Sharron McLeod

Sharron McLeod is a consummate jazz composer, vocalist, performer and writer. A favourite at Toronto's prestigious annual Downtown Jazz Festival, Sharron has shared the stage with other artists including Jane Bunnett, Rodney Kendrick, Archie Alleyne, Salome Bey, Jimmy Lovelace, Jackie Richardson, and many others. Along with regular cluband festival appearances in Canada, Sharron has performed in Europe and the United States. Currently, Sharron is preparing an independent release featuring several inspired original songs and is workshoping a new play/performance piece.

Trained as a classical musician, Sharron’s focus naturally evolved to encompass jazz. She has also hosted/produced popular weekly jazz programs on Toronto radio stations Flow 93.5 and ckln 88.1. The multi-talented vocalist’s musical education began at age nine, including the study of recorder, flute, trombone, piano and voice. Sharron has studied with Liz Naylor, the Royal Conservatory of Toronto, Jay Clayton of the Steve Reich Ensemble (Seattle), Marilyn Crispell and the New Orchestra Workshop, Art Levine , Banff Jazz Workshop with Rufus Reid, Steve Coleman, Kevin Eubanks, and Stanley Cowell, bebop harmony with Abbey Lincoln; vocal with renowned counter-tenor Theodore Gentry, jazz piano with Don Naduriak; and Sharron was a voice instructor at the New School of Social Research (NY).

In the tradition of singers like Billie Holiday, Abbey Lincoln and Betty Carter,Sharron believes jazz comes from the synthesis of human experience through music.An expression of the heart.