WINTER /SPRING 2016
AT T H E O A K V I L L E C E N T R E
VOLUME EIGHT
|
ISSUE TWO | JAN~MAY 2016
RUTHIE FOSTER
THE WAILERS
BRUCE COCKBURN
54•40 UNPLUGGED
PATRICIA O’CALLAGHAN
THE TREWS -ACOUSTIC
THE LEGENDARY
DOWNCHILD
BLUES BAND
BOWSER & BLUE
CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE
BALLET JORGEN’S
SLEEPING BEAUTY
...and more!
OakvilleCentre.ca
Box Office: 905-815-2021
Oakville Centre
Oakville Centre
HOUSE NOTES
ACCESSIBILITY
Welcome to the Oakville Centre! We ask that you
follow these simple guidelines to ensure a pleasant
and memorable experience for all.
The Oakville Centre and the Town of Oakville place
a high priority on accessibility to the public. We are
constantly striving to meet the needs of our
customers.
In consideration of those in the audience who may
have allergies, please refrain from using perfume
or cologne when attending a performance.
Patrons requiring wheelchair or accessible seating
arrangements are asked to call the box office at
905-815-2021 or email boxoffice@oakville.ca. Our
box office staff will be happy to book accessible
seating and answer any questions you may have
regarding accessibility at the Oakville Centre.
Cell phones and other electronic devices should be
muted and not used while in the theatre.
Photography and recording devices are strictly
prohibited inside the auditorium.
The Oakville Centre does have some accessibility
challenges due to its design and age. The main auditorium of 17 rows has a steep incline and due to
fire regulations and for the safety of all patrons,
wheelchair and walker seating is located in Row S.
The theatre does not have an elevator.
Food and beverages are available pre show and intermission in the lobby. Please note the bar closes
once the performance is in progress. Food and any
outside containers are not permitted in the theatre
with the exception of clear plastic water bottles.
During designated performances only will all beverages be permitted in the theatre. In consideration
of other patrons, please refrain from opening candy
or gum wrappers during a performance.
There is one barrier free washroom on the main
level in the lobby and one on the lower level for
studio patrons.
Accessible features include curb cuts at the crosswalk and a ramp to the entrance of the theatre on
Navy and Church street approach. Our main entrance doors are equipped with electronic openers
and the auditorium offers handrails.
Latecomers and re-entries will be seated at a
suitable break determined by the production. You
may be asked to wait in the lobby.
Babes-in-arms and young children are welcome to
the Family Series performances. Contact the box
office for all other performances. Each person
entering the theatre requires a ticket.
The Oakville Centre offers a Sennheiser
assistive hearing system, free of charge.
Patrons can access the headset by requesting the equipment at the lobby bar on their
arrival.
Group bookings are available for 10 or more.
Please contact us at 905-338-4161, ext. 3204. All
ticket sales are final.
Two accessible parking spots are
available on Navy Street and two spots
in the Church Street parking lot. These
spots are best suited for those attending
performances in the Main Auditorium. Accessible
parking spots on the lower level, at the back of the
theatre would only be suitable for those attending
an event in the Studio Theatre. For additional
accessible parking spots, please refer to the map
on page 4.
All performances take place in either the
Willson Auditorium or the Studio Theatre.
The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts is a
division of the Recreation and Culture Department
of the Town of Oakville.
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Oakville Centre DIRECTIONS & PARKING
From the QEW or 401, exit at Trafalgar Road (Hwy.
3), drive south to Lakeshore Road, turn right and
park in any of the more than 2,800 parking spots
in Downtown Oakville.
To park behind the Oakville Centre, continue
along Lakeshore to Navy Street, turn left on Navy
then make your first right on Water Street and
follow it along the river.
Municipal Parking Lots
Accessible Parking Spots
Street
Parking Lot
The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts
130 Navy Street, Oakville, ON L6J 2Z4 Tel: 905-815-2021 or 1-888-489-7784 OakvilleCentre.ca
All performances take place in either the Willson Auditorium or the Studio Theatre.
Volunteer with us!
BIG TICKET MEMBERS
CHOOSE THEIR SEATS FIRST!
Become a
BIG TICKET
MEMBER
and SAVE…
The Oakville Centre for the
Performing Arts is looking for
enthusiastic individuals with a
passion for the arts to volunteer
as ushers, ticket takers and
outreach ambassadors.
BIG TICKET MEMBER
Buy a Big Ticket Membership
for $55 and receive:
• The ability to purchase tickets one week before
the general public
• Savings up to $7 off the regular price of each
ticket you purchase
• Receive a $20 tax receipt
BIG TICKET PLUS MEMBER
Go to the front of the line and buy
tickets before the general public!
Have one membership good for the
whole family!
Buy as many tickets to the shows
you want!
Interested?
Visit OakvilleCentre.ca
or call 905-338-4161 ext. 3237.
Buy a Big Ticket PLUS Membership
for $110 and receive:
• The ability to purchase tickets two weeks
before the general public
• Savings up to $11 off the regular price of each
ticket you purchase
• Receive a $50 tax receipt
• Receive a $25 gift certificate from Paradiso Restaurant
(some maximums apply to each show)
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The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts
gratefully acknowledges the generous support of our sponsors.
Auditorium Sponsor
Performance Series Sponsors
After Show
Artist Chats
The After Show Artist Chat is your opportunity to
learn more about the artist’s background, their
interpretation of the work or what makes them tick.
With the support of the Department of Canadian
Heritage we are pleased to announce a series of
complimentary After Show Artist Chats with a
moderated discussion between the artist(s) and a
featured guest moderator. These informal
discussions around the creative process will be
hosted by Paradiso Restaurant (unless noted
otherwise), right across the street from the theatre.
Each chat will start a few minutes after the show
at Paradiso and run for no longer than 30 minutes.
Tickets for the After Show Artist Chats are available
now. There is a limit of four tickets per purchaser.
Cover Photo Credit: Riccardo Piccirillo
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
On the cover: RUTHIE FOSTER April 21
In this issue . . .
Official Automobile
Learning with the Arts
(Education) Sponsor
Official Jeweller
Family Series . . . . . . . . . . . December 12 to May 8
54•40 Unplugged . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 15
Eh440 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 13
Bowser & Blue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 20
The Wailers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 25
Bruce Cockburn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 27
Ross Wooldridge & Alex Pangman . . . February 28
Bob McDonald . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 29
The Trews-Acoustic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 3
Ballet Jorgen’s Sleeping Beauty . . . . . . March 18
Kat Danser's Mississippi Juke Joint . . . . March 19
CAL: Animals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 24
The Legendary Downchild Blues Band . March 30
Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys . . . April 8
Ruthie Foster & Harrison Kennedy . . . . . . April 21
Patricia O’Callaghan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 29
CAL: Led Zeppelin IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 13
Official Winery
With appreciation
Associate Sponsor
of the Family Series
LIVE! at the Oakville Centre is published twice each year
for The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts by Green Light
Graphics Inc. To advertise, please contact us at 905-469-8095
or green.light@sympatico.ca. Space is limited.
Media Partner
54•40 ~ January 15 Eh440 ~ February 13
Bowser & Blue ~ February 20
Kat Danser & Cécile Doo-Kingué ~ March 19
The Legendary Downchild Blues Band ~ March 30
Ruthie Foster & Harrison Kennedy ~ April 21
Patricia O’Callaghan ~ April 29
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It’s All About Family!
The ACURA OF OAKVILLE Family Series
THE CAT IN THE HAT
CHARLOTTE’S WEB
Friday, February 19, 2016 at 7 p.m.• $20*
Recommended for ages 2 to 9
Saturday, April 30, 2016 at 1 p.m. & 3:30 p.m.• $20*
Recommended for ages 4 to 10
2015
PERFORMANCE
MDX
Presented by Theatreworks USA. Based on the book by E. B. White.
Based on the book by Dr. Seuss. Adapted and originally directed by Katie Mitchell. Presented by Childsplay, Tempe, Arizona.
Theatreworks’ production of Charlotte’s Web is based on E.B. White’s
loving story of the friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a little
gray spider named Charlotte. Wilbur has a problem: how to avoid
winding up as pork chops! Charlotte, a fine writer and true friend,
hits on a plan to fool Farmer Zuckerman – she will create a miracle.
Spinning the words “Some Pig” in
her web, Charlotte weaves a solution which not only makes Wilbur a
prize pig, but ensures his place on
the farm forever. This treasured tale,
featuring mad-cap and endearing farm animals, explores bravery,
selfless love, and the true meaning of friendship.
From the moment his tall, red-and-whitestriped hat appears at their door, Sally and her
brother know that the Cat in the Hat is the
most mischievous cat they will ever meet. Suddenly, the rainy afternoon is transformed by
the Cat and his antics. Will their house ever be
the same? Can the kids clean up before mom
comes home? With some tricks (and a fish)
and Thing Two and Thing One, with the Cat in the Hat, the fun’s
never done!
Founded in 1977, Childsplay is an internationally respected professional theatre company whose chosen audience is children. Their
mission is “To create theatre so strikingly original in form, content
or both that it instills in young people an enduring awe, love and respect for the medium, thus preserving imagination and wonder,
those hallmarks of childhood that are the keys to the future.”
SHARON, BRAM & FRIENDS
Sunday, May 8, 2016 at 1 p.m. & 3:30 p.m.• $20*
Recommended for all ages
Since 1978, Sharon Hampson and Bram Morrison have been preeminent in all aspects of family entertainment across North America
as members of the trio Sharon, Lois & Bram.
Together, the threesome produced over twenty
recordings, beginning with their iconic One
Elephant, Deux Elephants, three song-books,
six national TV specials, sixty-five episodes of
The Elephant Show, and fifty-two of Skinnamarink TV. They have received countless
awards, including Gold and Platinum Records
and JUNO awards. To date, they have sold over
3 million albums worldwide.
Sharon and Bram have carried on together
since Lois Lillenstein stepped aside from live
performing in 2000. This incarnation of one
of North America’s most popular family acts ranges from a “sweet
and simple” folksy duo performance, to a larger production featuring
members of the versatile Skinnamarink Band.
“We love singing with our audiences; the sound of families singing
together and the expressions of delight on the faces of parents and
children as they share the music, it brings us deep satisfaction”, say
Sharon and Bram.
Dr. Seuss text, character and images TM and © 2009 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. Dr. Seuss’ The Cat In The
Hat is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International.
DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD LIVE!
Sunday, March 20, 2016 at 2 p.m. & 5 p.m.• $35**
Recommended for ages 2 to 8
Produced by Mills Entertainment. Executive Producer/Tour Booking:
The Brad Simon Organization, Inc. Based on the television show, Daniel
Tiger’s Neighborhood, produced by The Fred Rogers Company.
The legacy of the beloved Mister Rogers
lives on with the hit television series,
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, from the
Fred Rogers Company and PBS KIDS.
Now, Daniel and all of his friends are
hopping aboard the trolley to delight live
audiences with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live! Donning his familiar red sweater, Daniel takes the audience on an interactive musical
adventure as he and his friends explore the vibrant world of their
much-loved neighborhood.
This live theatrical production, filled with singing, dancing and
laughter, will warm the hearts of multiple generations!
SPECIAL OFFER!
*Purchase 3 or more shows & SAVE $5 / ticket! **NO discounts available for Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood LIVE!
TICKETS: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca. All prices include taxes and handling fees.
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Presented by The Oakville Centre. Sponsored by Acura of Oakville in association with Whole Foods Market
and The Munz & Planche Family Fund for the Performing Arts (a fund held within the Oakville Community Foundation).
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“I simply can’t find the right
words to describe 54 .40, one of
the most respected Canadian
bands ever. Can one possibly
gauge the accomplishments they
have attained during their twodecade-long journey in one
sentence? The answer in my mind
is no.” ~ Scene Magazine
Dan Cooper Concert Series
From the opening guitar riff of Ocean Pearl, or the
unforgettable baritone hook of I Go Blind, if you
grew up in Canada in the 90s, 54•40 was the
soundtrack to your childhood, whether you knew it
or not. For many more seasoned fans, they were the
post-punk icons that leapt from the early 80s
Vancouver dive-bar scene and landed confidently on
the international stadium stage. With over a million
records sold worldwide, a career spanning 30 years
and a catalogue of hits that occupy the airways to
this day, singer-songwriter-front man Neil Osborne
still finds himself with a restless soul.
54•40
UNPLUGGED
Friday, January 15, 2016 at 8 p.m.
“Songs are stories - hit songs are classic stories and we’ve retold these classics and hopefully
enhancing their appeal.” - Neil Osborne
The search for new musical frontiers can often lead to
unexpected places. In 2014 Neil and the band found
themselves striking gold and beginning to develop an
idea unlike anything they had ever attempted. These
were the early stages of a double album that spans
decades and finds the band rediscovering their roots
while pushing their sound to a very new place.
Presented by The Oakville Centre.
Sponsored by the Dan Cooper Group.
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“What a privilege to be able to reimagine our
catalogue in a way that is equal parts fresh and
familiar. Given the opportunity to frame Neil’s lyrics
in a different light reminded me of the emotional
connection between the words and music, and how
that connection can be massaged in order to give the
songs new moods and meanings. A thoroughly
inspiring exercise, and a labour of love!” - Dave Genn
The first album La Difference: A History Unplugged,
produced by Dave ‘Rave’ Ogilive, is an intimate and
unplugged reimagining of 54•40’s greatest hits
recorded as you’ve never heard them before.
Featuring original arrangements of violin, guitar,
banjo, mandolin and more by guest musician Daniel
Lapp, History gives new context and spirit to 10 classic
songs fans all know and love. Re-approaching songs
from the past is something the band had never
thought they would do.
The fruits of the session are heard on the second part
of this double album. Now, with two brand new fulllength albums in their pocket and a cross Canada
theatre tour booked for 2016, is it fair to say 54•40 is
officially back?
“54•40 is always future thinking, (after all the
name does comes from a border dispute) as a band
we’re always expanding our borders, what we call
‘future history’.” - Neil Osborne
“The four of us are perhaps 54•40’s biggest fans - as
well as stewards.” - Neil Osborne
This new perspective is immediately apparent on La
Difference, an album that feels at once familiar and
entirely new. Fans will be delighted to hear the folky
stomp of Baby Ran, or the middle-eastern influenced
arrangement of One Gun - combinations that until
now, would’ve been hard to imagine. For the band,
dusting off and deconstructing their classic catalogue
had an unexpected effect.
Regular Ticket: $65 | Big Ticket Member: $60
Big Ticket Plus: $58
All prices include taxes and handling fees.
Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
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The Studio Sessions Series
Saturday, February 13, 2016
at 8:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre
Eh440 started harmonizing together in
2012. Using just their voices, this
Toronto-based a cappella group has
wowed audiences across the USA and
Canada. In 2014, they began the next
step in their journey – the release of
their debut album Turn Me Up.
Mike Celia and Joe Oliva started
their musical journeys a little later
than the other three. Already into
their teens, Mike taught himself to
play guitar and sing while Joe joined
his high school choir, just for fun, in
his final year.
But their journey really started over a
decade and half ago.
After coming together through the
Toronto Independent Music Awards
and mutual musician-friends, Eh440
was born - their first gig was performing the national anthems for the
Valentine’s Day 2012 Toronto Raptors
vs. New York Knicks NBA game.
Singing in an arena before 20,000
people? Pretty good first gig!
As kids, Janet Turner and Stacey Kay
used to compete against each other in
singing contests. The first time they
met, Stacey was just eight years old
and Janet a little older. Over the years
they each took their turn winning various contests and even though some
competitors took it a little too seriously, they actually cheered on the
other and became lifelong friends.
Luke Stapleton (aka Human Record)
started beatboxing as a kid too. Coming from a “show biz” family, Luke
would listen to his dad play the drums
in their house and recreate the sounds
using only his mouth.
Eh440 is a mix of five people from five
very different backgrounds and musical genres. Joe’s been a low bass singer
his entire life, Luke’s an urban beatboxer, Janet’s a country/pop singer,
Stacey’s soul/pop, and if that isn’t confusing enough, Mike’s even more of a
musical chameleon who cites blues,
folk, and “anything with a good
groove” as his influences.
Regular Ticket: $44 | Big Ticket Member: $37 | Big Ticket Plus: $33
All prices include taxes and handling fees. Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
SPECIAL VALENTINES DAY DINNER & SHOW PACKAGE - $150 per couple
Saturday, February 13, 2016
6 p.m. Three course meal at Paradiso Restaurant / 8:30 p.m. Performance of Eh440 at the Oakville Centre
To purchase this package call the Oakville Centre Box Office at 905-815-2021.
Price does not include taxes, alcohol and gratuities.
“Together they form an
unforgettable combination of
crazy beatboxing, sassy rapping,
killer harmonies, and fresh,
urban, R&B-influenced
compositions.”
Presented by The Oakville Centre. Sponsored by Paradiso Restaurant.
Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
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Epic 12.9-inch iPad Pro
The new iPad Pro is available at Core 1~ Oakville’s Apple Specialist
slim and light design – just 6.9 mm thin and 1.57 pounds.
Yet thanks to the strong unibody enclosure, it feels wellbalanced and sturdy. For all its capabilities, the most
surprising thing about iPad Pro may be how easily it seems
to disappear in the hand.
iPad has always offered a uniquely simple yet immersive
experience. And now with its expansive 12.9-inch Retina
display, nearly double the CPU performance of iPad Air 2,
and refined Multi-Touch technology, iPad Pro adds another
dimension to that experience. It’s not just larger. It’s an iPad
that lets you be more creative and more productive – at a
whole new scale.
Four Speaker Audio A rich listening experience
at every turn.
Retina Display. A canvas designed for your
biggest ideas.
With four new high-fidelity speakers built directly into its
unibody, iPad Pro creates an audio experience as big as its
display. The new design produces an engaging soundstage
with three times the acoustic output of iPad Air. But it goes
even further than that. iPad Pro automatically adjusts the
orientation of the high frequencies according to how you’re
holding it. So whether you’re playing a game or watching
a movie, the sound of iPad Pro is more immersive than ever.
With 5.6 million pixels, iPad Pro features the highestresolution Retina display of any iOS device. The 12.9-inch
screen makes everything you do – editing 4K video,
designing presentations, running a business – easier, faster,
and more engaging. And the Multi-Touch subsystem has
been reengineered, expanding the ways you can interact
with iPad.
The
Oakville Centre
for the Performing Arts
would like to thank
The
Oakville Centre
for the Performing Arts
would like to thank the
CANADIAN
HERITAGE
ONTARIO
ARTS COUNCIL
for ongoing
programming support.
for ongoing
programming support.
www.pch.gc.ca
www.arts.on.ca
Apple Pencil
Our most powerful chip for our most capable device.
Apple Pencil for iPad Pro makes drawing and sketching feel
remarkably fluid and natural, and delivers incredible
accuracy for activities like fine art illustration and detailed
3D design. Apple’s new Smart Keyboard further extends
the utility of iPad Pro, offering a full-sized keyboard in a
thin, durable design so you can take it anywhere. The Smart
Keyboard attaches to iPad Pro’s innovative Smart
Connector port, eliminating the need for a separate battery,
on/off switch or Bluetooth pairing.
At the heart of iPad Pro lies the new A9X, our thirdgeneration chip with 64-bit desktop-class architecture. It
delivers up to 1.8 times the CPU performance and double
the graphics performance of iPad Air 2. So even the most
demanding apps run effortlessly.
Design Huge in almost every way.
Even with its massive display, iPad Pro has an astonishingly
Core 1 is your local Apple Specialist. Located in Downtown Oakville, Core 1 offers all the latest Apple products in a customer friendly
environment. Come in and check out the latest Macs, iPads, iPods, iPhones and accessories. Having problems with your Apple hardware?
We are an Apple Premium Service Provider. We perform warranty and non-warranty repairs and upgrades on all Apple products.
Come in – NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY!
249 Lakeshore Road East (just west of Trafalgar), Downtown Oakville T: 905.849.0737
www.core1.ca
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&
Oakville Centre Comedy Series
Bowser
George Bowser and Rick Blue are a music and
comedy duo from Montreal who have been performing together since October 1978. After years
in their own “rock” bands, they joined forces as a
duo when the disco phenomenon made gigs hard
for bands to find. Rick plays acoustic guitar and
harmonica. George plays electric and acoustic guitars, bass and banjo.
George Bowser and Rick Blue write and perform music and comedy. In 2011, their latest
work; Schwartz’s - The Musical, inspired by Bill
Brownstein’s best-selling book about the Montreal
Delicatessen, ran for nine sold-out weeks.
They appear in theatres and concert halls across
Canada, and from 2007 to 2012 they headlined
the Canadian Snowbird Extravaganza concert series, both in Canada and the United States, returning again in 2013/2014.
They have appeared frequently at the Just for
Laughs comedy festival, and they can often be seen
on CBC television and the Comedy Channel. Their
CTV Christmas special Two Nuts Roasting on an
Open Fire was nominated for a Gemini award.
They perform at special events, such as
fundraisers, annual dinners and awards galas for
clients all across the country. In 2013, they received a standing ovation at the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference.
Strange But True: Former
Canadian Prime Minister Paul
Martin once said Bowser and Blue
are his “favourite band.”
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Blue
Saturday, February 20, 2016
at 8 p.m.
They have written and performed in many theatre
shows, including 2008’s The 25th Century Belongs
to Canada, and The 4 Anglos of the Apocalypse, a
comic perspective on the last 30 years of politics
in Quebec. These were collaborative works, written
and performed with film-maker and humorist Josh
Freed, and award-winning cartoonist Terry Mosher
(Aislin). Their musical The Paris of America, ran for
seven sold-out weeks at Montreal’s Centaur Theatre in 2003.
In 2003 they collaborated with Terry Mosher to
produce The Illustrated Canadian Songbook,
which comes with a companion CD.
Colorectal surgeons around the world are familiar with them through the song Working Where
the Sun Don’t Shine, which was first heard on
Madly Off In All Directions in 1997.
They have recorded with Supertramp’s Rick
Davies, and with Katrina and the Waves. They
also recorded a song with the late Blair and Gary
MacLean, Canada’s legendary MacLean &
MacLean.
Bowser and Blue provided the music for the NFB
animated film Scant Sanity, by John Weldon, and
for the TV show Misguided Angels. The instrumental guitar music for that show, Red Guitars, is
what you hear in the auditorium between shows
at B&B concerts.
Regular Ticket: $45
Big Ticket Member: $38
Big Ticket Plus: $34
All prices include taxes
and handling fees.
Box Office: 905-815-2021
or OakvilleCentre.ca
Presented by The Oakville Centre.
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Oakville Centre World Artists Series
With opening band TooNice
Thursday, February 25, 2016 at 8 p.m.
There is no more legendary band in Jamaican music history than The Wailers.
Formed in 1969, the group has created an extraordinary body of work whose
echoes are heard in every corner of the world today. Original members included the man hailed as “The Artist of the 20th Century,” Bob Marley and
his vocal partners Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh, alongside the ground-breaking rhythm section of the Barrett brothers, Carlton on drums and Aston
“Family Man” on bass. Today Aston leads the band as it continues its worldwide campaign of promoting peace, love and equality through the message
of reggae and Rastafari.
HISTORY WITH BOB MARLEY
In 1970, Bob, Bunny and Peter joined forces with the Barrett Brothers in the
studio of famed producer Lee “Scratch” Perry, the Upsetter, who recorded
the first versions of “Kaya,” “Duppy Conqueror” and “Trench Town Rock.”
When they parted company with Perry, the Barrett brothers decided to leave
with them. “They were the best vocal group,” recalls Family Man, “and we
were the best rhythm section, so we just decided to come together and mosh
up the world.” That they did in a way that none of them could ever have
predicted.
To date, The Wailers have sold over a quarter of a billion albums, including
seven top-ten entries on the British pop charts. Widely hailed appearances
at major festivals include Lollapalooza, Glastonbury and Rothbury, along with
superstars such as Carlos Santana, Stevie Wonder, Sting, the Fugees and
Alpha Blondy. More than 24 million fans have seen them performing live. In
2012 alone, they played an impressive 180 concerts.
Signed to Island Records in 1972 by Island Records’ chief, Chris Blackwell,
they released two albums, Catch A Fire and Burnin’, that fused rock licks
with the sound of modern roots reggae, startling critics and breaking through
onto the airwaves of the UK and the U.S. Like the Beatles, each of the three
Wailers vocalists was capable of composing and singing lead, and by the end
of 1973, the singers split apart to pursue successful solo careers. Carlton and
Family Man decided to stay with Bob and the group now became known as
Bob Marley and the Wailers.
Their first album with Bob as the sole front man was its breakthrough, particularly in England, Natty Dread. A debut performance in 1975 at London’s
Lyceum was captured on the thrilling “Live” LP, and produced a huge hit
with No Woman No Cry. It also contained Bob’s own version of the song he
composed, I Shot the Sheriff, which was then an enormous international
smash in a cover version by Eric Clapton. By 1976, Marley and the Wailers
were in the top ten of the U.S. charts with their Rastaman Vibration album.
They would continue on the hit parade throughout the remainder of Marley’s
life. Marley’s largest audience came in June of 1980 when 110,000 people
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filled Milan’s San Siro stadium. Two months earlier they
were the headliners at Zimbabwe’s Independence celebrations.
“Drummie Zeb” excels on percussion. He is a founding
member of Chicago’s Awareness Art Ensemble, and has
toured with Kenny Chesney. Lead and rhythm guitar and
backing vocals are handled expertly by Audley “Chizzy”
Chisholm. Backing vocals are also supplied by the elegant
Trinidadian Cegee Victory.
At the millennium, The Wailers’ 1977 masterpiece, Exodus, was chosen by Time magazine as the best album of
the 20th century. It contained Bob’s anthem, One Love,
called the Song of the Millennium by the BBC, which
played it every hour for 24 hours during its globe-spanning coverage of the turn of the century. The New York
Times called Marley the most influential musician of the
20th century, and placed a copy of the video of his performance at London’s Rainbow Theater in a time capsule
to be opened in the year 3000, calling it among the most
significant musical performances of our times. The Grammys bestowed upon him a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award and he received a star on Hollywood
Boulevard. During his lifetime he was given Jamaica’s
highest civilian award, the Order of Merit, and in 1978 he
received the United Nations Medal of Peace on behalf of
500 million Africans.
We’ve had a $3.5 Million Facelift!
A recent highlight for the band was being asked to join
The Stone Roses’ reunion concerts last year in Manchester, England. Acknowledging the influence of Family
Man’s inventiveness on the bass, the Roses were eager to
pay homage to him and The Wailers in concerts that drew
90,000 people.
Their tight and historically sensitive blend was never more
apparent than at the beginning of 2013 during The Wailers’ Survival Revival tour of North America, on which the
band reproduced what many critics consider Marley’s
most profound statement of his personal philosophy,
1979’s Survival album. This follows other recent critically
praised tours on which they have played the Exodus and
Uprising albums in their entirety.
Marley passed away from melanoma cancer at the age of
36 in 1981, instructing the band to carry on his mission.
Family Man, the rock hard foundation of The Wailers’
sound, has led the band through various incarnations ever
since. Because he was the arranger and co-creator of
Marley’s finest works throughout the 1970s, hearing him
play the Wailers’ songs today is the closest one can come
to experiencing the excitement of those immortal performances during Bob’s lifetime.
Never ones to be pigeonholed in the past, The Wailers
reaffirmed their continuing relevance and versatility in
modern music with a guest spot on country superstar
Kenny Chesney’s hit single, Everyone Wants to Go to
Heaven, and also appeared in a video for the song which
was shot in Jamaica. They have just rejoined him for a
new single called Spread the Love, released in June of
2013. Nor have they forgotten their social consciousness,
currently spearheading the I Went Hungry charity, designed to use funds designated for touring bands’ lavish
“riders” to benefit the World Food Program (WFP) in conjunction with the United Nations, feeding thousands of
starving children around the globe.
POST MARLEY
Carlton Barrett was murdered in 1987, leaving his brother
as the main beneficiary of The Wailers’ mantle. Subsequent lineups have revolved around Family Man, who was
recently honored by Bass Player magazine with his own
Lifetime Achievement Award as one of the world’s greatest bassists. With Fams at the helm, The Wailers are heralded as one of the last great reggae institutions, history
in the flesh, continuing to tour and breathe new life into
their universally loved catalog of reggae’s greatest hits.
Now well into their fifth decade, The Wailers truly are living legends who embody the nobility, conviction and progressiveness of Bob Marley and his music. Their journey
is far from over as the world awaits The Wailers’ next
move in their “One Love” revolution. “Our music is the
magic,” says Fams “the oxygen of the people. It’s the
message of roots, culture and reality, meant to spread
peace and love to all.”
The current lineup includes the veteran keyboardist Keith
Sterling, a veteran of ‘70s studio greats, the Soul Syndicate, as well as Peter Tosh’s Word Sound and Power band.
He is so respected by his colleagues in The Wailers that
they call him “Coach.” Fams’ young son, Aston Jr., a
multi-talented musician, plays organ and is the heir apparent, helping bring the music forward to a new generation.
Filling the role of lead singer is a highly disciplined young
Jamaican star on the rise, Dwayne Anglin, known as Danglin. Of particular note, he is a Navy veteran who already
holds a masters degree in criminology and is actively pursuing a Ph.D. in that field, while nightly bringing audiences
to their feet in loud acclaim for his vocal prowess.
Regular Ticket: $74 | Big Ticket Member: $67
Big Ticket Plus: $63
All prices include taxes and handling fees.
Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
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The Cooking
Follow us on twitter
@ristoparadiso
Like us on Facebook
RestaurantParadiso
STUDI
@
You’re the Chef!
Visit our website for the full
listing of classes offered
in Oakville and Burlington.
www.paradisorestaurant.com
Presented by The Oakville Centre.
20
Oakville 125 Lakeshore Road E 905-338-1594 • BurlingtOn 2041 Pine Street 905-639-1176
21
Dan Cooper Concert Series
BRUCE COCKBURN
Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 8 p.m.
In contrast, one light-hearted number reflects
Cockburn’s frequently underappreciated sense of
humour. Called Me Back is a comic reflection on the
frustrations of waiting for a return phone call that never
comes. Meanwhile, listeners are bound to be intrigued
by Call Me Rose, written from the point of view of
disgraced former U.S. president Richard Nixon, who
receives a chance at redemption after being
reincarnated as a single mother living in a housing
project with two children.
Bruce Cockburn has always been a restless spirit. Over
the course of four decades, the celebrated Canadian
artist has traveled to the corners of the earth out of
humanitarian concerns – often to trouble spots
experiencing events that have led to some of his most
memorable songs. Going up against chaos, even if it
involves grave risks, can be necessary to get closer to
the truth.
“My mother once said that I must have a death wish,
always going to what she called ‘those awful places,’”
laughs Cockburn. “I don’t think of it that way. I make
these trips partly because I want to see things for myself
and partly out of my own sense of adventure.”
Brooklyn-based violinist Jenny Scheinman is one of
Bruce’s two female collaborators on Small Source of
Comfort. Scheinman, best known for her work with Bill
Frisell and Norah Jones, provides some thrilling
flourishes to instrumentals like Lois on the Autobahn
and the bluesy, gypsy-like swing of Comets of
Kandahar, a track that Cockburn describes as “Django
meets John Lee Hooker.”
Small Source of Comfort, Cockburn’s 31st album, is his
latest adventurous collection of songs of romance,
protest and spiritual discovery. The album, primarily
acoustic yet rhythmically savvy, is rich in Cockburn’s
characteristic blend of folk, blues, jazz and rock. As
usual, many of the new compositions come from his
travels and spending time in places like San Francisco
and Brooklyn to the Canadian Forces base in Kandahar,
Afghanistan, jotting down his typically detailed
observations about the human experience.
Produced by longtime associate Colin Linden, the album
also features Annabelle Chvostek, a Montreal-based
singer-songwriter with whom Cockburn wrote two
songs on which they also harmonize: the introspective
Driving Away and the driving, freewheeling Boundless.
In addition to newcomers Scheinman and Chvostek,
Small Source of Comfort includes such regular
Cockburn accompanists as bassist Jon Dymond,
drummer Gary Craig and producer Linden, who also
plays guitar.
Each One Lost and Comets of Kandahar, one of five
instrumentals on the album, stem from a trip Cockburn
made to war-torn Afghanistan in 2009. The elegiac
Each One Lost was written after Cockburn witnessed a
ceremony honouring two young Canadian Forces
soldiers who had been killed that day and whose coffins
were being flown back to Canada. It was, recalls
Cockburn, “one of the saddest and most moving scenes
I’ve been privileged to witness.”
As always, there’s a spiritual side to Cockburn’s latest
collection, best reflected on the closing Gifts, a song
written in 1968 and but recorded here for the first time,
and The Iris of the World, which opens the album. The
latter includes the humorously rueful line, “I’m good at
catching rainbows, not so good at catching trout.”
“Here come the dead boys, moving slowly past the
pipes and prayers and strained commanding voices,”
Cockburn sings solemnly on Each One Lost. Over a
mournful accordion, the simple chorus sums up the
gravity of the hymn-like song: “each one lost is a vital
part of you and me.”
That admission serves as a useful metaphor for
Cockburn’s approach to songwriting. “As you go
through life, it’s like taking a hike alongside a river,” he
explains. “Your eye catches little things that flash in the
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water, various stones and flotsam. I’m a bit of a packrat
when it comes to saving these reflections. And,
occasionally, a few of them make their way into songs.”
Those songs, along with his humanitarian work, have
brought Cockburn a long list of honours, including 13
Juno Awards, an induction into the Canadian Music Hall
of Fame, a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award
and several international awards. In 1982, he was made
a Member of the Order of Canada and was promoted
to Officer in 2002. Last year, the Luminato festival
honoured Cockburn’s extensive songbook with a tribute
concert featuring such varied guests as jazz guitarist
Michael Occhipinti, folk-rapper Buck 65, country rockers
Blackie and The Rodeo Kings, country-folk singers Sylvia
Tyson and Amelia Curran, pop artists the Barenaked
Ladies and Hawksley Workman, and folk-pop trio The
Wailin’ Jennys.
Never content to rest on his laurels, Cockburn keeps
looking ahead. “I’d rather think about what I’m going
to do next,” he once said. “My models for graceful
aging are guys like John Lee Hooker and Mississippi
John Hurt, who never stopped working till they
dropped, as I fully expect to be doing, and just getting
better as musicians and as human beings.” Small
Source of Comfort, a reflection of Cockburn’s everexpanding world of wonders, is the latest step in his
creative evolution.
Regular Ticket: $82 | Big Ticket Member: $75
Big Ticket Plus: $71
All prices include taxes and handling fees.
Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
BRUCE COCKBURN AT A GLANCE
• Born May 27, 1945 in Ottawa, Ontario
• Won 11 JUNO Awards & Nominated for 31
• Officer of the Order of Canada
• Released 31 albums over four decades
Presented by The Oakville Centre.
Sponsored by the Dan Cooper Group.
23
Oakville Centre World Artists Series
Ross Wooldridge
and his Tribute to the Benny Goodman Sextet
with Alex Pangman
Sunday, February 28, 2016 at 3 p.m.
Spanning the years from 1935 - 1961,
Benny Goodman was a world leader in the
field of small group jazz, breaking racial
boundaries, introducing unforgettable talent like Lionel Hampton and Teddy Wilson
to the world, and in general being a jazz
trend-setter with his trio, quartet and sextet.
ber Don Thompson on Vibes. Revel in the
musical memories of such hits as Memories
of You, Moonglow, Airmail Special, Slipped
Disc and many others.
“Ross Wooldridge is the best
jazz clarinetist that Canada
has ever produced... Amen!.”
“Her upbeat positive attitude
make Pangman a perfect
choice as Top Canadian
swinger. She brings the songs
of the early jazz alive.”
~ Bernie Turcotte
~ CBC’s Tim Tamashiro
Canada’s Clarinet King, Ross Wooldridge
presents a dynamic and engaging retrospective of those groups, fronting an outstanding ensemble featuring world class
musicians including Order of Canada mem-
Added entertainment pleasure are the
vocal stylings of Canada’s Sweetheart of
Swing, Alex Pangman, who adds the icing
on the cake with period perfect interpretations of hits of the era.
Ross Wooldridge - Clarinet • Don Thompson - Vibes • Danny McErlain - Piano
Jesse Barksdale - Guitar • Chris Banks - Bass • Glenn Anderson - Drums
Alex Pangman - Vocals
Regular Ticket: $45 | Big Ticket Member: $38 | Big Ticket Plus: $34
All prices include taxes and handling fees. Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
Presented by The Oakville Centre.
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25
In Conversation With... Series
Bob McDonald
Host of CBC Radio’s Quirks & Quarks
“Being there: Science as I've Seen It” • Monday, February 29, 2016 at 8 p.m.
After more than 30 years of reporting on science,
this journalist has seen a lot, from the exploration
of our entire solar system by robots, to the computer and genetic revolutions that have
profoundly changed our lives.
We live in remarkable times
where the most powerful tools
humanity has ever known are in
our grasp. Do we have the wisdom to use these tools wisely?
host of the children’s series Head’s Up. As a writer,
he has authored four bestselling science books,
and contributed to numerous textbooks, magazines, and newspapers (including The Globe and
Mail). His latest book is Canadian
Space
Walkers:
Hadfield,
MacLean and Williams Remember the Ultimate High Adventure.
McDonald has been honoured
for his outstanding contribution
to the promotion of science
within Canada. He is an Officer
of the Order of Canada and a
recipient of the Queens Jubilee
Medal. He has been awarded the
Michael Smith Award from the
Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council, the Sir Sanford
Fleming Medal from the Royal
Canadian Institute, and the
McNeil Medal from The Royal Society of Canada.
ABOUT BOB McDONALD
Loved by audiences across
Canada for making complex
scientific issues understandable,
meaningful, and fun, Bob
McDonald is in high demand. A
fixture in broadcasting for more
than 30 years, he is currently the
host of CBC Radio’s Quirks &
Quarks – the award-winning
science program that is heard by 500,000 people
each week – and is the author of numerous bestselling books.
He also won a 2008 Gemini Award for Best Host
in a Pre-School, Children’s or Youth Program or
Series.He holds eight honorary doctorates from
Canadian universities.
In addition to hosting Quirks & Quarks, McDonald
is a regular reporter for CBC TV’s The National and
All Tickets: $30
All prices include taxes and handling fees. Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
Presented by The Oakville Centre, Oakville Public Library and A Different Drummer Books.
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Though the Toronto-based foursome made its name dishing
intense, hooky, melodic rock and roll that won fans and critics worldwide – not to mention heaps of awards and countless radio hits pulled from a clutch of live and studio albums
and EPs – The Trews discovered, serendipitously, that turning down the volume actually dialed up the heft.
Dan Cooper Concert Series
The Trews
Acou s t i c
Rewind to early 2009 and Toronto’s legendary Glenn Gould
Studio where our guys - singer Colin MacDonald, guitarist
John-Angus MacDonald, drummer Sean Dalton and bassist
Jack Syperek – acoustically cut a collection of fan favourites,
rarities and three new songs before a live audience that, not
to put too fine a point on it, kind of lost its mind.
By the time The Trews issued the Friends & Total Strangers
CD without fixes or overdubs and alongside an accompanying DVD, the supporting tour dates were already hotly
anticipated from coast to coast. This, after all, was a different but no less commanding Trews: looser, more relaxed,
heavy on the vocal harmonies and with all the familiar songs
but sketched in charcoal instead of ink.
Thursday, March 3, 2016 at 8 p.m.
“We had no idea the acoustic shows would be so popular,”
confirms songwriter/guitarist and producer John-Angus
MacDonald. “It was something we just did because it came
Presented by The Oakville Centre.
Sponsored by the Dan Cooper Group.
28
to us like second nature. We had written songs that way
– sitting around together and strumming guitars with
everybody singing. We hadn’t planned to tour but the
reaction was a lot bigger than expected.
“I think the idea of everybody singing became the real
hook of the thing. It wasn’t just electric music played quietly; some songs sounded totally different by the time we
had re-arranged them in that format.”
Indeed, songs that had been wallflowers in The Trews’
electric set suddenly bloomed, notably a pair of tracks
from 2005’s celebrated Den of Thieves. “The band really
liked The Traveling Kind but it always seemed to be the
song where people at our electric shows would go grab
a beer,” MacDonald laughs.
“I think that was because the vocals were just too buried
whereas acoustically we are able to showcase the harmonies, really bringing the tune to life. Same with Montebello Park. I guess the more vocal-driven tunes suffer a
bit played at lightning speed and thunderous volume.”
These days, the acoustic shows bookend a career still
laser-focused on rock but - more than a decade in and
with most of the boxes on the wish-list checked off - can
comfortably a accommodate new ventures and fresh
ideas. And the shows bring added benefits: more diverse
audiences and a chance to play festivals and theatre venues in markets often underserved by marquee artists.
“We grew up in Antigonish Nova Scotia; not exactly a
mecca of touring bands,” MacDonald says. “When
something finally came through town, we were just
floored. We went out and loved every minute of it.”
“And I do think these shows have grown the fan base at
both ends – people who know us as a rock band and
people who don’t. We notice people a bit outside the
age group of our usual fans turning up because we’re
playing more intimate settings where people aren’t necessarily into having beer spilled on them or being crushed
up against the stage,” he howls. “I think in that setting
the music has a little more reach to it, and goes down a
little easier.”
Regular Ticket: $68 | Big Ticket Member: $61
Big Ticket Plus: $57
All prices include taxes and handling fees.
Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
29
Paradiso Dance & Drama Series
SleepingBeauty
Winner of the 2011 National Arts
Centre Award for Distinguished
Contribution to Touring
by Canada’s Ballet Jörgen
Friday, March 18, 2016 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sleeping Beauty is one of the world’s most famous classical ballets
and holds a place in the repertoire of virtually every major company.
After more than 25 successful years, Canada’s Ballet Jörgen has
created its own unique classical ballet rendition with its World
Premiere Tour during the 2015-2016 season. This major new ballet
tells the enchanting story of Aurora and her prince complete with
its inherently magical qualities and dazzling choreography.
The fairy tale about a young woman placed under a spell to sleep
for a hundred years only to be awakened by a kiss is an easily
accessible story. It appeals to a child’s imagination and holds a
special place in the hearts of adults. The underlying theme is the
tug between the forces of good (the Lilac Fairy) and evil
(Carabosse), serving as an important thread to the plot. Told in
three acts, the ballet benefits from the character development and
technical expertise for which Canada’s Ballet Jörgen is known.
Artistic Director and award-winning choreographer Bengt Jörgen
focuses on the magical elements and the interpretation of the ballet
as a nature allegory. The young woman represents nature, the
wicked fairy is winter, who deadens life with pricks of frost until a
young man, spring, cuts away the brambles to allow the sun to
awaken sleeping nature.
Sleeping Beauty by Canada’s Ballet Jörgen draws on the traditional
choreography by Marius Petipa to spin a tale of nature and love
that will inspire young and old alike. The delightful story is danced
to the original 1890 score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, set to a
libretto based on Charles Perrault’s story La Belle au bois dormant.
In ensemble with stunning costumes and captivating lighting
design, Sleeping Beauty by Canada’s Ballet Jörgen is guaranteed to
provide an entertaining and inspiring live performance.
Regular Ticket: $35 | Big Ticket Member: $30 | Big Ticket Plus: $30
All prices include taxes and handling fees.
Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
Choreography: Bengt Jörgen
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Presented by The Oakville Centre. Sponsored by Paradiso Restaurant.
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“Kat Danser, a woman with a commanding
presence, powerful and expressive voice
and a deft touch on guitar and other
stringed instruments. In a word, her
performance glistened.”
~ David Farrell, FYI Music
The Studio Sessions Series
Kat Danser's
Mississippi Juke Joint
featuring Cécile Doo-Kingué
Saturday, March 19, 2016 at 8:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre
Dubbed the Queen of the Swamp Blues, Kat Danser is a slide guitar slinger
and powerhouse vocalist who channels the spirits of legendary Mississippi
blues and gospel pioneers, with her award winning work. Infusing each
performance with a deep knowledge of the genre and her big, bright,
personality, she takes audiences on a mesmerizing musical journey, using
songs, storytelling and humour, to evoke the musical spirits of the deep south.
Known for her powerful stage presence and
stellar guitar playing, New York city born and
raised - and now Montreal based - Cécile
Doo-Kingué, blends blues, afro-roots and
soul, to create a unique sound all her own.
Powerful and raw, her live performances are
an enthralling and intimate communion for
all involved. She was featured on the October 2015 Toronto Blues Society MapleBlues
cover and was a vocalist at the 2015
Women's Blues Revue. Performing together
and on their own, these two talented songsmiths are sure to delight, with their shared
musical passions and easy going interplay.
Regular Ticket: $44 | Big Ticket Member: $37 | Big Ticket Plus: $33
All prices include taxes and handling fees. Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
“A unique sound, and exceptional stage presence,
singer, songwriter and guitarist, Cécile has been
sharing that distinctiveness exclusively since her debut
solo release Freedom Calling.” ~ Erin McCallum, MapleBlues
Presented by The Oakville Centre.
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Chinwagn Classic Albums Live Series
ANIMALS
Pink Floyd • Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 8 p.m.
under-the-fingernails reality, the common
smallness that simultaneously binds and repels us
all. Dogs, a 17-minute study in the commonest of
all faults, lazily dispenses bite after venomous bite
into the desires that drive us to seize the fast buck
and screw anyone that gets in our way: “You have
to be trusted by the people that you lie to, So that
when they turn their backs on you, You'll get the
chance to put the knife in.”
It begins somewhere for everyone. There’s the first
song that grabs your attention and seizes the
imagination, the first album that demonstrates
such overall strength and originality that it
becomes something more for most listeners, just
as there is the first kiss that awakens the soul and
forever changes the vision.
I admit without qualm that it began for me with
Animals. My brother was in college, and one day
I went through his records and listened to the ones
with the coolest covers. Animals fascinated me
then as it still fascinates me today. It is the acute
anthropomorphic fantasy, possessing a timeless
quality that has thrust it into the category of
“classic,” though it may remain forever in the
shadow of its more commercially successful older
brother, Dark Side Of The Moon.
Consisting of three tracks each longer than ten
minutes and two tracks under two minutes,
Animals is not for the attention-span-deficient.
However, within this impenetrable fortress of
radio-unfriendly tracks, we hear Dave Gilmour's
guitars at their absolute best, get a full-on dose of
Roger Waters' powerful lyrical imagery, and are
presented with the worst elements of our own
humanity- packaged in the skins of Sheep, Dogs
and Pigs (Three Different Ones). For those weaned
on The Wall and Dark Side, you'll find Animals to
be a whole new bag of feed. Where Floyd’s two
most recognizable albums made their mark with
operatic aggression and fear, Animals deals in dirt-
All this wrapped up in the flaky coating of two
hauntingly similar and musically identical tracks
casting opposite views of cynicism and hope on
the proceedings. Animals is like George Orwell's
Animal Farm run through a full- audio acid testspectacular in every aspect and now in full color.
I admit without qualm that it began for me with
Animals.
~ pitchfork.com
Regular Ticket: $65 | Big Ticket Member: $58 | Big Ticket Plus: $54
All prices include taxes and handling fees. Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
Founded by Craig Martin in 2003, Toronto-based Classic Albums Live
recreates famous rock albums without the gimmickry, relying solely on
the music. It has become the ultimate destination for music lovers
wanting to hear the greatest albums performed live.
Presented by The Oakville Centre. Sponsored by Chinwagn Inc., in association with Data Media Inc.
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Can You Hear the Music starts the way all things Downchild
should: With the jump blues sound that makes you want to
jump up and dance. And, as bandleader Donnie Walsh will
tell you himself, that’s the sound Downchild audiences all over
the world want to hear.
Dan Cooper Concert Series
THE
LEGENDARY
DOWNCHILD
BLUES BAND
Forty-four years on, Downchild remains a blues force, true to
itself and without equal. For just about every waking moment
since he formed the Downchild Blues Band – Canada’s best
known and best loved blues outfit – Walsh has been living the
dream that changed his life back in the mid 1960s when
someone dropped a Jimmy Reed album onto the turntable at
his girlfriend’s 16th birthday party in suburban North Toronto.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 8 p.m.
It’s a moment Walsh – he also answers to his “given” name,
Mr. Downchild, taken from a song by Sonny Boy Williamson II
– says he will never forget. “That was it. I was hooked. I never
wanted to play anything else.”
Regular Ticket: $64 | Big Ticket Member: $57
Big Ticket Plus: $53
All prices include taxes and handling fees.
Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
He drove his girlfriend crazy learning Reed’s lip-splitting
harmonica technique, then James Cotton’s. He locked himself
away from the world while he picked apart Muddy Waters’
and Albert King’s guitar licks, reconstructing them in his own
distinctive style on a beat-up electric guitar. And when he did
venture out, it was to one of Toronto’s legendary blues dives
to catch his heroes Luther Allison, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and
Junior Wells, all of them regular visitors in those days to
Presented by The Oakville Centre.
Sponsored by the Dan Cooper Group.
36
The inspiration for Dan Aykroyd and the late John Belushi’s
fabulous creation, The Blues Brothers – they recorded
Downchild’s Shotgun Blues and Walsh’s (I Got Everything I
Need) Almost, the latter shortlisted as one of Canada’s
Essential Songs in a survey conducted by the Toronto Star in
2007 – Downchild is an institution in their homeland, and
revered by blues fans around the world.
Walsh’s hometown of Toronto, Canada’s blues capital.
Walsh was a good student. He is recognized around the
world as both a blues harp virtuoso with few equals, and an
unusually expressive guitarist. He wasn’t the only one, of
course. They say Toronto’s built on the blues, but all across
Canada the blues, particularly jump-style and Chicago blues
that used to blast across the border from radio stations in
northern U.S., is a basic, shared language.
But musicianship of the highest order, sharp arrangements,
strict adherence to its legitimate sources, slick pacing and a
steely fix on the moods of its audiences, have always set
Downchild apart. This has been a class act for the better
part of its 40-plus- year life.
Singer Chuck Jackson, tenor sax player Pat Carey, drummer
Mike Fitzpatrick, bassist Gary Kendall, and pianist/organist
Michael Fonfara – Walsh’s compadres in Downchild for the
past decade and a half, and, he says, the “best musicians
I’ve ever played with” – were soaking up the blues in their
teenage years as well, in different parts of the country.
About the reasons for Downchild’s success, Walsh is
succinct and unequivocal. “First, it’s knowing your audience,
and knowing when to give them what they want,” he says.
“If they want to dance, you step up the groove. If they want
to watch, you give them lots of solos.
Walsh and his band mates have won countless music
industry awards, including a Juno for Best Roots and
Traditional Album in 1991. They also received a Juno Award
nomination in 2005 for Blues Album of The Year for their
album Come On In. In 2007, Downchild was named
Entertainer of The Year at the annual Maple Blues Awards.
“As for keeping a band together for as long as Downchild
has been around, it’s an unspoken thing, finding a balance
between what I need and what I know each musician can
give. Every member of this band is well equipped to do
what each of us wants and needs. Downchild has always
been bigger than the sum of its parts, and I can’t really
explain why.”
With more than 80 great musicians on the payroll during its
long life, Downchild is a robust road beast, having racked
up thousands of performances at concert halls, fairgrounds,
saloons and roadhouses in every corner of the continent.
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Dan Cooper Concert Series
“This band is a real breath of fresh air and
fun. Given the generic ‘roots’ label, there
are heavy influences of bluegrass, western
Swing, Celtic and even Scottish country
dance music in here. It all adds up to a
mighty fine package.” ~ Maverick Magazine, UK
Gordie MacKeeman
& His Rhythm Boys
Friday, April 8, 2016 at 8 p.m.
With a slight bend of his knee, Gordie MacKeeman launches into a song. Guided
by the sharp cuts of his fiddle, his famous crazy legs shake and twist with a laughing
regard for physics. The whole time, his Rhythm Boys deliver a surefooted roots instrumentation to accompany the spectacle. It's a joyful sight that divides the line
between the band and the audience. It is this pomp and spirit that Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys set out to capture on their new album, Pickin' n Clickin'.
Hailing from Prince Edward Island, The Rhythm Boys' exhilarating live show instantly enamors audiences with their engaging, sometimes jaw-dropping, stagecraft and showmanship. With flavours of traditional bluegrass and roots music
bolstered by their stunning musicianship, the group is poised to take the world
stage. The band features Gordie MacKeeman (fiddle, feet, and vocals), Mark Geddes (bass, drums, percussion, mandolin, and banjo), Thomas Webb (vocals, banjo,
guitar, pedal steel guitar, and bass) and Peter Cann (vocals and guitar).
Their album Pickin' n Clickin' was honoured with the 2014 East Coast Music
Award for Roots Traditional Group Recording of the Year and the band were
awarded the Galaxie Supernova Award at the 2012 Ottawa Folk Festival for their
outstanding high-energy performance. The Rhythm Boys have performed at the
legendary Glastonbury Festival, The Woodford Folk Festival, WOMAD, Celtic Connections, and to enthusiastic audiences at sold-out venues, festivals and theatres
across Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, Malaysia and Australia.
Pickin' n Clickin', produced by Nathan Wiley, offers up rockabilly-inspired
rhythms, upbeat reels, weighted laments and MacKeeman's stunning fiddle work.
Somehow, the band still makes each new tone and style sound like an expression
made in the same voice. Songs like the MacKeeman’s Jim’s Lament and the traditional Black Velvet Waltz both nod to the roots of bluegrass with gratitude,
while high-energy tracks like Champagne Polka and King Ganam Style feature
delightful up-tempo arrangements. Their original compositions Gonna Get Out,
Hay Boys, Scrape the Paint, Working Title and the cover of Two Hours Traffic's
Heroes of the Sidewalk portray a solid demonstration of their versatility and diverse musical style. It is a refreshing mix of traditional-leaning ideas, with modern
influences, that ultimately makes Pickin' n Clickin' an absolute must-have for fans
of Celtic, roots and bluegrass music.
Regular Ticket: $42 | Big Ticket Member: $35 | Big Ticket Plus: $31
All prices include taxes and handling fees.
Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
Presented by The Oakville Centre. Sponsored by the Dan Cooper Group.
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PATTI SMITH
Please mention this ad on your next
visit and we’ll reduce your bill by 15%.
TONY LEVIN
I’m Riccardo Piccirillo. I was born in 1972, in Naples,
Italy. I love Naples and I’m proud to be Neapolitan.
Music and photography are my passions. In 2007 I put
my guitar into the case and in 2010 I decided to bring
my camera to live concerts. It was a revelation . . . a
surprise! It was like I was continuing to play music, but
the instrument was now my camera and I discovered
that I could actually play it much better than my guitar!
I’m at the halfway point of my life and there’s no
reason to NOT do what I’m doing, there is only one
obstacle: Time.
Time obsesses me. Time seems to be my worst enemy,
since there seems to be never enough. It doesn’t allow
me to relax. While I relax I always think that I can spend
my time doing something that I love. Maybe this is the
reason why I sleep less than I should.
When I’m by the the stage during a live concert, I
sometimes feel as if I’m one with the band. I’m one
with my camera and I engage the rhythm – clicking on
the beat of the snare.
But my favourite photos are portraits. I love taking
portraits of musicians. When I’m involved in a portrait
session I always try to create an empathy with the
subject. I feel something magical, and my camera is like
a passport to the soul of the musician.
I’m made this way: If I don’t have anything to dedicate
myself to, I’m not in peace.
Yesterday there was music. I was a blues guitar player.
Listening and playing music, were the only way to
express myself, but there was not enough time. And
life events no longer allowed me to be a blues guitar
player.
In a portrait I try to show my personal vision. What you
see in a photo is justs a partial vision of a man, it’s
what the photographer wants you to see.
Today, taking pictures, analyzing them, being proud of
them, gives me the sensation that I’m finally spending
my creative time in the best possible way.
Photography doesn’t always tell the truth. Even in a
portrait.
When I take a shot, I’m always in search of me, of my
essence. I try always to find the beauty and when it
happens, I’m the first to enjoy it!
Because now I know what has to be done – to stop
time in a picture, nothing but a beautiful picture.
www.riccardopiccirillo.com
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Hair Design for Everyone
Come in for your personal complimentary consultation.
We have your style!
905-842-1095
We are at 181 Church Street (on the second floor) in Downtown Oakville
41
Dan Cooper Concert Series
Those who have followed Ruthie
Foster’s eclectic musical history know
that she can burn down any stage
with her combustible blend of soul,
blues, rock, folk and gospel.
Ruthie FosteR
With special guest Harrison "SWEETTASTE" Kennedy
Thursday, April 21, 2016 at 8 p.m.
RUTHIE FOSTER
Those who have followed Ruthie Foster’s eclectic musical history know that
she can burn down any stage with her combustible blend of soul, blues,
rock, folk and gospel. Ruthie’s astonishing voice has taken her on an amazing
ride. She came from humble church choir beginnings in rural Texas, followed
by a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy Band, and ended up in Austin, Texas.
Ruthie’s list of achievements include Best Female Vocalist in 2007, 2008
and 2013 from the Austin Music Awards, a 2012 and 2009 Grammy
nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album, the 2010 Living Blues Music
Award Critic’s Poll for Female Blues Artist of the Year and recent Blues Music
Award wins for Best Contemporary and Best Traditional Blues Female Artist
of the Year.
HARRISON KENNEDY
Hailed by B.B. King as Canada’s premier
blues performer, Harrison Kennedy is
a vocal chameleon, at ease performing
funk, soul, R&B, folk, gospel and
blues. In the 60s and the 70s, as a
member of the Detroit soul pop group
The Chairmen of the Board, Kennedy
played all the top venues and shows,
including
the
Apollo
Theatre,
The Tonight Show, Soul Train, American
Bandstand and England’s Top of the
Pops, performing the group's millionselling hit, Gimme Me Just A Little More
Time. The Chairmen had performances
with B. B. King, James Brown, Smokey
Robinson, Stevie Wonder and The Parliament Funkadelics, to name but a
few. After a string of million selling singles in the early 70s with The Chairmen,
Kennedy returned to his roots as a blues troubadour. He continues this
tradition today, concentrating his efforts on combining his vocal, harmonica,
mandolin and guitar talents into a unique acoustic, folk-blues approach that
highlights his unique songwriting skills.
Regular Ticket: $62 | Big Ticket Member: $55 | Big Ticket Plus: $51
All prices include taxes and handling fees.
Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
Presented by The Oakville Centre. Sponsored by the Dan Cooper Group.
Photo Credit: Riccardo Piccirillo
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Dan Cooper Concert Series
Patricia O’Callaghan
Sings Leonard Cohen
Friday, April 29, 2016 at 8 p.m.
Patricia O'Callaghan is something of a wandering minstrel. Her fifteen-year career has taken her
across genres, continents, and a range of disciplines and passions.
Her recording career spans five solo albums and many interesting visits along the way as a guest
on other artists’ CDs. A speaker of French, Spanish, and German, her early recordings focused
on European cabaret, and she is considered a specialist, most significantly, in the music of Kurt
Weill. Patricia has performed his Threepenny Opera, Seven Deadly Sins, and Kleine Mahagonny
with Soulpepper Theatre Company, Edmonton Opera, and Vancouver Opera.
“O’Callaghan sings her diverse material as if it was always meant to go side-by-side and by
the end of the evening, it's easy to believe her.” - Chart Attack Magazine
“O’Callaghan's voice is
as rich, pliable and
luminous as ever,
interpreting Cohen’s
songs with tremendous
tenderness and a
mature, worldly
sensitivity and insight.”
~ Sharna Searle, The Wholenote
She has sung with some of the world's great ensembles and artists (Orpheus Chamber Orchestra,
Don Byron Quartet, Bryn Terfel), and has performed in venues that range from London's Royal
Opera House to New York's Noho cabaret Le Poisson Rouge.
Patricia also writes and co-writes songs and has had the honor of premiering many new
compositions, from both the classical and pop worlds. It has been her great privilege to work
with such creators as R. Murray Schafer, Dennis Lee, Christos Hatzis, George Aperghis, Steve
Reich, and Steven Page.
Patricia’s film, theatre and television credits include her own Bravo! special, The CBC produced
Ken Finkleman series Foolish Heart, and the semi autobiographical Rhombus / Westwind film
Youkali Hotel, which has won several prizes, including a Golden Sheaf Award to Patricia for best
female performance. Ms. O’Callaghan has also received other awards, such as a Chalmer’s Grant
from the Ontario Arts Council and a Fleck Fellowship from The Banff Centre for the Arts.
Regular Ticket: $42 | Big Ticket Member: $35 | Big Ticket Plus: $31
All prices include taxes and handling fees. Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
“A genuine phenomenon
in the making, Patricia
O'Callaghan turns
heads and opens ears her devotion to ...
offbeat repertoire may
make the Canadian
singer the unlikeliest
new star in ages.”
~ Michael Posner, The Globe and Mail
Presented by The Oakville Centre. Sponsored by the Dan Cooper Group.
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Chinwagn Classic Albums Live Series
LED ZEPPELIN IV
Led Zeppelin • Friday, May 13, 2016 at 8 p.m.
Recorded at Headley Grange in Hampshire, Island Studios in London and Sunset Sound
in Los Angeles, Led Zeppelin IV is the album that put Led Zeppelin into homes around
the world, acting as a successful marriage of the hard rock from their second album
with the folkier meanderings of their third. It is an album that demonstrates their
subtlety and restraint as much as their stadium-filling grandstanding and it confirmed
their superstar rock status.
The actually untitled album (it was also known as Four Symbols or The Runes
Album), a chart-topper on both sides of the Atlantic, captures the group’s
schizophrenia perfectly. On the one hand, they wallop away through genre-defining
rock standards such as Rock And Roll, Black
Dog and Misty Mountain Hop; yet on the
other, they are gentle and restrained on the
folk mysticism of Going To California and
the Sandy Denny co-sung The Battle Of
Evermore.
It is on their anthem, Stairway To
Heaven, however, that both strands come
together in perfect accord. Starting as a
recorder-driven acoustic folk ballad, it
culminates in its closing minutes as a fullon, much emulated rock classic, with
Robert Plant’s vocals and Jimmy Page’s
guitar both approaching career-bests. Led
Zeppelin IV also demonstrates the singular
talent that was drummer John Bonham – the blues driven When The Levee Breaks is
one of the most heavily sampled drum tracks of all time.
With immaculate playing (multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones’ contributions are not
to be underestimated, either), a mystically obscure sleeve, and a remarkable range of
tunes, Led Zeppelin IV, is still, for many, the best example of the group’s craft. Robert Plant
thinks so himself. He has been quoted saying, simply: “the Fourth Album, that's it.”
– Daryl Easlea, BBC Review 2007
Regular Ticket: $65 | Big Ticket Member: $58 | Big Ticket Plus: $54
All prices include taxes and handling fees. Box Office: 905-815-2021 or OakvilleCentre.ca
ur e!
O
n s
y i Pha
u
o B vine
t
nce R ra
a
Ch U L A
t
s
la CTAC
E
SP
Beautiful porches and
so much more!
Founded by Craig Martin in 2003, Toronto-based Classic Albums Live
recreates famous rock albums without the gimmickry, relying solely on
the music. It has become the ultimate destination for music lovers
wanting to hear the greatest albums performed live.
Visit the village Presentation Centre ~ 2 Macdonell Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake. (Just look for the beautiful porch!)
Semis from the $500s. Detached from the $600s. less than an hour from the Oakville Centre.
We’re open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Presented by The Oakville Centre. Sponsored by Chinwagn Inc., in association with Data Media Inc.
Visit www.TheVillageNiagara.com or call 905.468.0050
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