Birdlike

THERMO is a new & exciting jazz project co-led by jazz piano player, Mike Manny and jazz guitarist, Nathan Hiltz. The group was formed during the pandemic thanks to the low latency internet platform Syncspace. This allowed the group to develop, rehearse, and perform music by Freddie Hubbard, Art Blakey, and Oscar Peterson while 600km apart at the speed of fibre optic cable. The album features a set of swinging standards, hidden gems from the Blue Note era, and highlights two original songs. Recorded at Imagine Sound Studios in Toronto, it also includes bassist Neil Swainson and drummer Morgan Childs. Nathan Hiltz, originally from Antigonish NS, currently lives in Toronto and is in high-demand throughout the vibrant jazz scene, both as a guitarist and composer. He has studied with Canadian jazz icons Don Thompson, Alex Dean, and Rob McConnell. Being a skilled performer, Nathan has held residencies with various groups at The Rex Hotel, The Senator Restaurant, The Jazz Bistro, and in Toronto’s thriving theater district. In addition to his busy performance schedule, Nathan is a faculty member at Humber College (Toronto) where he teaches with The Faculty of Media & Creative Arts. Mike Manny, originally from Toronto ON, currently lives in Ottawa and is constantly called upon to perform in various musical settings throughout Southern Ontario. With his formal education at Humber College (Toronto), and the prestigious Manhattan School of Music (New York City), Mike studied with well-known luminaries in Toronto including Don Thompson, Brian Dickinson, and Pat LaBarbara, and in New York City including Gary Dial, Ted Rosenthal, and Manny Albram. Following his studies, Mike started a career as a musician with the Canadian Armed Forces where he proudly performed with various military bands throughout the world. Over the years in the Canadian Armed Forces, Mike was able to hold both musician and non-musician leadership positions and currently holds the rank of Master Warrant Officer. Now in a non-musician role with the Canadian Armed Forces, Mike is able to focus on freelance work within the jazz community performing both as a solo artist and with diverse jazz groups in the area.