Published on
June 3, 2008 in
DJ Music.
Tags: Avant Chord, Bob James, Booker T, breakdancing, DJ, DJ Cheeba, Funk, Gemini Mixer, graffiti, hip-hop, James Brown, MG's, Samba, Soul, The Blackbyrds, Toronto, Vinyl.
Click here to listen to Avant Chord’s “Watermelon N Pork” avant-chord-watermelon-n-pork
Avant Chord (aka dj Cheeba due to his free-spirited and relaxed attitude towards life) hails from Canada and resides in Toronto. He has been a very active individual in the Toronto hip-hop community since 1996, which stems from his tremendous passion for the culture as a whole (graffiti, breakdancing, emceeing and dj-ing and now producing) and every genre that has inspired the music from funk, soul to samba. His ear for rare, soulful music originated from break dancing to the music of legendary funk artists such as James Brown, Booker T and the MG’s, Bob James and The Blackbyrds back in his high school era. During this time, he was introduced by a friend to some musical instruments that would seal the deal for his love for manipulation of music, a pair of Tech 12’s and a Gemini mixer. Continue reading ‘Avant Chord in profile: Deeply layered and diversified’
Published on
May 26, 2008 in
Awards, Featured, Festivals and Live Music.
Tags: Clarendon, Folk, Healey's, hip-hop, House Concert, Jazz, Joni Mitchell, Layah Jane, Lethbridge, Moonshine Cafe, New Music West, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Council of Folk Festivals Conference, Ontario Independent Music Award, Ottawa Folk Festival, Peterborough, Reggae, Samba, Soul, The Slice Bar and Grill, The Supermarket, Toronto City Roots Festival, Toronto Independent Music Awards, Toronto Indie Music Week, Trip-Hop.
Singer-songwriter Layah Jane is a hearty young musician with a mission. With soulful vocals and a poetic, articulate tongue, Layah’s sound recalls Joni Mitchell, Rickie Lee Jones and Ani Difranco, with a resonance all her own.
Continue reading ‘Layah Jane in profile: A resonance all her own’
Published on
March 6, 2008 in
Live Music.
Tags: Blues, Colin Kingsmore, Deep Grooves, Do Right Music, Elizabeth Shepherd Trio, Funk, Gilles Peterson, Jazz, Jazz Cafe, Samba, Scott Kemp, Soul, Start to Move, The Distillery District, The Rex, The Supermarket, Toronto.
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