Toronto jazzman bringing his world to The Loft

The Carmen Spada Jazz Trio will be centre stage March 23 at The Loft at Algoma Conservatory.

A highly regarded educator as well as performer, Spada conducts various clinics and master-classes at secondary schools in the Greater Toronto Area, as well as boasting successful in-person and live, online private teaching studios, with an emphasis on contemporary improvisation, harmony, composition, ear training and songwriting, as well as post-secondary music curriculum and audition preparation for prospective undergraduate students. 

Spada graduated Summa Cum Laude from Berklee College of Music in Boston, obtaining a dual major in piano performance and jazz composition. While at Berklee, he earned the Berklee Achievement Scholarship, was nominated for the Boston Jazz Society Scholarship, represented Berklee internationally as a student ambassador and was the recipient of the 2007 Herb Pomeroy Award for excellence in jazz composition, according to a news release.

He's solidly rooted in jazz and world music, but says he has enjoyed pursuing and establishing his solo career in a unique jazz crossover to pop niche, due to his success as a songwriter. He won the 2010 Rose Theatre Singer/Songwriter competition in Brampton for best original song and lyrics with "Why You Make Me Fall In Love With You," and was also awarded a creation grant from the Ontario Arts Council for his 2013 EP release, Buona Sera.

In 2017, he co-founded B-Jazzed, a non-for-profit organization curating performances, education series, and philanthropy of jazz music and its musicians, in Brampton. Serving as its Artistic Director, Spada has managed weekly performances in Brampton such as Joe's Jazz Jam, Jazz @ J. Red & Co., Dinner Jazz at the Brampton Golf Club, and Activate Downtown Brampton featuring more than 80 bands performing every summer.

Most importantly, however, he created and programs the annual World of Jazz Festival in Downtown Brampton, a two-day festival boasting two stages and over 120 musicians highlighting the diversity and multicultural interpretations of jazz music. The City of Brampton recognized Carmen's work with B-Jazzed with an Arts Acclaim Citizens Award in both 2018 & 2020, and the World of Jazz Festival was recognized as one of Ontario’s Top 100 Festivals in 2022.

All concert tickets are for sale online at www.algomaconservatory.com under events. You can also purchase by phone with your credit card at 705-971-4197.