Turkwaz is Sophia Grigoriadis, Jayne Brown, Maryem Tollar and Brenna MacCrimmon, four vocalists who individually have contributed widely to the Toronto world music scene and beyond. Their work together focuses on interpretations of songs primarily from Greek, Turkish, Arabic and Balkan traditions with forays into other genres when the inspiration moves them. With gentle accompaniment provided by qanun, tambura, ukulele and various forms of hand percussion, the songs and the voices remain front and centre. Their debut album “Nazar” was nominated for a 2017 Juno, two CFMAs and made the Top of the World list in Songlines magazine in April 2018.
They have performed at the National Arts Centre and Chamberfest in Ottawa, Calgary Folk Festival, Open Ears Festival (Kitchener), Silence (Guelph), Mill Race Festival (Cambridge), Shelter Valley Folk Festival (Grafton), Summerfolk (Owen Sound), Cultura (North York), Luminato (Toronto), as well as at numerous venues in and around Toronto including the Small World Centre, The Burdock, COC Bradshaw Amphitheatre and the Aga Khan Museum.