The Pearl Company

Rakish Angles: Thursday, November 10, 8:00pm. $15 door. $10 Artists/Students: The boundary crossing, genre-blending stringband, The Rakish Angles, weave an intricate tapestry of Newgrass, Latin, Gypsy-Jazz and Oldtime music.  The quartet’s members come from musical backgrounds as diverse as Classical, Bluegrass, Jazz, and Heavy Metal.  The Rakish Angles common influences include Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, Bela Fleck, and fellow Canadians The Creaking Tree String Quartet and Jayme Stone.  What makes the Rakish Angles unique is the collaborative spirit in which they put their pieces together –they recognize and encourage each other’s different strengths and backgrounds, which is heard both in the compositions and in the way each musician is given space to shine.  The quartet has been nominated for numerous prestigeous awards  and are beginning to garner Nation-wide attention and airplay and have even had music used for film.  They are: Boyd Norman (Bass), Serena Eades (Violin), Dan Richter (Guitar) and Simon Hocking (Mandolin)
“The Rakish Angles are pushing acoustic music into new directions. With impeccable taste, tone, timing and an all original repertoire, they are sure to be at the forefront of the Canadian Acoustic scene for a long time to come. Check ’em out!” – Andrew Collins www.rakishangles.com

Emm Gryner with Colleen Brown: Wednesday, November 9, 8:00pm. $15 door.$10 Artists/Students: Emm Gryner’s ferocious self- sufficiency has been recognized and rewarded by a broad spectrum of fellow musicians from David Bowie to Bono; in fact she sang and played keyboards in David Bowie’s band. She appears on Bowie at the Beeb, a live album. She has toured with Ron Sexsmith, Rufus Wainwright and Royal Wood.  She’s stuck it out as an independent artist for more than a decade, releasing records on both sides of the Atlantic (Ireland, in particular, likes its Emm) on her own ‘Dead Daisy’ label and delighting in the freedom to follow whatever musical whim strikes her fancy.  She has played Lilith Fair, playing either of the festival’s accepted roles — snarling rock chick or vulnerable piano diarist.  “I kind of pride myself on….that I’m the person who can open for Burton Cummings and then tour with Ohbijou….” www.emmgryner.com Colleen Brown has picked up support from the CBC, particularly DJ Rich Terfry (Buck 65), along with high profile fans such as Emm, Kathleen Edwards and Hawksley Workman. Brown was a finalist in last year’s Song Quest contest, and won the Alberta Emerging Artist Award for the song Western Fire, co-written with Edwards’ guitarist, Colin Cripps. Last summer, she grabbed the New Music West 2011 Songwriting Award. For the past few years, Brown has been at one moment jamming with members of Blue Rodeo the next, playing the folk festival circuit.  “As an artist I’m striving for the idea of a community, and that a performance, for me, is about give-and-take between the audience and the musicians. It’s not me up here and you down there.” www.myspace.com/colleenbrownmusic Both Emm and Colleen fit right in at The Pearl!

The Ernesto Cervini Quartet: Tuesday, November 8, 8:00pm. $15 door.$10 Artists/Students: Innovative and electrifying Toronto jazz drummer Ernesto Cervini featuring Joel Frahm (saxophones), Adrean Farrugia (piano) and Dan Loomis (bass).  Ernesto who has shared the stage with many legendary musicians such as Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Cleo Laine, Pat LaBarbera, Buddy DeFranco, and many others, has energy to burn, whether radiating it from behind his drums or working on any number of musical and educational projects.  Cervini’s diversity as a musician (he is also an excellent pianist and clarinetist) has allowed him to travel throughout the world, performing in some of the world’s greatest jazz venues such as, Birdland, The Jazz Standard, The Montreal Bistro, The Rex Jazz and Blues Club, and also many of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, such as Massey Hall, The Glen Gould Theatre, The St. Lawrence Center for the Arts and the Sugita Theatre in Yokohama, Japan.  www.Ernestocervini.com

Gary Santucci: Saturday, November 5, 8:00. $15 door.$10 Artists/Students.  Gary will put on another of his guitar seminars; a kind of show-and-tell involving guitar history, guitar-making, and guitar playing. There will be, of course, demonstrations of guitar technique from flamenco to classical and beyond. Gary may be joined by his long-time guitar and bouzouki partner, Dimitrios Doumas if he is able to be here.  Expect a guitar banquet.

The Andy Middleton Group: Friday, November 4, 8:00. $15 door.$10 Artists/Students: Jazz saxophonist and composer Andy Middleton with Canadian guitar legend Lorne Lofsky and the superb bass/drums team of Kieran Overs and Barry Romberg, with special guest Darcy Hepner on reeds.  Andy Middleton has long been considered by critics and his peers to be one of the world’s top-tier jazz saxophonists. While a technically masterful player, Middleton’s solos have rather been noted for their power of inspired imagination, rhythmic drive, lyricism and adventurous energy.  Likewise, his compositions are both harmonically modern and lyrical with a clear sense of the tradition.   Middleton’s unique voice as both a player and a composer/arranger has led jazz icons such as Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler and Ralph Towner to record and perform with him.  He has also performed/ recorded with Renee Rosnes, Randy Brecker, Bill Evans, Lionel Hampton.  After nearly 20 years in the New York jazz scene, he now lives and teaches in Vienna, Austria.  Catch him in a rare return to North America! andy.middleton@chello.at
“A musician’s musician, just like it says in books.  This American living in Vienna spins fascinating webs of improvisation with long, drawn-out and intense melodies on the tenor saxophone that place him at the top of the international saxophone scene. Great music!”   Jazzthing (Germany)

Bill Bourne and The Free Radio Band: Saturday October 29. 8:00pm. $20 at the door. Multiple Canadian Juno Award winner, Bill Bourne has received international acclaim for his recordings and live performances. A mainstay on the international roots scene, life on the road is reflected in Bill’s music – powerful rhythms and soulful songs, steeped in World Beat, Blues, Cajun, Celtic, Folk, Flamenco, Funk, Poetry and more… His latest release, Bluesland, is an intense collection of rock, folk and country, soaked with an electric blues sound that gets deep into your pores. In addition to Bill’s acoustic guitar and vocals, and his son’s lead, The Free Radio Band features Pa Joe on electric smooth jazz guitar (African Guitar Summit), Moses Gregg on bass (The Swiftys) and Miguel Ferrer on drums (Santiago, Chile).
“Bourne flows with this almost indescribable soul infused with a lonesome strain of blues… This man was put on this earth to play music.” Crossroads Magazine. “Canadian Folk Shaman – Magical Mystery Bourne’ – Kitchener/Waterloo Echo  www.billbourne.com

Kate Reid w Amy Campbell: Friday, October 28. 8:00pm. $12 advance / $15 at the door. Kate Reid has a stack of press clippings that invariably cite her originality, topical songwriting and laugh-aloud humour. She is one of Canada’s funniest, sharpest new talents – a whipsmart wordsmith with a stage presence cited for her originality, topical songwriting and laugh-aloud humour. Her socio-political musings about identity, love and queer life are matched with an irreverent, often self-deprecating sense of humour. Season these songs with one of Kate’s warm, disarming laughs and you’ll understand why listeners of all persuasions have taken such a shine to her. “One woman. One guitar. Lots of attitude”. “Edgy, fun and brilliant” www.katereid.net Amy Campbell brings together classical training and folk sensibilities to create music that reaches into human experience and comes back with stories written from the soul. Devoted equally to lyrical craft, innovative musicianship, and engaging performances, Amy’s dozen years of writing, composing, and touring have cemented her position in hearts and playlists across the world. www.amycampbell.ca

The Jazz Connection Big Band with Christian Overton on lead trombone: Thursday, October 27. Doors at 7:30, jazz at 8:00 $15 at the door:  The JCBB is a well established 17-piece jazz ensemble comprised of professional and semi-professional musicians from the Hamilton/Toronto area. They perform only the best modern big band charts from the books of Goodwin, Martin, Menza, Rich, Basie, and many other great contemporary composers. Jazz Connection’s approach is high energy, uncompromising, straight ahead jazz. They combine the highest level of musicianship with great charts in an entertaining show that engages both the jazz enthusiast and the casual listener equally. Carrying us once again into the cool space of surround sound big band music, we are always delighted to have them back! http://www.jazzconnection.ca Christian Overton is one of the best trombone players in the business working regularly with Peter Appleyard, Jane Bunnett, Don Thompson, numerous major musicals, TV shows and movie scores.

Glenn Chatten: Wednesday, October 26. 8:00pm. $15 at the door. $10 All Artists/Students.  After abandoning Ontario (and Hamilton) for BC, Glenn is back! He took his Masters at McMaster and played regularly at the Festival of Friends and The Gown and Gavel.  He’s a veteran guitarist (with a harmonica always close at hand), mastering his custom built Larivee and Breedlove acoustic guitars like sculpturing tools, Glenn carves deep into his soulful life’s journey to reflect, create and perform eclectic original music that blurs boundaries between Jazz, Blues, Folk, Rock, and Celtic styles. He has developed a very unique and fast finger picking style that incorporates both standard and various open tunings of the guitar, producing intense rhythms with strong vibrant melodic overtones. It will be a pleasure to hear that mellow voice again! www.soaringeaglemusic.com

Brilliantly Bacharach! Dean Hollin presents another of his sparkling “Musical Biographies”.  Saturday, October 22th, 8 pm.  $18 advance / $22 door.  The “Quintessential composer of the 60’s, 70’s and beyond, Burt Bacharach, is celebrated in both story and song in “Brilliantly Bacharach”!!  Featuring the talents of Dean Hollin, special guest Deb Fitzsimmons and a live, onstage band, performing; Walk On By, Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head, Alfie, A House is Not a Home, Do You Know the Way to San Jose?, That’s What Friends are For, and so very many more…” Born and raised in Hamilton, Dean began his theatrical career during his high school years. Throughout his professional career, Dean has created productions, largely based around the music he loves so much including the Music of Jerome Kern, Cole~Hearted: A Musical Portrait of Cole Porter, Whole Lot o’ Hoagy, (Hoagy Carmichael) and now Bacharach, through his production company – My Eye Productions.  Dean’s concerts are extremely popular.  Reserve your tickets early! http://www.deanhollin.com

Steve Brockley Band: Friday, October 21. 8:00pm. $15 at the door. $10 All Artists/Students. “These are songs that other songwriters talk about, and musicians that other musicians talk about.”  Leon Power’s beats combined with Kevin Bertram’s double bass swagger make a low-down groove while Steve Brockley’s finger-picked electric guitar tactics and whiskey-blend vocals deliver some honest songs from the heart and guts.   Encounter the truly infectious Steve Brockley experience. “His album, crafted in the riff-filled, storytelling tradition of legends like Johnny Cash, is beyond his years.” This is our fourth Steve Brockley concert.  Steve is a remarkable songwriter; one of those singers whose every word we strain to hear because those words are so entertaining and fitting that you don’t want to miss a one.  But even if you didn’t hear a single sentence, this three-piece band is so tight and original that the music alone would satisfy. www.myspace.com/stevebrockley Appearing with Steve and the band are the local Dunlop Brothers. Justin Dunlop, as a bassist/multi-instrumentalist, has played with a number of local groups. He is now introducing his own songs with his band, featuring the moody and ambient guitar playing of his brother Matt Dunlop, and the dig-deep soulful drumming of Mike Ardagh.

Adrian Glynn with Dane Hartsell: Thursday, October 20: $15 door / $10 Students/Artists 8:00pm.  Adrian Glynn stands apart. The Vancouver-based troubadour takes any opportunity to defy convention: he has turned murder ballads into spell-binding, microphone-free serenades, and abandoned the standard rock band setup in favour of suitcase kick drums and clawhammer piano strings. Originally a trained character actor, his flare for live performance has quickly won over audiences. In his intimate solo shows, Glynn continues to perfect his timeless blend of rough-hewn rock and dusty, Depression-era folk and blues. Ranging from stomping grooves to textured ballads and spine-tingling a cappella, while still retaining the songwriter’s stripped-down intimacy and melodic accessibility.,  his latest album reaffirms what fans have seen in Glynn since the beginning: an artist unafraid to deconstruct ancient musical traditions and rebuild them as his own. www.adrianglynn.com
Dane Hartsell delivers emotional ballads and energetic anthems.  He was born in Woodstock, Ontario and has progressed rapidly from traveling to gigs in his parents car to going on the road with Canadian Idol winner Eva Aquila!

The Once: Monday, October 17: 8:00pm. $20 door. Named for a unique Newfoundland phrase that means ‘imminently’, now is indeed the time for The Once. As a trio, the band has kept it uncomplicated, depending on the power of their voices and acoustic instruments. Lead singer Geraldine Hollett, has an instrument of rare power which can still a noisy room, Accompanied by Phil Churchill and Andrew Dale on guitar, mandolin, fiddle and bouzouki, they create a perfect blend of voice and melody. Their music comes from a quieter and more thoughtful place. Hope and tragedy are intertwined in their music, whether they are singing an old lament from World War I, original songs that speak of love defeated, or tasteful songs from the artists whose music inspires them. Sometimes melancholy, sometimes funny, always poignant,The Once sound like nothing else that has ever come from Newfoundland. Their debut album has built a gradual but fervent following, and their live show is unique in its combination of intimacy and power. They have won several East Coast Music and Canadian Folk Music awards, and the country is slowly waking up to just what an amazing band they are. Since they signed to Borealis Records in 2010, they have toured through out the country and Europe, drawing huge crowds.

“The first time I heard it (the album), I was floored, the second time elevated, and everytime since entralled!” SignalBlog www.theonce.ca

Bonnie Ste Croix: Sunday, October 16: 8:00pm. $15, $10. Students/all forms of artists. This award-winning Roots artist has recorded one song in every Province and Territory of Canada, resulting in a high-quality celebration of the folk-and-roots community of the country.  Guest artists include Stephen Fearing, Natalie MacMaster, Catherine MacLellan, Shari Ulrich, The Once (Coming to The Pearl the next night!) and more. “…her voice will stop you cold in your tracks. It’s one reason she’s attracted such devoted local fans who faithfully attend her gigs… She’s often been compared to Jann Arden for her witty humour, interactive and friendly stage presence…Ste-Croix definitely isn’t afraid to simultaneously show her intense and comic sides on stage. And the audience falls in love.  In person and on stage, Ste-Croix is vibrant, captivating and outgoing.” Vancouver Courier“
www.bonniestecroix.com

Rita Chiarelli in Concert: She’s back in town! Friday & Saturday, October 14 & 15. $25 at the door. Starting at 8:00. Canada’s Goddess of The Blues rocks the Pearl Company!  Rita’s latest huge adventure has taken her on a rare and exclusive musical journey, a pilgrimage to the birthplace of the blues, Louisiana State Maximum Security Penitentiary a.k.a Angola Prison. She never imagined that her love of the blues would lead her down legendary Highway 61 to a historic jailhouse performance with inmates serving life sentences. With acclaimed director Bruce McDonald, they have created a riveting and award winning documentary and a powerful soundtrack, Music From The Big House!
“These past few years, I took long and lonely journeys to Mississippi and Louisiana… the songs you will hear are the bluesy swampy rootsy experiences I had… they are real and they are from the heart” Rita Chiarelli.
“Music from the Big House is about exploring the redemptive power of music.” – Peter Howell, Toronto Star
” Music from the Big House is very much a documentary about jail house blues, one that gets the soul singing and the foot tapping.” – Marina Antunes, Quiet Earth.  www.ritachiarelli.com