Charlie Haden, Red Mitchell / Herb Ellis and the Bobo Stenson Trio.

Besides being president of Triplet Records Inc., Joe has hosted his own weekly radio show “Joe Sealy’s Duets” on Jazz FM 91 now in its’ fifth season. Joe was also the music director of the acclaimed “Tonya Lee Williams Gospel Jubilee” television special and several CBC radio specials including “East Coasting” and “Viola Desmond”. He has recently composed original film scores for two documentary films entitled, “The Little Black School House” and “Directors Speak”. Most recently, Joe acted as producer, arranger and pianist on a CD entitled “Mostly About You” featuring vocalist Colin Hunter.

Paul Novotny

At age five, Paul found the piano-sound to be mesmerizing, then with piano lessons he began his journey into music. During high school Paul played bass, drums, piano and trombone and attended two Stan Kenton jazz workshops. He graduated with a major in graphic arts and is in the hall of honour at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School. This was the first sign of his interdisciplinary approach to the arts. At seventeen Paul began formal music study at Humber College in Toronto and at nineteen he was invited to play bass in the Brian Browne trio. Browne was the 1974 Canadian songwriting award winner — Paul began performing with him five nights a week while learning repertoire from the great American songbook.

Paul has now performed with jazz luminaries Cedar Walton, Geoff Keezer, Kenny Wheeler, Scott Hamilton, Jo-Anne Brackeen, Lynn Arrial, Richard Wyands, Moncef Genoud, Junior Mance and Don Thompson. He has accompanied singers Roger Whitaker, Molly Johnson, Tabe Johnson, Jackie Richardson, Susannah McCorkle, Trudy Desmond, Alana Bridgewater, Michael Dunston, Carol Welsman, Barbra Lica and David Clayton Thomas. As a studio bassist, he played on the 2018 platinum selling video game soundtrack Cuphead .

Alison Young

Born and raised in Ottawa, JUNO nominated saxophonist and composer Alison Young discovered jazz at an early age, gravitating towards the exuberance of Sonny Rollins and Cannonball Adderley, who continue to influence her to this day. As well as being featured in the National Youth Jazz Ensemble at the Ottawa jazz festival in 2001 and 2002, she began playing professionally as a teenager, developing an affinity for soul and R&B as well as jazz. Since moving to Toronto in the early 2000s to study music at the University of Toronto, Alison has been an active presence on the Toronto jazz scene.

Daniel Barnes

Drummer, Composer, Producer and Singer Daniel Barnes was born into an artistic family in the central hub of downtown Toronto, Canada in 1965. His father Milton Barnes was a classical music composer with symphonic, chamber and choral works for concert stage and dance to his legacy. His Mother Lilly is a published author and scriptwriter for television and radio. His Brother Micah is a singer songwriter best known for his work with The Nylons.

Daniel found his calling at age 5. His education came through private studies in Toronto and attending The Banff Centre Summer Jazz Workshop in the late 1980’s. At 16 he began regular professional work with The Micah Barnes Trio who played local clubs and graduated to the concert stage opening for international touring acts. Daniel went on to perform and record with the top echelon of Canadian artists including Holly Cole, Joe Sealy, Jane Bunnett, Hilario Duran, Molly Johnson, Richard Underhill, Jake Langley, Brian Browne The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band, Maryem Tollar, Theresa Tova, DJ Socalled, The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Bass is Base and many more. Throughout the 1990’s Daniel toured in Europe, The U.S., Africa and The Caribbean with Ethiopian singing star Aster Aweke (“The Aretha Franklin of Ethiopia” TIME magazine). Daniel has released two of his own jazz Cd’s; 2003’s “Culmination” and 2007’s “Classic Beauties”. They receive critical acclaim and considerable airplay on The CBC and JazzFm in Toronto. His band has appeared at The Toronto and Montreal International Jazz Festivals among others and has been broadcast in performance on TV Ontario. His Cd’s are available through major retail outlets, at itunes.com and through www.danielbarnes.net. Daniel was nominated “Drummer of the Year” at both the 2003 and 2007 National Jazz Awards while his work with others has thrice been nominated for Juno awards with a win in 1996 for Joe Sealy’s “Africville Suite”.