About Cat
Cat Bernardi is a jazz vocalist, composer, band leader and arranger. She performs a wide array of jazz standards from the American song book, as well as her own original music.
Vocalist. Composer. Arranger. Band Leader.
Cat Bernardi's love of music began when she was just a young girl, listening to Natalie Cole's "Unforgettable" album while cruising on long car rides with her father. It was not long before other jazz icons like Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Holly Cole and Billy Holiday coerced her into singing jazz music herself.
Cat Bernardi studied Jazz Vocal Music at both York University and Humber College, where she had the opportunity to train under accomplished musicians such as Jane Fair, Maria Farinha, Sacha Williamson and Michael Donovan. Through Toronto Jazz Workshops, she has also had the opportunity to train with jazz legend Barry Harris.
It was not long before she began composing her own music, arranging her favourite standards and playing with several ensembles around the city including the Toronto Jazz Chorus, York University Jazz Choir, and her own group--the Cat Bernardi Quartet.
Cat Bernardi has performed at many of Toronto's most popular Jazz venues such as the Jazz Bistro, Chalker's Bistro and Gate 403, to name a few. She has also performed in many esteemed festivals such as the Downtown Oakville Jazz Festival, Scarborough Town Jazz Festival, Hamilton's Steel City Jazz Festival and Toronto's Canadian Music Week. Last summer (2019), she was the TD Jazz Hotspot feature for the Markham Music Festival. She has performed in numerous musicals, working with acclaimed directors in roles such as Mae (Reefer Madness), Penelope Pennywise (Urinetown) and Ruth (Pirates of Penzance).
It is Cat's original music and distinct style that have had her invited onto Rogers TV twice to perform her original songs, and to be nominated as Best Established Vocalist in the prestigious 2023 MARTY awards and Best New Artist in the 2019 Mississauga Music Awards. Cat has also had her music featured on Jazz FM 91.1 and on several podcasts.
Cat has also begun a new venture, composing music for Musical Theatre. She debuted her first musical "And Then She Did" at the 2018 Toronto Fringe Festival, which received a glowing NNNN review in NOW Toronto Magazine. She is continues to collaborate on composition endeavours throughout the GTA.
Cat released her debut EP "Minor Ballad/Major Romance" to great acclaim in June 2014, which was featured on Jazz FM 91.1's Reel Jazz. In 2020, Cat self-produced and recorded her MAC Micro-Grant funded EP entitled "Let’s Get Cozy." The title track earned her features in Tinnitist magazine, Canadian Beats Magazine, and a top 5 pick in the weekly Canadian Beats throwdown. Listen to "Let's Get Cozy" here: www.lnk.to/LetsGetCozy.
Most recently, Cat was awarded a grant from the City of Mississauga's Culture Sector, with which she produced and performed in 'Volare:' a show honouring Italian Heritage Month through music. Cat released a new single during Italian Heritage Month 2023, Mona Lisa, supported by a MAC Microgrant award. The song is her original Italian translation of the Jazz classic. Listen to it here: lnk.to/Mona.Lisa
To hear Cat perform live, stay up to date with her Instagram page or check the Shows page for announcements.