JUNO Award winner Ernesto Cervini is a sought-after drummer, composer and bandleader, and an influential presence on Canada’s modern jazz scene and beyond. He has documented his vision with the Ernesto Cervini Quartet [featuring Joel Frahm], the innovative sextet Turboprop, numerous co-led trio projects including MEM3, Myriad3 and TuneTown, and also the quartet Tetrahedron, featuring acclaimed guitarist Nir Felder, electric bassist Rich Brown and alto saxophonist Luis Deniz.

In all these settings, as J.D. Considine of JazzTimes has written, Cervini “drums like someone who’s an arranger at heart, carefully placing each accent for maximum melodic impact.” He’s been cited by Modern Drummer for his old-school knowledge and feel in the spirit of Art Blakey and Billy Higgins, yet credited by Musicweb International as a maker of music “grounded in the language of hard bop but not confined by it.”

Danilo Navas: Hello Ernesto, it’s nice meeting you. Let’s get started, please introduce yourself to our readers.

Ernesto Cervini: I was born and raised in Toronto. I’ve been here for most of my life. I lived in New York for four years, and besides that, I’ve been in Toronto my whole life. I went to school as a jazz drummer. I went to the University of Toronto for jazz drum performance. And then I moved to New York, and I did my master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music. I moved back to Toronto around 2007, and I got married, I bought a house, and I’ve been here ever since. I’m very active in the jazz scene as a performer.

I lead or co-lead a bunch of different groups, including my band Turbo Prop. And we were lucky enough to win a Juno Award in 2020, which was awesome. But then I also, about 12 years ago, started a publicity company called Orange Grove Publicity. I do work with artists who are releasing new albums, and I help them get their music out to the press and radio across the globe. And then three years ago, I started working as the artistic director of the Markham Jazz Festival.

DN: On top of everything else.

EC: Yeah, a little bit of everything. I mean, I’m much happier if I’m busy. I get, frankly, kind of sad when I’m not busy. I just get bummed out. I’m not good at relaxing. So, it’s best for me if I’m juggling a lot of balls at any given time. And I’m fairly organized, so it helps me, you know, I don’t get overwhelmed when I do… I mean, I do get overwhelmed a little bit, but I always handle it. I’ve been doing that for three years now. This is the third festival, and it’s been an absolute pleasure.

It’s so fun to put together a festival because we have so many amazing artists, you know, in and around Toronto. The Markham Jazz Festival is a small festival in that it’s not generally an international festival. But we always have international artists.

This year, it’s a two-day festival. Usually it’s a three-day festival, but all the shows are free. So, it’s much more accessible for the public, and it’s all outdoors, which is amazing, unless the weather is awful, in which case it’s horrible. The first year that I did the festival, it was two beautiful days, and it was just glorious. So, I’m hoping that we get that again this year for sure.

DN: How did you get involved with the Markham Jazz Festival?

EC: It’s an interesting story because the first time I ever performed at the Markham Jazz Festival would have been like the year 2000, and they used to have this competition they called the Jazz Stars of the Future, and it was for high school and university students, and I participated in that competition for a couple of years, and won it in one of the years with a group of musicians that I was studying with at U of T. We put a band together and did a show there. That was my first introduction to the Markham Jazz Festival. And then I played there, off and on through the years.

Maybe every couple of years, I’d get a gig at the festival, either with one of my bands or just as a sideman with someone else’s group. And then I came to know the artistic director at the time pretty well, Sarah Kim Turnbull. She’s a good friend. We had worked together because she hired me for the Markham Jazz Festival. She hired my group, and then we just knew of each other. And when she decided that she was going to step away as the artistic director, she reached out to me and said, I think you would be great for this. Are you interested? And there was a list of people who applied for the job. I don’t know how long it was, but six to ten or something like that. So, I went through the interview process, and I met all the people on the committee and, you know, I decided that I could handle and take on the job, because it is a big responsibility.

And it just worked out. They asked me to take on the role, and I did. So, I knew before that, like the year before I took over, I already knew that I was the incoming artistic director. I got to go to the festival that year just to observe everything that was happening and experience the festival with that in mind. Because normally when I’m a performer, I go, I play, I have some fun, and I leave. And I don’t think about any of the organization, any of that stuff.

So, it was neat to be able to go and observe the festival and be like, okay, you know, here’s all the things I love. Here are some things I think maybe we could change, not knowing anything about how anything worked at the time. And yeah, that’s how we started. We’re going on to our third year, and it’s been great.

DN: I remember at some point Michael Occhipinti was the artistic director.

EC: Yeah, I believe he did it before Sarah Kim. And I believe right before him, it was Josh Grossman, who now does the Toronto Festival.

So, it’s been a long line of great people running the festival, which I think that’s part of the reason the festival is successful. And then the passion of the volunteers who run the board. It’s quite an incredible group of people that I have the pleasure of working with. And it makes my job easy, because I just get to listen to different musical styles and I try to appeal to as many different tastes as I can.

It’s also, you know, it’s not lost on me that when you give an artist a gig at a festival, you’re supporting them as well. You’re allowing them to come and play. So, I’m trying to spread that around, too.

It’s important to me not to hire a bunch of my friends because, as a musician, it puts me in a precarious situation. You have to juggle your relationships with your responsibilities as an artistic director. And it’s one thing, you know, if you’re someone like Josh Grossman, who isn’t really a performing musician, and his relationship with musicians is pretty much always on that kind of level, where, for me, you know, a lot of the people that are applying are my friends or my peers, and so, there is a certain amount of responsibility for me to make sure that I’m doing the right thing, you know.

DN: How is the audience, and the attendance at the festival?

EC: The audience is great. And the attendance is always great. It’s a wonderful location, too, because Main Street Unionville is this beautiful, quaint, small historic corner. It’s ideal for enjoying music. And if you’re there on a nice day, it’s just pretty magical. So, it’s like everything’s set up for this to succeed.

DN: Let’s talk about the challenges in the current situation, when funding for music festivals is being cut. How are you navigating those issues?

EC: I will tell you that luckily, I don’t have to do that much of that part. They allow me to just focus on booking, and they give me the amount of money I’m allowed to spend. But I know there’s a team working very hard to make sure that we have funding every year, again, as a free festival. That means we do ask for donations, and there are people who go around at the shows asking for donations. We get a lot of support from a lot of different government organizations and from the Business Association there in Unionville, and a lot of different private support as well. And we still have TD Bank on board supporting the festival. I know they have pulled out of a lot of festivals, but they stuck with the Markham Jazz Festival, which is really great for us.

But that’s one of those things that, you know, year to year, you never really know what’s going to come through and what’s going to happen. When I started booking the artists this year, and I started listening to all the music and all the applications I was given a ballpark number, but they were really like, this is what we hope we can give you. You should be able to operate under the assumption you’ll have this much money to spend on the artists, which is like that’s pretty vague, but it worked out fine. They just can’t guarantee anything because it’s the way it is right now.

DN: You’re managing to keep this great event as a FREE festival.

EC: Yeah! We’re still doing it and we’re still keeping it a free festival. Luckily, last year, because last year was a bit of a catastrophe when there was so much rain on the Saturday, we basically lost almost all the shows on that day. We had to move one stage inside. So, all the shows happened on that stage. But the other two stages were washed out. And what that means also is that, none of the vendors could sell what they wanted to sell. And we couldn’t get any donations. We couldn’t sell any merch. We couldn’t sell any beer.

And we still paid all the musicians because it’s not their fault that it rained. Last year, after the festival, we worked together with the Toronto All-Star Big Band and Jackie Richardson, and they did a fundraiser for us in October, enabling us to raise a bunch of funds to help us kind of recoup what we had lost because of the heavy rain. And this year, what’s happening is, we’re working with Jaymz Bee [Canadian musician, writer, emcee and radio personality]. And we’re going to be putting on a show at the Flato Markham Theatre on October 14, 2025. We’ll be presenting a show again as a fundraiser for the festival. That really helps.

DN: I know that the local government is very involved in promoting arts and culture, and Flato Markham Theatre plays a big role as well.

EC: Yes, there’s a really strong government and business community support system in Markham. And that is so wonderful. And I think, again, that’s why the festival succeeds. There’s another Markham music festival that happens in the same place, I think, earlier in the summer. And I think there’s just a lot of support for this. And people come out and they hang out and it helps all the businesses and everybody gets raised by this. So, it’s a very tight community.

DN: Let’s talk about the program this year. What are some of the highlights?

EC: Sure. As I said, it is a treat to be able to book a festival in a place like Markham, so close to Toronto. And in a country like Canada, where there are so many great musicians, making great music. One of the things I try to do, well, the first thing I do as an artistic director is to listen to every single application that comes in.

DN: And you get a lot, I guess.

EC: This year, we booked 31 artists, and we had 250 applicants. So, it’s a lot. But, you know, that’s my job, and I think it’s a responsibility to listen to everything because I don’t know everyone. And I know a lot of people in the jazz community. And I also… my tastes skew a certain way when it comes to jazz. But I can’t book with that in mind. I have to be open. Yeah, you have to represent the whole umbrella of jazz and all that music that’s adjacent to jazz that fits kind of within there. So, yeah, I’m very excited about some of the music we have coming.

I mean, talking about Latin jazz music, Rachel Thérrien is a fantastic, incredible artist, and she’s been touring all over the world. And I’m so thrilled that she’s going to be coming and performing for us. She’s great.

Our kind of headliner on the first night is Katie George, who is a wonderful singer who won I think, three vocal jazz Junos in the last four years. So, she’s really been kind of… her star is shooting right now. And she’s doing amazing. So, I’m excited about her.

And then, before her, on Saturday night, is the Shuffle Demons, who are kind of, you know, just icons. Yeah, icons in the scene. So, I’m excited about that.

We have some great modern jazz stuff happening. William Carn has a cool band that’s going to be performing as well.  Another great musician is Kae Murphy. He’s a great trumpet player, and he’s bringing his quintet.

DN: Are you featuring some international bands this year?

EC: We have a group coming from Europe, all the way from Oslo, Norway. The leader is pianist Oddgeir Berg, and he’s bringing his trio. It’s the only non-Canadian band we have this year, and we’re recording this concert.

One of the other things we decided this year is that we weren’t going to present any American artists, just as a kind of, you know, with the way things are going right now. And considering how hard it is for a Canadian artist to go play there in the United States, it’s like borderline impossible. And then for them to come here, it’s very easy. It just doesn’t seem very fair. It hasn’t been fair for a long time. But then, with everything that’s happening right now, I just thought there are so many great Canadian artists applying for this festival, and then there are these American artists who are applying that are great, too. But I’m like, they’re not greater. And why should I support them? I should support, you know, people from here instead. So, that was one thing that was a conscious decision.

The other thing that happened this year that wasn’t a conscious decision, but I was very happy with it, is that from 31 acts performing at the festival, 15 of them are led or co-led by female artists, which is a great thing. And it wasn’t something I did on purpose. I didn’t even think about it. I just got great artists. And then when I looked down and I counted it, I went, oh my gosh, this is fantastic. It’s not something that you have to make an effort to do anymore. For a long time, women were underrepresented in jazz, especially in instrumental jazz. But that’s not the case anymore. And it’s getting better and better.

We have a great blues artist coming called Little Magic Sam, which sounds great. Again, I didn’t know much about him, but the music sounds great. Very Canadian. And Jay Douglas is going to come with his band.

DN: That’s going to be a great show for sure.

EC: Yeah! And we have some artists coming from other Canadian provinces. We have a great singer who just got nominated for a Juno Award, Andrea Superstein, who is coming from Vancouver.

Renowned Canadian jazz vocalist Lauren Bush is an Ontario-born, British Columbia-raised, London-based wonderful singer who’s also coming to perform at our festival.

And then we have some artists coming from Montreal as well. Another great singer named Isabella Halia. And a great piano player named Kate Wyatt is bringing her trio from Montreal. There are so many great musicians in this country. Very diverse.

And then, of course, speaking of Latin music, we have Ana Lía, a Toronto based, Dominican Canadian singer, songwriter. And Irene Torres, who’s a wonderful Peruvian Canadian singer also based in Toronto.

DN: You really are very excited.

EC: I can’t wait to hear all this different music happening throughout the day. And this year, I should mention it’s a little different because there’s construction on the main road in Unionville. That whole main street has been torn up because they’re replacing all the water mains. So, what we’ve done is we’ve moved the whole festival to one end of the street. Our main stage is off limits. We can’t even get to it. There’s a second stage in the Mackay Art Gallery. That’s still going to be there. And then the Varley Art Gallery, that’s going to be another stage. And then across the street from the Varley Art Gallery, there’s a big parking lot for the Curling Club. We put a stage in there. And that’s going to act as our main stage, which we’re calling the north stage, it’s kind of our main stage.

We’re adding a fourth stage inside the Varley Art Gallery. That’s going to kind of alternate with the outside shows. And I got the idea from last year, when we had to move everything inside because of the rain. It’s such an intimate space. I thought this could be a beautiful place for a piano-vocal duo, or someone who’s using strings. This year, I was able to book artists that I think are going to sound amazing in that space. I’m really excited about that, to see just, you know, a way to grow the festival a little more, but also a way to present other music and just have even more, different options. And it also gives people a break from the outside. A different energy, a different space to listen to music. And, you know, there’s going to be people who would prefer to be inside and get a little break. So, this just gives those people something to see as well.

DN:  Do you get a lot of international applications? Just to get a sense of how well the festival is known outside of Canada.

EC: It always shocks me how many different applications we get from everywhere. And again, sometimes it’s just not realistic. Like, even the guys from Norway, I got in touch with them. And I told them we couldn’t pay for their flights, but if they could get here, we would pay them a fair fee, and we would cover hotel rooms. We’re not generally flying people from Europe to come. It’s expensive. But I helped them set up some other gigs around Toronto. They’re playing Markham on Saturday. There’s no reason why they can’t have a gig in Toronto on Friday. And because I’m a musician, I have contacts. So, I help them to get more work in the area.

DN: Anything else you would like to add to our conversation?

EC: The one little thing that I forgot to mention, and that is good for people to know, is that there’s a shuttle bus that you can take to get to the festival area. This year, the parking is going to be at the Unionville High School, which is located close to the Flato Markham Theatre. There’s going to be a bus that’s running continuously and will pick you up, take you to the festival and then take you from the festival back to your car.

DN: I’m sure that info is on the website, right?

EC: Yeah! If you go to the visitor information and transportation, there’s a link to the festival shuttle. And it’s a great service, free service.

DN: Thank you for sharing all this information about the Markham Jazz Festival, and for sharing your own experience as artistic director, with our readers.

EC: Thank you for allowing me to reach your audience.

Photo credits: All photos were taken from Ernesto Cervini’s and Markham Jazz Festival’s websites and Facebook pages.

The Rebellious Spirit of Music and Change

Where rhythm meets revolution: exploring the intersection of social justice and sound with Band of People’s frontman Shane Philips.

In an era where music and activism increasingly intertwine, Band of People emerges as a powerful voice from Toronto’s vibrant musical landscape. The band is made up of Shane Philips – Singer Songwriter, Dylan White – Bass, Cole Mendez – Keys, Ben Foran – Guitar, Jason Martin – Drummer, Malik Mungo – Guitar.

Led by Shane Philips, this dynamic ensemble crafts a unique sonic tapestry that weaves together elements of pop-rock, soul, and electronics, creating something both timely and timeless. The band’s mission transcends mere entertainment—it’s a clarion call for social change, with each note and lyric purposefully crafted to amplify messages of equality and justice through songs like “Lala World” and “Supertramp.”

Their latest (debut) release, Run With Me, showcases a grandiose soundscape where Philips’ impressive vocal prowess takes center stage. His voice, with its remarkable sustain and Bowie-esque classical undertones, soars above the intricate instrumental arrangements, creating moments of both intimacy and anthemic power as demonstrated in the title track.

As we sit down with Shane Philips, we explore how Band of People harnesses the universal language of music to spark dialogue and inspire action in an increasingly divided world.

Before we dive into our conversation, let’s take a moment to appreciate how Band of People’s approach to music-making is beautifully diverse, just like their message. Their sound—an artful blend of traditional and electronic elements—perfectly mirrors their commitment to uniting different voices and perspectives in harmony. This not only highlights the intersection of artistry and activism but also showcases the rich musical influences and evolution that shape their unique sound.

Through this interview, we’ll explore how Band of People transforms social consciousness into sonic experience and how their musical journey reflects broader movements for change in our society.

TCM: You and your music have been a constant presence in the industry for years now. What’s the driving force that keeps your creative flame burning, your creative juices flowing, and who are the artists and thinkers that continue to inspire your journey?

Shane: I would say the love of singing and performing live has kept me in the ballgame even though it’s been tough for all artists over the last five years. In 2015, I shifted my writing to reflect issues of social justice, and as I grew spiritually, it became apparent that the microphone was my sword and my shield. Things seemingly have gotten worse in the world and there has been a sense of urgency for me to put more music out that speaks to what is happening to the innocent, the impoverished and the children of the world.

The likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Public Enemy, as well as NWA, Ice Cube, Ice-T, and the Talking Heads, have contributed to my appreciation for music that combines a deep message with a powerful sound. I don’t see that much depth in today’s pop music since the new millennium began. So when Kendrick Lamar shot out to the forefront with critical acclaim, I was really hoping for a shift in music culture, especially with the younger generation, but it didn’t happen.

You know, I had a chance to meet Drake and his dad. They came out to one of my shows and got up on stage with me. I later asked Drake’s dad, Dennis Graham, if he would ever consider talking to his son about writing lyrics and making music for social change. He responded that he would never tell his son what to do or what to write, and I just looked at him, feeling a deep contrast between him and my dad. 

“You know Dennis, during my teens and early 20s when I was in the basement making beats and writing lyrics, my dad would always say and reinforce, ‘Shane you need to write songs for the starving kids of the world.’ And because I knew my dad came from poverty and wanted me to speak up for the child in him and in all of us, after my dad passed, my life shifted, and so did my inspiration. My career turned into a vocation, a calling.”

TCM: Your work often carries themes of social change, peace, justice, equality, hope, and even rebellion. Your song, “Hey Revolution” is a good example. How do you see your role as an artist in today’s complex social landscape, and what message do you hope resonates most strongly with your audience?

Shane: I have, in the course of my life, done jobs or taken on roles that no one else would tackle. Some would call it the “no-win situation, the good fight, or the long shot.” I see myself writing the music “currently” that people are afraid to write and singing the lyrics that singers are afraid to sing. It takes a great deal of self-awareness and inner strength, especially when you know you are going to face pushback from those who need to hear the truth.

I hope to inspire other artists, including successful mainstream acts, to pick up their swords and fight the good fight together for peace and justice. The message I’d like people to resonate with is the idea of equity, balance, equality, and how these concepts manifest in the world around them, in their relationships, and between individuals and nations.

TCM: As a certified yoga instructor trained in India, you bring a unique perspective to your music. How does your practice of yoga influence your creative process, and how do you see these two ancient forms of expression – music and yoga – intersecting in your work?

Shane: When my father passed, I eventually quit music for a few years after crashing and burning metaphorically. I became a social worker with homeless teenagers, and I delved back into my yoga practice with a fierce three to four hours a day focus on meditation. I really was able to peel away all the internal stories that built up over thirty years and come to some basic truths about myself and humans in general. I am who I decide to be right now. I was able to really get in touch with the feelings inside me that moved me, with the feeling of joy and understanding. You could say that is where I started to live and become. And that is where I started to write from musically.

When we were growing up, practicing yoga was not just about asanas; it included singing and dancing as well. This was fundamental to my family’s unified practice. In ancient traditions of yoga, the universe begins with a sound that I have always thought of as the voice of life and the beginning of creativity.

After years of practice and meditation, to me everything is yoga and therefore I am just an expression of a tiny fraction of the universe – thy self. How I choose to make music is a reflection of my practice of yoga. When my dad suddenly died two weeks before my wedding, it took me a while to understand where my strengths and weaknesses were in yoga. I had lots of strength and flexibility. What I needed to work on was balance, internally and externally. Equality from left to right, the divine masculine and feminine, the yin and the yang.

TCM: Your latest release showcases grand orchestral arrangements and a distinctly theatrical presence that feels at home both in rock venues and on Broadway stages. Was this theatrical flair a conscious decision, and how do you balance these dramatic elements with your rock sensibilities? The sound reminds me of Bowie, Mercury, Murphy and even Scott Walker – were these theatrical rock pioneers influences on your work?

Shane: Funny enough, I came to realize that Bowie and Mercury influenced me on this project. Man, I listen to these guys sing their songs, and I am moved spiritually through the cosmos. I also understood a while back that this is how I perform live and conduct my musicians on stage—to boldly go where no one has gone before, if I were to quote Star Trek. When I started “Band of People,” I wanted the best musicians one could find to unite under the banner of peace.

I sought players with a strong sense of musicality and a connection to rhythm. Once I found them and started playing live with them, it truly became a magical gift when I realized I could bend the boundaries of space and time; when they would play just one note when I asked, or one mantra, or even play “no time” when asked. You see, for me, once the soul can feel no time and no boundaries, that’s when space and nothing can form into something that matters—a solid rock to roll.

TCM: The future for you and the band seems bright with possibilities. What can your fans look forward to in the coming months? Are there any significant projects, collaborations, or performances on the horizon that you’re particularly excited about?

Shane: Right now, we are focused on releasing two music videos for the summer and fall while increasing our social media presence. We also hope to line up showcases in Toronto and Montreal for September and October. There is a younger generation of listeners who crave deeper meaning through music and performance. Band of People will be doing our best to connect with them whenever and wherever we can over the next year.

TCM: Thank you, Shane, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to speak with us. All the best with your upcoming plans and continued success with your excellent new release, as well as with all your future endeavors.

Shane Philips Website: www.shanephilips.com

I recently experienced the magic that is The Manhattan Transfer. A wonderful concert that took me and the adoring audience, at the sold-out Flato Markham Theatre, on a trip back through five decades of outstanding achievement in music, vocalese, and four-part closed harmony.

During the concert, I learned that the musical director for most of those years, since 1979, has been the same person. Yaron Gershovsky has been the man behind the hits, and the many Grammy awards and nominations. Yaron is the musical director pianist, keyboardist, composer, and arranger, a maestro who wears many hats.

After the show I met Yaron and asked him if he would be interested in interviewing for That Canadian Magazine, he agreed, and here is that interview. 

TCM: Not so very long ago we all went through an unprecedented time, for our generation, at least. The recent pandemic had many re-examining their lives, values, and priorities.  How was that period for you, Yaron? Did you have any epiphanies or life-altering moments?

Yaron: When COVID happened, I was like every other musician, pretty much at home. No shows, no work. I decided to use that time to be as productive and creative as I could.

I practiced the piano and wrote a lot. I also put out — on social media many videos of collaborations I have done with fellow artists, singers, and instrumentalists, as well as videos of piano solos.

As a result, I released one double CD of collaborations and one single CD of piano solos that I have posted. All these videos can be found on my YouTube channel, and the CDs can be found on all streaming outlets.

I have also released a studio album in January of 2022. That CD was partially recorded during COVID by remote. Parts of that CD, entitled Transitions were recorded in the studio, in March 2021. The first studio session I have had since COVID started.

TCM: Yaron, you have some great jazz chops, I have been listening to your playing and compositions on your recent album Transitions. A wonderful recording, mostly instrumental songs but with a few of the songs adding vocals by Aubrey Johnson. 

I have noticed in your piano playing some classical sensibilities. Can you tell us a little about your musical upbringing?

Yaron: I started to play the piano at the age of 6. Self-taught then, but I started piano lessons shortly thereafter. I studied classical piano from the age of 6 through to the age of 14, when I started to play jazz as well.

It’s fair to say that I have a strong classical background, and I am always thankful for those early classical piano lessons. Those lessons taught me a lot about technique and  “correct” playing. Beyond technique — it’s all coming from the heart, as we all know.

TCM: Another keyboard player, pianist, band leader, and arranger, Duke Ellington, has a saying that I appreciate. “If you love what you do, you never have to work a day in your life”.

Speaking of big bands, and great band leaders, do you have an association with the Count Basie Big Band?

Yaron: I was incredibly lucky to record with the Count Basie Orchestra. A short time after Count Basie passed away, The Manhattan Transfer recorded two songs with them for their Vocalese album, “Blee Blop Blues” and “Rambo.”

It was a day I will never forget. The rhythm section was made up of: Freddie Green on guitar, Ray Brown on bass and Grady Tate on drums — can’t get any better than that — this experience was truly incredible.

TCM: The 1985 release Vocalese garnered The Manhattan Transfer 12 Grammy Award nominations, placing it second only to Michael Jackson’s Thriller as the most nominated individual album. Jon Hendricks, one of the greats of the  Vocalese style, composed all the lyrics for this album.

Yaron: Grammy Awards were won for “Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group” and “Best Vocal Arrangements for Voices” for Cheryl Bentyne and Bobby McFerrin’s arrangement of “Another Night in Tunisia.”

TCM: You have been involved with great music over the course of your career. I understand you have even been involved with hit Broadway shows. Two of my favorite shows that I saw on Broadway were Smoky Joe’s Cafe and Swing.

Who do you attribute to having taught you the most or the most important thing in music and/or life?

Yaron: Interesting you mention these two shows. I was the musical director for Smokey Joe’s Cafe in the early stages of that show, and I wrote vocal arrangements for Swing. I also wrote the vocal arrangements for the show City of Angels.

TCM: City of Angels opened on Broadway at the Virginia Theatre on December 11, 1989. The show won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Yaron: The most important things in life I can surely attribute to my parents who instilled in me humility and respect for my fellow human beings. The importance of education, and the need to be a productive and contributing person.

There are always teachers who open doors of knowledge — like Madame Shalloff with whom I studied piano in Boston, and Herb Pomeroy, with whom I studied at Berklee College of Music.

TCM: Now that a period of your life has come to an end after nearly five decades with The Manhattan Transfer, what comes next?

Yaron: I want to continue writing and playing. And, I have just completed a new CD  with Janis Siegel of The Manhattan Transfer, featuring the music of Cy Coleman, called The Colors of My Life. It’s going to be released on the Club 44 record label in early 2024. We are planning on touring and performing that music as well.

I am also working on a few other projects, and planning on releasing another CD. I am looking forward to a new chapter in my life and in my musical career.

TCM: Thank you very much, Yaron, for taking the time to participate in our interview and giving us some insight into making the music. All the best in your future endeavors. Take good care, be well, and keep on going.

Yaron: Thanks again for the opportunity. And all the best to you and your readers.

• Album Review: Yaron Gershovsky – Transitions