The Bongogirl Band performs in a variety of band size formats, from Trio to 10 piece.

The Trio is the most popular choice for many engagements and budgets since it includes male and female lead vocals and a full band sound comparable to a five or six piece band.

All three musicians are dynamic front stage performers and all three play instruments as well as perform dynamite vocals.

While the huge sound of the trio will accommodate large events of up to 800 guests, and outdoor concerts numbering in the thousands, the trio size is also perfect for smaller events where there may be size, volume or budget concerns.

The Incredible Trio combines
the talents of:

Bongogirl

aka Heather Arden

Vocals, Percussion and DJ

Bongogirl began her musical career at the age of 14 with regular performances on CBC TV in Montreal. She has a five octave vocal range and sings in a dizzying array of styles and genres. She sweeps from sultry jazz, to crystal clear opera and celtic, then puts on her powerhouse vocals for rock and dance music. Heather is also a dynamic percussionist – playing congas, bongos and latin percussion, to give The Bongogirl Band a driving, energetic and unique sound.

Heather is also DJ Bongogirl – mixing and pumping the beat when the DJ system is in session.BongoGirl is a member of SOCAN, the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada.

She is a member of The American Federation of Musicians of The United States and Canada. BongoGirl has dual Canadian and American Citizenship, allowing her to work freely in both countries.

André Roy

7-string Guitar, Vocals, Arrangements

Originally from Montréal, André was performing and touring with Quebec recording artists while still in his teens. He then attended Vanier College and McGill University, and became a fixture in the Montréal Jazz scene.He was awarded a prestigious Canada Council grant to further his music study, which sent him to the world-renowned Berklee College Of Music in Boston. Now based in Toronto, André is one of Canada’s few 7-string guitarists – and a crooning, grooving, rocking versatile vocalist.As the musical arranger for the band, André’s committment and dedication to every form of music has given the band a sound that will inspire the music aficionados, create the perfect ambiance, get the ballroom dancers on their feet, and totally rock the house.

John Pagnotta

Flute, Tenor & Soprano Saxophone, Percussion – Vocals

John holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from York University, specializing in Jazz studies, along with a Bachelor of Education from the University of Windsor. He is currently on faculty at the Claude Watson school of Performing Arts where he teaches Jazz Band, running class ensembles of 18 to 24 pieces. The Jazz Report credited the school’s program as “Top Jazz program in Canada”.John’s outstanding musical talent adds immeasurably to The Royz Band ; whether as the third member of the trio, or within the horn section with the larger band. His depth of musicality is truly amazing to watch as he switches from sax to flute to percussion to vocals, bringing passion and musical energy to every song he performs. John also speaks and sings Italian fluently.Born and raised in Toronto, John has worked professionally as a studio session player and has toured and performed with numerous bands and musicians in North America.

The Larger Band

For engagements where the look and sound of a larger band is desirable and a larger budget is available, the Incredible Trio expands to The Bongogirl Big Band.  Extra musicians and/or crew are added – from quartet to ten piece band.