Festival Details

An NCPA Presentation

28th March: Shakura S’Aida
29th March: Sugaray Rayford

After three tremendously well-received concerts in 2025 that had the audience on their feet, the NCPA Soulful Blues is evolving into a festival that blends soulful melodies with raw emotion.

Shakura S’Aida, a Canadian blues vocalist, songwriter and actress, will perform on day one of the NCPA Soulful Blues festival. Having won the Maple Blues Awards under multiple categories, she was also the recipient of the Maple Blues Award – Blues with a Feeling Award (Lifetime Achievement Award) in 2021. With several other accolades under her belt, she is known for her expression of authenticity, truth and love and fosters a connection through heartfelt storytelling, giving audiences a lot to talk and dance about. Before pursuing her solo career and releasing several albums, S’Aida performed with jazz icons such as Jimmy Smith and Ruth Brown. She has been contributing to Toronto’s music community for over 40 years as a singer/songwriter, bandleader, frontwoman, playwright and producer, creating opportunities for both audiences and music creators.

Grammy-nominated American soul blues singer and songwriter Sugaray Rayford will bring his groove on the second day of the festival. A recipient of the Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year in 2019 and 2020, and the B. B. King Entertainer of the Year in 2020, Rayford is known for a sound that combines classic soul melodies and funky R&B grooves with raw blues power to create a celebratory experience for the audience—passionate, communal and uplifting. Having started performing at the tender age of seven, Rayford says he was “raised on gospel and soul”, an influence that he has continued to build on. He has several albums to his credit.

With a stellar line-up each year, the NCPA Soulful Blues is a festival that is not to be missed.

Box Office: 9th December for Members & 12th December for Public.