The Best In Canadian Blues! CNE BANDSHELL BLUES FESTIVAL CNE Bandshell (CNE Grounds directly south of the Dufferin gates) Sat. Aug. 21st http://www.theex.com/concerts-events/concerts
WHAT: CNE Bandshell Blues Festival – A Celebration Of The Best In Canadian Blues FREE WITH PARK ADMISSION WHEN: Saturday August 21st 11:00 am – 5:30 pm WHERE: CNE Bandshell (CNE Grounds directly south of the Dufferin gates) Plenty of parking Easily accessible by car and public transit Visit www.theex.com and click on “Plan Your Visit / Getting Here” for details WHY: The best in Canadian Blues talent:
IT’S FREE WITH ADMISSION TO THE PARK
22nd Annual Beaches International Jazz Festival July 16-25, 2010 The 22nd Annual Beaches International Jazz Festival Was A Huge Success! Beaches Jazz, (July 16th – 25th), thrilled the usual thousands of attendees with good vibes and great music provided by over 100 performers at Woodbine Park, StreetFest, Latin Square on the Boardwalk, and the Main Stage at Kew Gardens. This year’s assortment of artists and respective musical styles made the Festival one for the ages. With so many great artists it’s a disservice, and perhaps pointless, to highlight a particular artist’s performance. But it always comes down to personal preference and I’m sure that everyone who attended has their own favourites so I’m going to weigh in with the select number of acts that made a distinct impression on me. And they are: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue (Sat. July 17th, Woodbine Park Main Stage) – we may have seen the future of R&B and his name is Trombone Shorty. I’m not talking about the saccharine Pop stuff that’s passed off as R&B these days; I’m talking about shades of James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and The Isley Brothers. Troy Andrews has it all, and he’s only 24! Warren Hill (Sat. July 24th, Kew Gardens Main Stage) – he may have started as a Smooth Jazz artist but now Hill and his outstanding band offer Funk and R&B along with Jazz. Only a steady downpour limited his performance. Jane Bunnett’s Afro Cuban Blues Project (Sun. July 25th, Kew Gardens Main Stage) – a stirring performance of Blues, Jazz, Rap, and just about any genre that comes to mind delivered by a collection of, at times, 11 musicians. Included in the assortment of players were guitarist Madagascar Slim and Johnny Sansone on harp and accordion. Deanna Bogart Band (Sun. July 25th, Kew Gardens Main Stage) – an always satisfying set of mostly original material delivered by a warm and generous performer. Deanna, backed by her inventive band of Dan Leonard on guitar, Eric Scott on bass and vocals, and Mike Aubin on drums, dazzled the audience on piano and sax. Not counting last year’s rain shortened 3 song offering, this was Deanna’s 3rd appearance at Beaches Jazz, and first at Kew Gardens. Blackburn (Sat. July 24th, Kew Gardens Main Stage) – Soul is in short supply these days and Blackburn is a Soul band like no other. Augmented by Neil Braithwaite on sax and Joachim Nunez Hidalgo on percussion, the band had the Kew Gardens faithful up and shakin’ it from the moment they hit the stage. Jay Douglas & The All-Stars featuring Rusty (Fri. July 16th, Woodbine Park Main Stage) – a twin bill of Reggae, Rock Steady, Lover’s Rock, and Soul. Rusty and Jay Douglas topped it all off with an encore duet on The Blues Busters’ “Behold”. A match surely made in heaven of two likeminded soulful artists whose union is sure to endure. Digging Roots (Fri. July 16th, Woodbine Park Main Stage) - 2010 Juno Award winners for “Aboriginal Album of the Year” for their release We Are, their show encompassed Reggae, Folk, Blues, and Hip Hop. The subject matter harkened back to a 60’s like focus of thought provoking views on the world around them. Sho-Shona Kish (vocals, percussion) and Raven Kanatakta (guitar), who are also the principal songwriters, simply commanded your attention. Rockit 88 Band (Sun. July 25th, Kew Gardens Main Stage) – Bill King always has a number of projects on the go and those projects are met with mixed results. The latest rendition of the re-occurring Rockit 88 Band venture might be the most appealing. A stripped down collective of King on keys backed by long time band mate Neil Chapman on guitar, plus bass, drums; and bolstered by Anne Lindsay on violin and Stacy Bulmer on vocals, referenced songs from the just released Sweet Sugar Cane to a receptive crowd. Here’s hoping that this version of Rockit 88 becomes King’s main interest. Alejandra Ribera (Sun. July 18th, Woodbine Park Main Stage) – an intimate set from the dramatic Ms. Ribera. She proved that her highly personal songs could transition well from a club setting to a big stage. I told her that, at times, she reminded me of Rickie Lee Jones. I hope she viewed the comment as a compliment. Dan Hill (Sat. July 24th, Kew Gardens Main Stage) – it was only after he got into his set of songs - performed solo, and collectively with the forever cool Joe Sealy on piano and Liz Rodrigues on vocals - that you realized what an outstanding songwriter as well as captivating singer Dan Hill really is.
Southside Shuffle Jazz & Blues Festival Sept. 10-12, 2010 Memorial Park Port Credit Don’t miss the following outstanding artists appearing on the South Stage on Saturday September 11th:
ERIN McCALLUM HAS JUST RELEASED HER NEW CD “COMMON GROUND” “One of the reasons why I play the Blues is because the music is threaded with something we all share – feelings. I may be telling MY story, but there’s a good chance it’s your story too. When you listen to the Blues, you very quickly realize that even the most different people really are on common ground” - Erin McCallum ERIN McCALLUM Common Ground (EM003CG) Produced by Erin McCallum It’s been only four short years since Erin McCallum released her fine first CD 5 a.m. Blues. If there’s a score card in play, the marked growth and progression of her latest offering, Common Ground, builds on the strengths of both this initial release as well as her second effort Feel This. The process through all three of her albums remains the same: McCallum writing, arranging, and producing strong material, and Erin’s powerful vocals taking centre stage. But the similarities end there. Common Ground finds the band playing as a unit larger than its individual parts while providing ample support for the urgency of McCallum’s vocals. Collectively, the band has found a groove, and Erin’s vocals are becoming identifiable as hers alone. Common Ground is the new point of reference as Erin and her band continue to define their sound. Listen to the CD; Erin just may be singing your song. Erin McCallum – vocals, harp, acoustic guitar (“In Your Dreams”) Ronald Lombard – bass Trevor Mackenzie – guitars Joe Pace – drums Plus special guest: Gregg Dechert – B-3, piano horns, & strings* Available through: Cd Baby http://cdbaby.com Erin McCallum website www.erinmccallum.com
Track Listing: 1. Right Down The Middle* 2:44 2. In Your Dreams 2:58 3. Miss Informed* 3:36 4. Lost My Found* 3:23 5. I Say Hallelujah 2:46 6. I Wanna Know* 3:56 7. Don’t Call Me Baby* 3:07 8. It Happens 2:47 9. Touched Me In My Soul* 3:51 10. When It’s Over* (Bonus Track) 2:29 All selections written and arranged by Erin McCallum
Suggested Air Play Selections: 1. Track Four – Lost My Found Featuring a harp intro and horns on a feel good R&B number supported by an understated guitar break from Trevor McKenzie 2. Track Six – I Wanna Know Some nice changes as Erin asks her lover various questions on this ballad. The track builds and is complemented once again by a sympathetic solo by McKenzie 3. Track Seven – Don’t Call Me Baby A “don’t call me; I’ll call you” statement via a Cajun flavoured shuffle aided and abetted once again with a harp / horns combination.
ERIN McCALLUM BIG VOICE. BIG SOUND
Alexis P. Suter Band Waterfront Blues 2010 2010 WATERFRONT BLUES “With a voice as big as Woodbine Park and as deep as the lake next to it”, was The Toronto Sun’s Errol Nazareth’s apt summation of soulful singer Alexis P.Suter. And that voice, backed by one of the tightest bands in the business, was a fitting exclamation point as they brought the 2010 Waterfront Blues to a close. 2010 definitely saw Waterfront Blues soar to the next level. While the significantly increased attendance over the previous two years since the Festival moved from The Distillery was an obvious indicator of the new found success, it was the general vibe of the event that was noteworthy. That vibe can be attributed to the continued presentation of outstanding artists at Waterfront Blues and the establishment of Woodbine Park as a bonafide festival venue and destination location. For Waterfront Blues, the inaugural major event at Woodbine Park in 2008, both of these factors are intertwined. The audience is now familiar with the venue and is able to simply enjoy the music and the varied mix of exceptional Canadian and U.S. performers. Blues fans, many of whom made the transition from The Distillery Blues Festival to Waterfront Blues, were treated once again to full-on Blues at the only true Blues festival that Metro Toronto has to offer. At various times, those Blues had shadings of Soul, Funk, Boogie, Gospel, Rock, Americana, and various Roots forms, but it all circled back to the Blues. And those performances and the audience served to reinforce the quote “There’s little room for halfway when it comes to the Blues nor should there be. Those who play and those who love to listen to the Blues understand this essential truth.” Those in attendance don’t have to be reminded of the high caliber entertainment and the power of the Blues – they felt it. For them all that’s needed is to remember that they experienced the excitement at Waterfront Blues. Those who missed the event might want to take note of the artists who brought the music to life because they’re sure to be heard of again and often in the near future. Catch them live, watch them on youtube, find sound bites on available websites, call up the radio stations and ask to hear them, and buy their CD’s: L’il Ed & The Blues Imperials The Alexis P. Suter Band Fathead Paul Reddick James Armstrong Blackburn Moanin’ Michelle Malone Shawn Kellerman John Dickie & Steve Hunter / Two Men From Earth Erin McCallum "Meet me where they play the Blues" next year– Waterfront Blues at Woodbine Park June 3, 4, 5, 2011
Al Kirkcaldy September 29, 1953 - February 12, 2009
Al K’s All Day Blues Party A Musical Tribute To Al Kirkcaldy Market Hall, Peterborough Sun. Apr. 5, 2009
The musical celebration in honour of Al Kirkcaldy was an outstanding success! Al would have been proud.
The audience was treated to wall to wall music over the course of two 4 hour shows courtesy of a virtual who’s who of the Peterborough and Toronto Blues scenes plus special guest Darrell Nulisch. All generously donated their time and artistry to this momentous occasion. And, each show featured a special screening of a heartwarming DVD tribute to Al thoughtfully created by Mako Funasaka of talkin’ blues in addition to a variety of Blues related prizes.
As a final salute to Al’s memory, a total of $3,700 was generated for the Blues In The Schools program!
“Thanks Al … for your love of the Blues” |
