Bruce Cockburn Wintersleep Tokyo Police Club

Bruce Cockburn
Wintersleep
Tokyo Police Club
Sheesham and Lotus and Son
Our favourite ragtime, old time trio returns for another weekend of fantastic music from stages
and their favourite spot on the grassy knoll. Sheesham and Lotus’ commitment to the
preservation of music and tradition of the past is indelible. At the core of the show is a
repertoire based on their love of the American fiddle tune, joyously played with banjo and
before long, a startling array of traditional and non-trad instruments make appearances.
Tunes played on jaw-harps, gourd banjos and homemade instruments like the contra-bass
harmoni-phoneum add depth and absurdity to their amazing sound, as they sing into their
patented sepia-phonic Monophone.
Les Poules à Colin
Les cinq membres de ce jeune groupe de la région de Lanaudière, Québec sont inspirés par
la musique traditionnelle transmise par leur familles; proche de la scène trad québécoise, ces
jeunes y ont baigné depuis leur naissance, apprenant leur métier en côtoyant des artistes
dans une région connue mondialement pour ses traditions vivantes. Leurs performances sur
scène brillent d’une belle complicité et d’une énergie vive et spontanée.
The five members of this young group from Québec’s Lanaudière region are inspired by roots
music passed down from their families and learned firsthand from some of Québec’s finest in
a region famous worldwide for its musical traditions. Their performances are moving and
sparkling with unpretentious, natural talent and respect for their repertoire.
Matt Tomlinson
Indie folk with a cinematic touch. Matt’s songs ‘swoop like hawks over small towns at the
heart of us all.’ (Jhave Johnston) Known for his balance of showmanship and empathy,
Tomlinson has an ability to connect with audiences through his humour, vivid imagery, and
poetic spirit. Tomlinson has carved a diverse musical path as both a singer/songwriter, film
composer (Roadsworth, Diversidad). His work for films has been broadcast on CBC, RadioCanada, RDI, Tele-Quebec, CTV, Bravo, TV Ontario, Smithsonian TV, Sundance, as well as
at film screenings across the country. In 2012 Tomlinson released his first full length album,
Place to Stand and is currently working on a French album with Yves Desrosiers (Lhasa,
Richard Desjardins, Jean Leloup).
‘Il n’est jamais trop tard pour une nouvelle histoire.’ C’est ce que Matt Tomlinson nous raconte
avec son accent anglophone, et ses poésies fidèles à lui-même. Charmeur, artiste-né, il suit
son chemin de l’Ontario vers Montréal ou il découvre son gout pour la langue française avant
même de la maitriser. Artiste autodidacte, Tomlinson est a la fois réalisateur (Jon
Davis), compositeur (Roadsworth, Diversidad) et musicien. Apres plusieurs années de
compositions de musiques de films, il sort sont premier album complet Place to Stand en
2012.
Depuis l’adaptation française d’une de ses chansons, Tomlinson découvre une nouvelle
collaboration avec le parolier, Michael Dudemaine. Ils commencent à créer des textes en
francais qui reflètent à la fois les couleurs locales montréalaises et l’aspect universel. Le titre
de l’album suggère toutes les possibilité de notre propre évolution et de notre destinée
collective sur la terre; une nouvelle histoire que nous pouvons tous écrire ensemble. Corealisé avec Yves Desrosiers (Lhasa, Richard Desjardins, Jean Leloup), Nouvelle histoire est
un album drôle, raffiné, planant et lucide à la fois.
Jessica Stuart Few
Inspiring the term “folk-jazz power trio,”
Growing up in a household with a koto master for a
mother, Stuart also lived in Japan as a child, and came upon the traditional 13-stringed floor
harp honestly, taking lessons with her mother’s sensei.
Jessica Stuart’s deep musical
history and love of guitar heavy rock and soul music are put on equal footing with the
Canadian singer-songwriter tradition. Her innovative take on the Japanese koto, and her
exceptional guitar work are both inspired. Performing and recording alongside Dan Fortin on
double bass (Serena Rider, Bernice) and Tony Nesbitt-Larking on drums (The Most Serene
Republic, Tanika Charles), Stuart and her long-time band mates are all vital players in
Toronto’s indie music community.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSZRViaSCeg
The Claytones
Born in the heart of the Ottawa Valley, The Claytones masterfully spin their melodic, vocal
driven, Canadiana brand of country-soaked roots music with old school sensibilities. A true
collaborative project, Kelly Prescott, Anders Drerup, Adam Puddington and newcomer Pat
McLaughlin write and arrange their songs together, effectively making The Claytones sound
the sum of its parts. Combining their ranging influences, they have created a unique blend of
original and interpreted songs performed with tight, three-part harmonies and a warm stage
presence.
Melbourne Ska Orchestra
In 2003, the time was right. A world-record attempt to have the largest number of horn players
on stage at the same time playing the ska-skank saw a slew of musicians take the stage at St
Kilda’s Gershwin Room, and although nobody remembered to check if the record had actually
been set, from this sold-out performance the Melbourne Ska Orchestra was born.
Assembled from some of Australia’s preeminent names in Ska and Reggae and fronted by
inimitable frontman Nicky Bomba (Bomba, Bustamento, John Butler Trio), the soaring
popularity of the band is seeing the MSO fast becoming a fixture of Australia’s musical
landscape.
Now, after more than a decade of sold-out shows and electrifying festival appearances
the MSO has come together to produce a different kind of record. Their ARIA-nominated
self-titled debut album showcases the versatility of a genre that has influenced some of the
most venerated names in music, from Bob Marley to Gwen Stefani, as well as demonstrating
a uniquely Australian vision of the exuberance and freewheeling colour of contemporary Ska.
Red Moon Road
Canada's most energetic and endearing folk trio. Masterful story telling. Haunting three part
harmonies. Mandolin, Banjo, Guitar, Delay pedals and a beat up bass drum. A lush and lively
take on modern roots straight out of Winnipeg.
Born in a storm on a wild Canadian lake, Red Moon Road came into its own on the trails
between coast and coast. All credit goes to the chemistry, and to the magic that happens
when the Winnipeg band's two Daniels - jazz-trained Daniel Jordan and bilingual prog-rock
vet Daniel Peloquin-Hopfner - strum up the strings to support twilight-voiced singer Sheena
Rattai. From living rooms to folk fest stages, the three have charmed fans from coast to coast
with their lush and lively take on modern roots, peppered always by bright stage banter,
exquisite harmonies and masterfully told stories. As you can hear on their brand-new EP
"Tales from the Whiteshell" or their acclaimed eponymous debut album, it's all sort of rich and
warm and deeply familiar, like a campfire crackling wherever the microphones stand: even if
it's your first time in the audience, you come as a friend of this band.
Crystal Shawanda
2013 Juno Winner, Crystal was born on the Wikwemikong Native Reservation on Manitoulin
Island. She grew up immersed in all styles of music, especially country, being the youngest of
three siblings; music has always been a part of who Crystal is. At 12, she accompanied her
truck-driver father on a long haul to the southern United States, and visited Nashville for the
first time. At 13, she recorded her first album in Nashville, all of which were songs that she
wrote. Over the next several years recorded 3 more independent albums, traveled back and
forth to Nashville, honed her craft, and finally got a full –time gig at the famous Tootsie’s
Orchid Lounge on Nashville’s world famous Broadway. There, she met her husband and lead
guitarist, Dewayne Strobel, where they shared the stage for six years.
She signed to RCA/ Sony in 2007 and has since released a string of hit albums and singles
that has put her at the front of Canadian Country music since. Her 2012 album, Just Like You
won the Juno for Aboriginal Album of the year and now she is preparing for the long tour to
promote her newest album, where Crystal explores the rich history of Delta blues.
Amélie et Les Singes Bleus
Amélie et les singes bleus (ALSB) donne le genre de spectacle qui fait déserter des
nouveaux mariés de leur propre réception, pour venir y danser! C'est bien à cause de leur
son festif et de leurs arrangements uniques qu'Amélie et LSB sont devenus les chouchoux
du public Torontois.
La formation est une collaboration apparue en 2007 lorsque l'étoile montante, auteurcompositeur-interprète, Amélie Lefebvre, accepte l'invitation des singes bleus pour devenir
leur chanteuse. Depuis dix ans, LSB font revivre la grande chanson française à leur manière,
c'est-à-dire, d'un style manouche/cabaret, un peu de jazz-pop, ce qui se mariait bien avec le
style de musique qu'Amélie créeait. Quelle sybiose!
Amelie et Les Singes Bleus (ALSB) makes the kind of music that has made a bride and
groom leave their own wedding reception to come next door and dance! With their festive
energy and unique arrangements, Amelie et Les Singes Bleus have established themselves
as a true crowd-pleaser in the Toronto Music scene.
The band began their musical collaboration in 2007 when award-winning singer-songwriter
Amélie Lefebvre, accepted the invitation to front the band. Ten years ago, Les Singes Bleus
set out to keep alive French classics with their contemporary, manouche/cabaret
interpretations and their project dovetailed nicely with the style of music that Amélie was
already creating.
Sea Perry
Branching off from Nickel city's rock band "Weatherly," and pop-group "My Cousin Karma,"
which have shared the stage with big name acts like Marianna's Trench, Dr. Hook, Yukon
Blonde, The Salads, just to name a few...is Sea Perry. Three honest and genuine guy's, Chris
Milligan, Chad Bouchard and Shawn Fisher, play heart felt folk-rock anthems that people
cannot help but relate to. With their debut album out, Sea Perry has been hitting the
highways of Ontario, garnering a name in the national music scene at the same time as
cultivating a dedicated fanbase in Sudbury.
Lemon Bucket Orkestra
Balkan Klezmer Gypsy Party Punk Super Band. LBO was started in Toronto by a Breton and
Uke over Balkan music and Vietnamese food. Tired of music "scenes" they hit the streets,
busking by day and crashing parties by night, creating and living folk music in the city. With
their folk-everything attitude and tendency to pop up everwhere, it wasn't long before they
hooked up with other lemons who wanted in the bucket.
Known for their guerrilla street performances as much as their wild stage shows, the LBO
enjoyed worldwide media attention last year after playing klezmer music on a delayed Air
Canada flight en route to a three- week tour of Romania-- the video garnered 250,000+
YouTube hits and was covered by CNN, New York Times, Fox News, Huffington Post, Jimmy
Kimmel, CBC, CTV, The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, and more.
Strumbellas
Formed in 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, the band consists of songwriter Simon Ward on vocals
and guitar, David Ritter on vocals and keys, Jon Hembrey on lead guitar, Isabel Ritchie on
violin, Darryl James on bass guitar, and Jeremy Drury on drums. Hembrey, James, Drury and
Ward are all originally from Lindsay, Ontario, while Ritter and Ritchie joined after Ward posted
a call for additional musicians to Craigslist.
The band's self-titled EP was released in 2009, garnering positive reviews and won them an
ongoing Monday night residency at Toronto's Cameron House.
2010 was a busy year for the band as they were invited to play landmark venues like YongeDundas Square, the Horseshoe Tavern and the Peterborough Folk Festival. Their full-length
debut album, My Father and the Hunter, was released independently in 2012, [5] and was
nominated for a 2013 Juno Award in the Juno Award for Roots & Traditional Album of the
Year – Group category.
The band later signed with Six Shooter Records, releasing their second album, We Still Move
on Dance Floors, in 2013. The album was produced by Ryan Hadlock. We Still Move on
Dance Floors won a 2014 Juno Award in the Juno Award for Roots & Traditional Album of the
Year – Group category.
Annie Lou
Annie Lou is built around the original songwriting of Anne Louise Genest, who spent twenty
years living in the Yukon woods. Now relocated to Vancouver Island, Genest carries the spirit
of an old storyteller inside her, and this voice, mixed with the stringband sounds of fiddle,
banjo, guitar, mandolin and upright bass, traces a journey through days gone by to the here
and now.
Genest’s first outing as Annie Lou brought 2010 Juno and WCMA nominations, and her
sophomore release “Grandma’s Rules for Drinking” delivers the same great energy, with an
added elegant touch and subtle maturity. “Grandma’s Rules” garnered two 2012 Canadian
Folk Music Award nominations for English Songwriter of the Year and Solo Artist of the Year,
and enjoyed over a year in the top ten of the International Folk DJ playlist.
Beautifully crafted songs range from rousing and boisterous to gentle and poignant, and map
a homescape of hard-drinking grandmas, rural dancehalls, blue collar fashions, and the deep
snows and silences of a Canadian winter.
George Leach
George Leach is an artist in relentless pursuit of truth. His dedication to songcraft is evident
throughout his career, nowhere more so than on his latest album, Surrender, out now.
Surrender is the follow up to George’s debut from 2000, Just Where I’m At. The album’s 11
tracks offer ample proof that the time was well spent. From the funky groove of opening track
You Got It, to the confident modern rock groove and keening vocal hooks of the first single,
Carry Me, to the vulnerability and intimacy in songs like the title track, Surrender takes you on
an adventure. The album covers a vast terrain – touches of classic rock, balladry, and R&B,
all in the service of a restless musical explorer coming into his own. It ranks among the finest
you will encounter, this year or any other.
The energy level of a George Leach show can be described as ‘high’, to put it mildly. In
concert George disappears into the moment, chasing the promise of fleeting transcendence
that music offers and taking us all with him. Don’t miss it.
The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer
In reality, The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer stir up a lot more than just violent nautical
imagery. Armed with a sack of harmonicas, a mess of foot percussion and a road - worn
Telecaster, Shawn “The Harpoonist” Hall and Matthew “The Axe Murderer” Rogers kick out
raw and primal blues; continuing in the tradition of a ‘decades - deep blues style’, while
electrifying the genre a with a lightning bolt of new life. It’s Robert Johnson to Jack White, but
its smothered in greasy, gritty soul, and punched with funk. Early on, Hall and Rogers made
the choice to limit their sound to whatever they could play between them, using only their
mouths, hands and feet, and eventually the sound became larger than the band itself. Shawn
Hall provides soul - tinged vocals and blues harmonica, while Matthew Rogers rips on the
guitar and foot percussion simultaneously. It is how the blues are meant to be played.
Cindy Cook http://www.cindy-cook.com
Cindy is a Television Star and is familiar to Canadian families from her ongoing appearances
on two national television series; the award winning "Time to Read" and Canada's most
popular children's series, "Polka Dot Door". Born in Sudbury, Cindy became the host of Polka
Dot Door in 1981 and remained host for the rest of the decade, the show’s longest serving
host. She then created the award winning series, Time to Read. Cindy continues to tour,
educate and entertain.
She has performed across North America and Asia to enthusiastic response. Cindy also has
three popular recordings to her credit: Sing and Spell with Cindy Cook, Polkaroo & Friends
and the internationally acclaimed series for Addison-Wesley, Amazing English. It is our
pleasure to have Cindy return to NLFB for 2014.
En Bref
Entre 1993 et 1997, En bref s’est produit sur une foule de scènes importantes, comme le
Festival franco-ontarien d’Ottawa (à cinq reprises), la Nuit sur l’étang de Sudbury (à cinq
reprises), le Festival du Voyageur à Saint-Boniface, les Jeux franco-ontariens, les Jeux
franco-albertains, la Nuit sur la plaine à Peace River en Alberta, le Club Soda à Montréal, la
fête du Canada à Queen’s Park et la fête du Canada à Hull.
Au fil des années, le groupe a donné plus de 600 spectacles en tournée au Québec, en
Ontario, au Nouveau-Brunswick, au Manitoba et en Alberta, en offrant des prestations dans
les réseaux scolaires, les boîtes à chanson, les centres culturels et communautaires et les
événements spéciaux.
Le groupe a eu le privilège de jouer en première partie ou de partager la scène avec des
artistes renommés, comme Roch Voisine, Diane Dufresne, Daniel Seff, Jean-Pierre Ferland,
Offenbach, Breen Lebœuf, Les Colocs, CANO, Brasse Camarade, Robert Paquette, Paul
Demers, Marcel Aymar, Rude Luck et Chuck Labelle, entre autres.