Toronto-based jazz vocalist Ori Dagan will release his fifth studio project and first live album, Live in the Market, on October 23, 2026, through G-THREE Records. The eight-track recording features interpretations of jazz standards performed with a trio of Canadian musicians, followed by an album release concert at Toronto’s Heliconian Hall on October 24.
Recorded before a live audience at Kensington Sound in Toronto’s Kensington Market neighbourhood, the album marks a new chapter in Dagan’s recording career. It draws inspiration from influential jazz vocalists including Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington.
Live Recording Captures Toronto Jazz Performances
The recording features pianist Stu Harrison, bassist Brandi Disterheft and drummer Ben Wittman accompanying Dagan’s bass-baritone vocals. The musicians reinterpret eight compositions through improvisation and arrangements that reflect traditional jazz performance practices.
Dagan said the project represents an important artistic achievement.
“Releasing this album feels like a milestone for me. Of all the recordings I’ve made, I think this one comes closest to capturing who I am as a musician,” says Dagan. “Ever since the fateful day I got hooked on Ella Fitzgerald’s ‘Mack the Knife’ and ‘How High the Moon,’ I’ve believed that jazz – a music built on spontaneity, risk and discovery – is at its best when there’s an audience sharing in the moment.”
Album Draws Inspiration From Jazz Legends
The project acknowledges both established performers and lesser-known contributors to jazz history.
“This album is in many ways a tribute to the voices who inspired me to sing in the first place. In addition to household names Fitzgerald and Holiday, I wanted to give a nod to some hidden gems. The vocalese lyrics of ‘All of Me’ were written by King Pleasure (born Clarence Beeks) who penned them to a 1951 saxophone solo by Illinois Jacquet. ‘Autumn Leaves’ is equally inspired by Sarah Vaughan and Mark Murphy, both astounding improvisers who constantly tested the boundaries of their instruments.”
Another selection, It Don’t Mean a Thing, features a bass-and-vocal duet with Disterheft, inspired by the late jazz vocalist Sheila Jordan.
“‘It Don’t Mean a Thing,’ recorded in duo with Brandi Disterheft is directly inspired by the originator of the bass & voice duo, the late bebop legend Sheila Jordan, with whom I was fortunate to record a duet in 2017. Sheila, who dedicated her life to this music as a musician, educator and ambassador, is one of the greatest inspirations in my life.”
Personal Identity Shapes the Album’s Musical Direction
Beyond its musical influences, Live in the Market reflects Dagan’s experiences with identity and artistic expression.
“I fell in love with jazz in my late teens, around the same time I was coming to understand that I was gay. Back then, I dreamed that one day I would be able to stand onstage and sing songs like ‘Fine and Mellow,’ but it took me years to feel truly comfortable doing so. In many ways, jazz has given me the courage to embrace my story, to sing it in my own voice, and to share it with others.”
The album was recorded and mixed by Vezi Tayyeb, mastered by Mariana Hutten and produced by Leonardo Dell’Anno, with Greg Gooding serving as executive producer.
Ori Dagan’s Career and Contributions to Canadian Jazz
Dagan is a Grand Prize Winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and was recognized in the 2023 DownBeat Critics Poll in the Rising Male Vocalist category.
His international performance history includes appearances in the United States, Japan, South Korea, Morocco, Macedonia, Israel and Germany, alongside concerts throughout Canada.
His previous albums include S’Cat Got My Tongue (2009), Less Than Three <3 (2012), Nathaniel: A Tribute to Nat King Cole (2017) and Click Right Here (2022).
He also supports Toronto’s live music community through his involvement with JazzInToronto, working as a producer and curator.
Toronto Album Release Concert Scheduled for October 24
Dagan will celebrate the release with an 8 p.m. performance at Heliconian Hall, located at 35 Hazelton Avenue in Toronto.
The concert lineup includes Harrison on piano, Michael Herring on bass and Norbert Botos on drums.
Advance tickets are priced at $30 plus applicable fees. Vinyl records and CDs will be available for purchase, with an autograph session planned following the performance.
‘Live in the Market’ Track Listing
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Why Don’t You Do Right?
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All of Me
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Fine and Mellow
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Take the “A” Train
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It Don’t Mean a Thing
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Autumn Leaves
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Yardbird Suite
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Wave
The October release adds another recording to Dagan’s catalogue while highlighting Toronto’s jazz musicians and independent recording community. His upcoming Heliconian Hall performance will provide audiences with an opportunity to hear material from the new album performed live.
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