Aimee-Jo Benoit

Renowned for her distinctive vocal style, articulate diction, and expressive phrasing, Calgary vocalist Aimee-Jo Benoit is recognized for her unwavering commitment to featuring the works of Canadian songwriters in her repertoire. Her performances guide the audience along the path of her emotional roots with the music of Daniel Lanois, Joni Mitchell as well as Leslie Feist, Michael Feuerstack and others. Benoit takes a classic approach to standards as well as interpreting well- known contemporary songs into a new sound, paying homage to the long standing Jazz tradition of creating a new canon.

Continually honing her craft, Aimee-Jo has studied privately with Tamara Beatty, Leon Leontaridis, Cheryl Fisher, Vivian Martin & workshopped with Jay Clayton. Her discography includes four studio albums with Woodpigeon from 2008-2012, has lent her vocal talent to recordings by Summerlad and Aaron Booth in 2005 and 2008 respectively, as well as Hermitess' 2020 release, "The Tower.”

Independently released in June 2020, her debut album "BORJONER," a improvisation led collaboration with TRIO VELOCITY, marked a significant milestone in her musical journey. On April 12, 2024 her sophomore album HORNS OF HOPE will be released on boutique label Chronograph Records

In addition to being a performer, Aimee-Jo has earned a Master of Arts degree in the academic study of religion, with a particular emphasis on examining the correlation between improvisation in religious contexts and its application to the study of religion in academic research. Committed to her local jazz community she volunteers as Secretary of the Board for Buckingjam Music Foundation, as well as maintaining a blog under MOTHER/MUSIC/HOOD. Through this platform, she shares her personal experiences of motherhood, striving to construct a supportive community for fellow creatives navigating the complexities of balancing artistic pursuits with motherhood. She hopes that her vulnerability will help to empower women to realize their own second acts in the realm of creativity.

Awards

Nominated for ZACKARIAH AND THE PROPHETS MEMORIAL AWARD at the 2019 YYC Music Awards. Awarded a Project Grant from Calgary Arts Development in June 2019 Awarded an Artist Development Grant from FACTOR in Spring 2017

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