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With a little help from his friends, Joe Sealy revisits his Juno Award-winning opus in a new presentation that builds on Africville Suite, to present poignant and uplifting new stories about the people and their community.
Featuring award-winning Canadian singer-storyteller Jackie Richardson, bassist Paul Novotny and Joe Sealy on piano, these stories are the ones that you generally don’t hear when people speak of Africville. Composed in memory of his father, Africville Suite is a sweeping homage to the history, people and activities of Africville, Nova Scotia.
One of the country’s last remaining jazz legends, Joe Sealy, has presented his Africville Suite in concert halls, universities and music festivals across Canada, Denmark, Norway and the USA.
“This may be the most important jazz album released in Canada.” - The Halifax Daily News
A delicious blend of jazzy-tinged blues, Joe Sealy will be joined by a live band and will also feature one of the country’s foremost gospel, blues and jazz singers, Jackie Richardson. A dazzling performer with a powerful and supple voice, Jackie Richardson is an award-winning veteran of stage and screen.
About 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 has been presented in concert venues and at music festivals across Canada as well as Denmark, Norway and the United States.
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 CDs and achieved two Juno Awards. Besides being president of Triplet Records Inc., Joe Sealy has hosted his own weekly radio show Joe Sealy’s Duets on Jazz FM 91. He 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 titled The Little Black School House and Directors Speak.
About Jackie Richardson
Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jackie Richardson moved to Toronto with her family while still at a young age and still considers Richmond Hill as her hometown. Jackie Richardson began singing in her church choir at seven and her successful musical career started at the age of 16 when she joined the local quartet, The Tiaras.
A veteran of the stage and the small and large screens, she forged a very successful acting career with roles in No! No! Nanette Anything Goes, Hello Dolly! and Raisin in the Sun. She became well known for her part in ‘Ain't Misbehaving, which earned her a Dora Award. With her glorious voice, it's not surprising that she is in demand. Over the years, she has performed and/or recorded with, among others, Joe Sealy, Rita Chiarelli, Morgan Davis, Anne Murray, Alannah Myles, Ken Whiteley, Kingsley Etienne, Jeff Jones and Michelle Wright.
A dazzling performer, Richardson has a powerful and supple voice — it sounds as if it could almost soar to the heavens — and a warm, vibrant stage presence. The music of Jackie Richardson is an experience of soul, a profoundly personal synthesis of the remarkable gospel, blues and jazz women she has embodied on stage and screen. |
