Avataar is a Canadian jazz ensemble from Toronto, Ontario, whose album Worldview won the Juno Award for Jazz Album of the Year – Group at the Juno Awards of 2022.[1] Worldview was also earmarked by CJRT-FM as one of the 25 best jazz albums of 2021.[2]
Avataar | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Toronto, Canada |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Labels | InSound Records |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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Led by saxophonist, flutist, composer and vocalist Sundar Viswanathan, the band performs a blend of jazz with world music and rock/pop styles such as Bossa Nova, Indian classical music, African, art rock, ambient music and gamelan.[3] Viswanathan, a native of Sudbury, Ontario, is currently a professor of music at York University in Toronto, and has also played with the world music combo Jaffa Road.[4]
The group's debut album Petal was released in 2016.[5]
Other members of the band are vocalist Felicity Williams, tabla player Ravi Naimpally, guitarist Michael Occhipinti, bassist Justin Gray and drummers Giampaolo Scatozza and Max Senitt.[6]
References
edit- ^ Holly Gordon, "Here are all the 2022 Juno Award winners". CBC Music, May 14, 2022.
- ^ "Year in review: 25 of the best jazz albums of 2021". JAZZ.FM91. 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
- ^ Mary Katherine Keown, "Q and A with Sudbury's Sundar Viswanathan". Sudbury Star, March 20, 2016.
- ^ Justin Skinner, "Jaffa Road creates music that reflects diversity of Toronto". Toronto.com, May 27, 2012.
- ^ "Avataar: Petal album review @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz. February 12, 2016.
- ^ "The Jazz Club returns for another season". Revelstoke Mountaineer, October 1, 2019.