In today’s society, certain dates seem to be linked to certain events.  Each of these dates seems to have its own traditions.  Well, ever since high school there are a few of these types of dates that I adhere to pretty firmly.  May 2-4 always is and will always be a weekend spent somewhere up near Barrie.  Halloween (and St. Patrick’s Day) equals a great reason to throw a party.  And April 20^th will always be 4-20, aka – National Stoner Day.

In the average bear’s world, April 20^th simply marks another day where, despite the weather getting warmer,they will likely still have to go in to work (at least until they win the lottery).  To the followers of a popular counter culture movement however, April 20^th marks a day of making a firm statement – you can not stop us.  All we are asking for is freedom.  Freedom would be great, because it would mean having the freedom to smoke up wherever they pleased.  

 In “light” of the fact that April 20^th presents a valid excuse to smoke up, I headed to what I think is one of the city’s finest counter culture venues – the Hot Box Café.  I have reviewed a few bands there before, and they have never let me down.  I heard through their Facebook page that in order to celebrate the arrival of April 20^th, they had  scheduled nearly twelve hours of live music.  Twelve.  I thought, there was no possible way that I was going to miss this.  With my notepad in hand and my reggae tunes blaring through my iPod, I headed out to the Kensington Market.  I had literally quite “high” hopes for the day’s events to come, and with that in mind I had invited along my friends Cynthia and Brent, two of the most chill and fun people I know.  We found the café, headed inside, and… 

Boom.  The wall of smoke hit us in the face like being hit with a pillow.  Instant smiles.  Instant need to sit down and not even think about moving for a while.  To say that the atmosphere in there was different may be a massive understatement.  From the temporary circular layout of the chairs and tables (better chi for the room), to the sound waves throbbing out of the huge speakers set up by the juice bar, to the fact that the place was absolutely packed, every factor of what we saw before us was just about perfect.  Another thing that was absolutely perfect was that we immediately spotted a table with three empty chairs against the wall right beside the band that was on at that time.

The acoustics inside that building are always incredible, but that day I noticed something – with significantly more people packed into that room, the sound seems to hit your ears in just the right way after bouncing around the walls.  Neat.  The band that was currently on was just wrapping up their last song before a break, so we had time to grab drinks and get comfortable.

After a brief pause, the next band got set up.  The crowd immediately settled down.  It was intense, having a room that is positively buzzing with energy suddenly drop back into an intense chill mode.  But it was a well-deserved hush that fell over the room.  The band that was coming up as we arrived was called The Spliffs (appropriate).  Typical reggae, with an atypical edge that made them a tiny bit more awesome than average.  For the life of me, I still cannot figure out what it was that gave them that edge;  all I know is that it totally added to the effect already achieved by the café.  They ran through a few songs, all of a typical reggae fashion, and did a pretty fantastic job.

After The Spliffs came a guy called W Cyborg and his friend Charlie Bobus.  I loved their sound, but by that point was finding it increasingly more difficult to concentrate and was completely enthralled with the fact that you are allowed to draw on the café’s walls with chalk.  I think it was also partly that their music felt almost too comfortable.  I needed to re-focus, so I went for a brief hike through the Kensington Market, leaving my friends to guard my coveted seat (which was, at that point,  a rare commodity).  By the time I returned, the next musician was setting up.  I was sort of sad that I had missed their entire set, but the one that followed actually made up for it.

He introduced himself as Bobby Dreadfull and told us a story about how the inspiration behind his name comes from drawing a parallel to the massive amount of dreadlocks piled atop his head.  The thing that stuck out about him right from the start was the mix of instruments that his band mates were performing .  He had the typical drums, guitar, bass, and bongos.  But he also included a digital soundboard (sadly, I didn’t figure out what type it was) and an alto saxophone!  I love it when musicians and bands use “alternative instruments” when they perform, but I was not expecting what was coming when the guy behind that saxophone started to play.  He didn’t chime in until the second or third song, but it was totally worth the wait!  As an alto sax player myself (ah yes, my high school legacy…), I remember a little bit about things like embouchure (the position that you have to hold your lips and mouth in to play properly) and the way you have to direct your air to achieve the best sound.  Well, this guy had all that and more down to a science.  He had a wonderfully explosive power, with a rounded sound and didn’t run out of energy like some sax players that I have seen.  Add to that the bongo drums, guitar and Bobby Dreadful’s energetic delivery of lyrics, and you have a seriously great sound for a band.  The other musicians that he had playing were also doing their part and contributing nicely.  Overall, their combined sound was pretty stellar.

By that point in the evening (shortly after dinner time), we all had just about all that we could of being in that extremely smoky environment.  So we reluctantly headed for the door, only to be stopped by my friend Cynthia who suddenly exclaimed, “Oh WOW guys!!  I think we have to check this out!”

“This” turned out to be a different venue that her friend Morgan had just texted to her, this time a nightclub with a bar,  and a host of people DJing the night away.  There would be dancing, we were told.  This could be fun.  It was only just shortly after 7:00pm, so the night was young!  We knew we had to at least go and check it out.  After all, Cynthia’s friend was going to be one of the DJs there that night.  After a quick Google Maps search to locate Jun Jun’s Bar, we headed out.  We only got lost once trying to find the place, but as it turns out that name is quite popular and so we had to distinguish between the bar, a marketplace, a clinic and some other oddities with the same name.  In the end though, we did find it and we headed in.

For the second time that day, as soon as we walked in the door I was hit with a realization that I was completely not ready for what was about to happen.  The room itself was awesome – all different shades of blue, with bubble-shaped circles of tables and millions of tiny dots of light shimmering and reflecting off the walls everywhere you looked.  Again, we somehow found the one empty table that remained.  Sitting down, I saw that the stage where the DJs would be was quite close to where we were sitting.  There was a DJ setting up his gear, which again gave us enough time to go and grab a few more drinks and get back to the table.

As soon as her started to spin, all I seemed able to do was just sit there, astonished at the skill he had in mixing between tracks and blending the songs together perfectly.  I noticed that quite a lot of people in the crowd had gotten up and start dancing already, and it was only just after 8:00pm!  He held a great amount of energy as he worked as well, grooving out to the music and sort of dancing.  After a while, there was a clean switch between him and the next DJ to get up and perform.  By that point, nearly the entire room was out on the dance floor, so I felt a rare need to conform and I dragged my friends out there with me.  We spent the rest of the night, through three other DJs and a few more drinks, just dancing and having a blast just for the hell of it.  I got home, exhausted, sometime shortly after 3:00am and collapsed into bed.  It has taken me a few days to recover from such a night, but remembering it now feels pretty great.

Ask any musician, hell, ask any random person off the street, “How long have you been interested in music?” and the answer is almost always, “My whole life”.  Music touches every aspect of life.  When we are young we listen to the music of our parents.  Then we grow and develop our own musical tastes, find those other like-minded individuals who share our interests and forge bonds with them.  It becomes the sound track to our highs and lows, and the not so extreme commute to work each day. 

For many people, that is the entire relationship with music, but for others it inspires a little more.  For some, it lights a flame to pick up an instrument, master it and create beautiful music of their own.  If we are lucky, those people are willing to share their talent with the world and a musician is born, as is the case with Kirk Reed and his band The Reed Effect.

Reed, originally from Long Island, now resides in Toronto where he creates melodic rock with his two Toronto native band mates Melinda Uden and Alex Van Briggle.  All three of these talented musicians had their start in music at an early age.  Both Reed and Uden were introduced to piano in their childhood, and Van Briggle had the fortunate experience of learning from his father who was a touring musician.  For Reed, the guitar piqued his interest in high school and he easily transferred the music theory learned through piano lessons to this new instrument. 

Now in their adulthood, the members of The Reed Effect are working hard both on and off the stage.  By day they work jobs that pay the bills and by night they pursue their passion on stage.  When asked if there was a specific moment that inspired them to get into music as a potential career, Reed answered “Yes, when I saw Led Zeppelin’s movie/documentary ‘The Song Remains The Same’… I saw Jimmy Page playing his heart out in the film with so much passion and soul, I said to myself, ‘I have to do that!’”

Led Zeppelin, has been a large influence to Reed throughout his life along with Jimmy Hendrix and The Doors.  His admiration for bands such as The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tool are share between his band mates.  The influence of these artists can be heard in the music of The Reed Effect, and yet they really make their music their own.

When asked about other musical influences, local Toronto indie bands such as The Rough Notes and Bella Clava made the list.  Having local artists inspire one and other is one of the best aspects of the Toronto music scene.  As Uden puts it “…roaming the indie scene in Toronto is tremendously entertaining and effectively humbling.  Wicked talent in this city.”

That “wicked talent” is present within The Reed Effect and all the years of studying music, practicing and performing are paying off.  This band puts on a fantastic live show as their set has the fluidity of a well-oiled machine.  A few months back they played the Horseshoe Tavern and one very unique aspect of their show was that there was hardly a moment when music was not being played.  In between songs when Reed was speaking to the audience, there was always a melody to back him up.

It’s clear that The Reed Effect is up on stage to entertain.  When asked to divulge their strategies while arranging a set, Van Briggle said, “We’re always evolving as a band, continuing to develop a feel to the set that seems to work… It’s important to connect with the audience, keep things interesting without being too indulgent.  Having brief breaks in the music can add to the show, you bring them down a little so you can bring them right back up.”

Off stage, The Reed Effect has just finished recording their new CD and is having the release party this Friday (May 11).  This promises to be an amazing night and the perfect opportunity to check out these talented musicians in their natural habitat.  The show is at the Bovine, is only five dollars and will be featuring performances of other incredible talent such as the Exitseekers, Charming Ruins and Bella Clava.

To learn more about the Reed Effect and check out their music, please visit their websites:

www.facebook.com/reedeffect

www.myspace.com/thereedeffect

www.last.fm 

www.soundcloud.com

 www.kirkreed.ca

Peace out from the Rebel!

   At the Hot Box after 7pm, they become the Hot Box AfterDark, a venue for DJs, entertainers and all sorts of interesting folks to perform and entertain the crowd that assembles there.  They have a schedule  with the shows and entertainment that they have going on during any given night.  This is, I would imagine, any entertainers’ “dream crowd”, with their way-more-chill-than-average outlooks and intense concentration on the sounds coming out of their speakers.  On Tuesdays, they have an open mic acoustic jam called “Hot Box Unplugged”.  Saturdays, they usually have some form of dubstep music going on.  Then there’s my favourite night – Fridays.  Every Friday, the Hot Box becomes a tropical paradise… well, not really.  It’s still blisteringly cold outside if you venture out to have a cigarette.  But inside the walls of one of the friendliest places on earth, it’s warm, toasty, and ever so reggae.

   Reggae music is the thing that drew me to the Hot Box around the start of the new year.  At that point, we were buried under more snow than I usually care to deal with and it was that same blisteringly cold outside that I spoke of.  I figured then that, if anything could fix the winter blahs, it would be a heavy dose of reggae.  I was right then, and I was reminded of that just the other week.  Given that my day job is extremely stressful (I fundraise for a living), I frequently need to just sit back and relax in one of those “Musical Zen” environments I was talking about.  And as they always do, the Hot Box provided.

   I walked in and immediately recognized the song that was on the speakers overhead.  Bob Marley, “One Love”.  A classic.  I could tell immediately that I had made the right decision to return to review another night of music there.  Like I said, the Hot Box has yet to let me down.

   I grabbed a Chocolate Mint Tea Latte at the juice bar and settled down at a table about halfway back with two of my buddies who had also had stressful weeks.  As I raised it to take a sip, the song switched to one that I recognized instantly.  A few months ago I had been planning to review a show at Lee’s Palace, but there was a massive snow storm that day and I figured that I didn’t want to get stranded in downtown Toronto should they stop running the trains for safety sake.  The artist’s name is Friendlyness and his band is called The Human Rights.  Yes, that’s right – Friendlyness and The Human Rights.  Together, they create this amazing  music that I feel could only come from one who, like Friendlyness, is a Caucasian reggae artist.  As highly atypical as that is, I do not judge and I still love their music.  It has this vibe that, while it is traditionally reggae in every sense, is about actual issues and things that real people deal with on a regular basis.  It has substance, meaning, and a really groovy beat.

   I was quite pleased to be able to settle back into my chair, open my notebook, and take that first sip of my latte.

   Well, let me tell you, I melted.  That latte was the most incredible compliment to the whole vibe we had going that evening and the music just rounded it off ever so nicely.  We must have sat there for about four hours or so, listening to the music and sort of absorbing the warmth that it gave the whole place.

   The lattes helped keep us warm too.

   All in all, I feel it gave me the confidence  to survive what was left of winter to see another spring.  As long as I have the Hot Box and they keep having those amazing Chocolate Mint Tea Lattes, life is good   

   I had to do a bit of research when I got home that night to find out more about these two musicians whose sounds worked so well together.  Their sound when they play together is a testament to the bands that they are originally from; The Johnstones and Mean Tangerine can both be described as ska-punk-rock bands.  They share the same energetic approach to music and obviously have similar passions for what they play. 

   I had never heard of The Johnstones before this show, though after I looked them up I have  to say that I love their music!  It has this bouncy energy that carries the listener through each song, while also holding onto that beloved standard that defines what punk really should be.  Jarek Hardy is the lead guitarist and vocalist for The Johnstones.  His voice provides a relaxed vibe to an otherwise energetic series of songs.  Mean Max, on the other hand, comes from a band called Mean Tangerine.  These guys have a strong ska-reggae vibe, and seem to be really great to listen to after a rough day because I find that their music is really quite uplifting.  He plays the keyboard, and together their voices and sounds create just the right blend of bounce, energy and musical love.  It is pretty evident when listening to these musicians who their musical influences are, bands like The Black Keys, Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Clash come through in the form of certain riffs that they both used.

   Right from the start, I think that everyone could tell just how good these two really are.  Jarek’s solid guitar playing, combined with his strong vocals mixed really well with Mean Max’s keyboard parts.  Their music really made me smile for one reason though – they are quite clearly a “stoner rock” group, aka a group of musicians who might have particular appeal to those who enjoy frequenting places such as the vapour lounges in our fair city.  They moved through each song, their energy never fading and no mistakes that I caught.  All in all, I think I would have to say that they played a pretty excellent set together!

   The shows that I caught were equally fantastic.  The sets that they played, though they had similar music on the different nights, were just what those weeks needed to wrap up successfully.  It’s always nice to see local talent that is not only just good but great!  They get what sort of music today’s generations are craving, and they seem able to deliver it every time.  A winning combination!

Burlington, ON songstress Ashley Sloggett is at it again, delivering her upbeat folk rock sound to the listening public with her new six track EP Between Sleep and Summer.

Her first release known as The Annum EP was a definite winner, spawning a fantastic music video for the tune “Soldier Slave,” which earned the album some major attention, but her latest work may surpass the first album’s success.

The energy, enthusiasm and spirit that Sloggett projects in her work are just a few of the attributes that make her music so pleasant to listen to. She really knows how to make a listener feel good and has the perfect voice to accompany her fast strumming acoustic guitar.

Her latest album begins with a real gem titled “New Town,” a fast-paced, folk rock tune with great vocal diversity that gets the album off and running. The tune just makes you happy and you can credit Sloggett’s vocals for that feeling.

The album moves on to the country style tune “The Wolves,” which features a catchy chorus and additional male vocals from Rob Pasalic – who also provides lead guitar on the track – and Ian Blackwood also jumps in with vocals to provide some depth. The tune gets stuck in your head after one listen and could be one of the strongest on the disc.

Next up is the impressive “Always Burning,” a very strong tune with some serious musical impact courtesy of Sloggett. You get a feeling that she sings about dealing with personal experiences in life and this song is definitely a tune people can relate to. Her vocals are at their best on this track and you immediately feel like singing along with her when she belts “You and I were like a fire, always burning.”

“Abandon All Your Shipwrecks,” starts and closes with some catchy whistling, which again puts the listener in a positive mood. This tune may not have the most positive of lyrics, but the lively, upbeat theme of the album is still evident as this tune plays.

If you’re familiar with “The Annum EP” than you have heard “Fire and Flood” before. Sloggett delivers the tune once again, but this time around it comes with a beautiful piano accompaniment. This is the first time on the album that she moves away from her folk rock comfort zone and it was a huge success. You witness a different side of the singer as she hits some of her best notes albeit in a sad and emotional way. It’s a side she should feature more often when she creates future albums because the song really packed some punch.

Finally, the EP closes with “Something More,” a return to the “happy-go-lucky” folk rock style that Sloggett is known for. The song makes you feel like jumping out of bed in the morning and going out to enjoy your day. Maybe the tune was better fit as an album opener, but nonetheless it was still an effective closer, which left me in high spirits.

Overall, Sloggett has once again delivered a great album with her swift playing acoustic guitar, joyous vocals and jubilant folk rock style. “Between Sleep and Summer” is a great follow-up to “The Annum EP” and I cannot wait to see what the singer has in store for the future.

The “Between Sleep and Summer” EP is available for a free listen on Ashley Sloggett’s Souncloud page: http://soundcloud.com/ashleysloggett/sets/between-sleep-and-summer

Thursday night, Canadian Music Week (CMW) 2012, middle of March and it was hot enough to leave the house wearing shorts at 9:30 pm.  Dundas St. W, above the “reliable carpet” store is a local watering hole known only to those who love indie, rock and metal; the Hard Luck Bar.

Construction gear piled on a table in the back indicates there’s electrical work being done and the floor feels slightly unstable below your feet.  Contrary to the atmosphere, the music is consistently electric and the crowd – unlike the floor- is always supportive.

On this particular night Broken Bricks, a local Toronto band, were scheduled to play this aging venue.  The music posted to the Broken Bricks CMW artist page is reminiscent of the Kinks and so it seems fitting that a retro sound be played at venue that is in itself outmoded.

According to their website the two song writers and multi-instrumentalists Marlon Chaplin and Luke Kuplowskyn first started playing together after an “…unexpected meeting in their highschool hallway–Chaplin with guitar in hand, Kuplowsky wielding his harmonica…”  This sparked an impromptu jam session and the rest is history.

In 2011, Broken Bricks released their first official EP titled Little Fugitives.  The 6 track EP was recorded with John Critchley (Greendoor Studios, Toronto) who has also produced works from artists such as Dan Mangan and Eliott Brood.  Word on the street is that the Broken Bricks will be releasing a new single in the near future.  A much anticipated event to be sure.

On that Thursday night of CMW 2012 the gentlemen of Broken Bricks took the stage and the fans rallied around.  They began their show with their brand of high energy rock n’ roll tunes.  Exactly as expected they had the crowd moving along with their catchy hooks and strong melody.   As the set progressed the vocals were rotated from guitarist Chaplin and pianist Kuplowsky.  Each song is accompanied by bass, drums and the occasional harmonica.

What’s most striking about the progression of the set is the evolution of the Broken Bricks sound.  The expectation was a lineup of classic Britpop and what the audience was given was a fusion rock throughout the ages.  They impressively change keys as well as time signatures within their songs adding a whole other dimension to their onstage energy as well as that of the crowd.  The dynamics and depth of their music is a most welcome surprise.

The moral of the story here can be summed up by the old saying, “never judge a book by its cover”.  The Hard Luck Bar may seem like an aging venue, but it’s what happens within those breaking walls that count.  As for the Broken Bricks, they turned out to be far from predictable with a classically modern sound that captivates the audience and leaves everyone feeling high.

How would you define what folk music really is?  Some might say that it is that genre of music that is similar to something between blues and country, others that it is a more traditional sort of music.  My own personal definition, up until Canadian Music Week this year that is, was that folk music is simply what “the people” sing.  However, over a week of such a variety of music being alive and vibrant in the city, I had the extremely good fortune of finding a name in my directory of shows that jumped out at me for some unknown reason.  I was relatively positive that I had never heard of Donovan Woods before.  All that I knew was from that listing in the directory – that he played guitar, and what he played was “contemporary folk music”.  It certainly sounded interesting enough, so I figured it might be worth investigating it further, in part because he was playing at one of my favourite venues and in part because I was on a quest to find the most outright different music that I could during this festival.

In an event as large as this, there is music of all kinds everywhere in the city of Toronto.  However, a lot of it can be grouped into large categories where there are many other bands that are probably going to sound more or less similar.  Folk, on the other hand, was one category that I was not able to find that much variety in.  And so, with my hopes held high and my trusty notebook in hand, I headed out to Supermarket to catch his show.  I had decided at the last minute to invite my friend Cynthia to come along with me, as she is one of my favourite friends to catch new and different shows with.

When we walked in the doors to the venue, we had no idea where on earth he would be set up to play.  That is, until one of the other people there ducked out through a door at the back of the room which we heard a guitar behind.  We knew that we must have had found it!  And so we headed in, but to what we were not quite certain.

The first thing that was impossible to miss when you walked through that door was the change in the vibe.  Toward the front doors where we had first walked in, it was a friendly, bright and social sort of place.  But behind that back door, the lighting was dimmed.  There were very few chairs scattered around the room, and nearly all were already occupied.  Luckily, we spotted two vacant chairs, which we managed to grab and place in the centre of the room, thinking that this location would likely have the best acoustics.  There was really no need for that though, as it turned out that the entire room had clearly been designed for the purpose of hosting musical acts.  The way that the sound carried was fantastic!  Especially considering that this musician was flying solo; it was just him and a guitar, standing all alone on a stage at one end of the room.  He had just finished his sound check and was introducing himself as we sat down.  We had thought that we were in for a more or less standard night of music, but what we got was something else.  We knew that as soon as he hit that first chord.  He started to sing, and suddenly all that I could do was simply close my eyes and listen.  His voice rang out through the room’s silence, transporting every member of the audience to a place as relaxed and Zen as his music.  It was as if his music took all of the aspects of blues, jazz and folk that we knew and loved, and combined them into one entirely new genre.  His songs all seemed to be instantly endearing, with subject matter that covered real, meaningful content and a guitar part to back them up that was relaxed yet strong.  As I listened I was actually thinking about what other artists I might compare him to, and the only ones that even came close enough to draw any sort of parallels were Jacksoul (if you remember him from the late ‘90s) or, more recently, John Meyer.  They all have this astonishing vocal range and sultry strength to their voices that makes listening to them feel very comfortable.

By the second song, I already knew that I was likely going to continue enjoying his music, but then a few songs later, he pulled out a harmonica, attached to one of those neck straps that allows one to play both the harmonica as well as the guitar at the same time.  Brilliant.  It complemented the guitar part perfectly and added whatever his music needed to go from being simply great to being full-on amazing.  I would say that his overall skill on the guitar is one of the things that sets him apart from most other musicians that I have seen.  Some songs that he played, like one off his new record called “Put On Cologne”, had some seriously intricate picking out of individual notes and it seemed to be a skill that he was quite comfortable with.

From the reactions of the crowd, it was obvious that he had already built up quite a following, and a well-deserved one at that!  The crowd in the room could not stop cheering between songs, and were only silenced when he would start into a new song.  The whole show was a great one and he maintained the same strength and energy throughout.  I knew that I would have to try and find out more about him.

When I did finally get the chance to look him up a few days later, I found out that he had originally released a CD called “The Hold Up” in 2007, which was acclaimed as “an engaging and articulate window into the heart of an extremely unique writer” by critics.  After that CD came his most recent one, called “The Widowmaker”.  This new disc contains contributions from a piano, banjo, synth tones and female backing vocals to add to his signature acoustic guitar-led songs.  I really feel that this CD was a fantastic follow-up to his first, as it manages to showcase his development as a professional musician.

The history of how he began as a musician is interesting – apparently, he started playing guitar because his sister had told him one day when they were younger that he wasn’t “good looking enough” to not have an instrument!  He studied acting during high school.  His love of the arts carried on after that and he went on to study dramatic performance at the University of Guelph and the Academy at the Stratford Festival of Ontario.  This flair for the dramatic clearly influenced a lot of the songs in “The Widowmaker”, as the CD is performed in a classic storyteller fashion.  I think that CBC Music put it best when they say that, “The Widowmaker is a tapestry of melodic intensity, earnest yet wry lyrics and heartbreaking tones.”

All in all, I was surprised that I had not heard of Donovan Woods before!  This strangely-unknown musician impressed me a fair bit.  I must say that I am extremely pleased that I discovered him!

When she took the stage, the strikingly beautiful young lady had only three instruments up there with her, yet none had any players sitting near them.  A set of drums, a keyboard and a huge stand-up bass were placed strategically across the stage in such a way that it was evident from the start that this mysterious singer would have room to move about freely; and move she did!  The young lady was introduced as Joan Crowe, and I think the thing that struck me most about her was that right away was the way that she seemed to be always moving along with the music.  She would sway back and forth for the slower songs, and take small dance-like steps for the quicker ones.  Her outfit was just right as well, as it flowed gracefully around her gentle curves.  The fact that she is an extremely talented (and rather well-known!) musician just added that much more awesome to the mix.

            Could I be making this night sound any more magical?

            In all seriousness, maybe putting it that way makes this act sound cheesy, and to a degree, it was (but only a bit!).  I had never heard of Joan Crowe before this week’s Canadian Music Fest (or Slacker’s Music Fest, for those who know it by that name).  This young lady, with her beautiful smile and angelic voice, can best be described as “spunky”.  Originally from New York, she has played with Big Bands, other jazz artists, and musicians of all shapes, sizes, sorts and colours.  I could trace her repertoire ranges back as far as 2002, and her music has evolved and grown along with her ever since she first began.

        The best part about Joan’s music?  The realness.  She gets right to the heart of what she sings about (that much was obvious after the first song or two).  Her debut CD, called “Bird On The Wire”, has been getting rave reviews since its release in the April of 2005.  On this 13-track disc, her soothing and crystal-clear vocals were not even my favourite part!  That, combined with the fact that she somehow manages to magically infuse different genres of music together to create a whole new sound, makes for a music listening experience that few other jazz musicians have matched in my books.  My favourites that I have heard in her work are the combinations of swing into a classic lullaby and blues with reggae.  In short, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to her tunes through her MySpace page!  Her second CD, “In The Key Of Comedy”, focuses on the lighter side of jazz.  She is the leader of not only one, but four bands and possesses an extensive repertoire of jazz, standards, pop, rock, blues, R&B and folk.  Having a rap sheet with all that on it is enough to make anyone proud!

            To see her perform live, though, was something else entirely.  While some people who mentioned her on their blogs and websites were impressed with her work overall, many seemed hesitant to give her the “props” I feel she so strongly deserves due to her vibrancy, versatility and the overall incredible storytelling skill that she weaves into her music.  She even participates in a number of fundraising endeavours in her spare time, making her just that much more of a snazzy musician.

            How off track can I get sometimes?  Evidently, very much so!  Back to the show!

            My absolute favourite song that she and her band performed was called “The White Girls Can’t Sing Blues”.  Summed up, it was about how being a lonely girl living in the big city can give any “white girl” the blues.  Another song was a close front runner behind that one, simply because it was a jazz song with a reggae beat (remember how I mentioned that she likes to infuse genres?)  Before her band started into that song she said she really feels that reggae accentuates any type of music, or anything else in life for that matter!  This is a fact that I very strongly agree with.

       She wrapped up her set with a rendition of “Hound Dog”.  Yes, the song that Elvis also performed.  But did you know that Elvis’ song was actually also a cover of another song?  (Gasp!!)  The original was done by Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton in 1952, and the remake by Elvis in 1954.  Although I’m sure countless other covers of this song have been done, the one performed by Crowe was incredible. She had the entire lounge clapping along with her throughout the entire song, which is a testament to any musician that they are doing good work.  Well deserved  J

            I left that night after the show was done, still scribbling down notes on my little “music reviewing notepad” and extremely hyped for the rest of Music Week.  I mean, if this is how it starts, imagine how it will end?

Written By: Veronika W

Edited By: The Miz

It was the first day of Canadian Music Week Festival (also known as Slacker’s Canadian Music Fest).  As I frequently find myself, I was in the mood for some jazz music.  But not just any jazz, I wanted only the best.  So naturally the place to go seemed to be Lula Lounge, a uniquely interesting venue in Toronto that features the best in jazz musicians on a regular basis.  That evening, I was particularly interested in catching one specific artist – Juliann Kuchocki.  I had heard nothing but praise for her, and so I was quite excited heading into the lounge for the show that evening.  I had arranged a few days prior to the show for one of my best friends, Deanna, to meet me there.  Deanna is one of those friends that I knew would get as much out of a night of jazz as I would.  She herself is an artist with -what can only be described as a- “hardcore appreciation” for all things in life that can be deemed beautiful (Dee herself is a pretty beautiful person!).  We met at the lounge, grabbed a table by the stage, and sat down for a night we would not soon forget.

I had done a bit of research beforehand on the musician we were there to see, and learned quite a bit about her.  It turns out that Juliann sings in not just one or two, but four languages!  She performs all genres of music with her “jazz, blues and party band” including jazz, blues, R&B, funk, soul, disco, rock, country… and the list goes on from there.  Since the release of her first full-length album entitled “Don’t Explain” in April 2010, she has signed record deals in four countries, won Best New Artist Original Jazz Music at the Barrie Music Festival and was one of the opening acts for Canadian Music Week this year.  Quite the list of accomplishments!

Both her first album and the new one coming out on May 5^th (called “Broken Compass”) showcase the true musical gift that this young lady has.  They are a celebration of a life’s journey that has been both exciting and glamorous, but also challenging and painful.  All of the songs that she has created seem to be a testament to Juliann’s own indomitable spirit and definitely hint at how she has had some great influences from jazz, R&B, soul and rock divas both past and present.

When she first took the stage, I noticed that she had a decent sized band with her to back her up.  It included two saxophones, a trombone, a keyboard, a guitar, drums and a huge stand-up bass (I have always had a soft spot for bands that use a stand-up bass).  Juliann herself had an absolutely incredible singing voice – deep and soulful and all-around moving.  The way that the instrumentals in the background seemed to compliment her singing was just about perfect.  The solos that her band played during the songs were skillfully executed keeping in perfect time and adding that jazzy sort of flair that is the whole reason I am so drawn to jazz shows in the first place.

I think one of the best songs that they played was a few songs into their set; it was about how they (the musicians) didn’t really want to try and “fit in” to society and would much rather do their own thing.  In this song, they displayed a strength that was really cool in that it seemed they were leading us (the audience) boldly down this wayward path with them.  Sadly, I didn’t manage to catch the name of the song, but I loved it all the same.

There were also two female singers that were backing Juliann up in a few songs.  I thought that they had been selected perfectly as their voices were what seemed to be the ideal complement to Juliann’s soulful voice.  One really neat detail that they had clearly worked out before the show was what they were all wearing – classic black, knee-length dresses.  Very nice.  Very jazzy.

Out of all the musicians that were behind Juliann, I think my favourite must have been the man on the keyboard.  Being a pianist myself, I find that whenever I catch a show, I am analyzing whoever is playing the keys. I try and catch their technique and any little tricks that they might have that I could use and learn to improve my own playing.  This keyboard player, however, was clearly in a class a few above mine!  With some truly amazing solo work in the songs, the speed at which his fingers moved over the keys and the melodies that he produced were mind blowing.  All the musicians seemed to have that special trait in their own ways.  In short, they were also an amazing complement for this jazzy young lady.

The last song that they played was called “Fifteen Minutes”.  Juliann had made a joke before they got into it about how the song itself really isn’t fifteen minutes long, but maybe they could put enough solos in that it would add up to that.  Quite the goal!  Though I am not sure if they did make it to the fifteen minute mark, I would have to say that this song was probably my favourite.  Three different instruments were chosen to perform solos, all of whom did so with extreme skill and precision.  The tune blended perfectly from solo to solo, and the instruments were perfectly balanced.

Something like three and a half hours after the show began, Deanna and I left the lounge with smiles and giggles and promises to see each other again before too long passes by.  All in all, what a great night of music!  Sometimes after a rather rough start to the week, there is no cure better than a night of jazz with a great friend.

Written By: Veronika W.

I Mother Earth (IME) reunited last Friday to play their second show in two nights as part of Canadian Music Week (CMW) and absolutely tore the roof off the Sound Academy.

“Last night, we didn’t know what our plan was, after tonight we’re going to have one,” said lead singer Brian Byrne to the jam packed crowd.

“Last night was sold out, but it seems like there’s more people in here tonight.”

The band didn’t seem like they had lost a step musically, despite only playing the one show the night before, their first in eight years.

The lights dimmed prior to the show’s beginning and a large screen with a five minute countdown clock appeared. When the counter hit ten seconds the huge pack of fans in attendance counted down as smoke and lasers filled the room. The band appeared, the crowd went wild and the energy in the room began to rise throughout the beginning of the performance, but when “Levitate” hit the speaker system, the mob broke into a frenzy of flailing bodies as they screamed lyrics at the top of their lungs.

The group played every big hit from their discography including “Summertime in the Void,” “Used to Be Alright,” “Another Sunday” and “One More Astronaut,” in a three hour spectacle of musical genius which included two encores — the first spanning 30 minutes, the second 15  – and numerous solos from all members of the band.

“Honestly, the only reason we’re here is you guys, it’s the truth, sorry for underestimating you guys, you’re amazing, thank you,” said Byrne as a huge beaming smile crossed his sweaty face.

Similar to the return of fellow Canadian group Treble Charger on Wednesday, nostalgia filled the venue. Fans sported t-shirts in support of IME, some older than certain patrons of the all-ages event, while others compared the show to their “Live off the Floor” performance in 2003 – arguably the best live show of the band’s history.

The event brought electricity and enthusiasm that only the foursome could have created and fans appreciated the effort the group put forward by chanting ‘IME” for long periods of time on several occasions. Expressions of joy crossed the band’s face every time these chants started and they continued to rock as a thank you.

The venue shook with music madness until after 1:00 a.m. and people left the building with grins across their faces, ripped clothing, sweaty faces and frizzy hair; a sign of an unbelievable rock show.

As people flooded Polson St. fighting for cabs and the initial drag of their cigarettes, fans could be overheard discussing if the group would be getting back together. Byrne hinted at the idea earlier in the show and the group released an incredible new tune “We Got the Love,” so signs could be pointing in the direction of yes.

Let’s hope this is true because the addition of IME back into the Canadian music scene would be wonderful for the business as a whole. Here’s hoping for the best.