Winterfolk XIV - Icicle Fingers And Thawlicious Songs

A Jon-Brooks-Eye view of the Saturday night crowd at Dora Keough's

Denim was thoroughly tucked and poorboy caps were pulled down to cover as much ear area as was fashionably possible this past frosty weekend in Toronto's Danforth / Broadview matrix, as families, friends and fiddlers got down to some earnest song-doings. 
And yes, there wuz antlers.

Eyes were a-twinkle with joy, cider and wind-chill factors as a storm of blues, ballads and plunk-rock hovered for three days over this fourteenth annual festival of rootsy Americana and Canadiana music.

Officiating luminaries Danny Marks and Festival Founder Brian Gladstone

Telecasters and flat tops were in abundance as fretmasters went from pub to pub on errands of guitar wizardry. Valuable instruments were even seen being squeezed protectively into washroom cubicles.

Prime guitaristas Brian Cober, Ben Sures and David Essig at The Black Swan's slide workshop.

Highlights included workshops, song swaps, showcases and one particulary significant tribute on Sunday to the recently departed Ron Hynes. Not only a major representative of the honey flow of Newfoundland lyricism, he was the creator of an inestimable contribution to the world-renowned Canadian Songbook. His death was in the same order of irrevocable heartbreak that his lyrics portrayed. 

Shawna Caspi and Jory Nash with incendiary smile power in evidence.

On hand to celebrate his music were the top seed of Canadian singers and songwriters. The finale of Sonny's Dream, led by Shawna Caspi, although set up as an crowd singalong, produced such a haunting blend of strong emotion and harmony that the audience kept a silent respect for the power of the moment.

L-R @ The Ron Hynes Tribute: Tony Quarrington, Jon Brooks, Grit Laskin, Julian Taylor, Jory Nash, Shawna Caspi and Rebecca Campbell

The permanent smiles and easy camaraderie of the crowds, musicians and volunteers made the whole thing go along smoothly, and the weekend was another success for community and culture in this city. One criticism was the failure of some venues to manage their indoor temperatures comfortably. The question of perhaps extending the event to include Family Day next year was also on many peoples' minds.

The clarion voice of Joanne Crabtree rang out over the NBA coverage with anthems and authentic folk songs at Terri-o's sports bar Saturday.

Rebecca Campbell and Ben Sures settling their bar tab semi-amicably.

Tia Brazda set the jazz-mometer to hot at Dora's Friday night.

Next year will mark the 15th Anniversary of the event, and it will again provide one of the few reasons to look forward to February. Find out what else you missed here >>>>      http://www.winterfolk.com/xivschedule/

Playlist For Show Of 27 February

Commissioner of Selection: Paul Corby

( brought to you by Sonnets & Gomorrah, Glock & Speil, and Smarts & Labour )

Guests :  Zeynep Ozbilen & Jon Brooks

5-7 p.m. online http://www.radioregent.com/ and at tunein.com .  
Canadians in Asterisk’d RED.

5:00 Globallistic

The Orb feat. Minnie Ripperton ~ A Huge Evergrowing Pulsating Brain That Rules From The Center Of The World ~ U.F.Off

* Zeynep Ozbilen ~ Oh The Places I Go / Ayva Cicek Acmis ~ Zee NEW DISK ~ CD release at Lula Lounge Thursday 5 March

* Joel Plaskett ~ On A Dime ~The Park Avenue Sobriety Test Preview of  NEW DISK

5:30 A Thin Line Between Love And Yeats

* The Bombadils ~ Nova Scotia Good-Bye / Where Will This Prayer Go / Heave Away ~ Grassy Roads, Wandering Feet ~ at Hugh`s Room Wednesday 4 March

* Jack Marks ~ How The Other Half Lives ~ Blues Like These ~ at Dora Keogh Saturday




5:45 Murderpedia

* Jon Brooks ~ The Only Good Thing Is An Old Dog  / Interview  / People Don`t Think Of Others 

~The Smiling & Beautiful Countryside 

at Hugh`s Room Wednesday, 8 April

6:20 Afrobatics
(African Heritage Month selection by Jon Brooks)
Gil Scott Heron ~ New York Is Killing Me ~ I`m New Here
Al Green ~ God Is Standing By ~ Get Next To You
Howlin`Wolf ~ Commit A Crime ~ The Chess Box Set
Ice T. ~ Straight Up N*GG* ~ Original Gangsta
Louis Armstrong ~ Beaucoup Jack ~ The Complete Hot Five

Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) Cute / They Say That Falling In Love Is Wonderful ~ The Sound Of Jazz ~ and a scattershot spray of Toronto Music Listings

John Lennon ~ I m Losing You (Take 1) ~ Wonsaponatime ~ The Art Of John Lennon at Liss Gallery 140 Yorkville until 15 March

Songs of Protest, Hope and Conscience

I MC'd a show of enragees, provocateurs and politically charged singer/songwriters at Hugh's Room last night. Jon Brooks retooled Buffy Ste. Marie's Universal Soldier for the current conflicts of the world and achieved an enthusiastic audience response with an original song ( you can listen at the end of the post ) about the misuse of creative and activist energies that struck deeply at the audience's sense of purpose. He also guested on my show yesterday, bringing in discs by Nick Cave, Maria Dunn and Michael Brennan to illustrate his convictions about the artistry required to make an effective statement in song.

Lynn Miles added a few verses to Neil Young's Ohio to decry the corporate takeover of Toronto and the world. Jory Nash put a fresh muscle of commitment into the great Sam Cooke's A Change Is Gonna Come, and Crabtree & Mills revived the spit and spirit of the civil rights movement with a rare Len Chandler tune, To Be A Man. The John Henrys focussed on the resistance of the media to protest music, and the persistence of American churlishness through an interesting historical tune, Patriot Song. Anthems abounded, spirituals and marching songs resonated, and love of the word, effectively used, was shared. A political charge was conducted throughout the room and hopefully, beyond.