Anya M. Wassenberg's Blog: Art & Culture Maven, page 111
June 17, 2015
VP Records 35th Anniversary Show: Maxi Priest, Gyptian, Bunji Garlin, Fay Ann Lyons, Massive B June 27 2015 in NYC
From a media release:
VP Records 35th Anniversary Show:
Maxi Priest
Gyptian
Bunji Garlin
Fay Ann Lyons
Massive B
Central Park, MN - SummerStage
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Doors at 2pm
FREE
NEW YORK CITY - Reggae lovers, this is a night for you, featuring Maxi Priest, the legend of British reggae, along with a full roster of international reggae and soca stars.
Maxi Priest
With over 15 million albums sold worldwide, multiple Grammy nominations and Top 10 Billboard hits (including the No. 1 smash "Close To You") - the most successful solo act in British reggae history, Maxi Priest, continues to hit the road throughout 2015 in support of his first studio album in almost a decade, Easy To Love (VP Records). Easy To Love is a fine representation of pop, reggae and R&B blended together in one set. The title track was a No. 1 hit on reggae charts last summer, evidence that Maxi Priest has a gift for staying fresh. "Hearts Across The World" is a song for our times and pleas for people of all races to love one another. The soulful "Without A Woman" features Jamaican legend Beres Hammond and even echoes the themes and intensity of James Brown's "It's A Man's Man's Man's World." Maxi continues to tug on women's heartstrings with irresistible tributes of enduring affection on "Loving You Is Easy," "Holiday" and his rendition of John Mayer's "Gravity."
Gyptian
Jamaican reggae singer Gyptian (pictured below) broke into the reggae scene in 2005 with his string of hits like "Serious Times," "Beautiful Lady," and "Mama, Don't Cry." He hit international stardom in 2010 with his critically-acclaimed album Hold You and its RIAA certified Gold title track, which featured a Nicki Minaj remix, and earned him a 2010 MOBO and Soul Train award. He is currently gearing up for a new EP Nothing To Lose. His latest fourth studio album Sex, Love and Reggae, which peaked at #1 on the Billboard Reggae Album chart, is a marked departure from his previous releases and unveils another layer of his artistry. The musically diverse set takes the listener from dancehall to soca to global pop and R&B sounds and features an eclectic mix of production from Jamaica - including Shane C. Brown. Justus Arison and Stanley "Rellee" Hayden, Russian and Linton "TJ" White - and is co-executive produced by Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis (Miguel, Mary J. Blige, Lupe Fiasco, the Fugees).
Bunji Garlin
Born Ian Alvarez, the Trinidadian ragga soca star Bunji Garlin is known for blending of soca with dancehall. Hailed recently by Rolling Stone as "America's first soca star," Garlin has clearly taken his native country's genre to new heights. His single "Differentology (Ready For The Road)," which was remixed by Major Lazer & Busta Rhymes, was a massive hit in North America more than a year after its release in the Caribbean. In 2013, the single received a Soul Train Award win, was featured on ABC's Grey's Anatomy, won NYC's Hot 97 FM's Battle of The Beats competition and was chosen by NPR as one of the year's favorite anthems as well as MTV Iggy's Song of the Year. Garlin introduced soca to more mainstream music circuits by performing at last year's SXSW, CMJ Music Festival, FADER Fort, Mad Decent Boat Party and alongside Jillionaire and Major Lazer during their 2014 tour stint. That same year, he made his national TV debut on BET's 106 & Park to perform "Differentology" and returned for their Carnival takeover episode with Fay Ann Lyons and A$AP Ferg for their "Truck On D Road" remix. In his native country, he has won multiple Carnival competitions - including the "Ragga Soca Monarch" title, the Young King title and the coveted International Soca Monarch. He has released eight albums independently and three additional albums on VP Records - Revelation (2002), Global (2007) and Differentology (2014) - the latter being a joint venture with RCA Records.
Fay Ann Lyons
Fay Ann Lyons is already a superstar in her native country of Trinidad and across the Caribbean. During Trinidad & Tobago's Carnival season's annual competitions, Lyons has set the record as the only female artist to score the Carnival Road March title three times, taking the crown in 2003, 2008 and 2009. In 2009, she also won International Soca Monarch in Groovy, People's Choice and Power category and is the first soca artist ever to win that soca "triplet" of titles. In addition to these feats, she has taken home 17 awards between the COTT (Copyright Organization of Trinidad and Tobago), NACC (National Action Cultural Committee Trinidad and Tobago) and SAO (Soca Awards Organization). The Point Fortin native has soca in her DNA. Her father Superblue, a soca legend who has won the Carnival Road March title nine times and Trinidad Soca Monarch competition seven times, was instrumental in honing Lyons' skills as a songwriter and performer. She became a front-liner for the band Invazion led by Naya George and today is an official member of the Asylum band (previously known as "Censation"), founded by her husband and soca royalty Bunji Garlin. Lyons continues to tour worldwide and is recording her first solo full-length album on VP Records.
Massive B
Massive B was formed over 10 years ago with DJ Bobby Konders' vision of starting his own sound system. At its start, the voice behind Massive B was none other than Jabba. There have been many additions to Massive B as it continues to grow. New members include Big Dawg, Chudney Shotta, D-Life and X-Man, among others. Massive B has toured all over the globe, playing major festivals and dances, and representing NYC along the way. Locally, Massive B is a Brooklyn staple, performing annually at the borough's West Indian Day Parade and weekly at the Buzz Nightclub for Fire Sundays, where they spin the hottest reggae, dancehall, hip hop, R&B, and soca music. Bobby and Jabba can also be heard on-air every weekend on Hot 97 FM.
VP Records 35th Anniversary Show:
Maxi Priest
Gyptian
Bunji Garlin
Fay Ann Lyons
Massive B
Central Park, MN - SummerStage
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Doors at 2pm
FREE
NEW YORK CITY - Reggae lovers, this is a night for you, featuring Maxi Priest, the legend of British reggae, along with a full roster of international reggae and soca stars.
Maxi Priest
With over 15 million albums sold worldwide, multiple Grammy nominations and Top 10 Billboard hits (including the No. 1 smash "Close To You") - the most successful solo act in British reggae history, Maxi Priest, continues to hit the road throughout 2015 in support of his first studio album in almost a decade, Easy To Love (VP Records). Easy To Love is a fine representation of pop, reggae and R&B blended together in one set. The title track was a No. 1 hit on reggae charts last summer, evidence that Maxi Priest has a gift for staying fresh. "Hearts Across The World" is a song for our times and pleas for people of all races to love one another. The soulful "Without A Woman" features Jamaican legend Beres Hammond and even echoes the themes and intensity of James Brown's "It's A Man's Man's Man's World." Maxi continues to tug on women's heartstrings with irresistible tributes of enduring affection on "Loving You Is Easy," "Holiday" and his rendition of John Mayer's "Gravity."Gyptian
Jamaican reggae singer Gyptian (pictured below) broke into the reggae scene in 2005 with his string of hits like "Serious Times," "Beautiful Lady," and "Mama, Don't Cry." He hit international stardom in 2010 with his critically-acclaimed album Hold You and its RIAA certified Gold title track, which featured a Nicki Minaj remix, and earned him a 2010 MOBO and Soul Train award. He is currently gearing up for a new EP Nothing To Lose. His latest fourth studio album Sex, Love and Reggae, which peaked at #1 on the Billboard Reggae Album chart, is a marked departure from his previous releases and unveils another layer of his artistry. The musically diverse set takes the listener from dancehall to soca to global pop and R&B sounds and features an eclectic mix of production from Jamaica - including Shane C. Brown. Justus Arison and Stanley "Rellee" Hayden, Russian and Linton "TJ" White - and is co-executive produced by Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis (Miguel, Mary J. Blige, Lupe Fiasco, the Fugees).
Bunji Garlin
Born Ian Alvarez, the Trinidadian ragga soca star Bunji Garlin is known for blending of soca with dancehall. Hailed recently by Rolling Stone as "America's first soca star," Garlin has clearly taken his native country's genre to new heights. His single "Differentology (Ready For The Road)," which was remixed by Major Lazer & Busta Rhymes, was a massive hit in North America more than a year after its release in the Caribbean. In 2013, the single received a Soul Train Award win, was featured on ABC's Grey's Anatomy, won NYC's Hot 97 FM's Battle of The Beats competition and was chosen by NPR as one of the year's favorite anthems as well as MTV Iggy's Song of the Year. Garlin introduced soca to more mainstream music circuits by performing at last year's SXSW, CMJ Music Festival, FADER Fort, Mad Decent Boat Party and alongside Jillionaire and Major Lazer during their 2014 tour stint. That same year, he made his national TV debut on BET's 106 & Park to perform "Differentology" and returned for their Carnival takeover episode with Fay Ann Lyons and A$AP Ferg for their "Truck On D Road" remix. In his native country, he has won multiple Carnival competitions - including the "Ragga Soca Monarch" title, the Young King title and the coveted International Soca Monarch. He has released eight albums independently and three additional albums on VP Records - Revelation (2002), Global (2007) and Differentology (2014) - the latter being a joint venture with RCA Records.
Fay Ann LyonsFay Ann Lyons is already a superstar in her native country of Trinidad and across the Caribbean. During Trinidad & Tobago's Carnival season's annual competitions, Lyons has set the record as the only female artist to score the Carnival Road March title three times, taking the crown in 2003, 2008 and 2009. In 2009, she also won International Soca Monarch in Groovy, People's Choice and Power category and is the first soca artist ever to win that soca "triplet" of titles. In addition to these feats, she has taken home 17 awards between the COTT (Copyright Organization of Trinidad and Tobago), NACC (National Action Cultural Committee Trinidad and Tobago) and SAO (Soca Awards Organization). The Point Fortin native has soca in her DNA. Her father Superblue, a soca legend who has won the Carnival Road March title nine times and Trinidad Soca Monarch competition seven times, was instrumental in honing Lyons' skills as a songwriter and performer. She became a front-liner for the band Invazion led by Naya George and today is an official member of the Asylum band (previously known as "Censation"), founded by her husband and soca royalty Bunji Garlin. Lyons continues to tour worldwide and is recording her first solo full-length album on VP Records.
Massive B
Massive B was formed over 10 years ago with DJ Bobby Konders' vision of starting his own sound system. At its start, the voice behind Massive B was none other than Jabba. There have been many additions to Massive B as it continues to grow. New members include Big Dawg, Chudney Shotta, D-Life and X-Man, among others. Massive B has toured all over the globe, playing major festivals and dances, and representing NYC along the way. Locally, Massive B is a Brooklyn staple, performing annually at the borough's West Indian Day Parade and weekly at the Buzz Nightclub for Fire Sundays, where they spin the hottest reggae, dancehall, hip hop, R&B, and soca music. Bobby and Jabba can also be heard on-air every weekend on Hot 97 FM.
June 16, 2015
Patricia Vonne Announces New Spanish-Language Album Viva Bandolera (June 23, 2015 - Bandolera Records)
From a media release:
Patricia Vonne Announces New Album Viva Bandolera (June 23, 2015 - Bandolera Records)
The Austin, TX Based Singer's 6th Album Features All Spanish Language Songs
• Pre-order/buy the CD
• Check Tour Dates
San Antonio, Texas has always been the musical and cultural crossroads of the Lone Star State, fusing the state’s modern Anglo-centric history with its centuries-old Latino past. Patricia Vonne is a product of this cultural menudo, growing up with the diverse blend of music in a family of ten wildly creative children- including her older brother, film director Robert Rodriquez. Through five albums, Vonne has found her own sound, harvesting a hybrid mix that has been interpreted as Texas border rock. Her latest album, titled Viva Bandolera, is a compilation of Spanish songs collected from her five previous albums that explore her experience as a Tejana. Out June 23rd on Bandolera Records, the album consists of 17 tracks including revised versions of “Severina” and the title track “Viva Bandolera.”
Growing up in the historic Monte Vista section of San Antonio, Vonne and her siblings were encouraged to forge their own creative paths. Her father, a native from Rio Grande Valley, came to San Antonio on a music scholarship and her mother, of Spanish descent, played guitar and sang Old World folksongs for her kids. The memories of Vonne’s mother giving her and her siblings exposure to these historical songs and styles has stuck with her throughout her life, and she expertly melds this influence with her own affection for rock ‘n’ roll. She counts Forth Worth rocker Johnny Reno and his band, the Sax Maniacs, as her first exposure to the decidedly American genre.
“Growing up as a Tejana, I listened to the diverse music of San Antonio—country, rock, jazz, pop, conjunto and Tejano styles,” she recalled. “When I started writing my own music, which is also a hybrid mix of sound and flavors, I felt a need to preserve and honor the rich cultural heritage of my upbringing.”
In 2001, Vonne relocated back to Texas from her temporary home of New York, settled in Austin and quickly became a standout attraction in a city of earnest singer-songwriters, indie upstarts and quirky iconoclasts. Vonne’s bilingual lyrics, flamenco dance moves and stage prowess left an undeniable impression on the Austin music fans and solidified her role in the live music scene. Vonne has garnered various accolades from the local music community, such as the Best Female Vocalist title at the Austin Music Awards in 2014. She also took an award home from the same ceremony that praised her dexterity with her signature instrument, the castanets. The statuesque singer has also collaborated with numerous Texas musical heavyweights such as Charlie Sexton, Rosie Flores, Flaco Jimenez, Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely and Doyle Bramhall. The Austin Chronicle has many times over praised Vonne’s musical output and notes that “The caliente combination of Latino rhythm and American rock & roll has been well explored by everyone from Doug Sahm to the Cruzados, yet Patricia Vonne’s…is more stylized, a feminine, sensual rendering. Romance and rock & roll rarely sound so good.”
Viva Bandolera represents both a labor of love and a completion. Sung entirely in Spanish, it is a summation in sorts of the distance Vonne has traveled on her singular path. Weaved throughout the tracks are several connoisseurs of the genre including Alex Ruiz, Tito Larriva, Michael Ramos, Rick del Castillo, Joe Reyes, and her brother.
“This album is special to me because I wanted it to capture my Latina heritage on one disk,” Vonne says. “It’s a big part of my identity and I feel I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. With this album I feel I’ve come full circle as an artist.”
The name of the album and her label, Bandolera Records, are allusions to the “independent spirit of women, and directly translates to “female bandit.” She says that at times she feels like an outlaw herself as a truly independent artist, and the role seems to suit her. After jumping through hoops to release her debut album through a label and having the deal fall through, Vonne formed her label and has released all of her records through the imprint to date. Her bandit mentality present in her music and operations made her the perfect fit as Dallas (aka the Zorro Girl) in 2014’s Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, which also found her trading in her guitar and castanets (also the name of her 2005 release) for much deadlier weapons.
Vonne’s rich and extensive family history is a common thread throughout the album. La Gitana de Triana (The Gypsy of Triana) tells the story of Vonne’s sister who decided to run away and become a gypsy dancer while in the old gypsy quarter of Triana. The song captures that passion for flamenco and the haunting magic of the city. One of the final album tracks, Severina, was co-written with her brother in memory of the pair’s grandmother, Severina Rodriguez. The song pays tribute to the beloved woman and the indelible mark she left on her grandchildren.
One of the standout tracks amongst the 17 is Traeme Paz. As heard in the Robert Rodriguez film Once Upon A Time In Mexico, the track is a “blood drenched love song” that unfolds like a Spanish ballet. Mexicali de Chispa, co-written with her brother, features Vonne on lead guitar. It has the cinematic bravado and Latin surf-rock feel that has become synonymous with the director and his frequent creative partner, Quentin Tarantino.
El Marinero y La Sirena was written while Vonne was on tour in Odense, Denmark, the hometown of Hans Christian Anderson. Vonne collaborated with fellow San Antonian Michael Martin on the nautical-themed animated video as well as the songwriting. The award winning video, shot and edited by Vonne, features Vonne and Martin’s original illustrations exploring the sailor’s “shipwrecked heart” and mermaid’s wounded cry of destiny leagues under the sea.
The short was featured at the SXSW Film Festival 2015 and won the Audience Award at the Cine Las Americas International Film Festival in 2015.
After visiting the museum of Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, Vonne was inspired to write La Huerta de San Vicente and Fuente Vaqueros. Though Garcia Lorca died tragically during the Spanish Civil War, his spirit lives on through his art, with energy and spirit as palpable as Vonne’s own works. Other gems on the album include Mujeres Desaparecidas, which she wrote to bring awareness to the ongoing feminicide in Mexico and later donated the song to Amnesty International. The songs La Huerta de San Vicente (which was the John Lennon Songwriting Contest grand prize winner in 2009), Torera, Guitarras y Castañuelas and Fiesta Sangria were all written while Vonne was in Spain, where her ancestors are from.
Vonne will be promoting her album with live CD release gigs in Houston, Austin and San Antonio. She is currently on a 32 date tour in Germany and will return for a European tour this summer in Germany, France, Austria and Italy.
Patricia Vonne Announces New Album Viva Bandolera (June 23, 2015 - Bandolera Records)
The Austin, TX Based Singer's 6th Album Features All Spanish Language Songs
• Pre-order/buy the CD
• Check Tour Dates
San Antonio, Texas has always been the musical and cultural crossroads of the Lone Star State, fusing the state’s modern Anglo-centric history with its centuries-old Latino past. Patricia Vonne is a product of this cultural menudo, growing up with the diverse blend of music in a family of ten wildly creative children- including her older brother, film director Robert Rodriquez. Through five albums, Vonne has found her own sound, harvesting a hybrid mix that has been interpreted as Texas border rock. Her latest album, titled Viva Bandolera, is a compilation of Spanish songs collected from her five previous albums that explore her experience as a Tejana. Out June 23rd on Bandolera Records, the album consists of 17 tracks including revised versions of “Severina” and the title track “Viva Bandolera.”Growing up in the historic Monte Vista section of San Antonio, Vonne and her siblings were encouraged to forge their own creative paths. Her father, a native from Rio Grande Valley, came to San Antonio on a music scholarship and her mother, of Spanish descent, played guitar and sang Old World folksongs for her kids. The memories of Vonne’s mother giving her and her siblings exposure to these historical songs and styles has stuck with her throughout her life, and she expertly melds this influence with her own affection for rock ‘n’ roll. She counts Forth Worth rocker Johnny Reno and his band, the Sax Maniacs, as her first exposure to the decidedly American genre.
“Growing up as a Tejana, I listened to the diverse music of San Antonio—country, rock, jazz, pop, conjunto and Tejano styles,” she recalled. “When I started writing my own music, which is also a hybrid mix of sound and flavors, I felt a need to preserve and honor the rich cultural heritage of my upbringing.”
In 2001, Vonne relocated back to Texas from her temporary home of New York, settled in Austin and quickly became a standout attraction in a city of earnest singer-songwriters, indie upstarts and quirky iconoclasts. Vonne’s bilingual lyrics, flamenco dance moves and stage prowess left an undeniable impression on the Austin music fans and solidified her role in the live music scene. Vonne has garnered various accolades from the local music community, such as the Best Female Vocalist title at the Austin Music Awards in 2014. She also took an award home from the same ceremony that praised her dexterity with her signature instrument, the castanets. The statuesque singer has also collaborated with numerous Texas musical heavyweights such as Charlie Sexton, Rosie Flores, Flaco Jimenez, Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely and Doyle Bramhall. The Austin Chronicle has many times over praised Vonne’s musical output and notes that “The caliente combination of Latino rhythm and American rock & roll has been well explored by everyone from Doug Sahm to the Cruzados, yet Patricia Vonne’s…is more stylized, a feminine, sensual rendering. Romance and rock & roll rarely sound so good.”Viva Bandolera represents both a labor of love and a completion. Sung entirely in Spanish, it is a summation in sorts of the distance Vonne has traveled on her singular path. Weaved throughout the tracks are several connoisseurs of the genre including Alex Ruiz, Tito Larriva, Michael Ramos, Rick del Castillo, Joe Reyes, and her brother.
“This album is special to me because I wanted it to capture my Latina heritage on one disk,” Vonne says. “It’s a big part of my identity and I feel I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. With this album I feel I’ve come full circle as an artist.”
The name of the album and her label, Bandolera Records, are allusions to the “independent spirit of women, and directly translates to “female bandit.” She says that at times she feels like an outlaw herself as a truly independent artist, and the role seems to suit her. After jumping through hoops to release her debut album through a label and having the deal fall through, Vonne formed her label and has released all of her records through the imprint to date. Her bandit mentality present in her music and operations made her the perfect fit as Dallas (aka the Zorro Girl) in 2014’s Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, which also found her trading in her guitar and castanets (also the name of her 2005 release) for much deadlier weapons.
Vonne’s rich and extensive family history is a common thread throughout the album. La Gitana de Triana (The Gypsy of Triana) tells the story of Vonne’s sister who decided to run away and become a gypsy dancer while in the old gypsy quarter of Triana. The song captures that passion for flamenco and the haunting magic of the city. One of the final album tracks, Severina, was co-written with her brother in memory of the pair’s grandmother, Severina Rodriguez. The song pays tribute to the beloved woman and the indelible mark she left on her grandchildren.One of the standout tracks amongst the 17 is Traeme Paz. As heard in the Robert Rodriguez film Once Upon A Time In Mexico, the track is a “blood drenched love song” that unfolds like a Spanish ballet. Mexicali de Chispa, co-written with her brother, features Vonne on lead guitar. It has the cinematic bravado and Latin surf-rock feel that has become synonymous with the director and his frequent creative partner, Quentin Tarantino.
El Marinero y La Sirena was written while Vonne was on tour in Odense, Denmark, the hometown of Hans Christian Anderson. Vonne collaborated with fellow San Antonian Michael Martin on the nautical-themed animated video as well as the songwriting. The award winning video, shot and edited by Vonne, features Vonne and Martin’s original illustrations exploring the sailor’s “shipwrecked heart” and mermaid’s wounded cry of destiny leagues under the sea.The short was featured at the SXSW Film Festival 2015 and won the Audience Award at the Cine Las Americas International Film Festival in 2015.
After visiting the museum of Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, Vonne was inspired to write La Huerta de San Vicente and Fuente Vaqueros. Though Garcia Lorca died tragically during the Spanish Civil War, his spirit lives on through his art, with energy and spirit as palpable as Vonne’s own works. Other gems on the album include Mujeres Desaparecidas, which she wrote to bring awareness to the ongoing feminicide in Mexico and later donated the song to Amnesty International. The songs La Huerta de San Vicente (which was the John Lennon Songwriting Contest grand prize winner in 2009), Torera, Guitarras y Castañuelas and Fiesta Sangria were all written while Vonne was in Spain, where her ancestors are from.
Vonne will be promoting her album with live CD release gigs in Houston, Austin and San Antonio. She is currently on a 32 date tour in Germany and will return for a European tour this summer in Germany, France, Austria and Italy.
June 14, 2015
Free in the Bronx: Hybrid Movement Company, The Incredible Incredible & IMPACT Repertory Theatre June 26 2015
From a media release:
Free: Dance in the Bronx
Hybrid Movement Company
The Incredible Incredible
IMPACT Repertory Theatre
Crotona Park, BX - SummerStage
Friday, June 26 2015 at 7pm
FREE
NEW YORK CITY - This free show is part of the Central Park Summerstage program and combines the efforts of three exciting performing arts companies.
Hybrid Movement Company
The Hybrid Movement Company, a dance, acrobatic, and visual arts troupe, will present two works, Momentum and Are You the Dreamer? Momentum, a new piece, focuses on risk-taking perpetual movement driven by rhythms and flowing through melodies. It is performed in a powerful cohesion of Hybrid Movement, circus arts, classical and contemporary ballet, rhythmic gymnastics, bobbing, waving and popping. Are You the Dreamer? is a transubstantiated tale exploring beauty, ugliness, rejection, love, dreams, and fear through dancing and dynamic movement. The Hybrid Movement Company has been hailed by The New York Times as one of the most innovative Contemporary Circus Companies in USA Today!
The Incredible Incredible
The Incredible Incredible presents Palindrome, the story of two characters, each the other's imaginary friend, meeting for the first time to unfold the intricacies of their tangled coexistence. Featuring invisible string manipulation, shoe poi, impossible feats with silverware, sinus explorations, snail hats, and finger stunts all set to live music! The Incredible Incredible is a physical theatre duo formed by two friends inspired by mime, physical comedy, traditional American sideshow, European clowns, and street theatre. Matthew "Poki" McCorkle is a self-taught physical performer known internationally for his surreal hoop illusions, movement based manipulation, and unique and unusual presentations. Justin Therrien is an entertainer that challenges the audience's perception of what is real and what is illusion with his unique blend of movement and skill based manipulation. Accompanying them is composer and multi-instrumentalist Lucas Hicks on accordion, percussion, harmonica and ukulele.
IMPACT Repertory Theatre
IMPACT Repertory Theatre Performance Company uses the performing arts and the dynamics of leadership training to inspire and empower youth. IMPACT believes that arts and education play a pivotal role in providing opportunities and transitions for the leaders of tomorrow. IMPACT is rooted in creative self expression and anchored by a commitment to Safe Space, Outstanding Effort and Service to the Community (S.O.S.). IMPACT promotes the positive development of young people ages 12-19 by providing a learning environment that encourages, nurtures and challenges its students. IMPACT offers workshops, leadership programs and performance opportunities. The programs and curriculum encourages Impact members to have the imagination, skills and confidence to create their "special place in the world." A core Impact value is attending college and giving back through active community service. All of Impact's classes and programs are free. Impact's ongoing performance program, creative labs, and 12 weeks intensive artist and activist training program are tuition free.
Recently Released: Toronto's Steve Benjamins - Sightlines (Independent - May 15, 2015)
Recently Released:
Steve Benjamins - Sightlines
(Independent - May 15, 2015)
• EP Available as a Free Download from Steve`s Website
Toronto-based singer/songwriter/musician/producer Steve Benjamins is a one man show on his recently released EP, Sightlines. He plays piano, guitar, synths, drums and bass and serves as songwriter and co-producer on the release, a collection of six tracks. The first singles were released April 17 and 29 and the whole EP on May 15 of this year. It's his third EP release in about two years.The title Song has a stripped back feel that relies heavily on his expressive and accomplished voice - the dominant feature of this EP. Here it's accompanied by a spiritual/gospel-like arrangement that combines churchy organ sounds with pop-synth grooves.
We used to live, the first single, is upbeat pop with the edge of an urban anthem. Steve's vocals go from low and soulful to a higher and more insistent range. The track is like a roots/folk song lying underneath - and occasionally breaking through - contemporary electronic pop music.
Steve's lyrics combine the universal and a freshly modern sensibility; overall it's an ethereal and somewhat melancholic take on modern pop with romantic and universal themes. Devotion is an interesting and very brief track - all keyboards and wordless harmony.
Steamroller has faint shades of old Genesis guitar work and complex melodic lines, the vocals a clear high tenor range. In Exploding Boy he breaks through the laid back feel of the other tracks with a growing sense of urgency. The EP ends with the synthy and philosophical Later, a track that's short, synthy and atmospheric.
Steve Benjamins brings a sense of individual style to a crowded field of singer/songwriter/instrumentalists and offers a fresh take and some very fine vocals to the package.Tracklisting:
1. Sightlines
2. We Used to Live
3. Devotion
4. Steamroller
5. Exploding Boy
6. Later On
Websites:
http://www.stevebenjamins.com
http://www.facebook.com/stevebenjaminsmusic
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series June 15 to 30 2015
From a media release:
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series
featuring
Janai Brugger
Nathan Gunn
Isabel Leonard
Pianist Dan Saunders
Brooklyn Bridge Park, BK - SummerStage
Wednesday, June 17 at 7pm
FREE
• Check out the full schedule that runs from June 15 to 30 2015
NEW YORK CITY - The Metropolitan Opera presents an enchanting evening of favorite opera arias and duets featuring Metropolitan Opera Stars.
Janai Brugger is a Soprano hailing from Chicago, Illinois. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2012 as Liù in Turandot and also starred as Helena in The Enchanted Island. Other career highlights include roles as Pamina in Die Zauberflöte at Covent Garden and the Los Angeles Opera, Liù at Hawaii Opera Theatre, and Micaëla with Opera Colorado. She has also appeared with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She is a 2012 winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and Plácido Domingo's Operalia competition. Upcoming, she'll perform as Micaëla in Carmen with the Washington National Opera and in Kansas City and Musetta in La Bohème with the Los Angeles Opera.
Nathan Gunn is a Baritone hailing from South Bend, Indiana. He has sung in more than 100 Metropolitan Opera performances consisting of 14 roles, including the title role of Billy Budd, Danilo in The Merry Widow, Papageno in The Magic Flute, Raimbaud in Le Comte Ory, Clyde Griffiths in the world premiere of Picker's An American Tragedy, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, and in the ensemble of Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles (debut, 1995). Additional career highlights include his recent role as Zurga in Les Pêcheurs de Perles at the Theater an der Wien and the title role of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd at the Houston Grand Opera. He created a number of roles in world premieres, including James Dalton in Iain Bell's A Harlot's Progress at the Theater an der Wien, Yeshua in Mark Adamo's The Gospel of Mary Magdalene at the San Francisco Opera, Alec Harvey in Previn's Brief Encounter at the Houston Grand Opera, Father Delura in Peter Eötvös's Love and Other Demons at Glyndebourne, and Paul in Daron Hagen's Amelia at the Seattle Opera. He is a graduate of the Met's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program; a recipient of the Met's Beverly Sills Artist Award, established by Agnes Varis and Karl Leichtman; and was recently named Director of the American Repertoire Council at the Opera Company of Philadelphia. Upcoming, he will sing Inman in the world premiere of Jennifer Higdon's Cold Mountain with the Santa Fe Opera and later with Opera Philadelphia, and Sid Taylor in the world premiere of Jake Heggie's Great Scott with the Dallas Opera, followed by performances at the San Diego Opera.
Isabel Leonard is a New York based Mezzo-Soprano. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2007 as Stéphano in Roméo et Juliette. Other Met appearances include Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Miranda in The Tempest, Rosina, Blanche in Dialogues des Carmélites, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni. Her career highlights include a recent performance as Rosina at the Vienna State Opera and Angelina in La Cenerentola at Munich's Bavarian State Opera and for her debut with the Washington National Opera. She has also sung Rosina at the San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Dallas Opera, Sesto in La Clemenza di Tito with the Canadian Opera Company, Ruggiero in Handel's Alcina in Bordeaux, Cherubino at the Glyndebourne Festival, Sesto in Giulio Cesare and Cherubino at the Paris Opera, Cherubino with the Bavarian State Opera, and Dorabella at the Salzburg Festival. She was a recipient of the Met's Beverly Sills Artist Award, established by Agnes Varis and Karl Leichtman. Upcoming, she will sing Ada in the world premiere of Jennifer Higdon's Cold Mountain with Santa Fe Opera, followed by performances at Opera Philadelphia, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Met, Angelina in La Cenerentola with Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Arden Scott in Jake Heggie's Great Scott with San Diego Opera.
Dan Saunders is a pianist hailing from Perry, New York. His career highlights include performances in recital with singers including Jessye Norman, Kiri Te Kanawa, Kathleen Battle, Marilyn Horne, Tatiana Troyanos, Samuel Ramey, and Thomas Allen; and with instrumentalists including violinists Eugen Fodor and Tomoko Kato. He has also performed at the White House, on national television, and at Carnegie Hall, Washington's Kennedy Center, Paris's Bastille Opera, San Francisco Opera, and London's Wigmore Hall, as well as at the Santa Fe, Salzburg, Tanglewood, and Ravinia festivals. He joined the Met's music staff in 1985 as an Assistant Conductor and has been heard as harpsichordist on the Live from Lincoln Center television series and as a pianist on the Met's international radio broadcasts.
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series
featuring
Janai Brugger
Nathan Gunn
Isabel Leonard
Pianist Dan Saunders
Brooklyn Bridge Park, BK - SummerStage
Wednesday, June 17 at 7pm
FREE
• Check out the full schedule that runs from June 15 to 30 2015
NEW YORK CITY - The Metropolitan Opera presents an enchanting evening of favorite opera arias and duets featuring Metropolitan Opera Stars.
Janai Brugger is a Soprano hailing from Chicago, Illinois. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2012 as Liù in Turandot and also starred as Helena in The Enchanted Island. Other career highlights include roles as Pamina in Die Zauberflöte at Covent Garden and the Los Angeles Opera, Liù at Hawaii Opera Theatre, and Micaëla with Opera Colorado. She has also appeared with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She is a 2012 winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and Plácido Domingo's Operalia competition. Upcoming, she'll perform as Micaëla in Carmen with the Washington National Opera and in Kansas City and Musetta in La Bohème with the Los Angeles Opera.Nathan Gunn is a Baritone hailing from South Bend, Indiana. He has sung in more than 100 Metropolitan Opera performances consisting of 14 roles, including the title role of Billy Budd, Danilo in The Merry Widow, Papageno in The Magic Flute, Raimbaud in Le Comte Ory, Clyde Griffiths in the world premiere of Picker's An American Tragedy, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, and in the ensemble of Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles (debut, 1995). Additional career highlights include his recent role as Zurga in Les Pêcheurs de Perles at the Theater an der Wien and the title role of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd at the Houston Grand Opera. He created a number of roles in world premieres, including James Dalton in Iain Bell's A Harlot's Progress at the Theater an der Wien, Yeshua in Mark Adamo's The Gospel of Mary Magdalene at the San Francisco Opera, Alec Harvey in Previn's Brief Encounter at the Houston Grand Opera, Father Delura in Peter Eötvös's Love and Other Demons at Glyndebourne, and Paul in Daron Hagen's Amelia at the Seattle Opera. He is a graduate of the Met's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program; a recipient of the Met's Beverly Sills Artist Award, established by Agnes Varis and Karl Leichtman; and was recently named Director of the American Repertoire Council at the Opera Company of Philadelphia. Upcoming, he will sing Inman in the world premiere of Jennifer Higdon's Cold Mountain with the Santa Fe Opera and later with Opera Philadelphia, and Sid Taylor in the world premiere of Jake Heggie's Great Scott with the Dallas Opera, followed by performances at the San Diego Opera.
Isabel Leonard is a New York based Mezzo-Soprano. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2007 as Stéphano in Roméo et Juliette. Other Met appearances include Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Miranda in The Tempest, Rosina, Blanche in Dialogues des Carmélites, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni. Her career highlights include a recent performance as Rosina at the Vienna State Opera and Angelina in La Cenerentola at Munich's Bavarian State Opera and for her debut with the Washington National Opera. She has also sung Rosina at the San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Dallas Opera, Sesto in La Clemenza di Tito with the Canadian Opera Company, Ruggiero in Handel's Alcina in Bordeaux, Cherubino at the Glyndebourne Festival, Sesto in Giulio Cesare and Cherubino at the Paris Opera, Cherubino with the Bavarian State Opera, and Dorabella at the Salzburg Festival. She was a recipient of the Met's Beverly Sills Artist Award, established by Agnes Varis and Karl Leichtman. Upcoming, she will sing Ada in the world premiere of Jennifer Higdon's Cold Mountain with Santa Fe Opera, followed by performances at Opera Philadelphia, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Met, Angelina in La Cenerentola with Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Arden Scott in Jake Heggie's Great Scott with San Diego Opera.Dan Saunders is a pianist hailing from Perry, New York. His career highlights include performances in recital with singers including Jessye Norman, Kiri Te Kanawa, Kathleen Battle, Marilyn Horne, Tatiana Troyanos, Samuel Ramey, and Thomas Allen; and with instrumentalists including violinists Eugen Fodor and Tomoko Kato. He has also performed at the White House, on national television, and at Carnegie Hall, Washington's Kennedy Center, Paris's Bastille Opera, San Francisco Opera, and London's Wigmore Hall, as well as at the Santa Fe, Salzburg, Tanglewood, and Ravinia festivals. He joined the Met's music staff in 1985 as an Assistant Conductor and has been heard as harpsichordist on the Live from Lincoln Center television series and as a pianist on the Met's international radio broadcasts.
Mongolian folk/Electronic/Orchestral/Epic Music/New Age/Fusion: Nature Ganganbaigal (To Where Tengger Leads Me - September 10 2014)
Mongolian folk/Electronic/Orchestral/Epic Music/New Age/Fusion:
Nature Ganganbaigal(To Where Tengger Leads Me - September 10th, 2014)
• Buy the CD Here
Cambodian tonality and instrumentation combine with modern electronics in To Where Tengger Leads Me, the debut solo release from Nature Ganganbaigal - or Tianran Zhang in Chinese - a Mongolian composer whose music has been heard in films, commercials and video games. His scores have been featured in Official Selections at the Montclair Film Festival, 2015 Timecode:NOLA Film Festival and 2015 RxSM Film Expo among others and he's composed film scores for China Central Television. He appeared on MTV when the album was first released last fall.
Along with composing music, he's a throat singer and plays the Mongolian Morin khuur or horse head fiddle. As a soloist he's performed with the NYU Philharmonia and Combo Nuvo, a jazz group based in New York City.
The first track, Expedition, proceeds at a breakneck pace with insistent percussion and the distinctive timbre of his horse head violin on top of it all - at times languid, at times furious. It's hypnotic and eminently danceable.
While the music brings contemporary Cambodia vividly to life, there are some Western flourishes and harmonies and dance rhythms mixed with the traditional sounds - sweeping harmonies and synth grooves. There's an appropriately epic feel on the track Legend on Horseback.
The song titles and the music itself makes frequent references to the land and the horse culture of the plains people of Mongolia - Galloping Steeds - the Gobi Road - My Horse, Far in The Distance.
The tracks are largely instrumental with the occasional deep vibration of throat singing. Far From AWay is a hauntingly pretty song - rather than words, he lets the violin do the talking and it results in a panoramic feel. You can see the broad horizon of the Mongolian landscape in the music.
His studies and work in film music lend a noticeably cinematic feel to much of the music. The Ritual has a sense of magic to it a track that builds a sense of foreboding and anticipation. The rhythmically complex Golden Horde was a favourite of mine, along with Symphony of Steel, Pt. 1 & 2 - atmospheric tracks that put you inside a dark and suspenseful mood.
Hymn of the Earth is traditional in mode and expression and Homeland Song is sweetly evocative song, featuring the soaring vocals of NanDin.
It's easy to see why he's gotten a lot of attention with his evocative and scores and virtuoso playing.
Links:
http://www.nature-ganganbaigal.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nature-ganganbaigal
Tracklisting:
1.The Expedition 04:22
2.Legend On Horseback 04:36
3.Galloping Steeds 03:20
4.From Far Away 04:57
5.The Ritual 03:33
6.The Gobi Road 01:26
7.Golden Horde 04:20
8.Symphony Of Steel, Pt. 1 04:58
9.My Horse, Far In The Distance 04:00
10.Hymn Of The Earth 04:09
11.Symphony Of Steel, Pt. 2 04:55
12.Homeland Song (Feat. NanDin) 03:04
To Where Tengger Leads Me by Nature Ganganbaigal
Nature Ganganbaigal(To Where Tengger Leads Me - September 10th, 2014)
• Buy the CD Here
Cambodian tonality and instrumentation combine with modern electronics in To Where Tengger Leads Me, the debut solo release from Nature Ganganbaigal - or Tianran Zhang in Chinese - a Mongolian composer whose music has been heard in films, commercials and video games. His scores have been featured in Official Selections at the Montclair Film Festival, 2015 Timecode:NOLA Film Festival and 2015 RxSM Film Expo among others and he's composed film scores for China Central Television. He appeared on MTV when the album was first released last fall.
Along with composing music, he's a throat singer and plays the Mongolian Morin khuur or horse head fiddle. As a soloist he's performed with the NYU Philharmonia and Combo Nuvo, a jazz group based in New York City.The first track, Expedition, proceeds at a breakneck pace with insistent percussion and the distinctive timbre of his horse head violin on top of it all - at times languid, at times furious. It's hypnotic and eminently danceable.
While the music brings contemporary Cambodia vividly to life, there are some Western flourishes and harmonies and dance rhythms mixed with the traditional sounds - sweeping harmonies and synth grooves. There's an appropriately epic feel on the track Legend on Horseback.
The song titles and the music itself makes frequent references to the land and the horse culture of the plains people of Mongolia - Galloping Steeds - the Gobi Road - My Horse, Far in The Distance.
The tracks are largely instrumental with the occasional deep vibration of throat singing. Far From AWay is a hauntingly pretty song - rather than words, he lets the violin do the talking and it results in a panoramic feel. You can see the broad horizon of the Mongolian landscape in the music.
His studies and work in film music lend a noticeably cinematic feel to much of the music. The Ritual has a sense of magic to it a track that builds a sense of foreboding and anticipation. The rhythmically complex Golden Horde was a favourite of mine, along with Symphony of Steel, Pt. 1 & 2 - atmospheric tracks that put you inside a dark and suspenseful mood.
Hymn of the Earth is traditional in mode and expression and Homeland Song is sweetly evocative song, featuring the soaring vocals of NanDin.
It's easy to see why he's gotten a lot of attention with his evocative and scores and virtuoso playing.
Links:http://www.nature-ganganbaigal.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nature-ganganbaigal
Tracklisting:
1.The Expedition 04:22
2.Legend On Horseback 04:36
3.Galloping Steeds 03:20
4.From Far Away 04:57
5.The Ritual 03:33
6.The Gobi Road 01:26
7.Golden Horde 04:20
8.Symphony Of Steel, Pt. 1 04:58
9.My Horse, Far In The Distance 04:00
10.Hymn Of The Earth 04:09
11.Symphony Of Steel, Pt. 2 04:55
12.Homeland Song (Feat. NanDin) 03:04
To Where Tengger Leads Me by Nature Ganganbaigal
May 31, 2015
Peru Boom: Bass, Bleeps & Bumps from Peru's Electronic Underground
From a media release:
PERU BOOM
BASS, BLEEPS & BUMPS FROM PERU’S ELECTRONIC UNDERGROUND
Format: CD, LP & Digital Download
US Release Date: June 30th 2015
Label: Tiger’s Milk Records/Strut Records
Cat: TIGM005
• Pre-order/Buy on iTunes
• Available in Europe
Boom! Belt up and prepare for ascent. This bass heavy and potent collection features the key Peruvian producers and DJs that have helped build Lima’s reputation as ‘jewel in the crown’ of South America’s rave & party scenes. Tropical bass artists like Dengue Dengue Dengue, DJ Chakruna, Animal Chuki and Deltatron have long been guided by the roots of chicha and Peruvian cumbia. This sees them reshape and digitally render the original sounds fashioning new cuts inspired by dubstep, techno, trap, grime, house and electronica all aimed squarely at the dancefloor. Peru Boom celebrates one of the most vibrant contemporary club scenes in the world.
Detroit has techno, Chicago has house, and Peru’s DJs and producers consider Lima as the home of Tropical Bass. A global and amorphous style of music that has producers, DJs and flag-bearers from various corners of the world from South Africa and Angola’s Kudoro scenes to the favela and Baile Funk parties of Brazil. International DJs like Diplo, Switch and labels like Mad Decent have long been absorbing and redefining the sound.
Electronic music made in Peru is often influenced by the national music style ‘cumbia’, a slow and syncopated style of music full of complex rhythms. Lima is the central meeting point for all of Peru’s Andean, African and European cultures and this is reflected by the music blaring out from speakers around the city. With an admirable respect for labels like Infopesa, the most influential label in ‘60s & ‘70s Peru for chicha and Peruvian Cumbia, the artists of today often use old rhythms and melodies, splicing and cutting up original tracks and adding in new electronic textures and programmed beats.
Peru Boom is the third compilation released on Tiger’s Milk (in conjunction with Strut Records). Following hot on the heels of the 1960s jazz and 70s funk of Peru Bravo and Peru Maravilloso, this marks a new departure for the label, bringing things bang up to date with the latest electronic sounds.
Peru Boom: Bass, Bleeps & Bumps From Peru's Electronic Underground by Various Artists
Martin Morales, founder of Tiger's Milk Records says, "It was a life-changing night 3 years ago that led to the beginning of Peru Boom. I was invited by my friends in a band called Dengue Dengue Dengue to one of their parties. DJs were mixing chicha rhythms with serious basslines and halfway through the night, chicha bands from the 70s would play on stage. Kids would go nuts at both the tropical bass and the traditional sounds. This was like a modern rave Peruvian style the like I'd never seen before. Peru Boom tries to capture that sound. Since we started Tiger's Milk, Duncan and I have tried to capture moments in time of Peru's history. Early 70s political funk (Peru Bravo), late ‘60s jazz and latin (Peru Maravilloso) and todays' brightest underground scene (Peru Boom).
Peru Boom shows that those at the forefront of today’s music are carrying the flag for Peru’s musical heritage, bringing traditional and once popular sounds bang up to date, creating a new history influenced by the fast paced and modern city of Lima.
The album cover is a commissioned work by top Peruvian artist Ruta Mare. The design combines ‘80s electronica with bold colours expressing the many faces of the tropical and global bass scenes.
Album compiled by: Chakruna, Duncan Balantyne & Martin Morales.
About Tiger's Milk Records
Tiger’s Milk Records is the first ever Peruvian label based outside of Peru, and stems from a passion to discover and celebrate the breadth of music made in Peru from punk to funk, chicha to cumbia and folk to electronica, past and present.
Tiger’s Milk is run by Martin Morales & Duncan Ballantyne. Martin is a producer, author, top chef and restaurateur. He oversees the award winning Ceviche and Andina Peruvian Restaurants in London. His CV includes being a founder member of Apple’s I-Tunes Europe, running Disney’s music and launching Miley Cyrus among others. Duncan previously label managed Soundway and Far Out Records and manages acts Kanaku y el Tigre and Da Lata.
www.tigersmilkrecords.com - www.strut-records.com - www.cevicheuk.com - Tiger’s Milk FACEBOOK: - Designer Ruta Mare
PERU BOOM
BASS, BLEEPS & BUMPS FROM PERU’S ELECTRONIC UNDERGROUND
Format: CD, LP & Digital Download
US Release Date: June 30th 2015
Label: Tiger’s Milk Records/Strut Records
Cat: TIGM005
• Pre-order/Buy on iTunes
• Available in Europe
Boom! Belt up and prepare for ascent. This bass heavy and potent collection features the key Peruvian producers and DJs that have helped build Lima’s reputation as ‘jewel in the crown’ of South America’s rave & party scenes. Tropical bass artists like Dengue Dengue Dengue, DJ Chakruna, Animal Chuki and Deltatron have long been guided by the roots of chicha and Peruvian cumbia. This sees them reshape and digitally render the original sounds fashioning new cuts inspired by dubstep, techno, trap, grime, house and electronica all aimed squarely at the dancefloor. Peru Boom celebrates one of the most vibrant contemporary club scenes in the world.
Detroit has techno, Chicago has house, and Peru’s DJs and producers consider Lima as the home of Tropical Bass. A global and amorphous style of music that has producers, DJs and flag-bearers from various corners of the world from South Africa and Angola’s Kudoro scenes to the favela and Baile Funk parties of Brazil. International DJs like Diplo, Switch and labels like Mad Decent have long been absorbing and redefining the sound.Electronic music made in Peru is often influenced by the national music style ‘cumbia’, a slow and syncopated style of music full of complex rhythms. Lima is the central meeting point for all of Peru’s Andean, African and European cultures and this is reflected by the music blaring out from speakers around the city. With an admirable respect for labels like Infopesa, the most influential label in ‘60s & ‘70s Peru for chicha and Peruvian Cumbia, the artists of today often use old rhythms and melodies, splicing and cutting up original tracks and adding in new electronic textures and programmed beats.
Peru Boom is the third compilation released on Tiger’s Milk (in conjunction with Strut Records). Following hot on the heels of the 1960s jazz and 70s funk of Peru Bravo and Peru Maravilloso, this marks a new departure for the label, bringing things bang up to date with the latest electronic sounds.
Peru Boom: Bass, Bleeps & Bumps From Peru's Electronic Underground by Various Artists
Martin Morales, founder of Tiger's Milk Records says, "It was a life-changing night 3 years ago that led to the beginning of Peru Boom. I was invited by my friends in a band called Dengue Dengue Dengue to one of their parties. DJs were mixing chicha rhythms with serious basslines and halfway through the night, chicha bands from the 70s would play on stage. Kids would go nuts at both the tropical bass and the traditional sounds. This was like a modern rave Peruvian style the like I'd never seen before. Peru Boom tries to capture that sound. Since we started Tiger's Milk, Duncan and I have tried to capture moments in time of Peru's history. Early 70s political funk (Peru Bravo), late ‘60s jazz and latin (Peru Maravilloso) and todays' brightest underground scene (Peru Boom).Peru Boom shows that those at the forefront of today’s music are carrying the flag for Peru’s musical heritage, bringing traditional and once popular sounds bang up to date, creating a new history influenced by the fast paced and modern city of Lima.
The album cover is a commissioned work by top Peruvian artist Ruta Mare. The design combines ‘80s electronica with bold colours expressing the many faces of the tropical and global bass scenes.
Album compiled by: Chakruna, Duncan Balantyne & Martin Morales.About Tiger's Milk Records
Tiger’s Milk Records is the first ever Peruvian label based outside of Peru, and stems from a passion to discover and celebrate the breadth of music made in Peru from punk to funk, chicha to cumbia and folk to electronica, past and present.
Tiger’s Milk is run by Martin Morales & Duncan Ballantyne. Martin is a producer, author, top chef and restaurateur. He oversees the award winning Ceviche and Andina Peruvian Restaurants in London. His CV includes being a founder member of Apple’s I-Tunes Europe, running Disney’s music and launching Miley Cyrus among others. Duncan previously label managed Soundway and Far Out Records and manages acts Kanaku y el Tigre and Da Lata.
www.tigersmilkrecords.com - www.strut-records.com - www.cevicheuk.com - Tiger’s Milk FACEBOOK: - Designer Ruta Mare
Vakhtangov State Academic Theatre of Russia in Toronto June 16 & 17 2015
From a media release:
Show One Productions
proudly presents the triumphant return of the Vakhtangov State Academic Theatre of Russia with a new production
SMILE AT US, OH LORD
based on the works of Grigory Kanovich
Performed in Russian with English Surtitles
Two Performances Only - June 16 & 17, 2015
• Get tickets
Toronto, ON - After its sold-out 2014 run of Eugene Onegin last June in Toronto, the esteemed Vakhtangov Academic Theatre of Russia returns with a new theatrical spectacle for the international stage: Smile at Us, Oh Lord: an inspiring universal parable about the basic good in every human being. Directed by the company's noted Artistic Director Rimas Tuminas, Smile at Us, Oh Lord runs Tuesday
June 16 and Wednesday June 17 for two shows only at the historic Elgin Theatre, presented by Show One Productions.
Of Rimas Tuminas' Eugene Onegin, the critics raved: "Anyone who saw the Vakhtangov Theatre knows they are a first-rate troupe," exclaimed The Guardian in London while Paris' Le Monde proclaimed them "brilliant." The Vakhtangov production of Smile at Us, Oh Lord makes its debut outside of Russia with this North American tour and promises to mesmerize audiences as well.
In what is becoming a regular tour for the Vakhtangov, prior to its June 16-17 engagement in Toronto (its only Canadian date), Smile at Us, Oh Lord performs June 5-7 at New York City Center and June 12-13 at the Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston. It is presented in Russian with English surtitles and performed by an all-star cast of renowned actors.
With a plot full of tragi-comedic moments, accented by soulful music, Smile at Us, Oh Lord is the story of an "every man," unrelentingly opposed to evil and wrongdoing, even as the world around him crumbles. His journey opens his eyes - and the audience's hearts - to the fate of Jews around the world during the first half of the 20th century.
This poignant and exuberant work highlights the new kind of poetic physical theatre that the Vakhtangov Theatre is spearheading, and with a cast of 40, it tells a larger-than-life story of the common man, linked to a compassionate great love of mankind.
Smile at Us, Oh Lord is based on the novels of Grigory Yaakov Kanovich, one of the most prolific modern Russian-language writers today. While born in Lithuania of Jewish heritage, he spent his childhood in exile in Kazakhstan. His family returned to Vilnius in 1945, he published his first book of poetry in 1948, graduated from university in 1953 and moved to Israel in 1993. Kanovich is the author of an epic saga dealing with the struggles of Eastern European Jewry from the 19th century to the present day. His books, plays and poetry have been translated into 14 languages with more than 1.5 million copies, and counting, printed.
Based in the heart of Moscow, the Vakhtangov State Academic Theatre of Russia (http://www.vakhtangov.ru/en) was founded in 1921 by legendary Russian theatrical director and Stanislavsky scholar, Evgeny Vakhtangov and continues to be one of the country's leading theatres. Lithuanian-born Rimas Tuminas is the first foreign director to head the Vakhtangov Theatre, where he has served as artistic director since he was invited to hold the position in 2007.
Tuminas first developed Smile at Us, Oh Lord at the Maly Theater of Vilnius in 1994, which he founded in 1990, and toured extensively across Europe. This current production premiered in Moscow in March 2014, co-created with composer Faustas Latenas and set designer Adomas Yacovskis.
Show One Productions presents
The Vakhtangov State Academic Theatre of Russia
SMILE AT US, OH LORD
based on the works of Grigory Kanovich
Performed in Russian with English Surtitles
Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge Street, Toronto
Tuesday, June 16 and Wednesday, June 17, 2015 @ 8pm
Ticket prices range from $55-$155
Ticket prices do not include service charges or delivery fees
and can by purchased by calling 1.855.622.ARTS FREE (2787) or online at ShowOneProductions.ca, or Ticketmaster.ca
Show One Productions
proudly presents the triumphant return of the Vakhtangov State Academic Theatre of Russia with a new production
SMILE AT US, OH LORD
based on the works of Grigory Kanovich
Performed in Russian with English Surtitles
Two Performances Only - June 16 & 17, 2015
• Get tickets
Toronto, ON - After its sold-out 2014 run of Eugene Onegin last June in Toronto, the esteemed Vakhtangov Academic Theatre of Russia returns with a new theatrical spectacle for the international stage: Smile at Us, Oh Lord: an inspiring universal parable about the basic good in every human being. Directed by the company's noted Artistic Director Rimas Tuminas, Smile at Us, Oh Lord runs Tuesday
June 16 and Wednesday June 17 for two shows only at the historic Elgin Theatre, presented by Show One Productions.Of Rimas Tuminas' Eugene Onegin, the critics raved: "Anyone who saw the Vakhtangov Theatre knows they are a first-rate troupe," exclaimed The Guardian in London while Paris' Le Monde proclaimed them "brilliant." The Vakhtangov production of Smile at Us, Oh Lord makes its debut outside of Russia with this North American tour and promises to mesmerize audiences as well.
In what is becoming a regular tour for the Vakhtangov, prior to its June 16-17 engagement in Toronto (its only Canadian date), Smile at Us, Oh Lord performs June 5-7 at New York City Center and June 12-13 at the Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston. It is presented in Russian with English surtitles and performed by an all-star cast of renowned actors.
With a plot full of tragi-comedic moments, accented by soulful music, Smile at Us, Oh Lord is the story of an "every man," unrelentingly opposed to evil and wrongdoing, even as the world around him crumbles. His journey opens his eyes - and the audience's hearts - to the fate of Jews around the world during the first half of the 20th century.
This poignant and exuberant work highlights the new kind of poetic physical theatre that the Vakhtangov Theatre is spearheading, and with a cast of 40, it tells a larger-than-life story of the common man, linked to a compassionate great love of mankind.
Smile at Us, Oh Lord is based on the novels of Grigory Yaakov Kanovich, one of the most prolific modern Russian-language writers today. While born in Lithuania of Jewish heritage, he spent his childhood in exile in Kazakhstan. His family returned to Vilnius in 1945, he published his first book of poetry in 1948, graduated from university in 1953 and moved to Israel in 1993. Kanovich is the author of an epic saga dealing with the struggles of Eastern European Jewry from the 19th century to the present day. His books, plays and poetry have been translated into 14 languages with more than 1.5 million copies, and counting, printed.Based in the heart of Moscow, the Vakhtangov State Academic Theatre of Russia (http://www.vakhtangov.ru/en) was founded in 1921 by legendary Russian theatrical director and Stanislavsky scholar, Evgeny Vakhtangov and continues to be one of the country's leading theatres. Lithuanian-born Rimas Tuminas is the first foreign director to head the Vakhtangov Theatre, where he has served as artistic director since he was invited to hold the position in 2007.
Tuminas first developed Smile at Us, Oh Lord at the Maly Theater of Vilnius in 1994, which he founded in 1990, and toured extensively across Europe. This current production premiered in Moscow in March 2014, co-created with composer Faustas Latenas and set designer Adomas Yacovskis.
Show One Productions presents
The Vakhtangov State Academic Theatre of Russia
SMILE AT US, OH LORD
based on the works of Grigory Kanovich
Performed in Russian with English Surtitles
Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge Street, Toronto
Tuesday, June 16 and Wednesday, June 17, 2015 @ 8pm
Ticket prices range from $55-$155
Ticket prices do not include service charges or delivery fees
and can by purchased by calling 1.855.622.ARTS FREE (2787) or online at ShowOneProductions.ca, or Ticketmaster.ca
New England Conservatory's Eden MacAdam-Somer Releases My First Love Story (June 23, 2015 - A-Side Records)
from a media release:
New England Conservatory's Eden MacAdam-Somer Releases My First Love Story, a revolutionary solo album featuring MacAdam-Somer on voice, violin, viola, and percussive dance
(June 23, 2015 - A-Side Records)
Performances
o June 28 at New England Conservatory, Boston, MA
o July 9 Framingham Public Library, Framingham, MA
o August 1 at Lark Camp, Mendocino, CA
o August 22 at Minier Acustica, Urbino Italy
• Buy the CD
My First Love Story introduces the solo work of one of New England Conservatory's newest faculty members and one of the most dynamic young artists performing today: composer, performer, and improviser Eden MacAdam-Somer. Recorded live in NEC's Jordan Hall, this album is an incredible blend of contemporary and traditional art, moving fluidly between Appalachian folk song and cutting edge classical performance. The CD will be released June 23, 2015 on A-Side Records.
The seeds for this project were planted years ago, when I played my very first notes on the piano. I don't remember that day (I was four years old); in fact, I don't remember a time in my life before music. Music is the language in which I am the most comfortable, and a language that I have been fortunate to share with artists all around the world, in many dialects and in all kinds of settings. For most of my life, I have struggled in defining myself as an artist: violinist, fiddler, singer, dancer, improviser, composer, educator, performer, musicologistŠ but I have come to realize that it is the sum of all of these parts that makes me who I am. This project is a portrait of the artist that I am today and the story of my first love, kindled all of those years ago in my four-year old heart.
The album centers around MacAdam-Somer's Rumi Songs, an open-ended cycle for voice and violin that is partially composed and partially improvised. The three movements carry the listener from sweet Bach-like tones through serial systems, folk references, and free improvisation, while vocals soar in translations of ecstatic love poems by the famed Sufi poet Mevleva Rumi. This work was inspired by Ralph Vaughan Williams' Along the Field, also featured on the recording arranged for solo performer with improvised fiddle interludes and English Country Dance tunes. "Vaughan Williams is so skillful in blending folk songs with classical composition, and I always wondered what it would be like to perform this piece with a folk singerŠit is not at all uncommon for folk musicians to sing and play at the same time and eventually I thought, 'maybe I can do both parts.' I love being able to tell the whole story myself, because I can follow my imagination wherever it takes me at any timeŠ it isn't about "blending" genres or about the technical challenges in playing and singing at the same time, but simply telling the story the way I hear it, which might be a little different in each performance."
MacAdam-Somer carries the listener to many imagined worlds in this recording. "Jump for Joy" is a jubilant blending of Duke Ellington's composition with African-American spirituals and folk dance tradition. The violinist takes on the role of the big band, drumming her tapping feet which burst into celebratory percussive dance. From here, she moves into the realm of film noir with "Lullaby," a dark, early-music-inspired tribute to jazz pianist Ran Blake: "This scene is from Claude Chabrol's Le Boucher, in which an Algerian war veteran (and the local butcher) is suspected of being a brutal serial killer in a small French village. In this scene, school children are practicing a courtly Baroque dance in period costume, creating a sense of eerie serenity just before the traumatic climax of the film."
Also featured on the album are more traditionally rooted pieces. The CD opens with an original song, "Fourteen Miles," with straight up Appalachian fiddling darting suddenly through angular pizzicato passages under sweet vocals. "Barbara Allen" blends the familiar folk ballad with West African gonje tunes, traditionally used to relay village histories as a means of preserving aural history. The recording ends with "Say Darlin' Say," a sweet lullaby in which the voice and viola intertwine and become one, speaking to the way MacAdam-Somer weaves all of her musical selves into one exceptional and individual voice, each and every time.
NEC's Contemporary Improvisation Department is all about developing one's unique voice, invoking a methodology that liberates the idea of improvisation from any specific genre. CI faculty provide students with grounding in aural skills, vocal and instrumental technique, a wide range of improvisational traditions - in short, everything a student might need to become a leading artist of today. Department Chair Hankus Netsky notes that "Eden is what Gunther Schuller would call a 'compleat musician.' She's a violin virtuoso who knows many fiddling styles, a wonderful composer and a great singer."
Indeed, MacAdam-Somer's music transcends genre. She has been a featured soloist with symphony and chamber orchestras, jazz and swing bands, and Eastern European and American folk ensembles. As an educator and composer/improviser, MacAdam-Somer has been a guest artist at such institutions as the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (where she is a regular visiting faculty member) and the Dundalk Institute of Technology, as well as a featured performer at the Eastbourne and Beijing International Music Festivals.
While growing up in Houston, Texas, MacAdam-Somer studied classical music formally, spending her free time at the local folk music sessions and working as an arranger and studio musician. She attended Houston's High School for Performing and Visual Arts, winning the Music Teacher's National Association State Division and the Lennox Young Artists Competitions. Later, she earned her BM and MM in classical performance from the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston as a student of Fredell Lack, and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University as a student of Kenneth Goldsmith.
In 2004, MacAdam-Somer moved to Boston and began touring with guitarist and banjo player Larry Unger as the core members of the ensemble NotoriousFolk. Together, they have performed across the continental United States, as well as Alaska, Hawaii, India, Iceland, the UK, and Afghanistan, teaching and playing for festivals and dances of all kinds. Their music has been featured in many of Ken Burns' documentaries, including Our National Parks, The Dustbowl, Prohibition, and The Roosevelts.
With her diverse interests and capabilities as a performer and educator, MacAdam-Somer finds NEC's Department of Contemporary Improvisation the perfect home base. "When I arrived at NEC and attended my first CI concert, I realized that I had found the artists I'd been looking for my whole life. The CI Department is much more than a degree program - it is a vibrant community of creative musicians, each coming in with a distinct voice of their own, eager to push themselves to new artistic levels and completely open to and enthusiastic about the music of their peers. It is one of the most mutually supportive and exciting musical communities that I have ever been a part of."
Outside of the classroom, MacAdam-Somer maintains an active international performance and recording career as a soloist and with such bands as Notorious Folk, the Sail Away Ladies, and the Klezmer Conservatory Band.
fiddlegarden.com a-siderecords.com NECmusic.edu
New England Conservatory's Eden MacAdam-Somer Releases My First Love Story, a revolutionary solo album featuring MacAdam-Somer on voice, violin, viola, and percussive dance
(June 23, 2015 - A-Side Records)
Performances
o June 28 at New England Conservatory, Boston, MA
o July 9 Framingham Public Library, Framingham, MA
o August 1 at Lark Camp, Mendocino, CA
o August 22 at Minier Acustica, Urbino Italy
• Buy the CD
My First Love Story introduces the solo work of one of New England Conservatory's newest faculty members and one of the most dynamic young artists performing today: composer, performer, and improviser Eden MacAdam-Somer. Recorded live in NEC's Jordan Hall, this album is an incredible blend of contemporary and traditional art, moving fluidly between Appalachian folk song and cutting edge classical performance. The CD will be released June 23, 2015 on A-Side Records.
The seeds for this project were planted years ago, when I played my very first notes on the piano. I don't remember that day (I was four years old); in fact, I don't remember a time in my life before music. Music is the language in which I am the most comfortable, and a language that I have been fortunate to share with artists all around the world, in many dialects and in all kinds of settings. For most of my life, I have struggled in defining myself as an artist: violinist, fiddler, singer, dancer, improviser, composer, educator, performer, musicologistŠ but I have come to realize that it is the sum of all of these parts that makes me who I am. This project is a portrait of the artist that I am today and the story of my first love, kindled all of those years ago in my four-year old heart.The album centers around MacAdam-Somer's Rumi Songs, an open-ended cycle for voice and violin that is partially composed and partially improvised. The three movements carry the listener from sweet Bach-like tones through serial systems, folk references, and free improvisation, while vocals soar in translations of ecstatic love poems by the famed Sufi poet Mevleva Rumi. This work was inspired by Ralph Vaughan Williams' Along the Field, also featured on the recording arranged for solo performer with improvised fiddle interludes and English Country Dance tunes. "Vaughan Williams is so skillful in blending folk songs with classical composition, and I always wondered what it would be like to perform this piece with a folk singerŠit is not at all uncommon for folk musicians to sing and play at the same time and eventually I thought, 'maybe I can do both parts.' I love being able to tell the whole story myself, because I can follow my imagination wherever it takes me at any timeŠ it isn't about "blending" genres or about the technical challenges in playing and singing at the same time, but simply telling the story the way I hear it, which might be a little different in each performance."
MacAdam-Somer carries the listener to many imagined worlds in this recording. "Jump for Joy" is a jubilant blending of Duke Ellington's composition with African-American spirituals and folk dance tradition. The violinist takes on the role of the big band, drumming her tapping feet which burst into celebratory percussive dance. From here, she moves into the realm of film noir with "Lullaby," a dark, early-music-inspired tribute to jazz pianist Ran Blake: "This scene is from Claude Chabrol's Le Boucher, in which an Algerian war veteran (and the local butcher) is suspected of being a brutal serial killer in a small French village. In this scene, school children are practicing a courtly Baroque dance in period costume, creating a sense of eerie serenity just before the traumatic climax of the film."
Also featured on the album are more traditionally rooted pieces. The CD opens with an original song, "Fourteen Miles," with straight up Appalachian fiddling darting suddenly through angular pizzicato passages under sweet vocals. "Barbara Allen" blends the familiar folk ballad with West African gonje tunes, traditionally used to relay village histories as a means of preserving aural history. The recording ends with "Say Darlin' Say," a sweet lullaby in which the voice and viola intertwine and become one, speaking to the way MacAdam-Somer weaves all of her musical selves into one exceptional and individual voice, each and every time.
NEC's Contemporary Improvisation Department is all about developing one's unique voice, invoking a methodology that liberates the idea of improvisation from any specific genre. CI faculty provide students with grounding in aural skills, vocal and instrumental technique, a wide range of improvisational traditions - in short, everything a student might need to become a leading artist of today. Department Chair Hankus Netsky notes that "Eden is what Gunther Schuller would call a 'compleat musician.' She's a violin virtuoso who knows many fiddling styles, a wonderful composer and a great singer."Indeed, MacAdam-Somer's music transcends genre. She has been a featured soloist with symphony and chamber orchestras, jazz and swing bands, and Eastern European and American folk ensembles. As an educator and composer/improviser, MacAdam-Somer has been a guest artist at such institutions as the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (where she is a regular visiting faculty member) and the Dundalk Institute of Technology, as well as a featured performer at the Eastbourne and Beijing International Music Festivals.
While growing up in Houston, Texas, MacAdam-Somer studied classical music formally, spending her free time at the local folk music sessions and working as an arranger and studio musician. She attended Houston's High School for Performing and Visual Arts, winning the Music Teacher's National Association State Division and the Lennox Young Artists Competitions. Later, she earned her BM and MM in classical performance from the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston as a student of Fredell Lack, and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University as a student of Kenneth Goldsmith.
In 2004, MacAdam-Somer moved to Boston and began touring with guitarist and banjo player Larry Unger as the core members of the ensemble NotoriousFolk. Together, they have performed across the continental United States, as well as Alaska, Hawaii, India, Iceland, the UK, and Afghanistan, teaching and playing for festivals and dances of all kinds. Their music has been featured in many of Ken Burns' documentaries, including Our National Parks, The Dustbowl, Prohibition, and The Roosevelts.With her diverse interests and capabilities as a performer and educator, MacAdam-Somer finds NEC's Department of Contemporary Improvisation the perfect home base. "When I arrived at NEC and attended my first CI concert, I realized that I had found the artists I'd been looking for my whole life. The CI Department is much more than a degree program - it is a vibrant community of creative musicians, each coming in with a distinct voice of their own, eager to push themselves to new artistic levels and completely open to and enthusiastic about the music of their peers. It is one of the most mutually supportive and exciting musical communities that I have ever been a part of."
Outside of the classroom, MacAdam-Somer maintains an active international performance and recording career as a soloist and with such bands as Notorious Folk, the Sail Away Ladies, and the Klezmer Conservatory Band.
fiddlegarden.com a-siderecords.com NECmusic.edu
May 30, 2015
Morris Day & The Time and Other Free Concerts at TD Toronto Jazz Festival June 18 to 29 2015
From a media release:
TD Toronto Jazz Festival - June 18 to 29 2015
MORRIS DAY & THE TIME AND DUMPSTAPHUNK
ADDED TO FREE PROGRAMMING LINEUP ON JUNE 19 2015!
• Dumstaphunk & Morris Day
• Free lunchtime concerts
• Search all TD Toronto Jazz Festival concerts by date
TORONTO - Music Mania takes over opening weekend of the TD Toronto Jazz Festival when it kicks off on Friday, June 19 with a whirlwind of performances from Morris Day & The Time, Dumpstaphunk, Melanie Durrant, Shuffle Demons, Toronto Mass Choir and more!
Legendary funk and soul musician, Morris Day, best known as the frontman for The Time in the cult-classic Purple Rain, will bring his up-tempo and high-energy show to Nathan Phillips Square for a free special performance on Friday, June 19. Singing classics such as "Jungle Love," "Cool," "The Bird," and "777-9311", Day's trademark smooth-as-silk dance moves and old school sounds will kick off the 29th edition of the TD Toronto Jazz Festival.Dumpstaphunk, descended from Neville family bloodlines, is one of New Orleans' funkiest bands that will dare listeners not to move. From dueling bass lines to complex funk and jazz arrangements with soulful melodies, and ingenious musicianship, Dumpstaphunk embodies the true spirit of NOLA with every note. They will open for Morris Day & The Time.
For three days, Music Mania will feature non-stop activity at Nathan Phillips Square all weekend long, including an instrument petting zoo:
Friday, June 19
Dumpstaphunk – Nathan Phillips Square
Morris Day & The Time – Nathan Phillips Square
Festivities begin at 5pm - FREE
Saturday, June 20
Tyler Yarema & His Rhythm – Toronto Star Stage, Nathan Phillips Square at 12:30 p.m. FREE
Manifesto co-presents Juice Money Collective feat. Octavio Santos with Freshkils featuring Junia T, Melanie Durrant, Adria Kane, Tona, Marlon James, Jessie Reyez and Lyric L – Outdoor Stage, Nathan Phillips Square at 2 p.m. FREE
Shuffle Demons – Outdoor Stage, Nathan Phillips Square at 6:30 p.m. FREE
Tower of Power – Toronto Star Stage, Nathan Phillips Square at 8:30 p.m. (previously announced)
Sunday, June 21
Toronto Mass Choir – Toronto Star Stage, Nathan Phillips Square at 12:30 p.m. FREE
Regent Park School of Music – Outdoor Stage, Nathan Phillips Square at 2 p.m. FREE
Jivebombers – Outdoor Stage, Nathan Phillips Square at 6:30 p.m. FREE
The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra directed by Scotty Barnhart with guest vocalist Carmen Bradford – Toronto Star Stage, Nathan Phillips Square at 8:30 p.m. (previously announced)
On Saturday, June 20, in association with Manifesto, Groove & Graffiti take over Nathan Phillips Square as professional aerosol artists Elicser and Media create a life-size mural with students from Central Tech's Graffiti Club. Combining the creative, inspirational side of graffiti with the creative, inspirational side of jazz and hip-hop, a collective of musicians featuring rising stars Melanie Durrant and Adria Kane, will provide the live soundtrack to the aerosol art being created.On Sunday, June 21 the Regent Park School of Music will animate the Square with musical demonstrations and interactive opportunities for the audience. Following a performance by each of the steel pan, brass and woodwind ensembles, and community band, there will be an opportunity to test out the instruments - an instrument petting zoo, if you will! The RPSM steel pan faculty will also be on hand to provide steel pan basic instruction with Dave Clark and his Woodshed Orchestra concluding the festivities with a raucous, romping march through Nathan Phillips Square.
FREE PROGRAMMING:
Each year the TD Toronto Jazz Festival ensures that programming is available to meet every budget. Free programming is at the core of this mandate, providing music lovers the chance to explore live jazz at no cost. With more than 50 free concerts presented over 10 days, discover a new artist or simply soak up the sounds at the Distillery Historic District, Shops at Don Mills and Nathan Phillips Square as they play host to some of the best in local, national and international jazz.
Shops at Don Mills 1090 Don Mills Road
Enjoy fresh air while soaking up the sounds of jazz at Shops at Don Mills, Ontario's first outdoor urban village. Whether dining at the surrounding restaurants, shopping or simply sipping coffee in the Town Square, listen to the swanky echoes of Saxofour, the soulful sounds of Tanika Charles, the 50's hard-bopping Cookers Quintet and more!
Grooveyard - 7 p.m. June 18Justin Bacchus Collective - 7 p.m. June 19
Happy Pals - 2 p.m. June 20
Mistura Fina - 4:30 p.m June 20
Tia Brazda - 7 p.m. June 20
Groovemeisters - 2 p.m. June 21
Marito Marques - 4 p.m. June 21
The Cookers Quintet - 6 p.m. June 22
Saxofour - 6 p.m. June 23
YUKA - 6 p.m. June 24
Lula All-Stars - 7 p.m. June 25
Chuck Jackson’s Big Bad Blues Band - 7 p.m. June 26
Hogtown Syncopators - 2 p.m. June 27
Eric St-Laurent Trio - 4:30 p.m. June 27
Tanika Charles - 7 p.m. June 27
Distillery Historic District 55 Mill Street
The historic Distillery District is the perfect backdrop for jazz when the Festival takes over from June 17 - June 27. Performances include Bill King's Real Divas, noted Norman Marshall Villeneuve's Jazz Message, JUNO-nominated Jay Douglas All-Stars and the dynamic Alexis Baro Quintet while the Toronto Blues Society Talent Search is also on the lookout for the next big star!
Boxcar Boys - 6 p.m. June 17
Swamperella - 6 p.m. June 19
Toronto Blues Society Talent Search - 2 p.m. June 20
Bill King’s Real Divas - 7 p.m. June 20
Norman Marshall Villeneuve’s Jazz Message - 12 p.m. June 21
Jorge Miguel - 3:30 p.m. June 21
Suzie Vinnick - 6 p.m. June 24
Jay Douglas & The All-Star Band - 6 p.m. June 26
Club Django Toronto - 2 p.m. June 27
Alexis Baro Quintet - 7 p.m. June 27
Toronto Star Stage - Nathan Phillips Square
The Lunchtime Series carries on the tradition of jazz; from the swingin' tunes of Jim Galloway's Wee Big Band, the soothing vocals of Patricia Cano, award-winning trombonist Ian McDougall, contemporary jazz sounds of the Christine Jensen Orchestra or Bobby Rice's Latin Jazz Big Band, the Toronto Star Stage will be jam-packed with everyone's musical tastes! All shows begin at 12:30 p.m.
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