June 25, 2005
Featuring 10 Bands Including & More
FREE ADMISSION! A DAY OF BLUES AND ROOTS
A FAMILY EVENT – MUSIC AND TRANQUILITY
MEL LASTMAN SQUARE
SATURDAY JUNE 25 – 2005 – 2:00 – 10:00 PM TORONTO, CANADA
BLUES FOR PEACE: The Association of Artists for a Better World presents the 3rd Annual Concert For Peace at Mel Lastman Square, on June 25, 2005, featuring ten dynamic and exciting blues and roots bands, running continuously from 2:00 till 10:00 PM. The all-day concert relies upon the universal power and language of music to bring artists and members of our diverse community together to share a day of tranquility and good vibes in the square. This year we are networking with Blues for Peace to raise our combined voices to the world to encourage people to think, talk, and promote themes of peace peace; create an environment of cultural acceptance and understanding for all people to live together in harmony. The journey to peace starts inside.
PERFORMERS SCHEDULE:
2:00 – Michael Pickett
2:45 – Laura Fernandez
3:30 – Whiteboy Slim
4:15 – Gary Kendall Band
5:00 – Brian Gladstone Band
5:45 – The Tulips
6:30 – Danny Marks
7:15 – Roses In The Snow
8:00 – Wild T & the Spirits (Tony Springer Band)
9:00 – Jack de Keyzer Band
WHAT: Blues For Peace is a FREE family day of Blues and Roots Music with underlying themes of peace. It is a festival for the entertainment of our audience, not a peace rally, so there are no marches, no signs, no politicians, and no speeches. The music is the message! Enjoy a great day of blues and roots in the square!
WHEN: June 25, 2005, 2:00 – 10:00 PM, Rain or Shine!
WHERE: Mel Lastman Square is located at 5100 Yonge Street two blocks north of Sheppard Avenue. By TTC, take the Yonge line subway (exit North York Centre). Getting there couldn’t be easier when you ride the rocket!
WHO: Blues for Peace is presented for the first time in Canada by The Association of Artists for A Better World, a registered non profit organization to inform, encourage, and stimulate artist awareness of social, cultural and ecological issues; create an information avenue to communicate their words through their art form; organize, promote, and present events which allow artists to express their thoughts on important issues and let their words be known. Visit the website for more information. www.abetterworld.ca
MUSICIANS CAN APPLY TO PLAY AT BLUES FOR PEACE: We are accepting submissions (starting April 15, 2005) from blues and roots artists or bands to fill FOUR stage spots. All bands will be paid. Submissions are accepted online only through Sonicbids, and will be evaluated by selected judges. Four selected artists / bands will be notified by email before May 24, 2005 (Ensure your Sonicbids contact info is accurate), and will need to confirm their attendance in Toronto, Canada before June 1, 2005. Submission fee is $10.00 from April 15 to May 5, and $15.00 from May 3 to May 17.
WHAT MAKES IT TICK: The concert venue ‘Mel Lastman Square’ is a facility of the City of Toronto, thus admission must be FREE. Funding for this event is raised through donations, sponsors (pending) and artist submissions. ‘Blues for Peace’ is a not for profit event, presented by ‘A Better World’. Funds raised will be used pay ALL artists, advertising and promotion, posters, and other event related expenses. ALL of the preparation and organization on this event has been provided entirely by volunteers who have generously donated their time.
June 25, 2005 – Blues for Peace Line Up
2:45
Laura Fernandez – Singer songwriter pianist Laura Fernandez was born in Madrid, Spain and lived in Switzerland before immigrating to Canada as a young child. Her song writing is reflective of these cultural influences as she writes and performs in both English and Spanish. She is a well known painter and illustrator and often compares her song writing to Vermeer’s paintings and the quiet capture of moments in time. Fascinated by portraits she describes her songs as self portraits and her most intimate reflections on relationships and situations. Her songs are open and revealing laying bare the nature of complex emotion. Laura Fernandez was the winner of the best soft rock band at the New York International Independent Music Festival.
3:30
WHITEBOY SLIM – Maurice Richard Libby, [aka] WHITEBOY SLIM creates a gutsy, throwback version of the blues by incorporating pieces of jazz, hip-hop and DIY recording techniques that feel wholly original. His unique take on the American institution of the blues is memorable. The true greats of blues generated enormous excitement and awe in their audiences with flamboyant showmanship; with aloof, tough delivery; with elegance and charisma; with passionate virtuosity; with all sorts of styles, but always with original talent and awesome presence. Meet Whiteboy Slim
4:15
GARY KENDALL is one of the best known bassists on Canada`s blues scene adding a rock solid bottom end to Downchild’s distinctive sound. GARY KENDALL has also toured and recorded with blues greats Morgan Davis, Snooky Pryor, Chris Murphy, Luther “Guitar Junior” Johnson, Big Jay McNeely, to name only a few and he`s the Musical Director of the Maple Blues Awards. He was honoured with the “Blues With A Feeling” Award in 1993 and has won the Maple Blues Award as Bassist of TheYear in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002. Originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Gary has also been honoured by his hometown, receiving the Thunder Blues Award from the City Of Thunder Bay and the Keeping The Blues Alive Award from The Thunder Bay Blues Society in 2002. When not touring and recording with Downchild he performs with The Gary Kendall Band and released his first solo recording “Dusty & Pearl” on his own 47 Records label in late 2004.
5:00
Brian Gladstone Band – Toronto singer / guitarist Brian Gladstone is a finger-picking guitar master, a prophetic lyricist, a philosophical story-teller and a dynamic performer. (Canada Music Week Magazine, March 2001) Brian’s particular way of seeing things through irony and old time approach reminds me of great artists as John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, and Mississippi John Hurt. He is their own true son and he continues their great sounds. (Susa Onda Radio Network, Italy).
5:45
The Tulips – 4 Rocking High Energy Blues Chicks – Four talented, dedicated & beautiful ladies have come together to form The Tulips, an all female band which is exciting, sensual and a whole lot of fun. The Tulips bring a delightful estrogen-edge to their music, while demonstrating strength, confidence and power to their respective instruments. Blues and beyond…describes their repertoire. Each women brings with her an extraordinary and unique voice, that blends together to create what can only be called…The Tulips and they are: Gayle Ackroyd; guitar, vocals, Christine Bird; bass, vocals, Silvia Wright; keys, accordion, vocals and lead by Maureen Brown; drums, vocals
6:30
DANNY MARKS – Many Canadians know Danny Marks as the man of a million songs from CBC radio’s the Humline, others go all the way back to the 60′s when Danny was one third of the original blues/pop supergroup Edward Bear. Most prefer to remain in the present, as Danny Marks hosts the popular bluz.fm radio programm on jazz.fm91 Toronto, every Saturday night at 8. Danny’s recent albums include Guitarchaeology, the all instrumental, and TRUE, the story of love lost, both original works. In 2004, Danny has just released Big Town Boy, a tribute to Toronto’s Rock and Roll past.
7:15
Roses in The Snow – Canada’s Newest All Women Kick-Ass Bluegrass Band Roses in the Snow is a fusion of four unique women performing bluegrass, country and folk music with soaring harmonies and great musicianship. After only one year together, the Roses are making waves in bluegrass circles and are building a strong grassroots following. Each Rose adds a different dimension to the band: Marnie Niemi (bass and vocals) ; Kathy Montgomery (banjo and vocals); Leslie Knowles (violin, viola, mandolin) Dottie Cormier (guitar and vocals). The Roses deliver fresh and creative arrangements of traditional tunes and they also love to crossover and mix things up — drawing from their appreciation and love for classical, country, jazz, pop, rock and folk music.
8:00
Wild T and the Spirits – Tony “Wild T” Springer has hung with the best of them. David Bowie, Jeff Healey, Bon Jovi, Deep Purple, Jay Leno, David Letterman and Arsenio Hall are just some of the musical acts and personalities that have been blown away by Wild T’s guitar. Moving to Toronto from Trinidad, T quickly gained a reputation on the local club circuit. Since then he has recorded two albums (Love Crazy 1991 and Givin’ Blood 1995) with his own group, Wild T and the Spirit for Warner Brothers. He has also recorded an album (Black Tie, White Noise) with David Bowie and has appeared with Bowie on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with David Letterman and the Arsenio Hall Show. He has toured with Bon Jovi and Deep Purple throughout North America and has performed thousands of club shows. Recently he was asked to portray Jimi Hendrix in the Monkee Movie for TMN.
9:00
Jack de Keyzer Band – 2003 JUNO Winner! – Best Blues Album – Jack de Keyzer is an award winning blues guitarist, singer and song writer. Jack de Keyzer has four CD’s under his own name and has appeared on dozens of CD’s for other artists. An exciting entertainer, electrifying guitarist and soulful singer, Jack de Keyzer delights a vast spectrum of music lovers wherever he performs. His latest CD, 6 String Lover, is a milestone in the lifelong musical travels of a contemporary rhythm & blues journeyman.
