Wakefield Brewster Presents, Pt. 1

Featuring: Adetola “aloT of Poetry” Adedipe, Jiajia Li, Jocelyn Mah & James Watson, and Mandy Morris

Welcome to the launch of TD Amplify 2023-24, a season of unexpected and unmatched Calgary performers brought together by curator and spoken word icon Wakefield Brewster. Part live show and part underground DJ party - make TD Amplify part of your Friday or Saturday night in downtown Calgary.

Calgary’s sixth Poet Laureate, published writer, and recording artist, Wakefield Brewster's vision for this four-part series of shows is titled PeoplePuzzle: Some Assembly Required, asking what it takes for a person to accept the pieces that make up their own puzzle of an identity.

In Part 1 of the Amplify season, that question is posed to an unmissable lineup of artists:

Adetola “aloT of Poetry” Adedipe is a Nigerian and South African spoken word artist and published poet who is returning to the Amplify series with fresh ideas, an urgent voice, and a continuing focus on the human experience.

Jiajia Li is an artistic force that breaks the mold: a classically trained flautist who taps into her Chinese heritage for art creation, and one half of pop duo Ginger Beef.

Jocelyn Mah is a formally trained dancer and choreographer (from the Toronto Dance Theatre and the London Contemporary Dance School) whose work now focuses on the dance-music relationship while intersecting with genres like puppetry, storytelling, and digital and visual art. 

James Watson is another familiar genre-hopping musician to TD Amplify and many other stages in Calgary including the Knox United Church where he and Shumaila Hemani opened for the Sun Ra Arkestra as part of Sled Island 2023.

Mandy Morris, known primarily for their work bringing jazz to kids and their families, is bringing a different and more mature sound and theme to TD Amplify as she explores both the light and the darkness in herself and the world.

Join Arts Commons Presents and Wakefield Brewster for a 60-minute showcase of these artists, plus a pre- and post-show party DJ Catfishthewizard.