The Artistry of… Jane Bunnett

There is a welcome and infectious Canadian spirit of curiosity. It is rich in inclusion and discovery of everything about cultures of the world. This curiosity is enshrined in the national psyche. It stems proudly from a spirited national reality of diversity in its own national community, and Jane Bunnett embodies this most sweetly Canadian of Canadian spirits.

She is a five-time Juno Award winner, recognized especially for her spirited work in the music of Cuba. She has been nominated for Grammy Awards and is abundantly recognized for her artistry as a recipient of the Order of Canada, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and the Premier’s Award for Excellence. Her bands and recordings are truly artistic showcases of the musical arts of North America.

Bunnett’s work with Cuban musicians is especially treasured both in Canada and in Cuba. A kind of university of artistic majesty, she has bridged and exposed a natural universality of music, proving that as an expression it has no boundary. A social activist, educator and proud Canadian world citizen, you can see and hear more about her in two documentaries: Spirits of Havana and Embracing Voices.

Bunnett’s is a unique sound, a dynamic part of what defines jazz in her home country. She has selflessly exported her soul and spirit and imported Cuba’s music, and she has done it in the same expressive wave of Canadian curiosity and love of cultural diversity. This grand gesture has created a beautiful, lasting, international resonance that makes her home very proud.