Lightfoot Celebration @ Hugh's Room-January 2013 - report/videos and pictures are up!

[charlene]

GroupFinale RichMansSpiritual 1 19 012 - YouTube

[charlene]

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[charlene]

MVI 7888 GroupFinale RichMansSpiritual 1 20 012 -...

[charlene]

photos

[jj]

hey, a few questions:

Fox has a nice voice... was that pre recorded tracks he was playing cello along with or was someone else playing strings and plucking as well? or perhaps it was some sequencer on a delay or whatever... i love his arrangement with the bow..i echo Bernie

unless the promo material is wrong for the upcoming Guelph and Meaford dates (which have fairly weak sales...$45) it looks like this years fresh talent is not along for the tour... it sounds like Rick Fines Oh Suzannah etc are on the bill instead... both also worth the price of admission, of course... just wondered

the Saturday night recording and performance and singalong of the finale is great! is that a Jamie McCoun (sp?) #34 that Barber is wearing? I hope his big name sister does the show one year.... he looks like he's related to Aengus!

...Dave Mattheson looks like a cross between TG and Gord Downie cool voice

never saw Jory without a hat on before... that's a great pic of the trio with yas!

Mer's gonna get better on guitar... yeah, that guitar they used is sure not Gord's ...what a nice moment with dad...looks like she's in good shape, pretty

i'm glad you got a it of Russel...what a lank...a great stage vibe with this clan...and nice to hear those brunette "Jane" gals with Cullen for that one verse...it sounded like old Chattenooga Choo Choo gal vocals, lol...cool

there are about 190 Gord songs left to tackle so many Celebrations yet to come!

many of these folks do the regular tributes at Hugh's (Tyson, Neil, Joni, etc) but I don't find good video of these on youtube...char, you do a great service

sometimes only one channel is recording audio...i don't know if your camera has two wee mics and that one of your fingers is covering one or the other as your juggle your position... you should use a mini table tripod and if video police give you a hassle about it then send them to Richard or Jory...or Gord

the mix of the backup band was sweet.... I'm sorry there wasn't a real piano there the years that I've dropped by....its too bad its not a more appealing location but it is subway accessible...im so glad that Hughs' lives on and the new Discoveries series should help...get it broadcast on CBC tv...yeah, put my tax dollars to good use and stop buying syndicated game and reality shows

ok, too much coffee...thanks so much, char...good luck on the road, Jory

(Ottawa to Guelph is a long cold haul, are they borrowing Gord's jet? )

[Cathy]

Very nice rendition!

[jj]

ps) nice pic of Ron! always dapper and protecting the vocal chords too

...oh, those gals are called Scarlett Jane.... i think they backed up Lori on her cool version of SFAWN years ago...but perhaps they are different brunettes

here is a taste of their sound ....what a cool bedroom ....a woman cave

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlkMTsLSGGQ

and not to derail these amazing Hugh's live videos, but Andy Maize with BR:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIaYF8Lz7CA

[Cathy]

I really like all of Kevin Fox's songs.

[charlene]

Imay inadvertently cover the mic...totally possible cuz the damn things are on the top where I hold the camera! bad ergonomics...and the red button to start recording is microscopic...not always sure it's on as I centre on subject and try to watch LIVE and not in viewfinder thing..lolol So I miss seeing the red REC telling me that in fact it is recording.. add in the excitement factor and age and wine and things can get totally missed/screwed up! lol

easy peasy subway ride to HUGH'S from downtown..after the trek on the GO from whitby..lol

Fox had a pre-recorded setup..no one else was involved - it was breathtaking... even the 2nd nite when I knew what to expect.(other than the medical emerg that is)


I imagine some of the Hugh's folks on the weekend are off on their own tours etc. Suzie was at the Blues event at The Delta and won a couple of awards. We spoke with her in the lobby when we got back to the hotel..she's so terrific. I missed her and RickFines. ultra talented folks! I wanted to see Rick's new baby girl too!

I suggested that a Kristofferson night be implemented...

Russell deCarle has a fab voice - always loved it.

Jane spoke with Mer about the Discoveries showcases - hopefully she'll step onstage again...

[charlene]

it's always fun snapping pics with the boys...happy/serious/sleeping/whatever...we always take lots..LOVE those boys!
I never got any pics on Sat.of Ron/Marion/Eileen and K&J ! damn!
TOOO much going on!!!

[lighthead2toe]

THE WAY WE FEEL: A CELEBRATION OF THE MUSIC OF GORDON LIGHTFOOT

When that heading appears on the list of events at Hugh's Room in Toronto, anyone who appreciates the works of Gordon Lightfoot would be wise to catch one of these shows.

The artists who perform at those events are as appreciative of the works of this "great composer" as are the members of the audiences that come to see and hear them perform.

The interesting thing is what you get in return for the cost of the ticket is simply unbelievable.

This year I was fortunate enough to attend both the Saturday and Sunday Concerts.

Every time I see the words "Sunday Concert" in print I think back to 1969 when at Massey Hall the "Sunday Concert" album was recorded.

I swear I can hear some of my "whistle sounds" on that album each time I give it a spin.

A host of stars go out to Charlene Westbrook, a special lady with an unyielding will to provide us with information, videos of the performances etc. And thanks also to her loving daughter Lisa who surely does her fair share of the work.

Jory Nash, together with Angus Finnan are the two most instrumental guys responsible for bringing the shows to us and we give them a huge thank you.

The back up band is very tight and it's clear they are really into Gord's material.

This year's bill included Kevin Fox, an artist I was till now totally unfamiliar with.

Hugh's Room does not have a backstage area for artists to ready themselves so they enter the stage from the back of the room which is interesting as audience members have the opportunity to see each one walking through and when I saw Kevin Fox making his way to the stage, cello in tow, well I knew at that point we were going to hear something quite different.

After David Newland, the MC for the shows eloquently introduced Kevin, as he does for all others, I watched in anticipation how he readied himself when suddenly, in "pizzicato style" (with plucked strings) he started into "The Circle is Small."

Well, did this guy deliver with emotion! Really big time emotion, lyric by lyric!

"The Circle is Small" is just one of those tunes; well, when you sit down and have a serious listen, and maybe even depending on the mood at hand, could easily put you on an emotional roller coaster ride where you might just want to go and have that second cup of coffee or maybe even something just a little stiffer.

Luckily for me the waitress was just delivering my last glass of ale at the lime.

He worked his bow the way the lyrics demanded. Wow!

The audience just roared with applause.

Sunday night's performance was extra special of course as the show included non other than Gord himself and fitting it be for a proud Dad to introduce his talented daughter, Meridith who did a great job on "Steel Rail Blues."

Meridith is in leaps and bounds sounding better all the time. No doubt she has the guidance of her Dad being there to keep the home fires burning. He sure is a great Dad.

An interesting point that made me reflect to a comment Gord made in a recent interview about "leaving a clean campsite when he goes."

Well, where I was seated on the Sunday night it was close to the aisle way and when Gord was leaving his table to fetch his guitar to do his tunes he walked by me with his dinner plate in his hand and returned it to the counter.

Now there's a guy with class. What an example! Very very melting feeling it was for me watching that exercise.

To the dedicated folks who make these shows happen and that includes the staff at Hugh's Room as they most definitely are into the music as the rest of us, a huge big thank you!

Ron Jones.

[charlene]

uber talented Jory K. Nash - photographer:

[jj]

Wonderful observation, Ron. The plate metaphor, the artist journey, the tip of cap to Lisa too. All class and so glad you made the Sunday scoop trek

I particularly like the first Mer pic with Gord onlooking, the first deCarle pic and the Bougie pic... what a visage...and a cool Pink hairdo. Gord should revisit APPT hair

Jory and his hat and grin and cheeks remind me of Jiminy Cricket

But I guess he's more of a Gepetto... Pulling all the strings

[lighthead2toe]

It was a weekend like non other JJ. I'm still riding on the high!

Hugh's Room is a treasured place to showcase events such as these and with the upcoming retirement next month of Holmes Hook as the booking agent it will be interesting to see how things unfold.

Holmes is sort of a low profile guy, very talented in many areas, especially poetry.

There's always a feeling of trepidation of course with change which would be considered normal when something of such importance is in the wind.

I would say that Jory Nash would be a shoe in for the job if he would be interested. Boy, if you could just see how he worked that room over the weekend you would be in awe.

Guys like me could learn a thing or two from guys like him.

We would hope that Holmes doesn't venture too far though and maybe even appear on the Hugh's Room stage from time to time.

Best to all.

RJ.

[charlene]

http://frfb.blogspot.ca/

Saturday, January 26, 2013The Way We Feel – The Songs of Gordon Lightfoot

Gordon Lightfoot was still in the relatively early stages of his career as a major folk-rooted singer-songwriter when my own musical interests began to centre on the folk scene. His third LP, Did She Mention My Name, was the first of Lightfoot’s albums that I bought new when it first came out in 1968 and I quickly acquired the first two and many of the ones that followed. His 1960s albums, and several from the ‘70s, still resonate particularly strongly with me.

Over the past decade, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Jory Nash has organized an annual tribute concert at Hugh’s Room in Toronto, in which a revolving cast of artists, and a house band, each do a pair of Lightfoot songs. Lightfoot himself has shown up occasionally and performed a couple of songs – including last Sunday, the third of a three-night stand.

Last night, Jory Nash brought The Way We Feel – The Songs of Gordon Lightfoot to Centrepointe Theatre in Ottawa. Interestingly, although there was overlap, the roster of artists was substantially different from the Hugh’s Room shows last weekend.

MC David Newland, who opened the show with a song and did a great job of keeping the show flowing, and the superb house band – guitarist Jason Fowler, pianist David Matheson, bassist David Woodhead, and Christine Bougie, who switched between drums and lap steel – as well as featured artists Lori Cullen, John Wort Hannam, Jory Nash, and Andy Maize & Josh Finlayson of the Skydiggers, were on the Hugh’s Room bill. The additional artists in Ottawa were Cadence, Rick Fines, Oh Susanna and Suzie Vinnick (fresh from winning a couple of Maple Blues Awards last week). Band members Jason Fowler and David Matheson also took turns in the spotlight with a couple of songs each.

In the hundreds of songs Lightfoot has written and recorded over his long career, the artists had a wealth of material to choose from and included several of his best known songs and several of the more obscure.

Certainly, the evening’s high point was when the entire cast gathered on stage at the end for gospel-style version of “Rich Man’s Spiritual,” which Jory Nash pointed out was the first song on Lightfoot’s first album. Each verse was led by a different artist or group of artists, with everyone else joining in and leading the audience on the call-and-response parts. It was a joyous moment and a perfect finale.

Among the other highlights were Jory’s solo version of “Mother of a Miner’s Child,” Lori Cullen’s jazz ballad version of “Rainy Day People,” Rick Fines’ soulful rendition of “Ribbon of Darkness,” which included some sublime slide guitar playing, Oh Susanna’s country version of “Early Morning Rain,” John Wort Hannam’s lovely solo rendition of "Your Love’s Return" and Suzie Vinnick’s electrified take on “If You Could Read My Mind.”

In all honesty, there were a couple of arrangements that didn’t work for me. Lori Cullen’s disco version of “Song for a Winter’s Night” robbed the song of the beauty of its quiet intimacy. And I really wished that a cappella quartet Cadence had just concentrated on the lyrics to “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” instead of also using their voices to imitate the musical instruments – the net effect was to lose much of the impact of the song’s story.

In a concert that included just 22 songs, there were so many great Lightfoot songs left unsung. No wonder this show can be mounted annually without losing its freshness.

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--Mike Regenstreif

[charlene]

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[jj]

Originally Posted by jj

this year I think Russell deCarle will bring a cool & commanding stage presence

oh that thought turned out to be very true it seems. thanks SO much, char!

[charlene]

I realized I hadn't posted those two clips..DUH... Did the DVD's work??

[jj]

Originally Posted by charlene

I realized I hadn't posted those two clips..DUH... Did the DVD's work??

just great. i just got mail package too to check out. you r d bestest, char!

[charlene]

hope they work!