Bringing a key element to your wedding, restaurant, event, or private party.
David
Hollingshead
Music
Manifesto
Our goal is to provide quality, professional music, specifically tailored for you. Choose from our highly trained musicians in any combination to create your perfect atmosphere, and help support local music in your area along the way
Instruments
Musicians
Piano
Skilled and melodic, Guelph musician David Hollingshead pulls his inspiration from a classical upbringing and current jazz studies. Learning piano from a young age he progressed through the Royal Conservatory of Music system. However he eventually became enamored with Jazz and enrolled at Mohawk College to where he studied jazz with acclaimed pianist Adrean Farrugia. David is currently performing in venues across southern Ontario with varying acts as a leader and sideman while finishing a Degree in Jazz Studies at Humber College. His playing can be described as energetic, playful, and pensive garnering influences from Herbie Hancock and Brad Mehldau.
Guitar
Scott Taplay
Scott Taplay is a Freelance guitarist based out of Hamilton, Ontario. Entering his final year of the Mohawk College music program he has been performing regularly in the Hamilton and surrounding areas for a few years now. Starting on piano at a young age, Scott developed a passion for music. He really was only able to manifest this passion when he discovered the guitar 7 years ago He is described as a Jazz player, taking influence from traditional players like Ed Bickert and Charlie Parker, while maintaining influence from modern players as well. He also plays pop music and blues among other genres. He has had the pleasure to perform with his own groups at the Brantford International Jazz Festival and the Niagara Region Jazz Festival. He is also a member of the Hamilton All-Star Big Band. A well rounded musician, Scott strives to hear strong melodies and rhythms and plays every note and chord with purpose.
Coming soon
Vocals
Alyssa Dupuis
Alyssa Dupuis has been working in the Southern Ontario music scene for the past several years as a vocalist, songwriter, guitarist, and bassist. Being raised in a musical family, Alyssa’s influences are as numerous as they are varied. Be it Funk, Rock, Jazz, or Soul, she thrives on stage. Professionally, Alyssa spearheads the Alyssa Dupuis Band and the Alyssa Dupuis Duo, and is a member of several Hamilton based groups, including Fiction and Troy Harmer & The Persuaders. Additionally, Alyssa teaches numerous students in the Hamilton area and is currently studying Music at Mohawk College. Her style covers a wide spectrum of genres, including Jazz, R&B, Blues, and Rock.
Jena Lampman
Jena Lampman has been working in the music industry for five years as a vocalist, pianist, and music teacher. With only one year of lessons before moving to Hamilton to attend Mohawk College for music, Jena is sure to have a confident and fearless attitude to new challenges. She enjoys playing blues, jazz, Motown, funk, old rock, and soul music. Jena is currently playing with Bump City, and moonlights on a variety of other musical projects. Jena is a professional vocal and piano teacher at Addison Music and is currently studying Honours Music at McMaster University. She volunteers both as a teacher with an inner-city elementary school music program and as a musician with various charities.
Horns
Victoria Cox ( Saxophones , Flute and Clarinet )
Having obtained a Music Performance Diploma from Mohawk College, and also attending Acadia University for the Bachelor of Music program, Victoria has a lot of music education to back up her talent. Victoria, who plays mainly tenor sax, baritone sax flute and clarinet, has been playing for many years. Her style is described as jazz and funk, influenced by Chris Potter and Stan Getz among others. Performing regularly around Hamilton with many different ensembles, her passion to play is very clear. She has also been teaching woodwinds to all ages both at a prominent music academy in Hamilton, and in Oakville Ontario for 2 years.
Ash Matthew ( Trumpet )
Ash Matthew is a trumpeter, arranger, and composer from Ontario, Canada. She began her musical journey at age 3, studying classical and contemporary piano. She was introduced to the trumpet in high school. She obtained an Advanced Diploma from Mohawk College’s Applied Music Program where she studied jazz trumpet under legendary trumpeter Jason Logue. Ash plays a variety of genres including jazz, funk, R&B, pop, folk, and broadway. She can be described as a diverse and versatile musician, able to adapt to any playing situation. Her drive for success and positive attitude makes her very easy to work with in group settings. She has arranged and composed in a wide range of styles including western classical, swing, funk, contemporary, avant-garde, and Indian classical music. She performs with Bump City, Simon Fallon and the Alexanders, PenUltimate Brass Ensemble, the Burlington Student Theatre Pit Orchestra, and the York University Jazz Orchestra. Ash is currently continuing her education at York University for Fine Arts in Music, where she is studying with renowned jazz trumpeter Kevin Turcotte and jazz pianist Mark Eisenmann.
Christopher Stevens ( Saxophones , Flute and Clarinet )
Christopher Stephens is primarily an Alto Saxophonist, but can also play Tenor as well as double on both Clarinet and Flute. He has completed a three year music program at Mohawk College and is currently working towards his Bachelor of Music degree at McMaster University. He is originally from Brampton, Ontario, but he spends most of his time in Hamilton for school. Chris specializes in both jazz and funk music. His current main project is a Tower of Power tribute band, “Bump City”, which consists of both current Mohawk College music students and alumni. As a jazz player, Chris really enjoys experimenting with his sound and always looks forward to finding a new lick or riff to play. Musically speaking, he enjoys the full and statement like sounds of an Eric Dolphy or Cannonball Adderley, but enjoys modern saxophonists like Kenny Garrett and Joshua Redman as well.
Bass
Devin Patten
Bassist, composer and arranger born and raised in Brampton, Ontario, and Devin began his study of music at age 15 while attending high school. He studied composition with the great Canadian composer and saxophonist Glen Hall, and was recipient of the Brampton Arts Council Advocate Award in 2010. He then enrolled into the Mohawk College Music program where he received intensive musical instruction from some of Canada’s top tier musicians. Devin currently plays with or has performed with Cat Bernardi, Grace San Andres, The Polyesther Jazz Quintet, Triptych, Imaaji, AHI, Afterthought, Bob Hampers Vocal Jazz Choir and many more. He also leads his own group called The Man-Eating Anteaters that plays his own original music. Known for his strong rhythmic sense, open ears, harmonic flexibility and lyrical solos Devin can hold his own in many different musical situations.
Dimitri Mavridis
Contemporary electric and double bassist Dimitrios Mavridis has been hitting the music since the mid 2000’s. Hailing from Hamilton, Ontario and now residing in Toronto, Ontario, Dimitrios has played in various different regions in Southern Ontario engaging in various styles of music. Versatility is key and Dimitrios demonstrates that in his modern-way and unique approach to various/multiple genres of music. Dimitrios has studied 3 years at Mohawk College after High School where he studied jazz music and picked up his principal instrument the Double Bass. Dimitrios has studied privately with some of Canada’s top Jazz Bassists like Will Jarvis, Pat Collins, and Kieran Overs. Dimitrios is now enrolled at York Univeristy under the Faculty of Fine Arts, where he is studying privately with well renown jazz bassist Artie Roth, and the great jazz pianist Mark Eisenman. Dimitrios has also a large experience in cover gigs, musical theatre, recording sessions, teaching students , arranging/composing tunes, and being a great support to those who ask him. Dimitrios is the kind of guy that can play anything you want whenever you want. With trusted and great music colleagues to aid him, Dimitrios never lets down anyone who is looking for something specific, or looking for that “right sound”.
Jonas Peason Paavola
Jonas Pearson Paavola was raised in Bolton ON where he began playing the piano at the age of 7. By the time he was 13 he was given the electric bass and never looked back. Taking lessons with Eric Mahar and playing in multiple small local bands helped Jonas development the fundamental aspects of musicianship. In 2011 Jonas was accepted in the music program at Mohawk College studying Jazz where he fell in love with music based in improvisation. He studied with musicians such as Will Jarvis, Rob Fekete, Kim Ratcliffe and Anthony Michelli in his time at Mohawk. Jonas is a well-rounded musician feeling comfortable in any genre; he strives to make every playing situation as enjoyable and fun for both the band and audience.
Drums
Patrick Armstrong
Patrick Armstrong lives to play music; dynamically, passionately and precisely through out various genres. Learning how to play drums from an early age created a drive and focus towards performing in all aspects that has only been fostered through nature and nurture. Currently based in Toronto, Patrick is now studying at the University of Toronto in the Jazz Performance program. As well, he completed an Applied Music Degree at Mohawk College, where he connected with the other rostered musicians at Hollingshead Music; while at college, he received various awards for his musical development (June Caskey Teaching Methods Award, Richard Newell Memorial Scholarship). Patrick has toured throughout Ontario, Quebec and the East Coast, and states such as New York and Philadelphia. He has had the opportunity to play in a variety of atmospheres, with a wide range of acts including the Cat Bernardi Quartet, The Hamilton All Star Jazz Band, the Dan Pitt Trio and Stuck Out Here.
Coming soon
Tech Crew
Nimal Agalwatte
Equally skilled both on and off stage in the industry Nimal is a great asset to any music situation. While studying in Mohawks Applied Music program under instructors such as Pat Collins, Darcy Hepner and Jamshed Turel Nimal has become both a versatile electric and upright bass player. On stage playing experience includes the Richmond Hill Philharmonic Orchestra, The Toronto All Star Big Band and Hammer Entertainments Pit Orchestra on shows Sideshow, Nine, The Addams Family and Gypsy. In the studio Nimal has played on tracks by Simon Fallon and the Alexanders, Brett Klassen Presents Les Czars and Steve Major. Behind the sound board Nimal has worked with bands Manafest, To Tell, Sky Terminal and Bump City.