Mon 14 May & Tue 15 May
8pm.  $12.  Tickets at the door and at Soundscapes.
Sandro Perri is kicking off a tour of Europe and North America with two back-to-back shows at the Tranzac.

Monday night: featuring Spring Boners and Steve Kado
Tuesday night: featuring Tradition and Nifty.

Pulled together by the magnetic, globe-trotting compositions of Brian Pickell and a love of traditional music, the group is both stunningly musical and energizing to listen to. The band combines the talents of Shane Cook, multiple winner of the Canadian and Grand Masters Fiddle Contests and the American Grand National; revered Ottawa multi-instrumentalist James Stephens on fiddle, mandolin and viola; and Pat O’Gorman, an admired mainstay of the Canadian music scene, on flute, whistles and pipes. Julie Schryer is widely considered to be one of the finest piano accompanists in Canada, and Brian is an accomplished composer, guitarist, and banjo and mandolin player. Together, they are a musical force of nature.

Brian’s compositions are now being played and recorded widely: Deaf Shepherd (Scotland), Tony McManus, arguably the greatest guitarist in Celtic music (Scotland), Liz Doherty (Ireland), The Halali Fiddle Band (USA), Oliver Schroer (Canada), Nicholas Williams (Canada), Pierre Schryer (Canada) and numerous others. They are clearly fresh sounding, yet very friendly to old-time and traditional music.

The material ranges from driving and raucous, to warm and lyrical. Although all the players possess impressive individual skills, this effort is very much about the great joy of playing together.

“Your CD is beautiful! Great musicians, of course, and the most wonderful tunes. Congrats! This CD should be in the home of every Canadian.” – Lillian Wauthier – Presenter / Promoter – Acoustic Harvest.

“I’m telling you folks, this is serious firepower and they don’t disappoint…among this reviewer’s leading contenders for Canadian album of the year.” - Pat Simmonds, The Green Man Review

The Flying Cloud at the TRANZAC presents The Guitar Show

with Christine Bougie, Joey Wright, Marc Roy, Jason Fowler & Donné Roberts

April 22

7 pm door, 7:30 start – $20/$18 members of TRANZAC or Cloud

Jason Fowler is a highly respected Toronto singer/songwriter, session guitarist and producer. He has released six independent CDs under his own name and has played on over 100 albums. In addition to his own successful solo career, Jason is also currently the Musical Director & Guitarist for renowned Irish tenor John McDermott, and has toured with him since 2001.

Jason has played with a who’s who of the Canadian roots music scene including Anne Lindsay, April Verch, Amy Sky, Marc Jordan, Susan Aglukark, The Cottars, Quartette, Susan Crowe, Nana Mouskouri, Murray McLauchlan, Brent Titcomb, Ian Tamblyn, Jory Nash, Ember Swift, Madison Violet, and Evalyn Parry.

Here’s what they say about Christine Bougie

“…one of the most interesting and versatile guitarists in Canada” Ron Sexsmith

“There’s a long history of hired musicians who are as good, if  not better, than their bosses, and Christine Bougie, Amy Millan’s go-to gal for everything lap steel, is part of this important group.” NOW Magazine

“Christine Bougie is one of Canada’s very best…she has a distinctive sound and a sense of humor that is a breath of fresh air in Toronto’s music scene.” Jaymz Bee, JazzFM91

Joey Wright is known for his lyrical and inspired guitar and mandolin playing. He is versed in many styles such as bluegrass, blues, swing, pop and country. Joey has appeared on many highly acclaimed Canadian recordings. Recently he has played on albums by Sarah Harmer (for which Joey received a gold record), Amy Millan, Oh Suzanna, Ruth Moody, Pierre Schryer, Jenny Whiteley, Dan Whiteley, and The Banjo Special to name a few.

“Joey Wright doesn’t need a bio. You just hear about him. A rumour, a sound. Musical charisma enveloping a career of cinematic guitars, slides of blues and bluegrass. An inspired force of beauty and bravado, danger and charm.” Sarah Harmer

Marc Roy

The essential bluegrass elements forged by Doc Watson and the late Clarence White, tinged with the creative brilliance of Tony Rice, are given a 21st century rebirth through the instrumental genius of Marc Roy.

Exemplifying all the verve and energy of the hot young pickers on today’s newgrass circuit, while conquering the bottomless depth of the legendary originals, this acoustic enigma shows ‘em how it’s done with style, elegance and impeccable chops. Intensely emotive and timelessly interpretive, the music that evolves from hanging out with the Hoss is a revelation of artistic integrity.

Donné Roberts

Donné came to wider recognition after he released his first album “Rhythm Was Born” and for his contribution as one of the members of the African Guitar Summit project, which won a JUNO in 2005 and was nominated for another one in 2007.

Donné Roberts was born in Madagascar, raised and educated in Moscow, Russia and now lives in Toronto. In Moscow, he was the first black VJ on MTV Russia. Touring Canada, he introduces his music to new fans who might be unfamiliar with the kinds of rhythms his music conveys and his fusion of seemingly dissimilar sounds.

Advance tickets are available at the TRANZAC.

7:30pm – midnight.  FREE/pwyc.
BALLISTER is named after a crossbow, and they put a premium on aggression. There’s a freshness and sense of discovery in their wide-ranging music.  But there’s also a deep and hard-earned understanding between these players which enables them to build tension to the point of shattering, and then surf gracefully upon the shards. -Bill Meyer DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE

BALLISTER – chicago/oslo*jazz
Dave Rempis – saxophones
Fred Lonberg-Holm – cello/electronics
Paal Nilssen-Love* – drums

TITANIUM TRIO
Lina Allemano – trumpet
Rob Clutton – fender bass
Nick Fraser – drums

BALLISTER is named after a crossbow, and they put a premium on aggression. There’s a freshness and sense of discovery in their wide-ranging music.  But there’s also a deep and hard-earned understanding between these players which enables them to build tension to the point of shattering, and then surf gracefully upon the shards.  
-Bill Meyer DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE

BALLISTER – chicago/oslo*jazz
Dave Rempis – saxophones
Fred Lonberg-Holm – cello/electronics
Paal Nilssen-Love* – drums

http://daverempis.com/ballister/

TITANIUM TRIO – toronto jazz

Lina Allemano – trumpet

Rob Clutton – fender bass

Nick Fraser – drums

http://www.linaallemano.com/profiles-page.html

On March 31st, Crave Music is hosting an Artist Showcase & Fundraiser to help generate interest and resources needed to record and release a compilation album of independent artists. The goal is to raise enough money to cover the costs of releasing the recordings on CD and iTunes (as well as other online distributors), and showcase these artists to their fans, bringing their music into the mainstream.

Admission is $10, but this doesn’t only get you into the show, you get far more! If you provide your email address, we will keep you informed on the recording process throughout the sessions, including sneak peak audio and video performances from the studio, artist feedback on the compositions, notices for upcoming performances by each artist, and lastly, a very special rate for a copy of the CD release made possible by this and other fundraising events.

Bands attending the showcase:

Gordon’s Acoustic Living Room
Left 4 Dead
Big Fog

Individual artists performing at the showcase:

Chris Figgures
Elizabeth Meetoos
Gaye Zimmerman-Huycke
Jonathan Rudin
Nick Dziedzic
Sean King
and others…

Doors open at 7pm, and the show will continue until midnight, closing with an all acoustic set.

Canadian Music Week at the Tranzac!  Dozens of great artists will be playing in the Main Hall and Southern Cross Bar this week.  Come down and check it out!

The Flying Cloud at the TRANZAC presents Cairdeas

Sunday, March 18

7 pm door, 7:30 start – $20/$18 members

No green beer, no silly plastics hats. Just real Irish music.

Cairdeas is Irish for friendship.

The  band consists of Marsala Lukianchuk, Steafan Hannigan and Saskia Tomkins. (Steafan is one of the Flying Cloud’s sound engineers but he probably won’t be behind the board on this evening.)

Lukianchuk toured North America as the principal vocalist with the Irish dance show Spirit of Ireland in 2004, where she got her introduction to Irish music.

Steafan is from Belfast and has been living in Canada since 2006. A multi-instrumentalist (more than 40 instruments), he has worked with many top artists including Lorenna McKennett,  Eileen McGann, Toronto Tabla Ensemble, James Keelaghan, Depeche Mode, Uriah Heep, The Afrocelts, John O’Connor and Michael Flatley.

Tomkins is an all-Britain and U.S.A. fiddle champion. Born in the UK, she has traveled the world learning different violin genres, playing with people such as Uriah Heep, the English Shakespeare Company, Sonja Kristina (Curved Air), Toronto Tabla Ensemble, Laurie Anderson and various U.K. dance troupes.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, many fiercely talented artists located in the Greater Toronto Area are getting together to share their stories, songs and poems. An eclectic and entertaining evening is guaranteed with such varied acts as Evalyn Parry, an award-winning songwriter, poet and social commentator; Amanda Mabro, a jazz and cabaret-influenced vocalist who is a force to be reckoned with; and Michelle Rumball, a gifted singer and songwriter and former front person of the critically acclaimed band;The Grievous Angels. Other performances will include folk, americana, blues, rock, dance and opera.

Performers are donating their time and talent to a worthy cause as all proceeds of this concert are going to the children of Liliany Obando -a political prisoner who has been detained in a Colombian prison for over three years without a trial.

Nancy Dutra www.nancydutra.com
Michelle Rumball www.michellerumball.com
Lucie Idlout www.lucieidlout.com
Willow Rutherford www.myspace.com/willowrutherford
Calamity Royale www.calamityroyale.com
Evalyn Parry www.evalynparry.com
Amanda Mabro www.amandamabro.com
Ronley Teper www.ronleyteper.com
Maria Kasstan www.myspace.com/mariakasstan
Collette Savard www.collettesavard.com
L CON http://lconontheinternet.tumblr.com/
Vanessa Hanson www.myspace.com/vanessahanson
Shelby Lamb www.myspace.com/shelbylambmusic
Laura Repo www.laurarepo.ca
Miruna Soiu belly dancer
Christina Campsall mezzo soprano
Uber Hussy swashbucklers & More!

Cover $10 (Pay What You Can)

This is a fundraising event for the children of Colombian political prisoner Liliany Obando.

Monday, 13 February: preview performance; tix $15

Tuesday 14 February: opening night

Wednesday 15 February

Thursday 16 February

Friday 17 February

Saturday 18 February

Tickets $20, available at:

pommeisfrenchforapple.com

David Essig with special guest Abigail Lapell

At The TRANZAC, 292 Brunswick Ave, Toronto

Sunday, February 12

Door: 7:00 p.m., Starts: 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $20.00 / $18.00 Flying Cloud and TRANZAC members

David Essig was introduced to Canadian audiences in 1971 as a “talented newcomer” at the legendary Mariposa Folk Festival. Now, nearly 40 years later, he has an international career as one of Canada’s finest interpreters of original, contemporary folk music. Always paying homage to his roots in Bluegrass and Country Blues, David uses these traditions to create timeless new songs.

David is highly respected as a thoughtful and intelligent songwriter, with Canadian folk standards like “Albert’s Cove” and “High Ground” to his credit. His work moves from pieces as contemporary as today’s news, to songs that sound as if they were rediscovered from old country blues 78′s.

Equally renowned as an instrumentalist and traditional performer, David is a master of the blues and slide guitar. Whether on the lap-style Weissenborn or the electric slide guitar, his spontaneous style crosses all the borders between country, blues and the avant-garde. With his 5/8″ socket and a sound that could peel  the petunias off your mother’s porcelain, he is considered one of Canada’s finest slide guitarists.

In 2007, a collective of alt-country Winnipeg musicians, led by Romi Mayes, Jaxon Haldane, and the D-Rangers, recorded the acclaimed CD Beverly Street: an album of their new performances of some of the best of David’s original songs. David joined in for cameo appearances on the CD and contributed the title song for the project.

In 2011, David released Rolling Fork to Gallows Point, a landmark CD of Delta Blues  that Roots Music Canada has hailed as “a beautiful, rough and tumble blues record —passionately played and lovingly recorded.” This new CD features the magnificent Chris Whiteley on blues harp and steel guitar, along with Tobin Frank (Spirit of the West) on bass and Alan Cameron on drums.

David is touring solo in 2011-12. In the Spring of 2011 he toured in Europe, doing festivals and concerts in Italy and Austria, including a headline performance at the prestigious Acoustic Guitar Meeting in Sarzana. This Fall David completed his first Home Routes Tour, with concerts in Northern BC and Alberta. He is currently working on a new CD of original songs, set for release in the Spring of 2012.

Abigail Lapell

Drawing from a deep well of folk, indie and traditional influences, Abigail Lapell has made music her whole life. The Toronto singer has won over audiences of all musical stripes with her contagious melodies, evocative lyrics and heart-stopping voice—a combination that draws comparisons to early Cat Power, Sandy Denny or a stormier Natalie Merchant.

For more information on David Essig please visit www.davidessig.com.

TRANZAC information and tickets: www.tranzac.org or 416-923-8137