Toronto's Hot Club Jazz Band, iSpy is singing & swinging!
iSpy the quintet plays playful takes on vintage and original jazz tunes
Gyspy jazz Manouch Swing Twang!
iSpy is a 5 piece jazz manouche band..swing & blue notes, soul & spaghetti Western twang that brings the country to the city and glamour to the everyday. Rebecca Everett sings with a touch of Billie Holiday, vibrato of Edith Piaf and torchy twang of the 60’s. The band members are Toronto music staples; Chris Kettlewell on bass, Tak Arikushi on guitar, Dan Mock electric guitar and Kyle Sullivan on drums. Get your dancing shoes on and swing with us!
the band
Rebecca Everett is the singer and songwriter for iSpy. Victoria bred and Toronto-based she composes for TV, film, theatre, records and performs in Toronto and internationally. As a signed, in-house writer for Ole she wrote on JUNO nominated albums and recently was a Resident composer with the Slaight Music Award at the prestigious Canadian Film Centre.Rebecca’s eclectic experience as professional violinist in orchestras, klezmer and bluegrass bands; as a singer and multi-instrumentalist; has brought a rich tapestry of sound in a diaspora of genres to her songwriting and compositions
Tak Arikushi is a Vancouver born guitarist and has established himself as one of the premiere voices of the Gypsy-jazz scene in Toronto, providing accompaniment for swing bands as well as adding his instrumental virtuosity when the time calls. Tak is the heartbeat of the gypsy sound and plays acoustic, Django Reinhardt inspired guitar in iSpy
Dan Mock is as an original member of iSpy. He plays electric jazz guitar and adds a spaghetti western sound to the mix. As well as playing locally in klezmer bands and other folk bands, Dan has been recording, performing and touring internationally for well over 10 years with Juno award winning artist Quique Escamilla and Canadian artist Jerry Leger
Chris Kettlewell plays stand up bass and accordion in iSpy. Chris has backed up many artists including Fred Penner, Maylee Todd, Henri Faberge, and Micheal Johnston and is currently part of the popular Toronto groups Moskitto Bar, The Blazing Fiddles and the Toronto Jazz Collective
Kyle Sullivan is a versatile, in-demand Toronto based drummer. Kyle actively participates in Toronto’s music scene playing with critically acclaimed Jerry Leger, iSpy, Sam Cash, Fraser Melvin, The Double Cuts and has also worked with Canadian music alumni Ron Sexsmith, Ian Blurton and Tim Bovaconti. He mixes new and old vocabulary in his playful style and has been creating music in many different styles native to America and Europe