Toronto born guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer just grinding it out one day at a time. 

Originally one part Taylor Whittaker and one part Nickie Minshall, UKAE was technically born when the pair met in grade three. The two wee tots would get together over peanut butter and butter sandwiches and crank out various renditions of Stand By Me in their parents' basements. Even as youngsters they were a natural musical match, and although the ridiculously adorable elementary school duo did, unfortunately, fall apart, the group was reincarnated years later in August 2012. This time over beers, not sandwiches. 

UKAE is a Toronto-based indie band featuring Taylor's raspy and oh-so-manly voice working in tandem with Nickie's sweet and soulful sound. This combo coupled with Taylor's organic knack for catchy guitar riffs makes for some pretty awesome tunes that will stick in your head for days. Years, maybe.

In December 2012 UKAE added the talents of Nick McKinlay (drums) and Tim O'Reilly (bass). These additions gave UKAE the ability to kick way more ass onstage and handle much larger crowds. After a sold out show playing for the first time as a full band to more than 120 people in the crammed downstairs of The Central, it was quickly realized that the band wanted to get louder. In January of 2013, UKAE added lead guitarist Andrew Dawson just in time for another hit show, this time at Lee's Palace.

Acoustic beginnings have given way to crazy and energetic live performances with the full band. 

Well-versed in uncommon, tasty covers (think Pursuit of Happiness and Where Is My Mind) as well as a growing roster of heartfelt originals, UKAE's sound adds something new and different to Toronto's music scene. 

Their debut studio effort 'Morning Story' was released July 30th, 2014 and is now available for download on iTunes.

Tico Souza is a gifted multi-instrumentalist and producer, with a specialization in piano, composition and arrangement. Souza blends music rooted in his Brazilian heritage with jazz, classical and modern pop, resulting in a fresh sound influenced by a variety of genres and styles. After ten years of touring and performing in South America, he now resides in Canada where he continues to perform, compose and produce music.Born in 1988 in São Paulo, Brazil, Tico became interested in music as a child listening to his father’s records. By 14, he had saved enough money to buy his first instrument— a keyboard—and began to teach himself music. Within a year, Tico was performing with pop and rock bands around São Paulo. At 16, he received a scholarship to one of the best conservatories of music in Latin America, the Conservatório Souza Lima. By age 18, Tico was teaching at the conservatory and other schools, as well as playing in a multitude of bands at jazz pubs and theatres. His first album with São Paulo Ska Jazz soon followed, and he continued to grow as a musician, touring throughout Brazil and South America. At 21, Tico recorded his first solo album and finished his studies in Brazil. 

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