Update: August 21, 2010

GuelphMercury.com - Electrical fault cause of plaza Fire, damage tops $300,000

As a lot of Manhattans fans in the Guelph area have already learned, the restaurant was heavily damaged earlier this week by a fire caused by an electrical malfunction in the plaza (see Guelph Mercury link above for pics and details).

Unfortunately, Manhattans will be out of business for the next couple of months while we perform repairs and renovations. But don't worry folks, Manhattans will be back before you know it with a revitalised look. Stay tuned to our Facebook page and Manhattans.ca for updates on renovation.

Lastly, the crew at Manhattans would like to thank the community for their ongoing support and praise. The positive attitude and optimistic outlook is encouraging us to rebuild and bring the business back with a bang. Cheers.

Playing throughout July and August...

The Twenty Kilometer Jazz Diet
Based on the idea of getting your jazz locally, this trio consists of Musicians from the Guelph area. All are private music instructors in Guelph making their living playing and teaching music. They teach locally and live locally but they each have performance careers that have taken them across Canada and around the world and have received numerous awards for their dedication to music making.

Brent Rowan- is a director, performer, composer and educator of music. Brent performs in a wide variety of musical collaborations; from 2009 Juno Nominated Eccodek, Big Bands and small jazz combos, to classical chamber groups and creative music ensembles. Brent is the founding director of the Guelph Youth Jazz Ensemble and the New Horizons Band for Guelph and the current conductor of the Cambridge Concert band. Brent teaches woodwind and jazz improvisation techniques at his own private music studio. He is also a clinician at music camps through out southern Ontario, specializing in saxophone and improvisation concepts. In 2008 he received the inaugural Guelph Mercury Forty under Forty award for making a difference in his community. He holds a Bachelor of Music, Jazz Studies, from Humber College.

Jesse Turton Jesse has been playing music all his life, starting on the drums at the age of 9. He picked up the bass at 14, and a year later won a scholarship to the world-renowned Berklee College of Music for their 1992 summer program. At the age of 17, Jesse won the 1993 Galaxie CBC Rising Star Award at MusicFest Canada, and entered Humber College with a scholarship the follwing year. Since he was 15, Jesse has played professionally in jazz, blues, rock, and R&B bands in both Canada and the US, and has appeared on a number of recordings. His preferred instruments are the upright acoustic bass and both fretted and fretless electric bass. He presently plays in a number of ensembles and lives in Guelph, Ontario.

Ted Warren, drums Ted is one of Canada’s most accomplished drummers. He is an active member of Canada’s jazz scene and has recently been recognized with the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival’s Special Recognition award. Ted fronts his own quartet, Ted’s Warren Commission, which has released two CDs and embarked on a nationwide tour in 2009. Ted recorded six CDs with the Boss Brass including Velvet and Brass (with Mel Torme). He has worked with many acclaimed international performers, including Slide Hampton, Bob Newhart, Maynard Ferguson, Lew Soloff, Chuck Mangione, Norma Winstone, Sheila Jordan, Howard Johnson, Nick Brignola, Kenny Wheeler, and Gerry Bergonzi. Ted’s extensive touring has taken him to Poland, South Korea, Spain, Brazil, Iceland, and Japan.

Ted received his Bachelor’s degree in music from Humber College as well as a certificate in Jazz Studies from St. Francis Xavier University. He teaches at Mohawk College in their Jazz Studies programs and is a well-regarded clinician and adjudicator. Ted was recently featured in a cover story in Drums Etc. magazine and has also written articles for Modern Drummer, Drum!, Canadian Musician, and Percussive Notes.

On June 18th, 2010, Manhattans hosted the award-winning Montreal based Parc-X Trio. They recently won the 2010 TD Grand Jazz Award at the world-renowned Montreal International Jazz Festival.

Click here for more info

Parc X Trio

Expect more top notch performers in the months to come....