Women’s Blues Revue Band
The Women’s Blues Revue Band has been a cornerstone of the Women’s Blues Revue since its inception in 1986. Over the years, the WBR Band has featured many of Canada’s most prestigious instrumentalists and blues musicians, including Donna Grantis, Brandi Disterheft, Suzie Vinnick, Sue Foley, Colleen Allen, Lily Sazz, Carrie Chesnutt, Rebecca Hennessy, Morgan Doctor, Christine Bougie, Emily Burgess, Lindsay Beaver and many more.
The Women’s Blues Revue Band perform continuously throughout the evening, supporting the featured vocalists and forming the foundation of the show.
This year’s Women’s Blues Revue Band includes:
Elena Kapeleris (Sax & Bandleader)
Emily Burgess (Guitar)
Selena Evangeline (Guitar)
Carrie Chesnutt (Sax)
Alison Young (Sax)
Marie Goudy (Trumpet)
Dale Anne Brendon (Drums)
Jenie Thai (Keys)
Angelique Francis (Bass)
BAND MEMBERS
Elena Kapeleris | Saxophone & Bandleader
Elena Kapeleris is a Toronto-based saxophonist, vocalist, composer, bandleader, and educator, whose love of various styles of music has lead her from Jazz, to R&B, to Blues, to World Music and more. A graduate of the Humber College Jazz Performance program, Elena has studied saxophone with world renowned saxophonist Pat LaBarbera, composition with the great Don Thompson, and voice with Shannon Gunn.
Elena is currently a member of blues singer Rita Chiarelli’s touring band, Yetunde Ajasin’s Afrika Libre, and plays with R&B vocalist Sean Jones, Ethiopian vocalist Fantahun Shewankochew, and Friendly Rich.
Kapeleris also leads multiple projects of her own, and is in the process of writing her second album. She is currently a private instructor of voice and woodwinds at Centennial College. During Elena’s career, she has performed with many other recognized artists such as Kellylee Evans, Diana Brathwaite, Jackie Richardson, Brandi Disterheft, Pat LaBarbera, Neil Swainson, Hilario Duran, and many more.
She has played Massey Hall, Roy Thompson Hall and the NAC in Ottawa multiple times with the Women’s Blues Revue. Kapeleris has performed with these great artists at many different venues in the city, as well as clubs and Jazz and Blues Festivals around the world.
Emily Burgess | Guitar
Emily Burgess is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter based in Peterborough, Ontario. As a freelance guitarist, Emily has worked for a wide variety of artists and groups, including The Weber Brothers, The Women’s Blues Revue Band, The 24th Street Wailers, Rita Chiarelli, and Sue Foley. Fronting her own trio, she won the Best New Artist Maple Blues Award in 2018. As a member of The 24th Street Wailers, she and her band mates were nominated for a JUNO award for their 2014 album ‘Wicked’.
As an independent artist, Emily has recorded 3 studio albums: Are We in Love? (2017), Never-Ending Fling (2019), and Arrow (2023).
Selena Evangeline | Guitar 
Selena Evangeline is, without question, a world-class singer. The sounds of Ella Fitzgerald, Chaka Khan, Prince, and Stevie Wonder helped shape the musician she is today. As a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, her songs are musical snapshots of real-life and emotions, from a real woman. Those “snapshots” helped to win her an Ontario Independent Music Award for Best Urban, Barrie New Music Award as well as honourable mention in the John Lennon Song Writing Competition.
By way of her travels, Selena has shared the studio and stages with Sheila E., Patrice Rushen, Jocelyn Brown, The Nylons, Odyssey and the list goes on. You may have also seen Selena on stage backing Canadian icon Amanda Marshall as well as CMA winner Johnny Reid.
With her love of all things music, Selena hopes to continue sharing that love with audiences for years to come.
Alison Young | Saxophone
Born and raised in Ottawa, JUNO nominated saxophonist and composer 
Alison Young discovered jazz at an early age, gravitating towards the exuberance of Sonny Rollins and Cannonball Adderley, who continue to influence her to this day. As well as being featured in the National Youth Jazz Ensemble at the Ottawa jazz festival in 2001 and 2002, she began playing professionally as a teenager, developing an affinity for soul and R&B as well as jazz. Since moving to Toronto in the early 2000s to study music at the University of Toronto, Alison has been an active presence on the Toronto jazz scene.
As a sideman, Alison is versatile and in-demand, at home on soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, in a wide range of genres. She has toured across North America, Europe, South America, the Caribbean, and Asia with Joe Sealy, the Heillig Manoeuvre, Alysha Brilla, Big Rude Jake, Johnny Reid, and the Shuffle Demons, and has appeared on over 40 recordings. Her 2018 album, ‘So Here We Are’, has received regular play on JazzFM and CBC radio, as well as numerous jazz radio programs across Canada. In DownBeat magazine, writer Ted Panken described her playing at the Dominican Republic Jazz Festival as having “endless creativity and flair”. In 2017 Alison was chosen as one of the ‘Best 35 jazz Canadian Jazz Artists under 35’ by the CBC. Later that year, she was featured in Pat LaCroix and Ted O’Reilly’s book, “Toronto Jazz Treasures” alongside many of her musical heroes. In the summer of 2019, Alison toured across Canada accompanying iconic pop star Corey Hart, and was featured on his single “Dreaming Time Again”.
Alison has been leading her own band in various formations since 2012, composing and arranging for duo through to septet. Her latest project features a line up of her favourite Toronto musicians: virtuoso bassist Ross MacIntyre on upright and electric; Saskatchewan’s hard swinging Jeff McLeod on piano and organ; the eclectic and energetic Eric St Laurent on guitar; and the excellent Sly Juhas and Chris Wallace alternating on drums. The Alison Young Quintet has played the main stages of the Toronto Jazz Festival, the Ottawa Jazz Festival, the Markham Jazz Festival and the Niagara Jazz Festival. Seeking to combine her love of hard bop, soul, and New Orleans-style funk, Alison recorded an album of mostly originals with this ensemble in 2017, putting an emphasis on energy and drive, but also prioritizing elegant, singable melodies. Canadian jazz star Guido Basso joins the quintet on two songs, lending his lyrical sound to the album. The Alison Young Quintet’s debut album, ‘So Here We Are’, was released in November of 2018, and was nominated for a 2019 JUNO in the Solo Jazz Instrumental Album of the Year category.
Carrie Chesnutt | Saxophone
Carrie Chesnutt is a saxophone player as well as a flute-ist and a vocalist.
A veteran of the WBR, (IYKYK), she also is a social media content creator , live streamer, social activist, and former underground cabaret star.
Carrie has played with many of Canadas musical treasures, including Rita Chiarelli and Paul Shaffer.She has done a private event for Rick Moranis and opened for Phyllis Diller.
She has recorded 5 CDs and despite a complete lack of public demand has another idea coming along. You’ve been warned .
Marie Goudy | Trumpet
Born in Toronto, trumpet player/vocalist Marie Goudy started her professional
career at the age of sixteen. By the age of nineteen, she had already played with many notable musicians including Benny Golson, Cleo Laine and Maria Schneider. Since then she has performed with Michael Buble, Donny McCaslin, Glass Tiger and many others.
She graduated from the University of Toronto’s Masters in Jazz Performance program in 2017. She has made her mark on the Toronto music scene playing jazz, funk, mariachi, folk and Latin music, and was a featured soloist in the 2018 SOCAN Awards. Marie has played on three JUNO-nominated albums with folk-funk singer/songwriter Alysha Brilla and toured to France, Chile, Yellowknife, and Singapore with that group. In 2020, Marie came in second place in the Toronto Star Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Local Musician or Band.
Marie is a celebrated composer and arranger, and in 2018 released her first album of original music with her ensemble the Marie Goudy 12tet. This album, “The Bitter Suite” featuring vocalist Jocelyn Barth and produced by John MacLeod, was released in October of 2018. It reached #3 on the national jazz charts and received many glowing reviews, appearing on several “Top 10 Albums of 2018” lists. Marie currently leads the jazz quintet Paloma Sky, who will release their first album “Hold On to Me” in September 2024, produced by six-time JUNO nominee Elizabeth Shepherd.”
Dale Anne Brendon| Drums
Originally from London Ontario Canada, drummer/ percussionist Dale-Anne performs with the 
Stratford Festival of Canada; drumming for the musicals RENT (2023), TOMMY (2013), Jesus Christ Superstar (2011), Evita (2010) and Billy Elliot (2019). Canadian Rock legend Randy Bachman (Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive) chose Dale-Anne to be the drummer for a project in 2014/ 15 which included recording an album (Heavy Blues) and touring North America. Dale-Anne has been a substitute drummer for Come From Away and SIX for the Mirvish Theatres in Toronto Ontario. She has played the blues with the Women’s Blues Revue 2022, Rita Chiarelli, Cheryl Lescom and the SheWolves of London, Michael Pickett, Morgan Davis and more. Dale Anne endorses: Sabian cymbals, Yamaha drums and Promark drumsticks.
Stratford Festival of Canada; drumming for the musicals RENT (2023), TOMMY (2013), Jesus Christ Superstar (2011), Evita (2010) and Billy Elliot (2019). Canadian Rock legend Randy Bachman (Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive) chose Dale-Anne to be the drummer for a project in 2014/ 15 which included recording an album (Heavy Blues) and touring North America. Dale-Anne has been a substitute drummer for Come From Away and SIX for the Mirvish Theatres in Toronto Ontario. She has played the blues with the Women’s Blues Revue 2022, Rita Chiarelli, Cheryl Lescom and the SheWolves of London, Michael Pickett, Morgan Davis and more. Dale Anne endorses: Sabian cymbals, Yamaha drums and Promark drumsticks. Jenie Thai | Keyboards
Three-time Maple Blues Award nominee Jenie Thai is a singer, songwriter, and pianist known for her old-school soul and expansive vocal range. Inspired by American songwriting greats, she blends classic R&B and roots music into tough ballads and fiery rockers. Jenie has toured extensively for a decade, playing over 270 dates annually across Canada, the US, and Mexico. She’s earned standing ovations at prestigious venues like Massey Hall, Mariposa Folk Festival, and the New York Jazz Forum Arts Festival. Recently, she’s been a featured act on a multi-year tour with the iconic Downchild Blues Band, cementing her reputation as a captivating presence in the Canadian music scene.
Angelique Francis | Bass
JUNO Winning artist Angelique Francis, is a versatile and exceptionally gifted musician. This multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist, multi-genre singer-songwriter/composer has wowed audiences across the globe with her electrifying performances, instrumental abilities and powerful textured vocals. She is known for her eclectic mix of various musical genres including Folk, Blues, Soul, Roots, Gospel and Americana. Angelique has shared the stage/opened for a large roster of well-known musicians such as Gary Clark Jr, Joe Bonamassa, Eric Gales, Keb’ Mo’, Jimmy Vivino, Beth Hart, Tom Cochran, Burton Cummings, and many more. Her diversity, passion and love of music can be heard in all of her original compositions.
©2024 Toronto Blues Society. Design by Janine Stoll Media.
TBS logo and WBR artwork by Barbara Klunder
The Toronto Blues Society acknowledges the annual support of the Ontario Arts Council, the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council and the Department of Canadian Heritage, and project support from FACTOR< and the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada’s Private Broadcasters, The Canada Council for the Arts, the SOCAN Foundation, SOCAN, the Ontario Media Development Corporation, and the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport.