BRENDA EARLE STOKES (voice, piano) A native of Sarnia, Ontario, Earle Stokes’ career has taken her across Canada, the United States, and New Zealand. She has performed at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the TD Toronto jazz festival, Avery Fischer Hall, and the Christchurch Arts Festival and has performed with such artists at Wycliffe Gordon, Donny McCaslin, the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, and Maurice Hines.

After completing her undergraduate studies at York University, she completed her Master of Music at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, where she currently resides. She has studied with John Gittins, Garry Dial, Luciana Souza, and Jeannie Lovetri.

Her debut recording, All She Needs, was released in 2002 and featured her brother Graig Earle on bass and Kevin Coady on drums. In 2005, she released Happening, which featured saxophonist Joel Frahm as well as a string quartet. Her third release, Songs for a New Day, came out in 2009.

In 2014, Earle Stokes released Right About Now, which features six original compositions, new lyrics to compositions by saxophonist Dick Oatts and Brazilian legend Egberto Gismonti, and arrangements of songs by Joe Jackson and Pete Townshend. Produced by noted produced Matt Pierson, the album features saxophonist Joel Frahm, guitarist Steve Cardenas, bassist Matt Aronoff, and drummer Jordan Perlson.