Kat Harlton
Award-winning artist Sean Jones is set to debut his festive concert Holiday Soul at the stunning Koerner Hall, in Toronto on Sunday, December 11, 2022 with a 3:30pm matinee performance. This production will be filled with soul-inspired renditions of timeless holiday classics and he’ll share the stage with the Toronto Concert Orchestra and award-winning performers Divine Brown and Jackie Richardson.
Sean’s extensive career has seen him perform on the shores of Monaco, the islands of Hawaii, London’s historic Trafalgar Square, New York’s Carnegie Hall and The Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center.
In the summer of 2015, Sean began the Soul In The City residency at Casa Loma. Over 1,000 patrons attended these sold-out nights, the hugely successful residency also became a vibrant platform for emerging talent. Building upon the success of Soul In The City (the series wrapped its residency in 2021), Sean is setting his sights on a new and exciting seasonal show.
Holiday Soul welcomes the community to celebrate with a new soulful twist to the holiday season and an incredible lineup of performances.
I had the opportunity to chat with Sean about what fans can expect from Holiday Soul, working with the Toronto Concert Orchestra, and supporting the community through donations to the Daily Bread Foodbank.
Kat: I’m so excited that you’ve announced your new Holiday Soul concert on December 11 at Toronto’s Koerner Hall! What can audiences expect from this festive matinee show?
Sean: Well….I’ve got 26 of the best musicians this country has to offer, JUNO Award winner Divine Brown, Dora Award and Order Of Canada Recipient Jackie Richardson, and a set list of the most cherished Holiday classics ever written all packed into a two hour experience….oh and I’ll be doing a couple tunes in there as well. All joking aside, audiences can expect a remarkable Holiday show that will have them laughing, smiling, singing along, and dancing. I promise that if they aren’t in the holiday spirit when they arrive, they will be by the time they head home!
Kat: Can you tell us a bit about the special guests that are on the concert bill?
Sean: The Toronto Concert Orchestra is an incredible ensemble of musicians that I have had the honor of performing with on many occasions. They host a fabulous summer series at Palais Royale where they deliver not only standard classical repertoire, but also more modern pop and jazz pieces.
Divine Brown is a JUNO Award-winning singer/songwriter/actor best known for her hit song ‘Old School Love’. You can currently catch Divine starring in ‘Aretha’s Gold’ as part of the Classic Albums Live series. I have had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Divine on a number of occasions and the audience is in for a real treat on December 11th.
Jackie Richardson is just a force of nature. To call her a singer/actor does not do her justice. She is a Dora Award Winner and Order Of Canada Recipient, and when this woman opens her mouth, she doesn’t just SING, she blesses us ALL with her extraordinary talent. I have had the honor of performing with Jackie many times and I still get goosebumps every time I hear her sing. I guarantee you will be floored by her performance.
Kat: Holiday Soul will support Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank. What would you like everyone to know about this organization’s cause and why was it the perfect fit for you to partner up with?
Sean: The Daily Bread Food Bank works towards long-term solutions to end hunger and poverty, and runs innovative programs to support individuals living on low income and experiencing food insecurity. They distribute fresh and shelf-stable food, and fresh-cooked meals to 126 member agencies and 189 food programs across Toronto. The last 3 years have been rough for so many people. For the first time ever Daily Bread has seen new clients accessing Toronto food banks outnumbering existing clients. Soul music has always had a way of nourishing your heart and mind in the same way a good meal can fill an empty stomach. While many of us may not be able to give monetarily, I thought it made sense to partner with Daily Bread on this concert and ask those coming to the show to bring some ‘Soul Food’, a non-perishable food item that will be collected by Daily Bread and distributed to food banks across the GTA. This holiday season, let’s all do what we can to help those less fortunate than ourselves. Sometimes a little can go a long way.
Kat: Where are tickets available for purchase?
Sean: Tickets for the show can be purchased online at www.holidaysoul.ca , The Royal Conservatory Of Music site or in person at the box office. You can also head to my website www.seanjonesmusic.com where you can find a link that will take you directly to the online purchase page.
Connect With Sean
Facebook: /myseanjones
Instagram: @seanjonesmusic
Twitter: @seanjonesmusic