Folk Music Ontario Blues Showcase 2015
EVENT DETAILS
Folk Music Ontario returns to the Westin Bristol Place Toronto Airport Hotel (950 Dixon Road) October 15-18, 2015. The Toronto Blues Society will present its annual blues music showcase on Friday, October 16th from 12-2pm in the Mayfair Room, with performances from David Owen, Michael Schatte, Alfie Smith & Nicole Christian, and Jennis.
Schedule:
Noon David Owen
12:30pm Michael Schatte
1pm Alfie Smith & Nicole Christian
1:30pm Jennis
SHOWCASING ARTISTS
Noon (12:00pm) – David Owen
Robert Johnson allegedly became a bluesman by making a midnight pact with the devil at the crossroads near Dockery’s plantation in Mississippi. His disciple David Owen found his calling by making a deal at roughly the same hour, a half-century later, with Bob Dylan at the corner of Preston and Carling in Ottawa.
12:30pm – Michael Schatte
Michael Schatte is a Toronto-based guitarist, vocalist and songwriter who has been called “a dream of a guitar player, a dashing performer, but also a thoughtful and self-conscious artist” (Numero Cinq Magazine). With musical influences as diverse as Richard Thompson, Nick Lowe, John Lee Hooker, and Mark Knopfler, Schatte blends roots rock, folk, celtic and blues into an original, literate, and highly exciting songwriting and fingerstyle acoustic guitar style. Reviewing a Schatte acoustic set, The Windsor Review called him “…a frighteningly skilled musician who blasted the crowd to awed silence… his set was ended with uproarious applause.” Visit www.michaelschatte.com for more information.
1:00pm – Alfie Smith & Nicole Christian
Alfie Smith: Alfie Smith is a prolific songwriter who has recorded 6 albums over his 20 year career. Known best for his resophonic guitars, brazen slide licks and uncompromising vocals, Alfie has been nominated for a dozen Hamilton music awards including Best including Male Vocalist and Best Guitarist, and has represented Toronto in the Memphis International Blues Challenge. He performs constantly, and has been a featured performer at Mariposa, Festival of Friends, Home County, Eaglewood, Mill Race, Red Rock, Orangeville Blues & Jazz festival, to name a few.
Nicole Christian: Nicole Christian is a little roots, a little country and a whole lot bottle-neck blues. A multi-instrumentalist who specializes in flute, piano and resophonic guitar, Nicole released two solo albums before heading to the studio to record her most recent, Run Rabbit Run, which was voted The Best Debut Roots and Blues Album of 2010. In 2011 Nicole was selected as a finalist for the Toronto Blues Society’s Talent Search and was nominated for two Hamilton Music Awards, Best Female Vocalist and Best Blues Album. She appeared on an episode of Toronto Talent and won a Hamilton Arts Award for Performance in 2012.
“Alfie Smith and Nicole Christian are old-style slide guitarists, multi-instrumentalists and a blues duo not to be missed. Featuring Alfie’s belting baritone vocals mixed with Nicole’s sass and jazz flute, they bring you blues, roots and originals in a way you have never seen before. Come on into their kitchen, and you won’t be disappointed.”
1:30pm – Jennis
Jennis brings together award-winning Guelph-based Dennis Gaumond’s decades of experience writing and performing original blues and folk and the diverse musical experiences of veteran Toronto indie-scene multi-instrumentalist Jen Gillmor. The unique blend of cello and dobro is also augmented by unlikely sounds, such as didgeridoo, custom-tuned harmonicas, flute, wah-guitar, jaw harp and wazinator. It makes for a very entertaining performance, filled with energy, passion and humour.
