Word on the Street, Toronto’s festival of literature, returns to David Pecaut Square on September 27 and 28. It’s the 36th year for the celebration of reading, writing, and literacy.
The festival features a variety of ways to enjoy writing and literature, including poet spotlights, author readings, talks, and much more, including music and performance. There are too many artists and acts to list; here’s a look at two whose work incorporates music in creative ways.
Joseph Maviglia
Toronto based singer-songwriter Joseph Maviglia has a new book of poetry titled In a Cage of Sunlight that will be featured at the Festival.
Joseph was born in Ottawa, and studied at Simon Fraser University before attention the Banff Centre. He’s lived in Toronto since then, developing a signature performance and practice that blends poetry and song.
Joseph Maviglia’s work crosses the lines between poetry and song, using various techniques and forms both traditional and experimental. In his book In a Cage of Sunlight, he writes about topics and themes as diverse as urban infrastructure, prophecy, and dreams.
He’s toured across North America and Europe, and performed at The WOMAD Festival of World Music, the National Gallery of Canada, New York’s Nuyorican Poets’ Cafe, and The International School of Brussels, among other festivals and venues.
His song, ‘Father, It’s Time’ appeared on the Juno Award-winning compilation album The Gathering.
Joseph’s poems have been published widely in journals, and his books include, A God Hangs Upside Down (Guernica Editions) and Freakin’ Palomino Blue (Mosaic Press), and the non-fiction Critics Who Know Jack: Urban Myths, Media and Rock and Roll (Guernica Editons).
Animated Duo Jeremy and Jazzy
Jeremy and Jazzy are favourites of the younger set, stars of the CBC show of the same name. They’ll be performing live at the festival on the CBC Kids Stage.
There are two real-life musicians behind the cartoon characters you see on screen: singer-songwriter Jeremy Fisher and artist Aiza Ntibarikure. Their music is a large part of the show’s success. The live show will feature Jeremy Fisher along with Nadia Casandra as the live Jazzy.
Jeremy Fisher voices the character of Jeremy. Fisher is a three-time JUNO Award nominee, and along with working as a writer and composer, he’s co-creator and producer of the show. He’s been a professional musician since 2001, and has toured through North America and Japan. As a performer, he’s shared the stage with artists such as Alanis Morissette, Blue Rodeo, and Measha Brueggergosman, among others.
He began writing children’s music under the name Jeremy Fisher Junior after the birth of his daughter, starting with his debut children’s album, Highway to Spell. Jeremy ad Jazzy began to come to life in 2019 in a collaboration with Vérité Films and Hidden Pony Records.
Nadia Casandra will portray Jazzy for the live show. A graduate of York University School of the Arts, with a B.F.A. in Media, Performance, and Design, Nadia can be heard as a guest voice on “Let’s Go Luna!” and can be seen on television in series including “Ruby and the Well” and “Creeped Out.” She has been performing as the live version of Jazzy since 2023.
- Find out more about Word on the Street [HERE].
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