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Winterfolk VIII LineUp

Noah Zacharin

Noah Zacharin was born in Montreal and resides in Toronto. He’s been called “a stunning guitarist” (Holger Petersen, CBC), “a wonderful songwriter and performer” (Paul Mills, Borealis Records), and “a poet, a songwriter, a singer we have been waiting for” (Penny Lang). Minor 7th commented: “like Bruce Cockburn, Ry Cooder, and Bonnie Raitt, Noah Zacharin possesses a virtuoso command of the guitar…world-wise songwriting”. Zacharin has released 6 CD’s of literate, well-crafted songs that know no barrier of genre. His most recent—“Waiting on Your Love”—earned 4 stars from Eye Weekly, has been heard nationally on CBC and Radio-Canada, is “one of the best singer/songwriter CD’s I have ever heard” (Randy Finney, TFGA), and features the best of Toronto’s jazz, pop, and roots players, as well as long-time Tom Waits alum, Ralph Carney. www.noahsong.com www.myspace.com/noahzacharin

Nonie Crete

Nonie is a musical and storytelling force to be reckoned with. From heady blues, Irish balladry, to Cajun and French Canadian hues, Nonie seamlessly traverses genre with an execution only matched by her uncanny ability to explore equally diverse lyrical themes. Whether upbeat, sorrowful, poignant or whimsical, Nonie’s songs reach into the landscape of the heart – family, community, memory, discovery, love and loss – woven together by her stunningly beautiful voice. With such an eclectic palette, it is not surprising that Nonie lives many musical lives. As a singer-songwriter, she has released 7 albums to date and has 2 in the works with multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire, Eugene Rea. As a blues artist, Nonie is a member of the all-women blues band, Grand Ladies of the Blues, who have been creating a sensation everywhere they perform.

Peter Verity

• Winner Best Folk Performer TIMA (Toronto Independent Music Awards)(2005)
• Runner up Folk category NA John Lennon Songwriting Contest (North Ontario)
• Honorable Mention Mountain Stage New Song Contest (Blue As I Can Get)
•  Top 20 Finalists Acoustic /Folk Unisong Contest (North Ontario)

Peter Verity is a folk/roots eclectic, poetic, singer songwriter, performs his live show as a multi-instrumentalist – guitar, harmonica and mandolin and singing 30-40 original tunes. He has performed across Canada and the U.S. His latest CD entitled “Sometimes A Journey” .He put out his 1st solo Cd “High Flyer” several years ago and a CD self entitled “DeltaTango” with a 5 piece band in 1995 which was featured on the CBC radio program “Definitely Not The Opera”. “Sometimes A Journey” is receiving air play across Canada and the U.S. as well as Europe and Australia. It was in the top 50 listed on the Folk DJ list when it was released and is continuing to receive air play to date. DJ’s are playing all 11 tunes on the disc! “Sounds Like Canada” featured Peter’s “The Ballad of Rachel Davis” . Peter has appeared on numerous radio shows and Breakfast TV across Canada. He has been a member of the Songwriters Association of Canada for several years. Both his live performances and his songwriting has been recognised.He was awarded Best Folk Artist at TIMA (Toronto Independent Music Awards) and many songwriting awards runner up (folk) in John Lennon Songwriting Contest with “North Ontario” and many kudos to “Blue As I Can Get” from CD “Sometimes A Journey” www.peterverity.com

Philip Brown

• His Song “Sometimes” from the Album “Cafe Mirage” was nominated for best song in the country category in the 2007 Toronto independent music awards.

Not only a skillful singer-songwriter, PHILLIP BROWN has also been impressing audiences and industry professionals with his dexterous guitar playing and unique style of finger-picking. Many industry professionals witnessed high-caliber performances from Brown at a number of private OCFF showcases this year. Producer Paul Mills adds “It was a delight to work with Phillip Brown on his latest CD Winter Hymn. His songs are imbued with great musicianship, a warm and engaging voice and some of the fanciest guitar picking I’ve heard in a while.” Honing his skills further by continuous touring, his “one man band” style (more of a flamenco style, where he plays rhythm and bass parts with the thumb and everything else with the fingers) has become ingrained in his overall performances. www.phillipbrownmusic.com www.myspace.com/phillipbrownmusic

Rick Hodgson

After working many years as a recording engineer on other people’s music projects, Rick finally decided to record his debut album “Its About Time”. This is a collection of well crafted songs reflecting the experiences & observations that Rick has encountered throughout his career, based on his life growing up in Brighton, Ontario, that will take you on a journey of haunting melodies accompanied by powerful & reflective lyrics. Rick’s songs come from the heart and will leave the audience wanting more……. His sound can be best described as progressive Roots/Folk/Rock with influences from such artists as Mississippi John Hurt, Taj Mahal, Van Morrison, Gordon Lightfoot, John Prine, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Johnny Cash and Stan Rogers. Rick can provide a captivating solo performance, or can deliver his show as a duo, trio or full band configuration.  www.myspace.com/rickhodgsonband

Rick Taylor

• Selected by The Great Lakes Blues Society to showcase at the 2010 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.

Long regarded as one of Canada’s finest blues and finger style guitarists, Rick Taylor brings a high level of energy to the stage. A 40 year veteran of the guitar, Rick cut his teeth on early delta and Chicago blues and immersed himself in the genre. As a young musician Rick got the chance to see many of the early blues masters first hand and developed his own unique style and syncopated voicings on the guitar. He is often in demand as a studio musician and sideman and has two solo CD’s to his credit. His rich, expressive baritone voice, quirky and novel songwriting styles and unforgettable “guitarnastics” has made Rick a crowd favorite at festivals and clubs for many years.  www.ricktaylormusic.com  www.myspace.com/ricktaylorband

Related

Kevin, Shirley, Karen and Joan Bell have been performing together virtually all their lives. With collective and diverse experiences in Original, Folk, Traditional and Blues, they have an uncanny blend of harmony and musicianship.   www.myspace.com/relatedissues

Rosemary Phelan with Jason LaPrade

A community nurse by profession, in 2007 Rosemary Phelan ventured into the Toronto roots music scene. In the short time since, she has completed a commissioned play soundtrack, been awarded “Song of the Year” at the 2008 Porcupine Awards, been included on the 2009 Canadian Songwriter’s Anthology CD, and performed with a number of North America’s most respected songwriters. In addition, she is featured in an upcoming CBC documentary for her work with music and the dying, was short-listed for the 2009 Colleen Petersen songwriting award, and released 2 full-length albums. Rosemary currently performs solo as well as in a duo with multi-instrumentalist Jason LaPrade. She is also in demand as a session singer and workshop facilitator. Currently Rosemary is working on a collection of songs and short essays, “a fire of roses”, and a new recording project, both scheduled for release in 2010. http://www.rosemaryphelan.com http:www.rosmaryphelan.blogspot.com

Russel Leon

• Winner of the OCFF songs of the heart Contest 2007 “best childrens song”

Russell Leon is an exceptional singer songwriter and a captivating artist. Performances have earned him a reputation for engaging and energetic performances that range from wild rock concerts with the Russell Leon Band to intimate solo acoustic shows. Russell’s music reflects grass-roots folk, rock, funk, blues, reggae, and his lyrics are conscious and real. Check out www.rleonband.com

Seb Agnello

Since his band, “The Lords Of London”, topped the Canadian Charts when he was just 14 years old, Seb Agnello has performed with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Mothers Of Invention, Marvin Gaye, Etta James, The Youngbloods , Booker T. and The M.G’s, and others; opening shows for The Flaming Lips, John Otway and Nashville legends Hank Snow, Charlie Pride and Hee Haw’s Gordie Tapp. Seb was music director for Texas musical satirist Kinky Friedman during his Canadian tour. Seb also produced, wrote, directed and starred in the television specials “An Evening Of Phil Ochs” and “Three Faces Of Protest” for the Rogers Cable Network. Seb has released nine solo albums and has performed on and/or produced over 200 other albums. He has gained critical acclaim and wide-spread recognition for his song-writing, musicianship, and ability to entertain an audience. Well respected for his guitar playing, Seb will tell you “the guitar’s just a prop…it gets me onstage where I can shoot my mouth off”. Above all else, Seb is a protest singer. Scathing, hilarious, politically incorrect and always entertaining, Seb can turn the largest venue into an intimate and exciting place to be. Seb’s latest CD “Take Your Lumps” was released in March 2008 on the Turtle Shell Music label. www.turtleshellmusic.com

Sillken

• 20th LA Music Award Nominee
• 16th Billboard World Song Contest Honorable Mention 2009
• Showcase at Vancouver Island Music Conference 2009
• Featured at the David Suzuki Earth Run 2009
• Emmy nomination 2008; Leo Award 2008

MICHELE SCHMIDT, native to Southern Ontario, has lived in Texas, Baltimore and Toronto performing in diverse folk venues throughout North America. Michele embarked on a solo career, focusing solely on her own songs and making the rounds of folk clubs primarily in Toronto, Ontario. During that time, she became well known in venues such as the Renaissance Cafe, Freetimes Cafe, Holy Joes and the Tranzac Club. Most recently she made the move to Vancouver, BC, where she performs in a duo with Ken. Her duo is called Sillken, which is quickly becoming popular at folk venues around Vancouver. KEN CADE, studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto as a teen and then studied with Terry Hallowick, Violinist in the Toronto Symphony who helped prepare him for successful auditions for the Chicago Civic Orchestra (Training Orchestra for the Chicago Symphony) and DePaul University (Chicago). After his university years he began work in the film business winning numerous Bessie awards for his commercial work. Ken has been the sound editor/designer for many successful TV series and feature films and nominated for numerous awards including an Emmy in 2008 and awarded a Golden Reel and Leo Award. www.sonicbids.com/sillken2

Sue & Dwight

Sue and Dwight are a folk roots duo, originally from Winnipeg and now living in Toronto. Their music is strongly influenced by their journey from the
prairies to the big city and travel in East Africa. Lyrics are honest and insightful with themes of peace, courage, and social justice, conveyed thru rich harmonies. They have just released their second CD ‘Little Child Big World’, a collection of songs inspired by a trip to Ethiopia, Uganda, and Malawi in 2007. www.sueanddwight.com

Shawn Brush

Shawn Brush is one of those rare musicians who’s able to combine highly technical musicianship with memorable and impactful songwriting. He’s won two Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards and has worked alongside Fred J. Eaglesmith, Natalie MacMaster, Ray Materick and Sherry Kean to name a few. Shawn’s music is passionate, heartfelt and has a unique ability to touch pretty much anyone listening. www.shawnbrush.com

Shawn Sage

Played lotsa’ shows all over and people tend to dig it. Played some festivals – Canadian Music Week, Brampton Folk Fest, City Roots Fest, Winterfolk. Been played on the CBC and many college radio shows. Won ‘Song of the Year’ on one college show, the popular ‘Back To The Sugar Camp’ on CIUT in Toronto. My fun protest song, ‘Let’s Get Bush Off The Wagon,’ has been download by hundreds of thousands of people and made into a fan video you can find on YouTube. Now, I can’t say that I have set the world on fire with these songs, but I blame my publicist for that. I think I’ve got songs that you should listen to. If I didn’t think that, why the hell am I writing this? So, I’d be tickled pink if you would give them a listen – maybe on the old world wide web, preferably in someplace where I’m there playing them, but anywhere would be just fine and dandy. You may find out that I wrote these songs just for you. www.shawnsage.com

String Bone

String Bone is the project name for barry james payne – a songwriter from Stratford, Ontario having just released his first full-length record with Kitchener’s Shannon Lyon co-producing. The new release, entitled “nadir” comprises 11 songs 8 of which payne wrote, one co-written with Antonia Munro and two with Lyon. On it, he is joined by Lyon on electric guitars, co-engineer/producer Chris Giesbrecht on keyboards, Jeff Cowell on drums, Jason Schneider on bass, Bob Egan (Blue Rodeo, Wilco) on peddle steel and lap steel, Antonia Munro on violin/vocals, Mike Alviano on electric guitar, with Romney Getty, Nicole Aube and Todd Donald providing additional vocals. Originally hailing from London, Ontario, payne has lived in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal before settling in Stratford in 1999. As a songwriter, his style is firmly entrenched in roots-rock/Americana mixed in a pot filled with generous helpings of Folk, Rock, Blues, Country and Pop influences. Live his sound is tranformed additionally with Gypsy, Classical and Celtic influences by violinists Antonia Munro or London’s Mary Ashton. He also plays regularly with upright bassman, Dan Henshall from London and Steve Wood of Kitchener on Pedal Steel. www.reverbnation.com/stringbone www.myspace.com/barryjamespayne

Sultans of String

 2009 Canadian Folk Music Award winners Sultans of String are Canada’s ambassadors of musical diversity. The band romps through an energized adventure of Latin, Gypsy–jazz, Middle Eastern and folk rhythms, celebrating musical fusion and human creativity with warmth and virtuosity. Fiery violin dances with rumba-flamenco guitar while a funk bass lays down unstoppable grooves. When 2009 JUNO Award Nominee, six-string violinist and bandleader Chris McKhool (who has performed with Jesse Cook and Pavlo) first heard founding guitarist Kevin Laliberté’s (Jesse Cook and the Chieftains) rumba rhythm their musical mind-meld created the Sultans of String’s sound – the intimate and playful relationship between violin and the flamenco guitar. Sultans of String includes such amazing musical friends as: guitarist Eddie Paton (Robert Michaels), bassist Drew Birston (Chantal Kreviazuk) and Cuban master percussionist Chendy Leon. “Chris McKhool and the boys were fantastic! They can play my Bar Mitzvah.”
- Bob Ezrin, producer (Pink Floyd, Kiss) www.sultansofstring.com

Suzie Vinnick

2009 CFMA, JUNO and Maple Blues Award nominee, Suzie is the owner of a gorgeous, powerful voice. Her music is roots-based branching out into blues, folk and pop. Suzie Vinnick is an award-winning singer, songwriter and musician. She is nominated for 2 Canadian Folk Music Awards, Female Vocalist of the Year at the Maple Blues Awards and was nominated for a 2009 JUNO for her 3rd album entitled Happy Here which was produced by Juno-Award winning singer/songwriter Stephen Fearing. Suzie also won the 2008 Canadian Maple Blues Female Vocalist of the Year. She was nominated Female Vocalist and Bassist at the 2007 Canadian Maple Blues Awards, and was the recipient of 3 – 2006 Canadian Maple Blues Awards for Female Vocalist, bassist and shared Songwriter of the Year with Rick Fines for their 2006 release, Nothing Halfway. In 2009 Suzie won 1st place for her song “Sometimes I Think I Can Fly”, a song co-written with Dan Kershaw, in the Unisong International Songwriting Competition. In 2005 she won 1st place in the Blues Category of the International Songwriting Competition for her co-write with David Leask and Liz Tansey entitled “The Honey I Want”.

Swamp Ward Orchestra

The Swamp Ward Orchestra (Alison Gowan, Jan Le Clair, Laura Murray) transports audiences with quirky songs and driving dance tunes from Québec, France, and Eastern Europe played on accordion, hurdy-gurdy, cello, whistles, banjo, and double bass. The Orchestra has played numerous pubs & coffee houses along with the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, the Mill Race Festival in Cambridge, Ontario, the Skeleton Park Music Festival in Kingston, Chants de Vielles near Montreal, and the Blue Skies Festival. In 2007, they released their debut CD, Donkey Boy, and in spring 2009 they followed it with an EP, The Pine Street Sessions. http://www.myspace.com/theswampwardorchestra www.myspace.com/theswampwardorchestra

Tim Jackson

• Participated in OCFF youth showcase this Fall (October, 2009)

As a toddler, Tim Jackson could often be found carrying his tape deck with some of his favourite tapes (and some of his friends’ tapes that were graciously donated when he was less than willing to part with them). As he got older his love for music flourished as he was introduced to an eclectic mix of sounds, especially The Eagles, Chicago and Collective Soul, and would often sing along to them at the top of his lungs. Tim’s songwriting career began in high school as he began to discover himself through philosophical speculation and personal grief, which still play the largest part in his songs. He would say that music is a means of self-expression for the deepest of emotions, as well as a gateway to self-discovery, experimenting with this most delicate of art forms to try to create a multi-genre blend that is at once tasteful and evocative. His diverse influences, including Coldplay, Led Zeppelin, and Martyn Joseph, have shaped his uniquely haunting acoustic sound.

Tony Quarrington

• 1998 Roots Juno for producing Willie P. Bennett’s HEARTSTRINGS

Veteran guitarist/producer TONY QUARRINGTON has been playing in folk, rock, country, jazz, and whatever since 1963.He has appeared on hundreds of recordings. There is a long-time connection with genius/loony JOE HALL, since they have been in various bands together since 1975, and recorded a new album last year. As a producer, he won a 1998 Juno for Willie P. Bennett’s HEARTSTRINGS, which he played on and produced, also writing the title song. Currently he is mainly active as a jazz player, featured frequently in Jaymz Bee’s Royal Jelly Orchestra, Anthony Terpstra’s Songbook Quintet, with violinists San Murata and Ed Vokurka, and singers such as Roger Clown, Serafin, and Big Rude Jake.

Wendell Ferguson

•  Six Time Winner – CCMA Guitarist of the Year
• Co-hosted the CCMA Awards show in 2005
• Nominate for CCMA Album of the year 

Wendell Ferguson is an idiot! But, a very talented idiot.  As Holmes Hooke puts it: “If the folk community was a village, he’d be our idiot.” As Washboard Hank puts it: “I know idiots that think he’s a genius.” Either way you’ll enjoy his brilliant songs and fingerstyle pickin’. Wendell Ferguson is a buffoon, a fool, a charlatan and a general nuisance…but he can play the guitar (a bit). He’s garnered 9 CCMA Awards, an OCPFA Lifetime Musician Award and was twice nominated for a JUNO. Despite all this he still remains the same unapproachable snob he’s always been. His latest CD entitled, “Wendell Live! The Shit Hits the Fans!” was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2005 Canadian Country Music Awards. He’s proud to be appearing at Winterfolk. www.wendellferguson.com

William and Polly

William & Polly share a deep love for singing the songs of the British-American folk tradition, the mountain music, country blues, ragtime and bluegrass of our forebears, and that songbook has great influence on their original work, which some folks tell them sounds like it was written either last week or somewhere around 1936. They have played together for the past five years, coming to it from either end, Polly from classical music and William from the booze tradition. They will release their first full-length record, “The Last You Will See of Me”, early in 2010. http://myspace.com/williamandpolly

Artists A-M                     Artists N – Z