The Thing Is was formed in 2006 by composer and vocalist Tova Kardonne in Toronto, Canada. With the musicians she met in jazz/fusion workshops at the renowned Humber Jazz program, she formed a band around her unique fusion of jazz with the Balkan and South African influences of her childhood. The unique richness of her sound has attracted guest appearances from some of Toronto’s most acclaimed jazz virtuosi, including Bill McBirnie, Dave Restivo, Ted Quinlan, and Jim Vivian. Regulars at The Rex Hotel, The Thing Is also performs at Gallery 345, The Trane Studio, The Fermenting Cellar, Clinton’s, The Music Gallery, and at the Art Gallery of Ontario in December 2011, where they premiered a composition commissioned by the Koffler Centre to interpret a painting by Marc Chagall, entitled "La Danse," that was on exhibit from the Pompidou Centre in Paris, France. Tova’s 4-octave range, predilection for odd time signatures and hard-grooving arrangements make for a rare treat; music that grabs and holds both the mind and the gut.
“Adventurous composition and great musicianship combined with a wild array of influences for a cool and unique sound.”- Alan Davis, Small World Music
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