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Nuance Prog Rock Festival

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Nuance Progressive / Rock / Experimental Art Festival is for all progressive rock lovers. It showcases alternative rock bands from southern Ontario. It is a MUST SHOW TO SEE if your a lover of progressive rock. I still can’t believe that I have never heard of this festival before and better yet, it’s a 20 minute walk from my house!!!

I just opened up a local newsletter called The Mirror and I came across this interesting article. As you can see from link, it comes across like a traditional like ART Festival, but when you go and look at the official Nuance link from the article, it’s so much more!

This years lineup features Wilton Said, Lorne Hind, The Rebel Wheel (which reminds me of very early Spiro Giro, a early influence on my style of playing) and Counter Point (these guys sound like they are heavily influenced by YES’s, Relayer album)

So if you get the chance, come on out to the 2008 Nuance and be a Sound Chaser like the rest of us! Hey, isn’t that you Tony on keyboards? I never knew you were in YES?

NOTE: Tony, Domenic and Jon, I expect you to show up!

Keep om Jammin’





Jazz pianist Steve Kovens CD release

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A great East York Jazz pianist is set to release his latest CD. It was held at Papermill Theatre in East York. He sold out the venue, that holds 160, but you can catch him this weekend at Ten Feet Tall on the Danforth, in Toronto. He is a regular at their Sunday Jazz series.

I’ve seen Steve Koven live and he never disappoints me in his delivery. Either his solo material or the electricity with his Trio, he is worth the price of admission. Even though he is a serious jazz fan, he sometimes has a funky side to him.

He is a Toronto boy and started playing around the tender age of seven. He earned a B.F.A. from York University, in the northern part of the city and studied contemporary improvisation at this site. Since graduating in 1987, Koven has pursued his career as a jazz pianist, composer and educator.

The man is nationally and internationally known as a musician and teacher. The man has earned his badge of musical honour, not to mention zillions of air miles!

I just want to expose all of you educated music lovers to the hidden treasures that we have here in my neighbourhood of East York in Toronto, Canada!

This is little long, but I hope that you give Steve, a good old Toronto boy, and his trio a chance! Enjoy.

Keep on Jammin’

East Yorks own Kevin Laliberte

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East York in Toronto where we live, has another claim to musical fame by means of a guitarist named Kevin Laliberte. A Flamenco style guitarist is set to release his 3rd CD entitled Sundance. The most famous guitarist was Dominic Triano who lived at 356 Sammon Ave.

I came across this gem of a story from our local newsletter called The Mirror. The story was about this 40 something musician that lives quite close to us, but is originally from the Stratford Ontario area near Kitchen Waterloo. He also happens to live in the general area right behind my favorite music store The 12th Fret, lucky bugger;)

He has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno with Jesse Cook, backing up Charlotte Church as well as toured Japan and Canada with Jesse Cook and The Chieftains. Not a bad musician for the neighbourhood now is it!

While listening to some of his own creations that are on his site, he seems to have nailed his Nouveau Flamenco style. I love how this style makes you want to get up and dance (if you see me getting up then, hide the kidz and close your eyes!)

I’ve played some flamenco style guitar for a short period of time. Mainly it was just a introduction to this unique approach to guitar playing that my guru Chris P thought that would make me a better all round guitarist.

I found this style just fascinating to listen to, and when playing it correctly, it would allow you to let your mind wonder off to a different world. Playing classical guitar was like that for me. I love how you were forced to perfect all the fine subtle nuances, thus making your mind focus completely on the piece. After perfecting it, that is when the music will take you away.

You had to play this genre of music, in my mind, at a fast pace to get the utmost out of it. It was something that I was not familiar with at that point in my playing career. My respect for these type of players are genuine. The dedication that it takes to play it and the finger dexterity that comes with it boggled my mind. I was and still am, not a speed freak. My true love of playing guitar is in the form of chord progressions. I find that this is what will really move a person.

Here is a video of him with the Sultans of String. It’s called Luna and it’s a tribute to the First Nation Indian tribe and a famous killer whale in Nootka Sound near Vancouver B.C., enjoy! I love the violinist, it reminds me of the band FM.

Sultans of String – Luna

Keep on Jammin’ neighbour!

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