Torontonians have gathered to hear the sounds of the TD Toronto Jazz Festival for more than 30 years. This year’s annual celebration was slated to run June 18 to 28 but like so many events, the festival was postponed due to COVID-19.
In 2021, the TD Toronto Jazz Festival will be celebrating its 35th anniversary of showcasing outstanding jazz. Meanwhile, the Shuffle Demons are also celebrating 35 years of touring the world with high-energy performances, including frequent appearances at the festival.
Under the direction of the band’s co-founders Stich Wynston (drums) and Richard Underhill (alto saxophone), the band also features tenor saxophonist Kelly Jefferson and the two members of the band: tenor saxophonist Matt Lagan and bassist Mike Downes.
Each musician recorded a video and passed it on to the next musician, who recorded his own track to accompany the previous video.
The resulting videos were sent to the team at The Star who put it all together to produce a track called “Wandering Heart,” a song written by Underhill and one of 10 original compositions off the recent album, “Crazy Time.”
A Shuffle Demons performance is usually a celebratory, exuberant affair, featuring singing, dancing and inevitably a march through the audience. So turn it up, get to your feet and enjoy “Wandering Heart.”