Anya M. Wassenberg's Blog: Art & Culture Maven, page 71
January 10, 2018
Jazz Piano: Robi Botos - Old Soul (A440 Entertainment, February 2, 2018)
From a media release:
Jazz Release:
Robi Botos - Old Soul
(A440 Entertainment, February 2, 2018)
• Album Release Party February 2, 2018 - Jazz Bistro, Toronto
• Check out Robi on Spotify
Old Soul is the much anticipated 3rd release from Canada's most talked about pianist, Robi Botos. Following the incredible success of their Juno-winning 2015 release, Movin’ Forward, this new album will continue to cement Botos’ reputation as one of the most talked about, and successful pianists in the country.
The band features a core quartet of some of the top musicians in North America; Seamus Blake on Saxophones and EWI, Mike Downes on Acoustic and Electric Bass and Larnell Lewis on Drums. The album also features some incredible special guests; Cory Henry on Hammond B3 Organ, Ingrid Jensen on Trumpet, Lionel Loueke on Guitar as well as a string quartet on 2 pieces. The album was produced by Botos and 2-Time Juno Award winning Producer Scott Morin.
The music is virtuosic but still accessible, driven by irresistible grooves and rooted in Robi's background. Budapest mingles contemporary jazz with the mournful melodies of his homeland. It's melodic and funky, and will please both jazz afficionados and those who just enjoy great musicianship.
Inspired by lost friends, past hometowns, and the incredible life-story that has shaped Botos, Old Soul is an album of hopeful, humble and funky music that is sure to thrill jazz and soulful music fans! A particular highlight is the one-take version of an incredibly rare composition by Prince, entitled Calhoun Square.
The recording itself took place at Planet Studios in Montreal on Sunday, July 3rd, after two nights playing the music live in Toronto & Montreal. The idea was to record everything live off the floor, with the band recording together in one room. This helps to give the album the energy, focus and cohesion you would get from a live performance.
Hungarian born Romani/ Musician Robi Botos was raised in a musical family and is largely self-taught. Robi began his musical career when he was a child, growing up in Budapest, playing drums and percussion. It was at age seven when Robi first took up piano. Robi immigrated to Canada in 1998 and is now a permanent resident of the country he calls home with his wife and children.
Inspired by his long-time hero and mentor, Oscar Peterson, Botos has been the subject of praise from many critics. His accolades include the 2012 Montreal Jazz Festival’s TD Grand Jazz Award, the 2007 National Jazz Award for Keyboardist of the Year, and first place finishes in the 2004 Montreux Jazz Festival Solo Piano Competition and 2008 Great American Jazz Piano Competition.
Jazz Release:
Robi Botos - Old Soul
(A440 Entertainment, February 2, 2018)
• Album Release Party February 2, 2018 - Jazz Bistro, Toronto
• Check out Robi on Spotify
Old Soul is the much anticipated 3rd release from Canada's most talked about pianist, Robi Botos. Following the incredible success of their Juno-winning 2015 release, Movin’ Forward, this new album will continue to cement Botos’ reputation as one of the most talked about, and successful pianists in the country.The band features a core quartet of some of the top musicians in North America; Seamus Blake on Saxophones and EWI, Mike Downes on Acoustic and Electric Bass and Larnell Lewis on Drums. The album also features some incredible special guests; Cory Henry on Hammond B3 Organ, Ingrid Jensen on Trumpet, Lionel Loueke on Guitar as well as a string quartet on 2 pieces. The album was produced by Botos and 2-Time Juno Award winning Producer Scott Morin.
The music is virtuosic but still accessible, driven by irresistible grooves and rooted in Robi's background. Budapest mingles contemporary jazz with the mournful melodies of his homeland. It's melodic and funky, and will please both jazz afficionados and those who just enjoy great musicianship.
Inspired by lost friends, past hometowns, and the incredible life-story that has shaped Botos, Old Soul is an album of hopeful, humble and funky music that is sure to thrill jazz and soulful music fans! A particular highlight is the one-take version of an incredibly rare composition by Prince, entitled Calhoun Square.
The recording itself took place at Planet Studios in Montreal on Sunday, July 3rd, after two nights playing the music live in Toronto & Montreal. The idea was to record everything live off the floor, with the band recording together in one room. This helps to give the album the energy, focus and cohesion you would get from a live performance.Hungarian born Romani/ Musician Robi Botos was raised in a musical family and is largely self-taught. Robi began his musical career when he was a child, growing up in Budapest, playing drums and percussion. It was at age seven when Robi first took up piano. Robi immigrated to Canada in 1998 and is now a permanent resident of the country he calls home with his wife and children.
Inspired by his long-time hero and mentor, Oscar Peterson, Botos has been the subject of praise from many critics. His accolades include the 2012 Montreal Jazz Festival’s TD Grand Jazz Award, the 2007 National Jazz Award for Keyboardist of the Year, and first place finishes in the 2004 Montreux Jazz Festival Solo Piano Competition and 2008 Great American Jazz Piano Competition.
Drake Devonshire Inn: Artists in Residence January 14 to March 28 2018 in Prince Edward County
From a media release:
DRAKE DEVONSHIRE
ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE
JAN 14 - MAR 28, 2018
• Check out a winter getaway in Prince Edward County
WELLINGTON, CANADA - Nine Canadian artists are setting up shop at the Devonshire this winter. Join our roster of choreographers, musicians + visual artists as they get inspired by the beauty of Prince Edward County.
The Drake’s artist-in-residence program has been a key part of the hotel’s cultural identity since we opened in 2004. The program was developed to give visitors access to artists from all over, in a setting that’s less intimidating than a traditional museum.
Jan 21-24 - Charlie Bierk
Charles Bierk is a portrait painter based out of Toronto. His large-scale black and white paintings easily bring to mind early works by acclaimed portrait artist Chuck Close. Bierk (who graduated from OCAD in 2011) photographs close friends, family, and peers before rendering their likeness in hyper-realistic oil paintings.
Jan 28-31 - Michael Vickers
Michael Vickers works in the space between sculpture, painting and installation. His recent work investigates the limits of different materials and presentation methods - painted, curled and bent forms made of various painted aluminums and steels, etched and engraved stone and marble works, and installations that activate the exhibition space in various ways. Vickers holds an MA in Art History from the University of Toronto and an Honours BA in Visual Arts & Communications.
Charles Bierk, photo-realist oil painting circa 2015Feb 4-7 - Alicia Nauta
Alicia Nauta's practice spans many forms and media while remaining cohesive and easily recognizable. Her signature techniques include collaging printed materials and utilizing patterns and symbols to hint at other worldly spaces.
Feb 11-13 - Dr. Draw
Dr. Draw is an accomplished electric violinist, and is recognized as the "first violinist to venture from rock and classical into electronic music culture". Dr. Draw's practice seamlessly melds an old school instrument with contemporary influences.
Feb 25-28 - Dean Drever
Dean Drever is a visual artist working primarily in sculpture and installation. Drever's work explores themes of power, violence, symbolism, and socio-cultural identity. He is well recognized for his piece Bear Hunt, displayed at the Toronto Sculpture Garden and the Vancouver Olympics (2010).
Alicia Nauta's piece from a 2014 exhibition at The Drake entitled "I LIKE IT BUT WHAT IS IT"March 4-7 - Sandra Brewster
A multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto, Sandra Brewster’s practice investigates personal, social, and cultural identity, as well as themes related to representation and identity. Sandra has been the recipient of grants from the Toronto, Ontario, and Canadian Arts Councils. She holds a Masters of Visual Culture of the University of Toronto.
March 18-22 - Peggy Baker
Peggy Baker is an established modern dancer, teacher, and choreographer. She was the first person selected to receive the Ontario Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. She has also been awarded the Order of Canada for Excellence in the arts. In 1990, Baker founded Peggy Baker Dance Projects a non-profit organization that encourages the growth and sustainment of dance programs.
Rajni Perera, WARMarch 25-28 - Rajni Perera
Though Toronto based, much of Rajni Perera's success has come internationally from exhibits in the US and Europe. Perera herself is Sri Lankan born. Her work represents women of colour, contextualized in dreamy and symbolic laden environments.
DRAKE DEVONSHIRE
ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE
JAN 14 - MAR 28, 2018
• Check out a winter getaway in Prince Edward County
WELLINGTON, CANADA - Nine Canadian artists are setting up shop at the Devonshire this winter. Join our roster of choreographers, musicians + visual artists as they get inspired by the beauty of Prince Edward County.The Drake’s artist-in-residence program has been a key part of the hotel’s cultural identity since we opened in 2004. The program was developed to give visitors access to artists from all over, in a setting that’s less intimidating than a traditional museum.
Jan 21-24 - Charlie Bierk
Charles Bierk is a portrait painter based out of Toronto. His large-scale black and white paintings easily bring to mind early works by acclaimed portrait artist Chuck Close. Bierk (who graduated from OCAD in 2011) photographs close friends, family, and peers before rendering their likeness in hyper-realistic oil paintings.
Jan 28-31 - Michael Vickers
Michael Vickers works in the space between sculpture, painting and installation. His recent work investigates the limits of different materials and presentation methods - painted, curled and bent forms made of various painted aluminums and steels, etched and engraved stone and marble works, and installations that activate the exhibition space in various ways. Vickers holds an MA in Art History from the University of Toronto and an Honours BA in Visual Arts & Communications.
Charles Bierk, photo-realist oil painting circa 2015Feb 4-7 - Alicia NautaAlicia Nauta's practice spans many forms and media while remaining cohesive and easily recognizable. Her signature techniques include collaging printed materials and utilizing patterns and symbols to hint at other worldly spaces.
Feb 11-13 - Dr. Draw
Dr. Draw is an accomplished electric violinist, and is recognized as the "first violinist to venture from rock and classical into electronic music culture". Dr. Draw's practice seamlessly melds an old school instrument with contemporary influences.
Feb 25-28 - Dean Drever
Dean Drever is a visual artist working primarily in sculpture and installation. Drever's work explores themes of power, violence, symbolism, and socio-cultural identity. He is well recognized for his piece Bear Hunt, displayed at the Toronto Sculpture Garden and the Vancouver Olympics (2010).
Alicia Nauta's piece from a 2014 exhibition at The Drake entitled "I LIKE IT BUT WHAT IS IT"March 4-7 - Sandra BrewsterA multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto, Sandra Brewster’s practice investigates personal, social, and cultural identity, as well as themes related to representation and identity. Sandra has been the recipient of grants from the Toronto, Ontario, and Canadian Arts Councils. She holds a Masters of Visual Culture of the University of Toronto.
March 18-22 - Peggy Baker
Peggy Baker is an established modern dancer, teacher, and choreographer. She was the first person selected to receive the Ontario Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. She has also been awarded the Order of Canada for Excellence in the arts. In 1990, Baker founded Peggy Baker Dance Projects a non-profit organization that encourages the growth and sustainment of dance programs.
Rajni Perera, WARMarch 25-28 - Rajni PereraThough Toronto based, much of Rajni Perera's success has come internationally from exhibits in the US and Europe. Perera herself is Sri Lankan born. Her work represents women of colour, contextualized in dreamy and symbolic laden environments.
December 26, 2017
EP Review: Julia Krueger - for(e)go (Independent, 28 October 2017)
EP Review:
Julia Krueger - for(e)go
(Independent, 28 October 2017)
• Listen on Spotify
Forget that Julia Krueger is only 15 years old when you listen to the music or take note of her clever and inventive lyrics. for(e)go is the first release for the California-based singer/songwriter with roots in middle America.
Julia began playing the piano at the tender age of five, and starting writing songs shortly afer that. After the move to Cali from Ohio in her early teens, Julia went through a rough patch of debilitating illness that disrupted her daily life, but left her focused on her composition. She wrote and recorded the first track on the EP - Flamethrower - at 14, adding another four new tracks over the next year.
She has an expressive voice with a soft edge, often playing off against a spare keyboard line. The production is clean yet still expressive, adding layers of instrumentation. The lyrics are predominant, observant and poetic. From Pavement,
There's a fracture in the glass
My validation is a mirror
There's a mask I'd like to wear
Although it covers my ears...
She touches on LGBT and religious themes, enduring mental illness, and other weighty issues. It's an impressive debut at any age.
Track List:
1. Flamethrower
2. Pavement
3. Three Days
4. Quarter Year Conflict
5. Blue Thread
6. Pavement (Acoustic)
Personnel: Julia Krueger: Vocals and Keyboards/Piano; Elliot Koenig: Guitar; Edoardo Talenti: Drums; Tim Gaisser: Drums; AJ Polidoro: Bass; Claire Mehm: Cello
Artist Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramTwitter
Julia Krueger - for(e)go
(Independent, 28 October 2017)
• Listen on Spotify
Forget that Julia Krueger is only 15 years old when you listen to the music or take note of her clever and inventive lyrics. for(e)go is the first release for the California-based singer/songwriter with roots in middle America.Julia began playing the piano at the tender age of five, and starting writing songs shortly afer that. After the move to Cali from Ohio in her early teens, Julia went through a rough patch of debilitating illness that disrupted her daily life, but left her focused on her composition. She wrote and recorded the first track on the EP - Flamethrower - at 14, adding another four new tracks over the next year.
She has an expressive voice with a soft edge, often playing off against a spare keyboard line. The production is clean yet still expressive, adding layers of instrumentation. The lyrics are predominant, observant and poetic. From Pavement,
There's a fracture in the glass
My validation is a mirror
There's a mask I'd like to wear
Although it covers my ears...
She touches on LGBT and religious themes, enduring mental illness, and other weighty issues. It's an impressive debut at any age.
Track List:1. Flamethrower
2. Pavement
3. Three Days
4. Quarter Year Conflict
5. Blue Thread
6. Pavement (Acoustic)
Personnel: Julia Krueger: Vocals and Keyboards/Piano; Elliot Koenig: Guitar; Edoardo Talenti: Drums; Tim Gaisser: Drums; AJ Polidoro: Bass; Claire Mehm: Cello
Artist Links
WebsiteFacebookInstagramTwitter
Ann Millikan: Millikan Symphony (Innova Recordings - August 25 2017)
Ann Millikan: Millikan Symphony
For, about, and of Robert Millikan
Composers: Ann Millikan
Performers: Boston Modern Orchestra Project / Gil Rose (conductor) / Jennifer Curtis (violin soloist)
Innova Recordings - August 25, 2017
• Buy the CD
Ann and Bob Millikan were siblings who grew up in California. Both had musical ambitions, and they made copious notes of their musical ideas, including a grand magnum opus they would call Millikan's Symphony. Flash forward decades later, and Ann is a respected composer of both chamber and orchestral music. Bob became an epidemiologist and vet, an amateur violinist and rowing enthusiast. Bob passed away at the age of 55, and Ann decided to bring thee project to fruition.
Each of the four movements of the piece reflect Bob's interests:
Millikan Symphony: I. Science
Millikan Symphony: II. Animals
Millikan Symphony: III. Rowing
Millikan Symphony: IV. Violin
The music is expressive, using the full range of the orchestra and a variety of tonal textures. Science, the first movement, portrays the genetic battle that goes on within a cancer tumor. It doesn't sound like inspiration for music, but the results are compelling and dramatic.
Animals is a pastoral, peaceful movement that reflects on the years he spent caring for his furry patients as a veterinarian - all hushed strings and flute in a graceful cadence. Rowing begins with a countdown and then builds to the excitement and rhythmic intensity of the rowing races he was so fond of. In fact, the Millikan Cup race was founded in his name as the faculty advisor to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Crew. The final track is, not surprisingly, dominated by strings in a slower and more reflective finish to the symphony.
You don't need to know any of that background to enjoy the sweeping musical vision of the composer, rich in textures and emotional expression.
St. Paul-based Ann Millikan composes concert music for orchestra, chamber ensembles and choir, opera, and experimental and interdisciplinary projects involving installation, theatre and dance. Rhythmic vitality is a powerful force in her music, stemming from previous years playing jazz, African and Brazilian music.
For, about, and of Robert Millikan
Composers: Ann Millikan
Performers: Boston Modern Orchestra Project / Gil Rose (conductor) / Jennifer Curtis (violin soloist)
Innova Recordings - August 25, 2017
• Buy the CD
Ann and Bob Millikan were siblings who grew up in California. Both had musical ambitions, and they made copious notes of their musical ideas, including a grand magnum opus they would call Millikan's Symphony. Flash forward decades later, and Ann is a respected composer of both chamber and orchestral music. Bob became an epidemiologist and vet, an amateur violinist and rowing enthusiast. Bob passed away at the age of 55, and Ann decided to bring thee project to fruition.Each of the four movements of the piece reflect Bob's interests:
Millikan Symphony: I. Science
Millikan Symphony: II. Animals
Millikan Symphony: III. Rowing
Millikan Symphony: IV. Violin
The music is expressive, using the full range of the orchestra and a variety of tonal textures. Science, the first movement, portrays the genetic battle that goes on within a cancer tumor. It doesn't sound like inspiration for music, but the results are compelling and dramatic.
Animals is a pastoral, peaceful movement that reflects on the years he spent caring for his furry patients as a veterinarian - all hushed strings and flute in a graceful cadence. Rowing begins with a countdown and then builds to the excitement and rhythmic intensity of the rowing races he was so fond of. In fact, the Millikan Cup race was founded in his name as the faculty advisor to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Crew. The final track is, not surprisingly, dominated by strings in a slower and more reflective finish to the symphony.You don't need to know any of that background to enjoy the sweeping musical vision of the composer, rich in textures and emotional expression.
St. Paul-based Ann Millikan composes concert music for orchestra, chamber ensembles and choir, opera, and experimental and interdisciplinary projects involving installation, theatre and dance. Rhythmic vitality is a powerful force in her music, stemming from previous years playing jazz, African and Brazilian music.
#Toronto: The Bentway Skate Trail Opens January 6 2018
From a media release:
THE BENTWAY presents
BEATS AND BENTS
Friday Night Skate Parties with Toronto’s Best DJs
#BENTONWINTER18
Opens to the public January 6, 2018
Visit The Bentway, Toronto’s newest public space, located under the Gardiner Expressway, and #ReimagineWinter with BEATS AND BENTS Friday Night Skate Parties, featuring the city’s best DJs spinning tunes from 8-11pm every Friday night.
The Bentway Skate Trail, the first section of The Bentway to be developed, will officially open to the public on Saturday, January 6, 2018 at 11am with special events all weekend including the Mayor’s Skate Party on Sunday, January 7 from 1-4pm with Mayor Tory and members of Toronto City Council.
Beginning Friday, January 12 and running until mid-March, BEATS AND BENTS Friday Night Skate Parties will present two DJ sets per night, kicking off with Straight Outta Toronto with UforChange alumni DJORK (Trevoy Wiliams) and didicious (Jenniffer Duverge) playing the most influential hip-hop and R&B music of all time!
The ladies take over the airwaves on January 19 for The Future is Female with DJ Lucie Tic and JAYEMKAYEN (Josephine Cruz) spinning an eclectic, forward-thinking mix of hip hop, R&B, rap/trap, grime, UK garage pop, indie and dance.
On January 26 The Bentway pays homage to the decade that gave the world Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, and The Breakfast Club, with Back to the 80s and UforChange alumni DJ Charlie (Raheem White) and DJ Money Jane (Michelle Lima) mixing and blending hip hop, R&B, funk, soul, electronic, and much more.
On February 2 Last Planet presents a line-up of world renowned artists guaranteed to pack the Skate Trail and create the most memorable dance floor experience on ice.
Escape the deep freeze and teleport to the Caribbean on February 9 for a mix of reggae, dancehall and soca sounds curated with tracks so hot by UforChange alumni DJ Money Jane and DJORK the sun will have no choice but to shine, Welcome to Jamrock.
Ice Ice Baby, on February 16, finds DJ Phillippe, famous for Canada’s only all-French dance music night Tapette, and Sammy Rawal, resident DJ of Yes Yes Y’all, Canada’s largest queer Hip Hop/Dancehall party, spinning shimmering sets of house, disco, and French dance beats.
Get Jiggy Wit It promises a night of throwbacks from the 90s and early 2000s with sounds from UforChange alumni DJ Charlie and didicious on February 23.
DJ General Eclectic’s (Jason Saunders) and La Rumba Buena’s all-Latin vinyl party threads together rare South American descarga grooves, classic ska, Fela Kuti Afrobeat, and James Brown jams for a truly Tropical Ice Skate on March 2.
On a bi-weekly basis, prior to BEATS AND BENTS, UforChange and the Toronto Ice Skate Group will join forces to offer Turn it Out – a series of interactive drop-in DJ and ice breaking workshops at The Bentway. Through the workshops, community members can learn about the foundations of DJing and how to breakdance on ice. The workshop series begins on Friday, January 12, 2018 with Toronto Ice Skate Group ice breaking workshops from 6pm-7:30pm, and UforChange DJ workshops from 6:30pm-7:30pm. After the workshops, UforChange DJs will continue to animate The Bentway’s skate trail taking over the turntables for the weekly BEATS AND BENTS Friday Night Skate Parties.
• Updates and more information will be available at thebentway.ca.
The inaugural Winter Season at The Bentway will run from January 6 – mid-March, 2018 (weather permitting) with ongoing winter programming including free Monday night skate rentals provided by Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, skate instruction, public art exhibitions, and more. A temporary skating village will be installed at The Bentway and will house the skate rental shop, warming stations and a variety of seating options. A curated food truck program will serve hot food, warm and cold drinks, and decadent desserts. On Friday-Monday evenings, skaters are invited to warm up in the Strongbow Lounge. For more information please visit TheBentway.ca/skate-trail-opening.
The Bentway’s 2018 Winter Season is supported by the City of Toronto, the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund (an agency of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sport), Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Strongbow, and Toronto Friends of the Visual Arts.
Special thanks to 102.1 the Edge, the Ontario Tire Stewardship, Giant Containers, Style Garage.
The Bentway is a unique and innovative public space that transforms 1.75km underneath Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway into a new gathering place for our city’s growing population.
THE BENTWAY presents
BEATS AND BENTS
Friday Night Skate Parties with Toronto’s Best DJs
#BENTONWINTER18
Opens to the public January 6, 2018
Visit The Bentway, Toronto’s newest public space, located under the Gardiner Expressway, and #ReimagineWinter with BEATS AND BENTS Friday Night Skate Parties, featuring the city’s best DJs spinning tunes from 8-11pm every Friday night.
The Bentway Skate Trail, the first section of The Bentway to be developed, will officially open to the public on Saturday, January 6, 2018 at 11am with special events all weekend including the Mayor’s Skate Party on Sunday, January 7 from 1-4pm with Mayor Tory and members of Toronto City Council.
Beginning Friday, January 12 and running until mid-March, BEATS AND BENTS Friday Night Skate Parties will present two DJ sets per night, kicking off with Straight Outta Toronto with UforChange alumni DJORK (Trevoy Wiliams) and didicious (Jenniffer Duverge) playing the most influential hip-hop and R&B music of all time!
The ladies take over the airwaves on January 19 for The Future is Female with DJ Lucie Tic and JAYEMKAYEN (Josephine Cruz) spinning an eclectic, forward-thinking mix of hip hop, R&B, rap/trap, grime, UK garage pop, indie and dance.
On January 26 The Bentway pays homage to the decade that gave the world Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, and The Breakfast Club, with Back to the 80s and UforChange alumni DJ Charlie (Raheem White) and DJ Money Jane (Michelle Lima) mixing and blending hip hop, R&B, funk, soul, electronic, and much more.
On February 2 Last Planet presents a line-up of world renowned artists guaranteed to pack the Skate Trail and create the most memorable dance floor experience on ice.
Escape the deep freeze and teleport to the Caribbean on February 9 for a mix of reggae, dancehall and soca sounds curated with tracks so hot by UforChange alumni DJ Money Jane and DJORK the sun will have no choice but to shine, Welcome to Jamrock.
Ice Ice Baby, on February 16, finds DJ Phillippe, famous for Canada’s only all-French dance music night Tapette, and Sammy Rawal, resident DJ of Yes Yes Y’all, Canada’s largest queer Hip Hop/Dancehall party, spinning shimmering sets of house, disco, and French dance beats.
Get Jiggy Wit It promises a night of throwbacks from the 90s and early 2000s with sounds from UforChange alumni DJ Charlie and didicious on February 23.
DJ General Eclectic’s (Jason Saunders) and La Rumba Buena’s all-Latin vinyl party threads together rare South American descarga grooves, classic ska, Fela Kuti Afrobeat, and James Brown jams for a truly Tropical Ice Skate on March 2.
On a bi-weekly basis, prior to BEATS AND BENTS, UforChange and the Toronto Ice Skate Group will join forces to offer Turn it Out – a series of interactive drop-in DJ and ice breaking workshops at The Bentway. Through the workshops, community members can learn about the foundations of DJing and how to breakdance on ice. The workshop series begins on Friday, January 12, 2018 with Toronto Ice Skate Group ice breaking workshops from 6pm-7:30pm, and UforChange DJ workshops from 6:30pm-7:30pm. After the workshops, UforChange DJs will continue to animate The Bentway’s skate trail taking over the turntables for the weekly BEATS AND BENTS Friday Night Skate Parties.
• Updates and more information will be available at thebentway.ca.
The inaugural Winter Season at The Bentway will run from January 6 – mid-March, 2018 (weather permitting) with ongoing winter programming including free Monday night skate rentals provided by Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, skate instruction, public art exhibitions, and more. A temporary skating village will be installed at The Bentway and will house the skate rental shop, warming stations and a variety of seating options. A curated food truck program will serve hot food, warm and cold drinks, and decadent desserts. On Friday-Monday evenings, skaters are invited to warm up in the Strongbow Lounge. For more information please visit TheBentway.ca/skate-trail-opening.
The Bentway’s 2018 Winter Season is supported by the City of Toronto, the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund (an agency of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sport), Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Strongbow, and Toronto Friends of the Visual Arts.
Special thanks to 102.1 the Edge, the Ontario Tire Stewardship, Giant Containers, Style Garage.
The Bentway is a unique and innovative public space that transforms 1.75km underneath Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway into a new gathering place for our city’s growing population.
Calpurnia - World Premiere January 14 to February 4 2018 at Buddies In Bad Times Toronto
From a media release:
CALPURNIA
A classic novel turned on its head. A dinner party gone wrong.
A Nightwood Theatre and Sulong Theatre Co-production
Written and directed by Audrey Dwyer
January 14 – February 4, 2018
• Tickets
(Toronto) Nightwood Theatre is thrilled to partner with Sulong Theatre in the World Premiere of Audrey Dwyer’s Calpurnia, onstage at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre from January 14 – February 4, 2018.
photo of Audrey Dwyer by Dahlia KatzA hilarious and provocative look at class, race, and appropriation, Calpurnia invites us into an outrageous and unexpected evening at the home of a wealthy Jamaican-Canadian family. As Justice Lawrence Gordon (Andrew Moodie) prepares for an important dinner to introduce his son Mark (Matthew G. Brown) to a Senior Partner at a prominent law firm (Don Allison), his daughter Julie (Meghan Swaby) grapples with her new screenplay. Seeking to redress To Kill a Mockingbird through the perspective of Calpurnia – the Finch family maid – Julie, privileged and disconnected from domestic work, turns to her long-term Filipina caregiver Precy (Carolyn Fe) for research on servitude. But as Julie examines mammy culture from the inside out, her tactics are met with explosive results.
“As a Black woman who creates theatre, I wanted to create characters who make mistakes while growing into their politics,” says Dwyer. “Julie charges through her values, making mistakes and coming out on the other side to take a hard look at herself. Through her, I wanted to show the difference between intention and impact.” Having grown up with a mother and aunts who were caregivers, Dwyer also interviewed domestic workers throughout her research, mindful of the need to keep her own privilege in check while bringing the character of Precy to life.
A rich and layered piece of theatre, Calpurnia seeks to challenge the lasting impact of a problematic so-called “classic” novel still taught in schools and playing on our stages today. The themes of race and allyship reflected in the response to Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird are further explored in Julie’s relationship to her best friend Christine (Natasha Greenblatt), a white woman who also happens to be dating Julie’s brother Mark.
photo of Audrey Dwyer by Tanja-Tiziana - design by Lucinda WallaceAward-winning playwright Audrey Dwyer takes on all these themes with deft charm and cringe-worthy dark humour. Having earned a 2016 Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play for Young People’s Theatre’s wordless play One Thing Leads to Another,Dwyer is eager to unleash this brave new satirical piece that will speak volumes.
“There is no better way to end Sulong Theatre Company’s decade-long journey than to co-produce Calpurnia alongside Nightwood Theatre,” says Catherine Hernandez, Artistic Director of Sulong Theatre. “Audrey's work is a much-needed difficult conversation around race and class in action and onstage."
Nightwood is honoured to bring this piece to the stage after having worked alongside Audrey Dwyer for over ten years, and since first presenting a reading of Calpurnia as part of the 2014 Groundswell Festival. “In Calpurnia, Dwyer balances on a razor's edge between horrifying discomfort and outright hilarity,” says Kelly Thornton, Artistic Director of Nightwood Theatre. “She speaks about hard issues, while making the audience laugh the entire time.”
Starring Don Allison, Matthew Brown, Carolyn Fe, Natasha Greenblatt, Andrew Moodie and Meghan Swaby
Lighting Design by Bonnie Beecher | Sound Design by Johnny Salib | Set Design by Anna Treusch | Costume Design by Jackie Chau
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre | 12 Alexander Street
Performance schedule: Tuesday – Friday at 8pm | Saturday at 2:30pm & 8pm | Sunday at 2:30pm
Opening Night: Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Tickets: $35 | $25 Artsworker/Seniors/Under 30 | $25 Previews (January 14 at 2:30pm & January 16 at 8pm)
Available at buddiesinbadtimes.com/show/calpurnia/ or at 416.975.8555
CALPURNIA
A classic novel turned on its head. A dinner party gone wrong.
A Nightwood Theatre and Sulong Theatre Co-production
Written and directed by Audrey Dwyer
January 14 – February 4, 2018
• Tickets
(Toronto) Nightwood Theatre is thrilled to partner with Sulong Theatre in the World Premiere of Audrey Dwyer’s Calpurnia, onstage at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre from January 14 – February 4, 2018.
photo of Audrey Dwyer by Dahlia KatzA hilarious and provocative look at class, race, and appropriation, Calpurnia invites us into an outrageous and unexpected evening at the home of a wealthy Jamaican-Canadian family. As Justice Lawrence Gordon (Andrew Moodie) prepares for an important dinner to introduce his son Mark (Matthew G. Brown) to a Senior Partner at a prominent law firm (Don Allison), his daughter Julie (Meghan Swaby) grapples with her new screenplay. Seeking to redress To Kill a Mockingbird through the perspective of Calpurnia – the Finch family maid – Julie, privileged and disconnected from domestic work, turns to her long-term Filipina caregiver Precy (Carolyn Fe) for research on servitude. But as Julie examines mammy culture from the inside out, her tactics are met with explosive results.
“Audrey Dwyer’s direction pulls no punches.” – Torontoist
“As a Black woman who creates theatre, I wanted to create characters who make mistakes while growing into their politics,” says Dwyer. “Julie charges through her values, making mistakes and coming out on the other side to take a hard look at herself. Through her, I wanted to show the difference between intention and impact.” Having grown up with a mother and aunts who were caregivers, Dwyer also interviewed domestic workers throughout her research, mindful of the need to keep her own privilege in check while bringing the character of Precy to life.
A rich and layered piece of theatre, Calpurnia seeks to challenge the lasting impact of a problematic so-called “classic” novel still taught in schools and playing on our stages today. The themes of race and allyship reflected in the response to Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird are further explored in Julie’s relationship to her best friend Christine (Natasha Greenblatt), a white woman who also happens to be dating Julie’s brother Mark.
photo of Audrey Dwyer by Tanja-Tiziana - design by Lucinda WallaceAward-winning playwright Audrey Dwyer takes on all these themes with deft charm and cringe-worthy dark humour. Having earned a 2016 Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play for Young People’s Theatre’s wordless play One Thing Leads to Another,Dwyer is eager to unleash this brave new satirical piece that will speak volumes.“There is no better way to end Sulong Theatre Company’s decade-long journey than to co-produce Calpurnia alongside Nightwood Theatre,” says Catherine Hernandez, Artistic Director of Sulong Theatre. “Audrey's work is a much-needed difficult conversation around race and class in action and onstage."
Nightwood is honoured to bring this piece to the stage after having worked alongside Audrey Dwyer for over ten years, and since first presenting a reading of Calpurnia as part of the 2014 Groundswell Festival. “In Calpurnia, Dwyer balances on a razor's edge between horrifying discomfort and outright hilarity,” says Kelly Thornton, Artistic Director of Nightwood Theatre. “She speaks about hard issues, while making the audience laugh the entire time.”
Starring Don Allison, Matthew Brown, Carolyn Fe, Natasha Greenblatt, Andrew Moodie and Meghan SwabyLighting Design by Bonnie Beecher | Sound Design by Johnny Salib | Set Design by Anna Treusch | Costume Design by Jackie Chau
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre | 12 Alexander Street
Performance schedule: Tuesday – Friday at 8pm | Saturday at 2:30pm & 8pm | Sunday at 2:30pm
Opening Night: Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Tickets: $35 | $25 Artsworker/Seniors/Under 30 | $25 Previews (January 14 at 2:30pm & January 16 at 8pm)
Available at buddiesinbadtimes.com/show/calpurnia/ or at 416.975.8555
December 6, 2017
Review: Seneko - True Dimension (Independent, Oct 13, 2017)
Review
Seneko - True Dimension
(Independent, Oct 13, 2017)
• Stream on Spotify
Buoyed by the success of his first EP, the eponymous Seneko released in September 2016, Stan "Seneko" Olshefski has followed up with this solid collection of bouncy indie pop.
True Dimension, the title track, is reminiscent of the New Wave synth pop of the 1980s, but with a richer texture and better musicianship. His lyrics are observant of life and love, sometimes with a wry sense of humour, as in Pierced Lip Smile. The songs have satisfyingly catchy hooks that you'll find yourself humming along to even on the first listen.
The production by David Dorn and Alex Torrez is solid, with a nicely fat and textured sound that elevates the pop music genre into more than background music. The one quibble might be that the vocals often have an over processed sound - like another synth line, almost.
The EP covers a variety of upbeat pop subgenres, including the Latin-flavoured My Little Curioso, about his love for a smart lady. Mind the Violets ventures into country rock, while Take Me Indigo is a retro ballad with singing slide guitar.
A fun collection of tunes from an accomplished popster.
Track List:
1. True Dimension
2. Peirce Lip Smile
3. You To Save Me
4. My Little Curioso
5. Mind The Violets
6. Take Me Indigo
Musicians:
David Dorn: Keyboards
Jackson Epley: Bass
Jon Conley: Guitars
Dave Racine: Drums
Stay connected:
https://www.facebook.com/senekomusic/
https://twitter.com/senekomusic?lang=en
https://www.instagram.com/p/BK_IaRpDFtk/
Seneko - True Dimension
(Independent, Oct 13, 2017)
• Stream on Spotify
Buoyed by the success of his first EP, the eponymous Seneko released in September 2016, Stan "Seneko" Olshefski has followed up with this solid collection of bouncy indie pop.
True Dimension, the title track, is reminiscent of the New Wave synth pop of the 1980s, but with a richer texture and better musicianship. His lyrics are observant of life and love, sometimes with a wry sense of humour, as in Pierced Lip Smile. The songs have satisfyingly catchy hooks that you'll find yourself humming along to even on the first listen.
The production by David Dorn and Alex Torrez is solid, with a nicely fat and textured sound that elevates the pop music genre into more than background music. The one quibble might be that the vocals often have an over processed sound - like another synth line, almost.
The EP covers a variety of upbeat pop subgenres, including the Latin-flavoured My Little Curioso, about his love for a smart lady. Mind the Violets ventures into country rock, while Take Me Indigo is a retro ballad with singing slide guitar.
A fun collection of tunes from an accomplished popster.
Track List:1. True Dimension
2. Peirce Lip Smile
3. You To Save Me
4. My Little Curioso
5. Mind The Violets
6. Take Me Indigo
Musicians:
David Dorn: Keyboards
Jackson Epley: Bass
Jon Conley: Guitars
Dave Racine: Drums
Stay connected:
https://www.facebook.com/senekomusic/
https://twitter.com/senekomusic?lang=en
https://www.instagram.com/p/BK_IaRpDFtk/
Review: Have an Inventive Christmas - Janelle Nadeau - Star of Night (Independent, November 30, 2017)
Review:
Have an Inventive Christmas
Janelle Nadeau - Star of Night
(Independent, November 30, 2017)
• Stream it/Buy it
Janelle Nadeau's Star of Night is a Christmas album for those of us who may not actually want a holiday album...or maybe who already have enough of the traditional stuff. With its spare instrumentation of harp, guitar, and vocals, she manages to breathe brand new life into songs you thought you knew inside out.
The combination of harp and guitar in the arrangement of We Three Kings creates a moody and atmospheric vibe with a strong rhythmic pulse. The beloved carol is barely recognizable in parts when it veers into what sounds like improvisation over the chord structure. It's a very effective way of turning the classic song into a fresh exploration.
In Silent Night, she mines unusual harmonies between the two instruments to create new dimensions to the time honoured Christmas carol. She adds her clear, high vocals to God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, with a multi-dimensional harp and guitar accompaniment that add dramatic tensions you won't remember in the original.
Her strategy of adding unexpected chord changes and playing the instruments off against each other works wonders in terms of invigorating those old chestnuts.
Peace On Earth is a remake of the U2 single, the only non-Christmas carol on the release.
Star of Night by Janelle Nadeau
Janelle is based in Vancouver, British Columbia where she is acting principle harpist with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. She regularly performs with Vancouver's Turning Point Ensemble, and keeps a busy performing schedule as well as teaching.
Her innovative approach to playing has not gone unnoticed by the music industry at large. Janelle has taken the stage with everyone from Diana Krall and Kanye West to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and she spent a decade touring across Western Canada with the acclaimed Celtic, medieval and classical music group Winter Harp.
In 2016, Janelle began a new holiday tradition and founded the Nadeau Ensemble. Their inaugural Prairie Christmas tour was launched last year, and the new recording builds on that success.
Janelle was born in a small town in rural Manitoba where she still returns home during the summers to work on her family's farm. Her belief in the healing power of music has led to working with Health Arts Society.She has performed more than 300 solo concerts in hospitals and palliative care homes.
If you are fond of traditional Christmas music - and if you are not - Nadeau's fresh take plumbs new depths of emotion and mood in this highly recommended release.
Track List:
1. O come, O come Emmanuel
2. Huron Carol
3. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
4. What Child Is This
5. We Three Kings
6. Silent Night
7. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
8. Do You Hear What I Hear
9. O Come All Ye Faithful
10. Peace on Earth
Musicians:
Janelle Nadeau: Harp and Vocals
Stephen Fisk: Guitar and Vocals
Ian Mackie: Percussion
Stay connected:
https://www.facebook.com/janellenadeaumusic/
https://www.instagram.com/jaynad1/
https://twitter.com/JanelleNadeau
The Huron Carol
Star of Night by Janelle Nadeau
Have an Inventive Christmas
Janelle Nadeau - Star of Night
(Independent, November 30, 2017)
• Stream it/Buy it
Janelle Nadeau's Star of Night is a Christmas album for those of us who may not actually want a holiday album...or maybe who already have enough of the traditional stuff. With its spare instrumentation of harp, guitar, and vocals, she manages to breathe brand new life into songs you thought you knew inside out.
The combination of harp and guitar in the arrangement of We Three Kings creates a moody and atmospheric vibe with a strong rhythmic pulse. The beloved carol is barely recognizable in parts when it veers into what sounds like improvisation over the chord structure. It's a very effective way of turning the classic song into a fresh exploration.
In Silent Night, she mines unusual harmonies between the two instruments to create new dimensions to the time honoured Christmas carol. She adds her clear, high vocals to God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, with a multi-dimensional harp and guitar accompaniment that add dramatic tensions you won't remember in the original.
Her strategy of adding unexpected chord changes and playing the instruments off against each other works wonders in terms of invigorating those old chestnuts.
Peace On Earth is a remake of the U2 single, the only non-Christmas carol on the release.
Star of Night by Janelle Nadeau
Janelle is based in Vancouver, British Columbia where she is acting principle harpist with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. She regularly performs with Vancouver's Turning Point Ensemble, and keeps a busy performing schedule as well as teaching.
Her innovative approach to playing has not gone unnoticed by the music industry at large. Janelle has taken the stage with everyone from Diana Krall and Kanye West to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and she spent a decade touring across Western Canada with the acclaimed Celtic, medieval and classical music group Winter Harp.
In 2016, Janelle began a new holiday tradition and founded the Nadeau Ensemble. Their inaugural Prairie Christmas tour was launched last year, and the new recording builds on that success.
Janelle was born in a small town in rural Manitoba where she still returns home during the summers to work on her family's farm. Her belief in the healing power of music has led to working with Health Arts Society.She has performed more than 300 solo concerts in hospitals and palliative care homes.
If you are fond of traditional Christmas music - and if you are not - Nadeau's fresh take plumbs new depths of emotion and mood in this highly recommended release.
Track List:1. O come, O come Emmanuel
2. Huron Carol
3. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
4. What Child Is This
5. We Three Kings
6. Silent Night
7. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
8. Do You Hear What I Hear
9. O Come All Ye Faithful
10. Peace on Earth
Musicians:
Janelle Nadeau: Harp and Vocals
Stephen Fisk: Guitar and Vocals
Ian Mackie: Percussion
Stay connected:
https://www.facebook.com/janellenadeaumusic/
https://www.instagram.com/jaynad1/
https://twitter.com/JanelleNadeau
The Huron Carol
Star of Night by Janelle Nadeau
Review: Have an Inventive - Christmas Janelle Nadeau - Star of Night (Independent, November 30, 2017)
Review:
Have an Inventive Christmas
Janelle Nadeau - Star of Night
(Independent, November 30, 2017)
• Stream it/Buy it
Janelle Nadeau's Star of Night is a Christmas album for those of us who may not actually want a holiday album...or maybe who already have enough of the traditional stuff. With its spare instrumentation of harp, guitar, and vocals, she manages to breathe brand new life into songs you thought you knew inside out.
The combination of harp and guitar in the arrangement of We Three Kings creates a moody and atmospheric vibe with a strong rhythmic pulse. The beloved carol is barely recognizable in parts when it veers into what sounds like improvisation over the chord structure. It's a very effective way of turning the classic song into a fresh exploration.
In Silent Night, she mines unusual harmonies between the two instruments to create new dimensions to the time honoured Christmas carol. She adds her clear, high vocals to God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, with a multi-dimensional harp and guitar accompaniment that add dramatic tensions you won't remember in the original.
Her strategy of adding unexpected chord changes and playing the instruments off against each other works wonders in terms of invigorating those old chestnuts.
Peace On Earth is a remake of the U2 single, the only non-Christmas carol on the release.
Star of Night by Janelle Nadeau
Janelle is based in Vancouver, British Columbia where she is acting principle harpist with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. She regularly performs with Vancouver's Turning Point Ensemble, and keeps a busy performing schedule as well as teaching.
Her innovative approach to playing has not gone unnoticed by the music industry at large. Janelle has taken the stage with everyone from Diana Krall and Kanye West to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and she spent a decade touring across Western Canada with the acclaimed Celtic, medieval and classical music group Winter Harp.
In 2016, Janelle began a new holiday tradition and founded the Nadeau Ensemble. Their inaugural Prairie Christmas tour was launched last year, and the new recording builds on that success.
Janelle was born in a small town in rural Manitoba where she still returns home during the summers to work on her family's farm. Her belief in the healing power of music has led to working with Health Arts Society.She has performed more than 300 solo concerts in hospitals and palliative care homes.
If you are fond of traditional Christmas music - and if you are not - Nadeau's fresh take plumbs new depths of emotion and mood in this highly recommended release.
Track List:
1. O come, O come Emmanuel
2. Huron Carol
3. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
4. What Child Is This
5. We Three Kings
6. Silent Night
7. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
8. Do You Hear What I Hear
9. O Come All Ye Faithful
10. Peace on Earth
Musicians:
Janelle Nadeau: Harp and Vocals
Stephen Fisk: Guitar and Vocals
Ian Mackie: Percussion
Stay connected:
https://www.facebook.com/janellenadeaumusic/
https://www.instagram.com/jaynad1/
https://twitter.com/JanelleNadeau
The Huron Carol
Star of Night by Janelle Nadeau
Have an Inventive Christmas
Janelle Nadeau - Star of Night
(Independent, November 30, 2017)
• Stream it/Buy it
Janelle Nadeau's Star of Night is a Christmas album for those of us who may not actually want a holiday album...or maybe who already have enough of the traditional stuff. With its spare instrumentation of harp, guitar, and vocals, she manages to breathe brand new life into songs you thought you knew inside out.
The combination of harp and guitar in the arrangement of We Three Kings creates a moody and atmospheric vibe with a strong rhythmic pulse. The beloved carol is barely recognizable in parts when it veers into what sounds like improvisation over the chord structure. It's a very effective way of turning the classic song into a fresh exploration.
In Silent Night, she mines unusual harmonies between the two instruments to create new dimensions to the time honoured Christmas carol. She adds her clear, high vocals to God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, with a multi-dimensional harp and guitar accompaniment that add dramatic tensions you won't remember in the original.
Her strategy of adding unexpected chord changes and playing the instruments off against each other works wonders in terms of invigorating those old chestnuts.
Peace On Earth is a remake of the U2 single, the only non-Christmas carol on the release.
Star of Night by Janelle Nadeau
Janelle is based in Vancouver, British Columbia where she is acting principle harpist with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. She regularly performs with Vancouver's Turning Point Ensemble, and keeps a busy performing schedule as well as teaching.
Her innovative approach to playing has not gone unnoticed by the music industry at large. Janelle has taken the stage with everyone from Diana Krall and Kanye West to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and she spent a decade touring across Western Canada with the acclaimed Celtic, medieval and classical music group Winter Harp.
In 2016, Janelle began a new holiday tradition and founded the Nadeau Ensemble. Their inaugural Prairie Christmas tour was launched last year, and the new recording builds on that success.
Janelle was born in a small town in rural Manitoba where she still returns home during the summers to work on her family's farm. Her belief in the healing power of music has led to working with Health Arts Society.She has performed more than 300 solo concerts in hospitals and palliative care homes.
If you are fond of traditional Christmas music - and if you are not - Nadeau's fresh take plumbs new depths of emotion and mood in this highly recommended release.
Track List:1. O come, O come Emmanuel
2. Huron Carol
3. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
4. What Child Is This
5. We Three Kings
6. Silent Night
7. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
8. Do You Hear What I Hear
9. O Come All Ye Faithful
10. Peace on Earth
Musicians:
Janelle Nadeau: Harp and Vocals
Stephen Fisk: Guitar and Vocals
Ian Mackie: Percussion
Stay connected:
https://www.facebook.com/janellenadeaumusic/
https://www.instagram.com/jaynad1/
https://twitter.com/JanelleNadeau
The Huron Carol
Star of Night by Janelle Nadeau
Review: Jay Clark Band - Turning It Up (Independent, 17 December 2017)
Review:
Jay Clark Band - Turning It Up
(Independent, 17 December 2017)
• Buy singles or check in on the release here
Turning It Up follows hot on the heels of Jay Clark's spring 2017 release, Cocked & Loaded. It was a strong album of southern-tinged rock, and he was bent on keeping the momentum going.
"I wanted to show growth both as a writer and creatively. I set out to write songs that had deeper meaning and could keep the listener interested from the first note on Turning It Up to the last note on Hometown. I hope I've done that."
Jay wrote 5 new songs for the release, and went back to Nashville to collaborate with his session band. He's added two new singers, Adam Cunningham and Tania Hancheroff, which adds vocal depth to the whole album.
In the afternoon, I grab a vitamin C
Let's get the party going...
That party starts with the first - and title - track of the release, a Saturday night rocker lit up by his high energy attack on the southern fried genre. Loud continues in the same vein, with lyrics that tell the story of his journey in the music world so far.
The first single, Leave It All Behind, has already charted and is gaining momentum.
• Stream the single on Spotify
Jay's raspy vocals are nicely contrasted by the melodic back up vocalists on tracks like On My Way, Hometown, and Backroads. Dwayne Russell's fat Hammond B3 adds a lush note to many of the tracks.
You could call it quality southern-fried rock, driven by virtuosic guitar licks by lead Rob Carlson and a down to earth message. There's a lot of rhythmic variation from track to track that makes each track a fresh take on the theme. He creates songs with a strong, danceable pulse meant for partying.
Coming Back To You bucks that trend a little in a softer, country rock song with a working man's insight into relationships, and an irresistible swing.
Well I've been missing having you around
On the road for so long, it's wearing me down
I'm too busy - it's not a good excuse
I'm packing up and coming back to you.
The journey back home is a recurring theme - one common to a rocker on the road. Hometown uses a country twang to tell a story about that mythical small town where Ma is still baking pies.
Turning It Up is a solid release that builds on Clark's strengths - great guitar licks, powerhouse vocals, and a textured approach to classic Southern country rock.
Musicians:
Jay Clark - Singer, Guitar, Bass
Rob Carlson - Lead Guitar
Dwayne Russell - Keyboards
Coby Utterback - Drums
Track List:
1. Turning It Up
2. On My Way
3. Won't Let You Down
4. Backroads
5. A Storm Is Coming
6. Crank It Up Loud
7. Coming Back To You
8. Hometown
Websites:
Jayclarkband.com
https://jayclark1.bandcamp.com/
facebook.com/jayclarkband
twitter.com/jcrocker8
Jay Clark Band - Turning It Up
(Independent, 17 December 2017)
• Buy singles or check in on the release here
Turning It Up follows hot on the heels of Jay Clark's spring 2017 release, Cocked & Loaded. It was a strong album of southern-tinged rock, and he was bent on keeping the momentum going."I wanted to show growth both as a writer and creatively. I set out to write songs that had deeper meaning and could keep the listener interested from the first note on Turning It Up to the last note on Hometown. I hope I've done that."
Jay wrote 5 new songs for the release, and went back to Nashville to collaborate with his session band. He's added two new singers, Adam Cunningham and Tania Hancheroff, which adds vocal depth to the whole album.
In the afternoon, I grab a vitamin C
Let's get the party going...
That party starts with the first - and title - track of the release, a Saturday night rocker lit up by his high energy attack on the southern fried genre. Loud continues in the same vein, with lyrics that tell the story of his journey in the music world so far.
The first single, Leave It All Behind, has already charted and is gaining momentum.
• Stream the single on Spotify
Jay's raspy vocals are nicely contrasted by the melodic back up vocalists on tracks like On My Way, Hometown, and Backroads. Dwayne Russell's fat Hammond B3 adds a lush note to many of the tracks.
You could call it quality southern-fried rock, driven by virtuosic guitar licks by lead Rob Carlson and a down to earth message. There's a lot of rhythmic variation from track to track that makes each track a fresh take on the theme. He creates songs with a strong, danceable pulse meant for partying.
Coming Back To You bucks that trend a little in a softer, country rock song with a working man's insight into relationships, and an irresistible swing.
Well I've been missing having you around
On the road for so long, it's wearing me down
I'm too busy - it's not a good excuse
I'm packing up and coming back to you.
The journey back home is a recurring theme - one common to a rocker on the road. Hometown uses a country twang to tell a story about that mythical small town where Ma is still baking pies.
Turning It Up is a solid release that builds on Clark's strengths - great guitar licks, powerhouse vocals, and a textured approach to classic Southern country rock.
Musicians:Jay Clark - Singer, Guitar, Bass
Rob Carlson - Lead Guitar
Dwayne Russell - Keyboards
Coby Utterback - Drums
Track List:
1. Turning It Up
2. On My Way
3. Won't Let You Down
4. Backroads
5. A Storm Is Coming
6. Crank It Up Loud
7. Coming Back To You
8. Hometown
Websites:
Jayclarkband.com
https://jayclark1.bandcamp.com/
facebook.com/jayclarkband
twitter.com/jcrocker8
Art & Culture Maven
Where I blog about art and culture, not surprisingly.
- Anya M. Wassenberg's profile
- 5 followers
