Check in for more updates and messages from Angela!

April 13, 2007

'A Little Bit of Sugar' is now available on iTunes!!

February 12, 2007

As some of you may have noticed, I have taken a little hiatus from performance. Not to worry, I have not stopped for good!

After the Hong Kong experience and performances six nights a week I felt pretty burnt out musically. When I returned to Toronto I made the decision to stop for a while, write, work on new material and pursue other interests.

Since September I've been teaching music, which, for its few frustrations, has been quite a rewarding experience. The kids are fantastic and have reminded me what it is like to love music purely for the sake of it. Nightly performances are good but I have figured out that I need to perform because I enjoy doing it and not because rent is due. Which leads me to the other part of my life.

I entered a two year journalism program in the fall and cannot begin to explain how much I enjoy it. Irritation of homework aside, I love the content and have met such an amazing group of people. Enrolling in this program is truly one of those decisions you thank God you made because the thought of possibly missing out on the experience is frightening.

So where does that leave us? With school, teaching and writing there hasn't been much time for music, but I am working on a small summer tour in Ontario. I am also working on a new recording that may be quite different from the old one.

Check out the music room on this site for a song I recently wrote and recorded. I'm not sure if it will be on the new album, but it is definitely a great listen! The full song is posted so download and share if you like!
       - Angela

December 25th, 2006

It is Christmas day in the Scappatura house hold and as I write this the family is milling about, drinking wine, cooking turkey and divvying up treats from Christmas baskets. It's been a snow less holiday in Sudbury but a little Bing Crosby on the stereo makes up for overwhelming sight of green outside. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, Festivus or something else I hope everyone enjoys the time off work and a meal with family.

See you in the New Year!
       - Angela

October 4th, 2006

Well I am back from Hong Kong and settling into Toronto life. I have to say, it feels good to be responsible for my own laundry once again. Living in Hong Kong for three months was quite a challenge despite the full out luxury we lived in. The hotel provided accommodations, room service, twice a day maid service and full access to the spa and pool. Wonderful amenities but sometimes it is nice to just wake up a three o'clock in the afternoon, cook up some breakfast free of the worry that someone will randomly walk into your living space. Ahh yes, the trials of hotel living.

Hong Kong is a really vibrant city. I feel lucky to have had the chance to become familiar enough with the place that the local Starbucks baristas knew what coffee I would order before I reached the cash register. During the day I did quite a bit of traveling around the city and surrounding Islands but sadly I did not have the time to visit mainland China. It took some work to keep the performances fresh, after all, doing the same thing six nights a week five hours each night can get a little monotonous. Near the end we started playing a reggae version of Summertime with an 'I Shot the Sheriff' solo in the middle. At least we were amused.

The landscape is also really breathtaking, unlike anything I've seen before. I took the ferry a few times from Hong Kong to Macau and Lantau Island and I just couldn't get over the idea that I was traveling on the South China Sea. There was a very New Orleans-esq club district named Lan Kwai Fong where I often went to watch the world cup games, Viva Italia! There also was a rather fun and amusingly cliché 'Canada D'eh' (oh yes, D'EH) celebration in July. Posters of moose wearing Mountie hats plastered on every wall.

Well there are many more stories, some that I would prefer to forget, but I would need a few web pages to tell them all.

The performance schedule will be quite light for a while. I need a little rest and some time to work on new material.

One point of interest, completely music free - My mother Estelle is running for the Sudbury School board so if you are in her ward, vote for her! I am amazed at the amount of work she has done over the past few months to prepare and have no doubt (in my completely unbiased opinion) that she would contribute a great deal to the board.

       - Angela

May 20, 2006

Yes, I have been awful about updating my news page and (again) I apologize. Between final exams, performances and getting ready for Hong Kong I just haven't had the energy over the past few months. Oh, yes, I am in Hong Kong!! An announcement I should have made a while ago. I have been hired to perform at the Island Shangri-la in Hong Kong until August. It is my first time in Asia and what an experience it has been so far! I promise to write more detailed stories (there are quite a few crazy ones already) later when I have more constant access to a computer. Thus far, my internet access has been rather erratic but hopefully that will change soon... So please do not be insulted if I fail to reply to your messages right away. And please, do send messages. It is great to hear from people from home!
It has been two weeks and I am still settling in. Despite my best efforts I have already experienced a few slight bouts of homesickness. Mind you, this has not deterred me from exploring a little. Although not quite a club/bar person I have visited a number of the party districts. On my first night here a few other musicians in Hong Kong took me to a club with a Guns n' Roses cover band. One part nostalgia, two parts surreal.
It is amazing how many musicians here are from Canada. There is such a tight little music community blending people from many different countries. Everyone seems to know each other and they all meet up to 'jam' in the evenings after their respective performances. I'm looking forward to delving into it a little more.

I will write more soon!

       - Angela

February 03, 2006

Is it really February?? One wouldn't know it with the temperature outside! That comment is for Torontonians only because news from the north hasn't been so pleasant. Snowstorm upon blizzard upon snowstorm, I do not miss the weather up there! Toronto has weakened my tolerance... although some would argue that I was never really a rugged winter girl to begin with. Well who needs to be with +6 degree weather!!

Things on the music front have been rather slow lately. There are a few reasons for my (temporary) self imposed hiatus from regular performance. First of all, school has been enveloping the majority of my time. Remember when I said it was great to be back... well as I also predicted, the luster has been lost. Full time school + full time work = a jazz diva gone crazy. You can imagine how fun that is for my family. On the positive side, I have been doing some writing for the York University student newspaper Excalibur. Earlier this week I interviewed CBC personality and musician Jian Ghomeshi (www.jian.ca) for an article I am writing on the State of Canadian Music. What a monster of a piece this has turned out to be! I admit, this entry is in part an exercise of procrastination...

In two more months I will be finished at York and all will return to normal. I was given a lovely guitar for Christmas so when the shows begin, expect some great new material. Keep checking back for dates, they will be added very soon!!

       - Angela

January 03, 2006

Happy New Year!! The past year will definitely prove difficult to top. I have certainly been sold on the idea of taking (reasonable) risks in the pursuit of ones passion. I cannot imagine where I would be had I decided to avoid fully pursuing music because of a fear of the unknown.
Where do I go from here? Honestly, I haven't a clue, but I am sure that if this is it I would be completely happy with what I have done. Thank you to everyone who has supported my work, ordering cds online, kind words of encouragement, attending shows. Your efforts mean a great deal to me.

I visited Sudbury for a few days over the holidays which was nice but I am glad to be back in Toronto. Christmas holidays often prove more tiring than any other time of the year.

Now to the big event of December... Ronnie Hawkins at Massey Hall! My goodness, it had been a long time since I felt that nervous. The space and sound are just brilliant. I've attended concerts at Massey Hall before but never fully grasped the immensity of the stage... until our afternoon sound check. I opened with the Checkmates and enjoyed the rest of the concert from my dressing room backstage.

Keep checking back for more tour dates!

       - Angela

November 17, 2005

It has been quite the relaxing afternoon. Thursdays have become my favourite day of the week because I am either in class (nice break from the reception business) or my cozy apartment working. Early this morning I ventured out long enough to grab a steamy latte, run back in and resign myself to the fact that the days of wearing merely a sweater and jeans outdoors have passed. Rumour has it, snow was falling in some parts of the city.

We had a rehearsal for Sunday's recording session and I am even more excited to get the music on CD than before. This one is certainly going to have a different flavour to it. I love the fact that the melody is really illumnated. I have also taken on the role of producer and, with the brilliant musicians playing on the record it has become a slightly intimidating experience. Thank goodness for patience and great musical friends because although the direction is clear to me, it has been a journey learning how to properly express it. At times, I so desperately try to avoid appearing too blunt I tend to overcompensate and act quite the opposite. It's all about the learning curve! Sound clips will be posted to the site as soon as they are ready.

Yesterday I received a phone call from the producer of my first album asking me to play with his band 'The Checkmates' at... are you ready for this... MASSEY HALL! Not only is the concert taking place at the best large music venue in the city, it is also the opening performance for Ronnie Hawkins! I almost fell off my chair. How wide eyed and small town girl does that sound?? Listen for a blues version of Kris Kristofferson's 'Me and Bobby McGee', which may or may not be on the new record...

       - Angela

November 11, 2005

Word on the street is that there have been a few grumblings about the infrequency of my posts (hello jay;), and I apologize. I am still here and promise to write more often!

Life and music have been pretty hectic over the past couple of months. School, although still enjoyable, has lost its luster of 'newness' if you know what I mean. Mid-term exams and final papers are all due in the next couple of weeks and it has been a challenge tearing myself away from the piano for long enough to study. While working on a presentation for my Children's Literature class, I discovered this crazy cult following for Pink Floyd and The Wizard of Oz. According to rumor, the album Dark Side of the Moon was written and recorded as an alternate 'soundtrack' for the movie. As the story goes, if you turn the movie volume down and press play on the cd immediately after the MGM Lion roars for the third time the lyrics and melody will provide a different narration. S and I decided to try it one evening and I must admit, some of the music changes/lyrics/song titles are a little too well timed to be pure coincidence...

On the music front, we are still playing at Orleans in Newmarket every Friday night. Some sad (yet exciting) news to report, my beloved piano player Jason Jestadt has been hired as a piano players/eventual conductor for the new stage production Lord of the Rings!! Way to go Jason! Tonight is his last performance with us at Orleans (for a while anyways) so come on out!

The most exciting news of all------- Next Sunday we will be entering the studio to record a couple of songs for the new album! It's going to be a great time... more to come soon.

       - Angela

September 19, 2005

This past Friday, Angela received a 2005 Northern Ontario Music Award for Best Vocal Performance on the track 'Feeling Good'! Congratulations to all the recipients and nominees!!

September 06, 2005

I have been trying (operative word) to take a little break and enjoy the last few weeks of summer but I now find myself knee deep in the first week of September and have no clue where the days have gone. I was in Sudbury this past weekend and I was stunned one particularly chilly evening, at the sight of my own breath! Good thing autumn is my favourite season. Few things compare to a warm blanket and hot cup of tea on a brisk autumn night.

A few updates are definitely in order. In two weeks I will be heading back to Sudbury for the Northern Ontario Music Awards where I am nominated in the category of Best Vocal Performance. Exciting stuff! It's nice just to be nominated;)... !

If you are looking for something to do with your post-long weekend, weekend, stop by the Port Credit Jazz Festival. I will be there for most of the week so please check the tour section for exact dates and locations!

I am quite excited for the upcoming performances but there is one more thing to look forward to. The new school season! Yes folks, that's right, SCHOOL. Although I cannot guarantee the sentiment will be the same if you ask me in two weeks, I am very much looking forward to it! Everything is packed into one day with a couple of internet courses for good measure. No need to worry, the music is alive and well! I just wanted to go back and finish up a few things, stimulate my mind a little more, get into a few more heated political debates... Wish me luck!
Hope to see you this weekend in Port Credit!

       - Angela

August 16, 2005

It has just been announced that Angela is a finalist for the 2005 Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards! She is nominated in the category of Best Vocal Performance for her recording of 'Feeling Good.' The awards ceremony will take place on September 16, 2005 in Sudbury.

July 25, 2005

Oh my! It has only been a little over two weeks since my last update but I feel like months have passed! I have been to Sudbury, visited Newmarket and Port Credit for a weekend then spent three days in the Beaches. Strange as it is to hear myself say this, I am looking forward to some free evenings.
Over the past weekend I was performing at the Beaches International Jazz Festival. I had no idea what to expect so the beginning for me was slightly rocky. Parking was scarce, the air was, as the lyric goes, 'Too Darn Hot' and I would strongly advise against setting up a PA in stilettos. I found myself seriously questioning my ability to remain positive in the face of what, individually were tiny snags, but collectively contributed to a rather trying situation. To my surprise, the weekend turned out to be amazing! The audience was in great spirits with people of all ages dancing and singing along. I can honestly say that despite my initial doubts it was the most fun I have had performing so far.
Things are starting to slow down at the perfect time. Keep checking back, great things are on the way.

       - Angela

July 08, 2005

The Canada Day Real Diva's show at Nathan Phillips Square was truly extraordinary! All of the Divas were just stunning and the audience had such a great warmth. I would like to send a special thank you to the people at Movado and the Toronto Jazz Festival for their support!
Up to the North I go!! Tomorrow I will be leaving bright and early (with an extra large coffee in hand) for Sudbury. I haven't been home in quite a while so it will be nice to visit for a few days. I am very much looking forward to taking the dog for a swim in the lake... it is an almost certainty that I will be joining him! Toronto, of course, is fabulous but it is seriously lacking some non-chlorinated, clean water to dive into.
The reason for the trip, The Northern Lights Festival Boreal! Beautiful weather is expected and I am playing with my trio on the Mainstage, Saturday at 2pm. In addition to that, I will be participating in a couple of workshops happening throughout the weekend as well as hosting the evening concert with Natalie MacMaster. Hopefully I can find a few moments and escape to my favourite coffee spot to work on some writing for the new album...

       - Angela

June 27, 2005

Watch for Angela on Canada AM with the rest of the 'Real Divas' on Thursday June 30th between 8-9am.

Well this is it, the 'Real Divas' week! This may just be the absolute highlight of the summer. On Thursday morning I will be visiting Canada AM with the 'Real Divas' for a group performance. The butterflies have already begun! On Friday, July 1st at noon I will be appearing at the Toronto Eaton Centre for a live performance sponsored by Movado. The rest of my afternoon will be spent rehearsing for the Toronto Jazz Festival show that night at Nathan Phillips Square!! I will be singing one solo,'Stormy Weather' (nothin' like a sizzling torch song) and a duet of 'Georgia on My Mind' with the fabulous Andrea Menard.
See you there!!

       - Angela

June 21, 2005

Angela will be performing at Gate 403 in Toronto on Thursday, June 23rd

I would like to thank everyone who came to the Montreal Bistro on Monday. We didn't have a drummer to join us onstage but the energy of the crowd kept the momentum going. Overall I was pleased with the evening. The band, as always, sounded amazing and again, the audience was a treat. It was a pleasant surprise to meet so many who came after listening to Sunday's interview on CBC. Jeff Goodes and the crew from 'Fresh Air' have been such incredible supporters of my music so have a listen to their show if you haven't already. It airs on CBC throughout Ontario on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 6-9am. One more special 'Thank you' is necessary. The one somewhat stressful part of the gig was, of all things, recruiting someone to collect the cover charge at the door. Since this is not what most would describe as a desirable job, finding a person to come 2 hours early proved to be a rather daunting task. The white night of the evening... my man. Despite having a table of his friends waiting for him, he braved the inevitable loneliness and boredom of cover collecting to ensure the band was able to put food on the table. Okay, perhaps I am being slightly dramatic (something I have been accused of before) but seriously, thank you to my man who doubled as a fabulous doorman in the absence of one.

       - Angela

June 16, 2005

Angela will be visiting the CBC radio program 'Fresh Air' hosted by Jeff Goodes on Sunday June 19th at 8:37am for a live performance and interview. The special guest for this Father's day segment will be Frank Scappatura. Tune in as he divulges Angela's secret childhood nickname... Not to be missed!

It begins. The next month promises to be my busiest yet and I have been preparing for the lack of sleep that will inevitably follow. Between work and performing I plan on taking advantage of the summer months by learning how to golf! Yes, you heard me correctly... golf. I don't think it is such a crazy idea but apparently to some people the image of me on a golf course for 5 hours (or however long it takes to play 18 holes;) is one that belongs in the twilight zone. For the record, although I have settled quite nicely in the big city, I am still and always will be a Northern Girl. Thus I have the ability (and occasional desire) to pull myself away from the stilettos for some good ol' camping, and yes, golf. Everything will be just fine as long as my 'golf coach' has patience... a fair amount of it. One more thing on this completely un-musical topic, if anyone has some juicy tips for a green, yet determined golfer in training, they would be MUCH appreciated.

On Monday June 20th 9pm I will be performing at the Montreal Bistro. Hope you can make it out!

       - Angela