CFN

Hot Nights, Last Dance, and a song that probably led the births of thousands of children around the world; Love to Love You Baby..  She also acted in film and television.

Interviewed by Dick Clark on American Bandstand who himself recently passed away.

Her real name was LaDonna Adrian Gaines.  Her last release was To Paris With Love.

For five decades Donna entertained so many.   She’ll be missed, but her music will endure.   What was your fave Donna Summer song? You can post below.

Donna Summer December 31, 1948 – May 17, 2012

Last Dance

CFN

Not a single one of the band images like the one above has mention of any of the other sponsors of Lift Off.

The Lift Off team have doubled the cost of a walk up weekend pass for the event, from $30 last year to $60 in 2012.   Early bird and single day prices are in effect, but higher than 2011 as well.

Michael Galvin, Cornwall Kinsmen President and Media guy for Lift Off announced they were hoping for 30,000 in attendance for the event which would raise well over $500,000 for 2013 Lift Off.

The new board was introduced with many new faces during the festivities that drew about 100 people.

For an area that is focusing so much on Arts and Culture Lift Off could and should be an opportunity to really amp up the local music scene, but Rob Seguin, Music Director for Lift Off and Program Director for the Local Corus stations still has a handful of local bands opening with no local second stage.    We have been told that local bands are still only being given free tix for the event and not being paid which also if true doesn’t make any sense.

Again, the good news is that Lift Off has survived another year.     Hopefully saner minds prevail and that Lift Off somehow ends up being run by the city or new sponsors are brought in that aren’t so in the pocket and kow towing to one media outlet.

And the local acts are:

Thursday July 12th

Playing with Diana

Arcane Belief

Friday July 13

The Shiners

Switchgear

Saturday the 14th

Tyler Kealey

Elly May

Glad to see some of the local bands getting some love, but geez Lift Off guys; throw these artists some coin.  It costs a ton to develop into the kind of artists that pull down what Rob Seguin gave to one management company for Lift Off!

Special thanks to Jamie Carr, talented morning man on CJSS who seems to have given this scribbler a special welcome to kick off Lift Off!

With Bluesfest in Ottawa, the Montreal Jazzfest and the myriad and multitude of artists on tour this summer it’s sad to see how this event is being handled.

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Again; we can only hope for a good house cleaning and progress next year as the people of Cornwall deserve better.   Jacking up ticket prices while pumping dollars into the local Corus radio properties isn’t going to ring well in a community suffering from massive job losses and a suffering local business community.

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Lift Off was a respite in the summer looked forward to by hundreds of families who now may only be able to listen in the distance instead of being able to afford bringing their families to Lamoureux Park on a hot summer weekend.

What do you think Cornwall?  You can post your comments below!

]]> http://cornwallfreenews.com/2012/05/2012-cornwall-kinsmen-lift-off-doubles-ticket-prices-as-line-up-officially-announced/feed/ 9 http://cornwallfreenews.com/2012/05/2012-cornwall-kinsmen-lift-off-update-will-burton-cummings-big-wreck-and-sloan-make-your-monkey/ http://cornwallfreenews.com/2012/05/2012-cornwall-kinsmen-lift-off-update-will-burton-cummings-big-wreck-and-sloan-make-your-monkey/#comments Wed, 09 May 2012 12:53:24 +0000 admin http://cornwallfreenews.com/?p=36448 CFN –  The good news is that Cornwall is going to have its Lift Off Baloon Festival again this year.  The odd news is that the group running it still is working under a veil of mystery and secrecy.

The non-profit community funded group still refuses to share who is on its board.   It still refuses to open its books to public scrutiny.    It still is in a firm grip of one predatory media outlet.

Break it to them Gently

An insider that leaked the head line performers for this years music acts, Burton Cummings, Big Wreck, and Sloan all fit that one media outlets music format.

In a region that’s rich in musical diversity it seems odd to see those choices?  No country, no jazz.  Heck, Bryan Adams, Alanis Morrisette, The Tea Party, and countless other great acts are on tour yet this team chooses to spend over $50,000 on Burton Cummings while still refusing to pay local acts.  (They get free tix to the event) and some Strawberry sherbet…

An event like Lift Off is such an opportunity.    It’s an opportunity to bring the community together.   It’s an opportunity to show case Cornwall to the region.

Sadly it turns out to be an exercise in how tightly a clique of people can keep control of an event while not fully reporting to those that volunteer their time (without insurance) what happens to all of the funds.

It was hoped this winter would see a drastic overhaul of the Lift Off structure and a new age for the festival, but sadly it looks like the same old same old.

Maybe after this year someone will learn…..

So Cornwallites?  Are you happy with these kinds of acts or would you like to see more diversity?

You can post your comments below.

CFN

From the band:

 hey folks, Jim from Gypsy Here. You know, If being a musician wasn’t so much fun, doing all this prep work ourselves is entirely too much work. Glamorous? oh yeah, spending the next couple days putting together CDs for Saturday. Oh well…that’s what days off are for! Speaking of which , we got our hands on a finished, complete copy of NOW PLAYING, all artwork in place….

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Man , it looks killer! We’ll be saying this Saturday, but many thanks to Jason McNamara from Framed Photography for the Stellar shots, and to Mr. Glenn Mcgillivary of the Port Theater who let us use his Theater for our cover. You can see the results yourself on Saturday, May 5th, 2012 @ Lolas’ Bar on 616 Pitt Street. Come on down!!

So support your local music scene Saturday night at Lola’s!

St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage

CFN – This was the second last program for the year and once again it was a terrific evening of entertainment. I have to apologize for not being at last month’s performance but I was getting the top of my feet burnt at Daytona Beach and my backup was unavoidably occupied the night of the show. However I have been told that last month’s performances meet the stages usually high standards.

I was present and accounted for last night when Manitoba Hal opened the show and The Crooked Brothers took the stage after the break. Manitoba Hal is an accomplished blues musician and singer/songwriter who is renowned for his ukulele playing. As you will see in the picture below he has a double neck guitar which he plays phenomenally.

Manitoba Hal

He does write and perform his own compositions but also covers some classic blues songs like The Thrill Is Gone which I recorded for your pleasure. I thought it highlighted his ukulele playing the best.

As seems to be the norm for the majority of musicians brought to the Stage, Manitoba Hal was an entertaining story teller describing his trials and tribulations as a musician. He skillfully carried on a personal conversation with the audience between songs and one of the most humorous tales was how he came to write the song in the next video.

The Crooked Brothers

The Crooked Brothers with upright bass player Zoe Guigueno took the stage after the break. I didn’t really know what to expect from them even after reading the program and I have to tell you I was a little anxious when the first number they performed was a classic country style song complete with the vocal twang. The style of songs they performed changed so quickly and expertly that I realized that the first song was just part of the theatre that is The Crooked Brothers.

To go back to quoting the truthful prose provided in the written program again; “The Diversity in instrumentation and vocal arrangements are the vanguard of The Crooked Brothers’ art. You will be grabbed first by the three part harmonies. Then they’ll hold your attention with a strutting funky beat, or maybe the lonesome caterwaul of a lap steel.”

I have included three videos of their performance that shows the range in style that they entertained us with.

If you haven’t been to the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage, next month is the last show of the season and you really should make an effort to get yourself to Morrisburg on May 26^th. The show is called “Three Singer Songwriters in the Round: Fraser Anderson, Ambre McLean, Tara Holloway.”

For more information on the Stage and the next performance you can follow the link.

www.st-lawrencestage.com

Lynn Miles

CFN – For the first time since I have been going to the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage there was only one act on the schedule and that act was Juno Award winning Lynn Miles. There was no need for a second act because Lynn gave us more than a complete evening of entertainment. She and her accompaniment Keith Glass, a founding member of Prairie Oyster, gave us songs and stories performed to perfection in spite of a slight mandolin malfunction, but even that turned into an entertaining event.

httpv://youtu.be/GFGmw9giDME

Lynn delivered her songs in a clear confident voice with amazing range when it was required. The harmony with Keith Glass was flawless and the pleasant banter they have developed together was as comfortably entertaining as a family Sunday supper (well in nice families anyway). Keith’s guitar work was amazing. He comfortably changed styles from song to song gave us an example of a seasoned professional guitar player that is seldom seen except on the largest of stages.

httpv://youtu.be/V-gDkIICCTs

The real stars of the show were the songs themselves. A very prolific songwriter, Lynn Miles “has always written with unbridled feeling and vulnerability”. The songs were both subtle and sweet and I found they completely engaged my thoughts while they were being performed. However Lynn did admit that out of the 680 some songs she has written that only about 3 of them were upbeat.

httpv://youtu.be/PI4ovO6g7Iw

To find out more about this fantastic artist you can go to her website:

Keith Glass and Lynn Miles

St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage schedule of future performances can be found at:

www.st-lawrencestage.com

I hope I see you there next month, 24 March, for a night of Intimate Acoustics.

The official cause isn’t known.  The oft troubled singer was found dead in her hotel.

Clive Davis’ her long time mentor still held his Grammy party in the same hotel that Ms Houston was lying dead in.    Music royalty still showed up and still attended.

Some dramatic words and performances took place.  Indeed Ms Houston died as she lived; in the spotlight.

Most of you reading this know bits about Ms Houston; from a family of voices she shined like one that rarely was ever seen in this world.

Before Mariah; there was Whitney.  Without Whitney; would there even be a Mariah?

Adele?   So many voices.     Whitney Houston though “chose” to destroy hers with drugs of all sorts. Instead of being thought of  with the likes of Etta James who we also just lost, she’ll be remembered along with likes of Amy Winehouse; another talent snuffed out far too early this year.

Some people can handle fame; some can’t.  Some can handle substances and others perish as this gauntlet called life keeps spinning.

It’s been a year of loss in the music industry; more so than almost any other.   So many voices extinguished.

While it’d be easy to gush about her talent or chastise her life choices I think I’ll keep this entry short.

I feel bad for her daughter.   I feel empathy for her loved ones.

I wish I owned shares in her music company today as the value of catalogs jump after an artist passes away and Ms Houston has quite a catalog.   I’m sure it will help the release of the movie she just finished as well; and of course the Grammy’s ratings will skyrocket tonight too.

It’s a sad day for the world today.   We lost an amazing talent far too soon.

Look at Me – a very early performance

1983  - Home

RIP Whitney Houston – Your Light Dimmed So Soon – Your Music Will Shine Forever

Jadea Kelly in Morrisburg 29 Jan 12

CFN – Jadea Kelly, an exciting new Canadian music talent is performing on the Vinyl Café at the Upper Canada Playhouse this weekend and I got a chance to interview her. Jadea is a lovely young lady as well as being very talented and just happens to be roommate with Melanie Brulee formerly from the Cornwall group Mel and the General Electryk.

I caught up with Jadea in the lobby of the Macintosh Inn in Morrisburg. She generously found some time to talk to me while waiting for her next performance at the Upper Canada Playhouse.

httpv://youtu.be/IraWuMmYh4A

For those of you who couldn’t get to see the Jadea perform at the Upper Canada Playhouse I am including one of her videos so you can see for yourself what a great talent she is.

httpv://youtu.be/IwOxZqujECk

You can listen to more of Jadea’s music at her myspace page but don’t forget to buy her CDs. Musicians need to make a living too.

http://www.myspace.com/jadeak

CFN

Cornwall’s Promoter Supremo, Jeff Brunet of Alkaline, sent in the following:

I’d would like to thank you all for braving yesterdays storm to attend a killer show last night at La Maison. Sandor De Breton and Sudden Thunder rocked the House to. Please check out this original Ottawa band @ www.suddenthunder.net.

Russ Dwarf and the Killer Dwarfs had an energetic stellar show. They beltedout hit after hit and the crowd was not disappointed.

Tickets are now available for the Helix show on March 24th @ La Maison for $20 in advance and $25 at the door.

Don Ross

CFN – We had a real treat Saturday night when two fabulously talented musicians took the stage in Morrisburg. The stage was sold out again. Graham Greer, a well recognized local talent and new Communications Coordinator for the Aultsville Theatre, went on first and entertained the audience with his casual banter and flawless renditions of his songs past and new. We have come to expect a great performance from Graham and he always delivers.

 I Know a Pigeon Toed Girl:

One good song deserves another.

 Take It All Back:

There were a lot of expectations for Don Ross’ performance last night and he did not fail to meet them. I first heard of Don from Chris Thompson when he performed on the stage last November. Don’s guitar playing artistry has reached legendary status and after watching him perform I now know why. I don’t have the vocabulary to describe what I witnessed Saturday night so I will let my videos speak for me.

Head and Heart:

For more info about Don Ross you can go to his web page:

http://www.gobyfish.com/Home.html

Next month the St. Lawrence Acoutic Stage will present Lynn Miles, one of Canada’s most accomplished singer/songwriters. Mark your calendars for February 25^th and come out for a great night of entertainment.

httpv://www.st-lawrencestage.com/shows.html

Graham Greer