Part of the residency Rebecca Hennessy
Southern Cross
"This month, Rebecca Hennessy’s Singer-Songwriter Circle brings together three artists who have spent the past year sharing the stage: Esra Gürçay, Matt Newton, and Rebecca Hennessy. The three have been performing together as part of Matt Newton’s new larger musical project, and this evening offers an opportunity to hear each artist’s songwriting in a more intimate setting. Raised in Istanbul and now based in Toronto, Esra Gürçay is an indie jazz singer and songwriter whose music blends modern jazz with indie pop/rock, neo-soul, and jazz fusion. Her distinctive voice and genre-fluid approach bring together the intimacy of the singer-songwriter tradition with the harmonic richness and improvisational spirit of jazz. Matt Newton is a Toronto-based pianist and composer who has been performing and composing professionally since the late 1990s. Originally from Ottawa, he studied at the University of Toronto and the Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music, where he worked with renowned artists including Dave Douglas and Deron Johnson. His critically acclaimed recordings include Push and Within Reach, featuring his trio with Dan Fortin and Ethan Ardelli. Rebecca Hennessy is an award-winning composer, trumpeter, vocalist, and bandleader whose songwriting is rooted in jazz harmony, improvisation, and lyrical storytelling. Her songs move fluidly between folk, jazz, and singer-songwriter traditions, balancing emotional honesty with adventurous musical turns. Join us for an evening of original songs, conversation, and musical connection—and a chance to hear three collaborators share the songs, stories, and sounds at the heart of their individual creative practices."