The Pearl Company

FOR GEORGE 2016: Friday, February 26. Doors 7:30/Show 8:00. Tickets are $15, available at the door and online at ticketscene.ca  A musical event celebrating the life and music of George Harrison featuring local independent musicians and hosted by Christopher Clause. All moneys raised go towards “gracenotes” (musician benevolent fund) and the Debbie Clause Recording Fund. The brand new recording, “THE WORD IS LOVE” will be available at the shows as well as other music and merchandise from the guest artists.
The guests for FOR GEORGE are as follows (line up subject to change):
Kim and Frank Koren
Andy Griffiths
The Wonderwalls featuring James Greenspan, Johnny Mack, Mark Ripp & Taras Skirkos
The Barr Band
Dave Pomfret and more!!!!
Featuring the Kings of Marigold as the backing band for the night:
Chris Jamieson
Michael Scott
Peter Taplay
Bec Jamieson

Hammer Hoppers Presents: Bertie & The Gents: Wednesday, February 24. Doors: 7:00/Lesson: 7:30/Show: 8:00. $15 / $10 with a MacSwing membership card…  Hammer Hoppers is overjoyed to be presenting Bertie & The Gents at their next social dance. Pianist and band leader Roberta Hunt is sought after throughout Ontario to bring her charismatic and dynamic music for swing dancers. Her music embodies the spirit of New Orleans jazz having participated in the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans among other jazz festivals. Roberta’s infectious energy and exuberant personality will be sure to inspire you on the dance floor so don’t miss out. The Theme: Blue (Broken Hearted Blues)
Hammer Hoppers offers dance instruction and socials for vintage swing dances, Lindy Hop, Charleston, Authentic Jazz, and Balboa
7:30-8:00PM: Drop-In Beginner Lesson
8:00-11:00PM: Bertie & The Gents

PUBLICITY PLANNING SECRETS 101 WITH LISA MILLAR: Sunday, February 21. 10am- 3:30 pm. Have you ever wondered how to get that Standing Room Only show or successfully launch a product or CD? For the low introductory price of $60, Lisa’s hands-on workshop will take you through the steps to understand The Product, The Pitch and The Launch. By the end of the day you will have had a chance to fully plan an event from start to finish. Seating is limited to 30 people so reserve your seat now by paying via email at the address below. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact: lisamillarsmusic@gmail.com  Photo by Benjamin Washington https://www.facebook.com/TheRealLisaMillar?fref=photo

Gary Santucci: Solo Guitar: Saturday, February 20. 8:00pm. $20 door/$15 income-challenged(Srs/Stdts/etc.) An intimate evening of guitar music from the masterful fingers of one of Canada’s top flamenco guitarists: Selected Classical guitar, World Music, Flamenco, combined with new works from El Santucci. Trained in Spain (and Canada) and playing his unique brand of flamenco and world music for over 35 years, he has become a consummate musician whose repertoire spans numerous genres. Among his awards is Best Classical Musician 1982 [Hamilton Wentworth Council of the Arts],  The City of Hamilton Arts Award for Music 2004, and together with Barbara Milne, The City of Hamilton Arts Award 2008 for Lifetime Achievement.  Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzKBk4LxbRU

VALENTINE SPECIAL! Shari Vandermolen & SWINGLINE: Sunday, February 14. 8:00. $20/$15 students/seniors/income-challenged. Just in time for a romantic Valentine’s evening! SWINGLINE is an inspired and accomplished group of musicians hailing from the greater Hamilton and Toronto areas bringing you big-band jazz standards and a little soulful R & B to round things off.  They originally came together purely for the love of music; it was simply an opportunity to play together and develop new musical connections with other musicians. Now they are in demand and we are lucky to have them for the 14^th.  Shari Vandermolen’s rich vocals filled the niche completing the band and we get to be the listeners and appreciators!  Shari Vandermolen’s recent CD release has kept her busy but she is thrilled to be back at one of her favourite venues with her favourite “little big-band”.  They will have you humming along and tapping your feet all night long giving you that big-band sound you crave!  http://swingline.webs.com/  Listen:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXw_ytuzvFc

THE WORD IS LOVE” – A Celebration of the Beatles’ “Rubber Soul”: Sunday, February 7. 6:30 Doors; 7:00 Show. Admission: $15 / Admission with CD: $20. “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”. Those two shows that Christopher Clause planned to celebrate the music of the Beatles circa 1965?  But circumstances got in the way?  “Funny how the most beautiful things come from a change in plans. The idea: instead of doing two shows, let’s do an album to celebrate a key Beatles album? Our friends at Grant Avenue Studio graciously donated studio time with Amy King behind the console. We recorded the album in two days plus one afternoon session, mixed it in my home studio and are getting the record together for manufacture. Our friends at the Pearl Company are hosting this early show to celebrate the release of the record on Sunday February 7 (the 52nd anniversary of the Fabs landing in New York for the first time) and all proceeds raised will go towards Gracenotes and the Debbie Clause Recording Fund (which helps fund local music recording projects in the city).“
Our special guests for the evening will include: Melissa Marchese, Steve Parton, Tommy Gunn, Matthew de Zoete, The Barr Band, The Redhill Valleys, Lena Montecalvo, Fred Magie, Sharon Washington, Andy Griffiths, Alfonso Spoto (the Acoustics), Gary Santucci, Kim and Frank Koren, Chris Jamieson, Michael Scott, Peter Taplay, Jen Budd, Bec Jamieson, and Christopher Clause.
(more…)

The Naked Ballerina: Feb 4, 5, 6. 8:00pm. $20 door/$15 artists/students/un(der)waged. Come on a journey with Gwyn, a top professional ballet dancer. She will take you backstage and into the darkest corners of the ballet world, where sex, bulimia, beauty, shame, bliss, fear, pain, and secrets, pave the path to “perfection”. Based on the true life story of Sarah Murphy-Dyson.
Top Ten Performances of 2014 – Gary Smith Hamilton Spectator: “Sarah Murphy-Dyson gave a heartbreaking performance in this almost autobiographical story of a dancer coming to terms with the pain of being perfect. Murphy-Dyson’s script was compelling stuff and her stunning performance rocked The Pearl Company nightly.” http://m.thespec.com/whatson-story/5234136-the-delights-and-duds-of-2014/
“Discover the darkness behind the curtain, as the former Royal Winnipeg Ballet first soloist & Gemini Award winner brings you backstage into her world of blood, sweat and secrets. Illusions of perfection onstage and off are shattered as she seeks the courage to expose her truth to herself and the world.” Glenn Sumi, Now Magazine.

Shari Vandermolen & David Brideau: Saturday May 5.  Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20. Shari Vandermolen is a renowned vocalist and award-winning performer in Hamilton and the Greater Toronto Area who has been entertaining audiences for 15 years with her Quartet, Trio or 5-piece band Quarter to Nine.  She is also the lead vocalist for the 10-piece jazz combo SwingLine.  On May 5th Shari brings her powerful and impressive vocal stylings back to the Pearl Company for a more intimate evening of song with jazz guitarist David Brideau, James Gannett on bass and Vince Waters on drums.  “…hear Vandermolen make jelly of your emotions with her voice and her art… one example is Stormy Weather… I barely weathered that storm intact.”  – View Magazine
David Brideau is a Canadian jazz guitarist, composer, and teacher who has been an active musician for over 15 years. A Hamilton native, and honours graduate from the Mohawk Jazz program, David has played all around the GTA with his own group, the David Brideau Trio and Quartet, as well as being prominently featured in groups with Michael Morobito, Amber-Leigh Palka, and Lauren Perreira among others. He studied under jazz greats Bob Shields, Pat Collins, Kim Ratcliffe, and Mark Ucci and is currently continuing his studies at McMaster University. David often composes his own standards, and released the sold-out EP “Addicted To You” in 2016. He is a recipient of the Dave McMurdo Music Bursary, the Antony Roberts Music Bursary, and the Richard Newell Memorial Scholarship.
Ticets: https://www.ticketscene.ca/events/21098/