The Way We Feel.
A Celebration of Gordon Lightfoot and his music.
8th year.
Hugh’s Room, Toronto
http://www.hughsroom.com
Friday January 22, 2010
Lisa and I headed to Toronto mid afternoon on a grey dismal day in Southern Ontario. The temps were above seasonal but the lack of sun made it feel colder. We checked into our hotel and then got on the subway for the 20 minute trip to Hugh’s Room for dinner and an evening of Lightfoot music performed by the best of the best talent in the roots/folk community.
We were greeted by the ever darling, adorable, talented and charming Jory Nash who is co-founder (with Aengus Finnan) of the shows going back to their inception prior to Lightfoot falling ill in Sept. 2002. The first of the “tribute” shows was in early 2003. The amount of work involved in the logistics of getting the talent lined up, housed and fed is monumental and I’m sure the talents of Rachel Barreca are missed. But Jory pulls it off every year and it just gets better! We just didn’t know how much better it would get though!
The show started at 8:50 with the incomparable emceeing talent of David Newland. Actually HE was introduced by Sheilagh Rogers of CBC radio!
David started a wonderful event in Toronto that has just passed its first year in existence and is growing every week. It is called the Corktown Ukelele Jam
http://torontoukes.com/about.php?mn=00 so it was only fitting that he perform his tune with one of his many ukes.
David Newland was accompanied by the `house band` and sang Early Morning Rain. It was sweet and sad and lovely. I will never listen to it quite the same way again. The uke sound was perfect.
David introduced the house band – David Matheson on piano, David Woodhead on bass, Jason Fowler on assorted guitars and Christine Bougie on assorted percussion and lap steel.
http://www.christinebougie.com/about
http://www.maplemusic.com/artists/dma/bio.asp
http://www.davidwoodhead.com
http://www.jasonfowler.ca
http://www.jorynash.com/main-set.html
http://www.davidnewland.com/performer_bio.html
This year would have a different sound than previous – no violin or fiddle with Anne Lindsay and the addition of a piano and lap steel were some big changes.
David Matheson was first up and sang ``Go My Way`` from the Summer Side of Life LP. His voice is so suited to Lightfoot tunes and his guitar playing is masterful. He then sang ``Your Loves Return``( ``brackets-Stephen Foster-Brackets-Ringo`s Theme``) It was nice to hear that pretty tune.
Richard Knechtel was a new performer this year and sang ``The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald`` playing harmonica and 6 string guitar. One of the strings broke when he started so he borrowed David Matheson`s guitar saying ``The Wreck of the Yamaha`` and that he`d be shopping for a new one tomorrow.LOL.. His second song was from Harmony album - ``River of Light`` and he did a beautiful job on it. It was nice to hear a more recent tune.
http://www.greentreemusic.com/rk.htm
Madison Violet (formerly MadViolet) – Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac have performed at previous tribute shows so it was nice to see them back this year. These ladies have powerful, gorgeous harmonies. They sang ``Poor Little Alison`` and ``Sundown`` The last time they performed at the shows and met Lightfoot he asked how they split their royalties. Brenley said they shared them 50-50 and then asked him ``what royalties!``
http://www.madisonviolet.com
The Undesirables were up next. They were at the show last year too and provided a very animated performance. Tonight was to be no different. Corin Redmond and Sean Cotton certainly made the Lightfoot tunes their own. They sang ``Shadows`` and ``Fast Freight`` I find I hold my breath when watching them perform – they are both always moving and are very animated...even during the ballads. Fast Freight was written by Terry Gilkyson (father of Eliza who was around 12 back 48 years ago in January 1962 when Terry Whelan and Gordon Lightfoot as ``The Two Tones`` recorded it)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Gilkyson
http://www.theundesirables.com/index.php?show=5
David Newland said he was going to reach out and acknowledge someone sitting in the audience who has been to just about all of these shows over 8 years here at Hugh’s and on the road. Then he said he wanted to wave hello to Char Westbrook! He said they appreciate my major, major fandom and said I was one of the folks who Gordon calls “The Net People” who basically stalk him via the internet..lol. He wanted to “commend my support of them and that I always do a nice write up about them …as long as we don’t embarass them from the stage!!” LoL.. Very nice shout out!
Suzie Vinnick is a fave performer of mine and I always look forward to hearing her. She puts her own bluesy influence into the Lightfoot tunes and sang ``That`s What You Get For Lovin` Me`` and ``I`d Do It Again`` - wow. She just won another Maple Blues award!
http://www.suzievinnick.com
I must mention that the house band plays such an important part to the sound each performer has for the tunes they chose. The lap steel and piano added a dimension to each song that really made them special. David Matheson is such a multi talented performer and Chris Bougie on lap steel was awesome. What a fabulous sound...and amazing to watch her play.
Please note that all the links to artist sites will probably link you to YouTube clips, MySpace, Facebook etc.. check them out!
Nathan Rogers was up next. He is the son of another Canadian icon, the late Stan Rogers. Nathan was around 4 when his father tragically passed away. His fathers influence, along with that of his uncle Garnet comes across in this young man. What a wonderful stage presence and voice. He is a masterful guitar player as well. It was a real treat to see him perform as he said he was doing ``a song with 81 verses and no chorus which I have written on the top of my guitar! He wasn’t going to lie to us, he said he was going to cheat but he would sing it beautifully! Then he launched into one of my favourite songs – The Ballad of Yarmouth Castle. It was a wonderful version! Nathan then recounted he learned to play the next song when he did back up for Jim Keelaghan who did it on the BEAUTIFUL tribute album a few years ago. The summer previous to that he took his 12 string and hitch-hiked through the western provinces. He was picked up by an old dude in a truck who asked him where he was going. He said he was going to the folk festival up in Jasper where his uncle was playing. The guy said “oh you like folk music eh?, I used to be in a folk trio.” Nathan thought “oh yeah, you and everybody else buddy.” But he said “oh yeah, I like folks music, who did you play with?” And the old dude said “have you ever heard of Gordon Lightfoot?” and Nathan said he was waiting for the bullshit story of the century so he said “of course I’ve heard of Gordon Lightfoot.” Turns out that the old dude that picked me up was John Stockfish! Nathan then did a rousing, energetic version of The Canadian Railroad Trilogy.
http://www.nathanrogers.ca/home.html
INTERMISSION
Jason Fowler has been with the shows since the beginning as part of the house band and performing his two song choices every year.
http://www.jasonfowler.ca This year Rick Fines was not appearing. He usually does an amazing blues rendition of Ribbon of Darkness. Jason put his spin on it this year…still a blues feel though and it was wonderful. It’s amazing that when listening to a Lightfoot tune in such a different way you can ‘forget’ how the original sounded for a little while! Jason’s second tune was one that no one has ever done before – Bells of the Evening. It was lovely and nice to hear.
Brian MacMillan tours with John McDermott (as does Jason Fowler) He wanted to know if we felt like singing and divided the audience into 3 parts – each singing different notes and then all of us together, as he started his song – I Heard You Talking In Your Sleep. He then picked up his electric guitar and did a long lead in to Cold On The Shoulder with Jason and David Woodhead helping out. Brian sounds a bit like James Taylor and has a great voice. David Newland had a backyard concert a couple of summers ago where Brian performed as well as Jory and we really enjoyed hearing him there.
http://www.myspace.com/brianmacmillan
David Newland then acknowledged Aengus Finnan who was in attendance but did not perform.
Next up was Jory Nash looking so dapper in his hat and vest. He sang Summer Side Of Life and then my favourite that he does, Mother Of A Miner’s Child. Oh my I loved it! He has such a unique voice and way of presenting a song. Jory spoke about Gordon showing up last year in a big snowstorm and how he held up the show for a few minutes until he arrived but Gordon arrived after a couple of performers had played. He didn’t have his guitar tho but just before the first half was over Jory got word that Gordon was having a great time and wanted to do a song but would have to borrow one! Jory was finishing up the first set so he had the honour and pleasure to introduce Gordon Lightfoot at his own tribute and lending him his guitar…which he put out of tune!
http://www.jorynash.com
Lori Cullen
http://www.loricullen.com/home.html was up next. Last year she did Song For A Winter’s Night and Gordon told David Newland that he loved her version. This year she sang Rainy Day People with David Matheson on piano. Then she sang If You Could Read My Mind, also in her slow jazz style. She mentioned that after the show Gordon spoke with her and put his face up to hers (he has the softest face!) and he said “I think you’ve got a hit there young lady.”
part 2 - next post
Lightfoot Celebration at Hugh's Room-Jan.22 & 23-2010
looks like it was a lot of fun!
