Alright friends, let’s be honest with each other here. Just in case it somehow wasn’t painfully obvious, here’s a big secret from me to you: my knowledge of hip-hop? Sorely, sorely lacking. That being said, today’s profile is of my newest favourite hip hop artist: Abdominal and he’s… awesome! A text from TCR editor to myself stating “Abdominal. Good artist. Canadian?” was enough to get me very curious about this guy. Abdominal? I thought. Yep - Abdominal. When I spoke to the man himself, he had this to say:
‘Abdominal’ came about ‘cuz years ago I was doing 1 of my 1st shows & I lifted my shirt up to wipe the sweat from my face…a random girl in the crowd yelled out, “nice abs!”, & my friends started jokingly calling me Abs afterwards. Kinda just stuck from there.
Abdominal (Andy Bernstein) grew up in Toronto, Ontario where he formed his first rap crew with DJ Serious and Scott C. called Rushholme and right away they started recording tracks. Continue reading ‘Abdominal in profile: a lesson in vocal diversity’
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(This is part one of two videos, the second of which can be seen right here.)
It is, Pierre Chretien insists, still very much an Ottawa band.
But increasingly, The Souljazz Orchestra is bringing its infectious global sound around the globe.
Late last year, it was a string of sold-out shows in Europe. Last month, the sextet was wowing them in Brooklyn. Come July, it’s back overseas for club and festival dates in the U.K., France, Austria, Denmark and Hungary. Further shows in such exotic locales as Iceland are in the works. “To them,” Chretien muses with a laugh, “we’re exotic Canadians.” Continue reading ‘May 31st (OTT): The Souljazz Orchestra: Still an Ottawa band!’
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Toronto. Ontario. Canada. The streets are alive with the sound of music. Ditto the clubs, lounges, restaurants, community radio stations, wa
rehouses, and studio spaces. This city is bursting at the seams, mad with talented producers, musicians and DJ’s creating fresh sounds. There’s a reason for the increasing international buzz surrounding this bustling city: a music scene is truly coming into its own. Toronto based beats guru John Kong has been pushing at these bursting seams with his bare hands for years. He’s grown with the scene, DJing since the early 90’s and turning his love of jazz, soul, house and all things deep into a career that now earns him global gigs and respect. John Kong cares about music, not categories.
Witness Required Listening. Born from Kong’s desire to showcase some of the quality tunes he was hearing friends make, the collection is a snapshot of T.O.’s club-centric music scene as it stands now. John has ears to be trusted. Required Listening features all Toronto artists (with the notable exception of Ottawa’s B.A.W. Collective), and covers some seriously diverse musical terrain.
“Listen to the beats of Moonstarr or the hip-hop of Brassmunk“, exclaims John Kong, Do Right Music label boss. “They’re totally doing their own thing!
It’s the same with house and someone like Nick Holder … he has a totally unique sound. We here in Toronto may take all of that for granted, but when people from overseas hear this music, they’re like ‘This is different; it’s not what I’m used to.’ It’s totally Toronto.”
Bambi Blue
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Imagine a cold winter night in Toronto, walking past a small jazz club, when you catch through the folds of your scarf the warm deep grooves of a jazz trio playing to an intimate crowd. Welcome to the scene a fresh new sound from singer/songwriter Elizabeth Shepherd.
There are times when something new comes along at once familiar and yet completely original. The album Start to Mo
ve from the Elizabeth Shepherd Trio is just that. But what’s more she has added her own unique blend of jazz-funk, soul, blues, and samba to the fundamentals of Jazz – improvising a deep driving bass from Scott Kemp, the swinging beat of the drum from Colin Kingsmore, and Elizabeth’s playful piano and captivating voice to tie it all together.
Playing in some of Toronto’s most popular spots, the Rex Hotel, the Supermarket, and the Distillery District, and has grace the stages from around the world including London UK’s Jazz Cafe twice within one year!. She has also appeared on numerous ‘Live in Ses
sion’ including Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide show on BBC Radio 1 UK, and Matt Galloway’s Here And Now show on CBC Radio One Toronto. As far as being a “jazz performer”, Elizabeth does not count herself as one to be defined by a particular genre; her music comes straight from the soul, and is more than just what she does, but what she loves.
The album, Start to Move is Elizabeth’s debut with Do Right Music.
Bambi Blue
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