Canadian fusion giants Manteca have been a staple of Toronto's jazz scene since the band was founded in 1979 by percussionist Matt Zimbel, bassist Henry Heillig, keyboardist Aaron Davis and saxophonist John Johnson. Originally a Latin ensemble, the group blossomed into a fusion-based outfit, aided by a preference for synths and jazz improvisations. With a rapidly growing fan-base, the group released its first album Fusion in 1981, and was crowned "Instrumental Artist of the Year" by the Canadian Juno Awards in 1989. After a series of successful albums, the nine-piece orchestra took a ten-year hiatus in 1998, only to reunite again in 2007 with the release of Onward! Fun Fun - A Night in Montreal came out in 2008