It's a broadsword and dagger extravaganza! I'm walking onstage soon with a new production of Macbeth. We're all done up in designer suits and carrying blackberrys and iphones, but also carrying daggers and broadswords. It is a small cast, so we're all playing several roles, and I think (at last count) I die four times (that's not counting the off-stage dispatching of myself as Duncan) The only character I play that makes it through the show alive is the Porter, with his great licentious speeches... A wonderful adaptation by Tommy Taylor of Forward Theatre and fabulous stage fighting choreography by Christian Feliciano.
first video from the Cameron House - April 1, 2010
Benny Golson's Whisper Not
Great Live Pic from The Cameron - March 9, 2010
Nice Whiskey Bars Review - Toronto Stage - February 17, 2010
"Splendidly paced and thoroughly engaging Whiskey Bars..."
Come along, it'll be half party, half concert, audience participation is threatened but not guaranteed, the ambiance is spiffy, the beer is great and the location is simply historic.
the CD is jazz with a dark, pop twist, pulling in songs from the Velvet Underground and the Talking Heads. I think it sounds like Tom Waits and Frank Sinatra in a fist fight over who gets to sing next in a red velvet lounge in Vegas.
or maybe it's less violent and more romantic to say it sounds like a big old brass bed – you know... a well pounded mattress of bouncy jazz springs, a colourful quilt of pop twang, and a fluffy feather pillow of Sixties soul.
what else should I tell you? Stories??
Should I tell you how the CD was originally meant to be a jagged mix of electropop and jazz, but the producer got a better paying gig and quit days before the recording session?
Should I tell you about my panic as I realized I was faced with four days in the studio, and no idea how to deal with it?
Should I tell you about the day the charmingly stoned guitarist forgot both his guitar and amp, and did the day's recording on what was basically a toy guitar that was kicking around the studio?
Should I tell you about my despair as I listened to the feeble twangings that were recorded from that cheap instruments straight onto the board?
or should I tell you about how those four amazing musicians pulled together without any producer and simply did what I should have had confidence they would do in the first place - use their talents and skill to put down some amazing music, and challenge me to come up with vocals to match.
and should I tell you about the studio engineer who, when he was mixing the CD, heard the guitar sounds and went straight to back of his cluttered space, pulled out a 1963 fender amp, rerouted the tiny guitar through that amp, added some reverb and rerecorded the whole thing... giving me a sound that sounds like it fell out of a gorgeous '60's blues album.
or how my friend Toni Mustra donated his amazing graphic talents to create a gorgeous, mysterious album cover crafted from a shot of the Blue Sky over Trinity Bellwoods park in Toronto.
I'm not sure if I should tell those stories... but if you're curious, and want to hear some more gossip... and what it sounds like live... well come by the Cameron House (the Back Room... the party room!) on March 4th, and we'll show off a bit...
'The Sky Was Blue' was recorded in Paris at Bopcity Studios with Remi Amblard, Benoit Gil, Thierry Tardieu and Tomasso Montagnani.
I'll be accompanied on the 4th by the extraordinary talents of Scott Metcalf on keyboards, Scott Kemp on Bass, Robin Pirson on drums and Joel Schwarz on Guitar.
Latest News - Nice review of Whiskey Bars on Toronto's Live With Culture site - February 9, 2010
"a one-hour tour de force of hope and regret rooted in the songs of Kurt Weill"
Join me over on Reverbnation to hear selections from the new album
KOKO Gala - January 15, 2010
Just confirmed that I'll be launching the Gala opening of KOKO, a new resto in Yorkville, with a pared down version of the quartet (the playing area is real tiny) - should be a fun evening - Valentines Day and Chinese New Year - the concept is a tapas Korean restaurant. Come by and check out the music and food. Song from the new album and other standards.
KOKO 89 Yorkville, February 14th... all night
No Sweethearts - January 14, 2010
just confirmed I'll be doing a slice of my show The Barker, at the No Sweethearts Fest in Cabbagetown Feb - 9 - 13th.... a bit of Brel, a bit of Weill, some surprises... songs for the lovelorn, song for the delighted single
