Davina Pearl and the Power of Live Music

 Figure out what makes you distinct and go for it. That is the advice Ottawa-based saxophone player Davina Pearl would offer to someone considering a career in music. It is also precisely the philosophy that she has followed as she made her way from musician to bandleader. At age 11,

A Pearl of Jazz in Unexpected Places

 All photos by Andre Gagne You’re pushing your shopping cart through the produce section when, while reaching for that perfectly ripe avocado, you hear the beautiful sound of a saxophone playing “Angel Eyes”. It’s Ladies' Night at the Royal Oak and, where you might expect to hear some frantic Celtic

Betty Ann Bryanton Serves Up a Little Sweet and Smooth Jazz with Your Monday Night Coffee

 All photos by Andre Gagne. West end Monday nights have never been smoother (or sweeter) than when Betty Ann Bryanton serves up a little jazz with your “Black Coffee” and cookies at the Nestle Toll House Café.  The Prince Edward Islander, now Ottawa resident, doubles as an IT Architect when