Celebrating 1 Year with CBMA!

Donovan Locke close-up, dressed in a tux and singing on stage

Credit: Unknown photographer - Image Credit Form

Genre: Jazz

Period: unknown - present

Region: Toronto, Ontario

Donovan Locke

Donovan Locke is a Toronto-based jazz vocalist and entertainer. Born and raised in Mississauga, Ontario, Locke began singing in church at an early age, and played tuba in his elementary school band. He joined the Toronto All Star Big Band in his teens, where he began to love and perform the music of Louis Prima, Johnny Hartman, and Ella Fitzgerald.

Locke studied the tuba at Wilfred Laurier University, where he earned a BA in arts, and at Nipissing University where he earned his Bachelor of Education. He is currently working as an elementary school teacher with the Peel District School Board.

He has been a part of several Canadian productions, from David Ferry’s The Postman, and Anne-Marie Donovan’s Sounding Rituals, and has sung with artists like Cleo Laine, John Dankworth and Jackie Richardson. He performs at various venues around the city of Toronto such as Drom Taberna, The Emmet Ray, Cafe Parmenar, The Cameron House, Function Bar, La Pallette, The Jazz Bistro, and the Communists Daughter.

Locke is passionate about performing and inspiring audiences through honest and fun performances. Other than performing and teaching, he enjoys listening to records, curling, or practicing the tenor banjo.

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