“Soul In The City" is a love letter to Edmonton, a city that has blossomed into a mosaic of cultures, rooted and grounded in the rich history of the African diaspora. Evolving from its early days as an opportunity for Black settlers in the 1920s, Edmonton now proudly stands as one of Western Canada's most populous city for Black inhabitants.
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Join us on February 1, 2025, with the phenomenal Melafrique as our house band and other amazing local performers when we reveal just what we mean when we say, " Soul In The City". For the second year in a row, 5 Artists 1 Love will be featuring the phenomenal 'Melafrique' as our house band, in addition to a number of talented local performers and musicians!
Quincy Pipella
Choreographer
Edmonton-born Quincy Pipella began dancing at age 4, training in various styles, but her passion for Hip Hop blossomed in 2008 after earning a scholarship to train in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. She has since won numerous awards, performed with multiple crews, and competed internationally, including placing 9th at Hip Hop Internationals with NXG Company in 2014 and winning 1st place at World of Dance LA in 2015. Quincy has danced in Macklemore’s “Dance Off” music video and participated in prestigious conventions like Build A Beast, earning a full scholarship. As a dedicated Hip Hop instructor since high school, she teaches over 200 students at several dance schools and has led classes to win top awards at major competitions. Quincy is deeply passionate about both dancing and teaching, believing it to be her lifelong calling.
Ahmed Knowmadic
Poet
Award winning poet Ahmed ‘Knowmadic’ is a Somali-born Canadian poet, writer, actor, comedian, speaker and youth worker. In 2011, Ahmed became the first Somali spoken word champion at the
Canadian Festival of Spoken Word.
In 2012, Ahmed was given the RISE award for arts and culture. In
2013, he was Artist in Residence at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute and was a finalist in
becoming the Poet Laureate for Edmonton, Alberta.
Medgine
Poet
Haitian-born spoken word artist and patient advocate, Medgine is a person for whom the love of language and the alchemy of words is second nature. Her multi-lingual upbringing (French, Creole, English) not only prompted her to begin experimenting with the potential and magic of language but naturally compelled her into a deep love of poetry. Over the years, Medgine became a Lupus, CIDP, Polymyositis, and Raynaud’s warrior, all of which fuels her desire to merge storytelling and her power of language into patient advocacy, especially for those living with chronic illness. Medgine currently serves as a Patient Advisor and working on her first collection of poetry.
Shennelle Edwards
Vocalist
A multi-faceted artist, Shennelle is a performing artist, singer and music composer, a music educator, director, commercial music producer and artist development consultant.
Nigel Williams
Vocalist
Some may say Nigel Williams was born to make people laugh and sing. Singing all through childhood from choir to choir he developed an ear for sound. He has played the piano for over 23 yrs. It is from this experience that he has tuned his voice and learned to train his ear for the sounds of soul. He has also been an Emcee for many events all over the world including Canada, The U.S.A., all over The Caribbean, and Europe. Currently he is part founder of Melanistic Magazine and hosts The Black Multiverse Theory Podcast.
Timothy Noel
Vocalist
Edmonton based singer-songwriter and producer, Timothy immerses you in a genuine, heart-felt yet exciting musical experience. His love for all people shows in the way he connects with audiences. Powerful vocals and his infectious energy backed by some of the best musicians in Edmonton, showgoers are fearlessly taken on a journey.
Riwo Egor
Vocalist
Riwo Egor, a singer/songwriter, vocal composer, and arranger originally from Nigeria, now calls Edmonton Alberta, Canada home. She holds a firm belief in the transformative power of music, seeing it as a balm for wounds and a catalyst for unity amidst the complexities of our world. Riwo's musical repertoire is diverse, spanning across various genres, yet she encapsulates her sound with the term "Fusion." Her particular passion lies in crafting and performing Afro-jazz, Neo-Soul, and R&B, channels through which she expresses her artistic voice.
New Seasons Of Praise
Choir
New Season of Praise is a contemporary gospel group that is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Started in the early 2000s and led by Colin Forde, this group has been sought after for its trademark dominant vocals. While the group’s roots are in urban music, it now incorporates less urban song selections following trends in American gospel. They have sung in various venues across the province, having shared the stage with Israel Houghton and Ron Kenoly
Peter Filice
Horn Section- Trombone
Peter Filice is a young trombonist in the Edmonton music scene. He began studying piano at age 5 and trombone at age 12. At 14, he joined the Littlebirds All-Star Jazz Big Band and Combo, playing in it for 5 years, 3 of them as first chair of his section. During this time, he was fortunate enough to receive instruction from artists and clinicians such as Jens Lindemann, Christian Scott, Jane Bunnett, John Hollenbeck, Matt Harris, Tommy Banks, Al Muirhead, and Allen Jacobsen.
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Having graduated from Victoria School of the Performing Arts, he now studies at MacEwan University, pursuing a degree in Jazz and Contemporary Music. He has played alongside a variety of acts in and around Edmonton including MacEwan’s Big Band 1, as well as playing with, recording, and writing for his own jazz-funk band, “The MPC.”
Dr. Nikhil Kembhavi
Horn Section - Tenor Sax
John Dymainew
Horn Section- Trumpet
Darla Daniels
Fiddle
Recognized for her dynamic style, passionate compositions, and vivacious stage presence, Darla Daniels is a Métis Fiddler, singer-songwriter, actress, and championship Red River Jigger. From Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement, Darla is celebrating 20 years of sharing her love for Traditional Métis Fiddle music while cultivating a new, vibrant style of her own. She can be found kicking up dust with Edmonton-based Country band, Justin Sutton & North of 49, or performing in the 2024 season of the globally-renowned Stratford Festival in their bold, world premiere of The Diviners, bringing Indigenous narratives to the forefront. She has performed on the stages of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, Newport Celtic Rock Festival and the one-and-only Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but today, she is here with you.
Enelson Debe
Horn Section - Trumpet
Raphael Ezeano
Horn Section - Alto Sax
Melafrique
Musical Band
Melafrique is an Afro-fusion band formed in Edmonton, Canada in 2016. The name Melafrique is a condensed form of the term "Melanin from Africa". We play a variety of genres: Jazz, R&B, Reggae, Neo-soul; in combination with different African styles of music. Melafrique hopes to inspire the world with good music, and through music, we express our identities as African people, Caribbean people and musicians. The band includes members from Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Angola, Jamaica, and Canada.
Saint & The Full 100 Band
Musical Band
After leaving England at 20 and settling in Edmonton, Saint built his musical career, sharing stages with reggae legends like Maxi Priest, Third World, and The Wailers. As a member of the band REALITY in the late 1980s, he supported icons such as Buju Banton and Tinga Stewart. Saint later joined Edmonton’s celebrated reggae band Souljah Fyah, performing with them until 2016 and contributing to their accolades, including two Western Canadian Music Awards, three Toronto Reggae Awards, and a Juno nomination. Now leading the 100 Band, Saint continues to deliver dynamic performances that celebrate reggae's vibrant spirit.
Burman University Choir
Choir
Cameron Browne
Keyboardist
Cameron Browne is a talented keyboardist and producer; a veteran of the local music scene in Edmonton.
Jameela McNeil
Performer
Kija
Musician
South Sudanese multidisciplinary artist and musician born and raised in Amiskwaciwâskahikan. Blending soulful vocals and honest storytelling, her genre-bending work aims to make both herself and others feel, know, and be known.
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Genieve Simpson-Hind
Instrumentalist
Genieve Simpson-Hind has been playing instruments from the age of 3 years old. After a certain amount of time watching her big brother Barrington Simpson play, she sat at the piano and just started playing and her mother could sing the song she was playing to. Admiring her eldest brother, the late, Wayne Simpson as he showed his skill on the drums, she took to the love of the drums at age 5 and hasn't stopped playing since. Her talent has opened many doors to play/sing with so many other talented and blessed people. She loves God, her family and loves to be around positive people.
Jesse Lipscombe
Performer
Jesse, an Alberta native, is a multifaceted actor, former athlete, activist, and entrepreneur. He began his acting career at 14, starring alongside Sidney Poitier in Children of the Dust, but paused his career at 18 to accept a track scholarship at Morehouse College in Atlanta. He co-founded the #MakeItAwkward campaign in 2016 to combat racism, misogyny, and hatred, working with organizations to promote inclusivity. He has received numerous accolades, including the 2017 Obsidian Award for Top Business Leader in Western Canada and Diversity Magazine’s Community Man of the Year.