Immersive Jazz Showcase
Mike Manny and Jamie Holmes introduce:
Mason Kruger - Piano
Shawn Snider - Singer
Leslie Toope - Piano/singer
Sylvia Flemming - voice
Immersive Jazz Showcase at 10,000 Hours, where amateur jazz musicians take everything they’ve explored over the year during our Immersive Jazz Master Classes and bring it to life on stage. In our master classes, musicians step into the spotlight, performing jazz standards in real time with professional musicians who guide, challenge, and support them through the moment—just like playing in a working trio, on a real stage, in real conditions.
Now, the focus shifts from learning to living the music.
This showcase highlights students applying those experiences—listening, improvising, collaborating, and making musical decisions in the moment. Each performance reflects the growth that happens when musicians are given the space to experiment, take risks, and develop their own voice in an authentic jazz setting.
All instruments, all levels, all stories—coming together for an evening that captures what happens when education becomes experience, and experience becomes performance. See what it feels like to play like a pro, with the pros—now on stage, in full expression.
Mike Manny: A first-generation Canadian of Caribbean/West Indian descent, Mike Manny was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. He was immersed in the world of music at the tender age of 4 years old with the Humber College – Music Education for Children Program. He continued his music training throughout high school at the Etobicoke School of the Arts, post-secondary education at Humber College, and eventually, graduate studies at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music in New York City. After studying in NYC, Mike returned to Toronto where he freelanced throughout Southern Ontario performing in various jazz settings and local Salsa bands. After starting his military career in the Artillery Reserves, Mike transferred to the Regular Force as a full-time musician, where as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, he has traveled the world performing music.
No longer with the music trade, Mike currently resides in Ottawa working in Information Management at the National Defence Headquarters. In addition to his military career, Mike is a freelance musician in Ottawa and surrounding areas where he performs with many groups. Created during the pandemic through virtual performances, Mike co-leads the jazz quartet THERMO, which recently released their first recording “Birdlike”, with a second recording to be released in the near future. Mike is also an avid private pilot, and volunteers his time with the youth of a local Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron where he teaches the cadets proper drill, dress, and deportment. Additionally, he is the administrator of the squadron’s Power Familiarization Program where he takes cadets flying in order to encourage an interest in aviation, and hopefully inspire them to pursue their own careers in aviation.
Jamie Holmes: Jamie has been an active member in the Ottawa music scene for the past 12 years and is one of the most sought-after drummers in the area. With over 20 years of experience, Jamie has gained a vast amount of knowledge and experience on and off the stage and can be seen regularly working with numerous bands playing jazz, fusion, funk, blues, rock, pop, Latin, hip-hop and just about everything in between. Jamie’s joy, passion, and creativity shine when he sits down at the kit which has allowed him to be currently holding the drum chair for The Prime Rib Big Band, Michael C. Hanna, Sly High, Beats n’ Keys, HML Trio, The Chocolate Hot Pockets, Thrust, Modasaurus, Destiny, and HOROJO Trio (with international blues artist JW-Jones).
Jamie has performed in Canada, United States, Europe, Australia, the South Pacific Islands, and most recently for the troops in Africa. He performed on the JW-Jones album “Belmont Boulevard” which earned a JUNO Award nomination for Blues Album of the Year in 2015. In addition to playing in small combos as well as large ensembles, Holmes is a passionate drum set teacher who specializes in reading/counting, co-ordination, various music styles and the importance of “working in a band.”
Jamie proudly endorses Dream Cymbals and Gongs and Los Cabos Drumsticks.
Students:
Mason Kruger: Starting out pursuing classical music, Mason worked his way up to level 8 Practical Honours. Inspired by the likes of Oscar Peterson and Robi Botos, he decided to take a pause from the genre. Since then Mason has pivoted fully towards jazz and has spent time working within small ensembles, notably over the Summer at the McGill university jazz camp. A student of John Kofi Dapaah, Mason continues to pursue his passion for jazz.
Leslie Toope: Leslie was Inspired by a workshop with Montreal pianist Kate Wyatt to begin studying jazz piano and composition with Steve Boudreau three years ago. Leslie also sings and volunteers with JazzWorks Canada, an Ottawa based nonprofit that creates opportunities for amateur musicians to learn and play jazz together.
