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C FEATURES NEW CUMBERLAND READY TO PARTY AT 765 omprised of some of the best bluegrass players around, New Cumberland -- Tom Burns (guitar/vocals), Blair Heddle (mandolin/dobro/guitar/ vocals), Paul Hurdle (banjo/vocals) and Tom Rutledge (upright bass) – will perform at the 765 Old East Bar & Grill (765 Dundas St.) on Saturday, January 21, 8:00 p.m. “We love to sing three-part harmony and draw our material from a variety of sources both traditional and more recent. It’s all about the songs and our ongoing quest to make an emotional connection with tional Championship, Cook is regarded by many as one of the finest fiddlers in the world. “Darrin is a virtuoso instrumentalist and is a great addition to our live shows. Of course, we’re all very excited about playing with a musician of Shane’s calibre. Various members of New Cumberland will back him up for his set so we’re hard at work on material he has chosen to perform for this show. The audience will also experience Shane joining the whole band for a bluegrass extravaganza. Shane is a masterful fiddler and a fine young gentlemen (way younger than some of us!) It popculture NEW CUMBERLANDʼS REPERTOIRE CONSISTS OF WELL OVER 130 SONGS, INCLUDING ORIGINAL MATERIAL AND SONGS FROM A MYRIAD OF TRADITIONAL SOURCES the audience and each other as we interact on stage. We feature driving rhythms, inventive soloing, upbeat energy, attention to dynamics and heartfelt singing,” said Burns. For this special event, New Cumberland will be joined by Darrin Schott (fiddle/mandolin) and fiddle maestro Shane Cook. A three-time Canadian Open National Champion, a three-time Canadian Grand Masters Champion, a Grand North American Champion, and the only foreign fiddler to win the US Grand Na- should be great fun.” New Cumberland released their Fishing For Compliments EP several years ago, but Burns says the group is in no hurry to release another recording. “We made Fishing For Compliments when the band was first together. We’re currently involved in pre-production for a follow-up but we’re taking our time to make sure we do it right. For us, friendship and the good time we have playing together both on stage and in rehearsal come first so we’re all about enjoying the ride.” While the group continues to work on their next recording, Burns says they are also planning a busy schedule for 2017. “We’re looking forward to performing at some of our favourite club venues around Ontario this spring, including clubs in Hamilton, Norfolk County and the Kitchener area. We’re also currently booked for some festival work in the summer and are actively seeking to fill the empty spaces with private parties as well. We welcome the opportunity to play as much as we can.” Burns is quick to point out that no matter what genre of music you prefer, you won’t be disappointed when you hear New Cumberland. “You don’t have to be a hardcore bluegrass fan to enjoy New Cumberland. If you are, we will provide some true bluegrass delivered with sincerity and energy. If you aren’t, we can also offer you some eclectic material that will resonate for anyone who likes good music. Adding Shane Cook for our show at the Old East 765 Bar & Grill will be the icing on the cake! We hope to see old friends and meet new ones on that special night.” For more info, please call (519) 601-1765. - John Sharpe 10 ESTABLISHED IN 1989 JANUARY 12 - FEBRUARY 28 • 2017
popculture A FUN AT FITZRAYS LONDON-BASED ACOUSTIC SOUTHERN BLUES/ROCK DUO DELTA STONE IS COMPRISED OF IAN STONE (L) (VOCALS/GUITAR) AND HOUNDOG HOULE (VOCALS/DOBRO) ccording to legend Delta Stone -- Ian Stone (vocals/guitar) and Houndog Houle (vocals/dobro) -- are ‘two renegades who tragically partied themselves to death but were miraculously sent back to the land of the living by the king of Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven in order to fulfill their purpose and grace the land with their new southern whiskey infused souls.’ Whether this is fact or fiction, Delta Stone will be performing at FitzRays (110 Dundas St.) on Friday, January 27. “We will be playing songs that we think of as classics that came mostly from the Delta area. We’ll include tunes by artists who made a name for themselves all over the Southern United States. Stuff by the Doobie Brothers, The Allman Brothers, B.B. King, CCR, Charlie Daniels, The Eagles, and Ray Charles. And we might throw in some originals if the audience seems into that idea,” said Houle. Influenced by some of the best blues, country, and rock bands out there, Delta Stone has yet to commit anything to disc, but Houle says they are planning on recording in the very near future. “We do have a good amount of original material we’re hoping to get out this year. We have a catchy set of tunes we’re truly proud of and we are intensely excited to share them with everyone, especially the people who have been following us and watching us develop this sound over the last few years. We have a producer and a studio in mind, and things are moving. We also have a bass player and a drummer in the works, and we plan to start playing electric shows soon. It’s an exciting time, scary as well, but very much exciting. Given the chance we think we could contribute something special to the musical movement building here in London.” In addition to Delta Stone, here are some other acts more than worthy of your attention. On Friday, January 13, Celtic/folk/country singer-songwriter Jim McGinley will perform. On Sunday, January 22, Scott Bollert & The Jazzman Band will be singin’ and swingin’ at a special 4:00 p.m. matinee. If you’re a Van Halen fan, you don’t want to miss tribute band Best Of Best Worlds performing both the David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar-era Van Halen hit songs on Saturday, February 4. Hot off the release of their great new CD, Take It Slow, London-based soul/rock/jazz band Pacanomad perform on Saturday, February 18. Heading into March, Hurtin’ Merv will present his ‘good ole rock ’n’ roll band with a down home kitchen party vibe’ on Friday, March 3, followed by the classic hard rock sounds of BlackWing on Saturday, March 5. Of special note, FitzRays will celebrate the 1st Anniversary of Indie Nite on Wednesday, February 1 with a performance by folk/blues/roots duo, Black Savanna. Please call (519) 646-1112 for more information. - John Sharpe GEORGE MICHAEL LAUNCHED HIS CAREER WITH WHAM! IN THE 1980S AND HAD HUGE SUCCESS AS A SOLO PERFORMER Pop Superstar Dies English singer, songwriter, and record producer Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, known professionally as George Michael, was best known for his work in the 1980s and 1990s, including hit singles such as ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ and ‘Careless Whisper’ and albums such as Faith (1987) and Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990). Over a four-decade career Michael sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Sadly, Michael died on Christmas morning at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, aged 53. Although no cause of death was immediately determined, many conjectured that heart failure was the culprit. On December 29, a postmortem was undertaken to determine the exact cause of death, but was inconclusive. Neil Portnow, President/CEO The Recording Academy, was quick to issue a statement regarding Michael’s passing. “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of twotime Grammy Award recipient George Michael. During an influential career that spanned nearly four decades, George became one of the most beloved pop craftsmen and respected entertainers. From the enormous success he achieved with pop duo Wham! to his influential solo career, his extraordinary talent had a profound impact on countless entertainers worldwide, and his creative contributions will live on forever. We have lost a cherished artist and our sincerest condolences go out to George’s family, friends, and musical collaborators. He will be missed.” In addition to his partner Fadi Fawaz, Michael is survived by his father and two sisters. Canadian Celtic Pop Based in the Ottawa Valley, Searson is led by sisters Colleen (fiddle/vocals/step dance) and Erin Searson (lead vocals/keyboards/tenor guitar/step dance). They are accompanied by Danno O’Shea (drums/percussion/mandolin) and Fraser Gauthier (bass/acoustic guitar). Currently touring in support of its eighth studio album, Stars Above The Farm SCENE&HEARD SISTERS ERIN SEARSON (LEFT) AND COLLEEN SEARSON FORM THE NUCLEUS OF SEARSON (2015), Searson’s high-energy live concerts feature a mix of original vocal and instrumental selections, as well as a few traditional gems. According to their press kit, Searson have developed their own original style of Canadian Celtic pop. “We decided that when we started touring, we didn’t want to do cover songs — we didn’t want to do what a lot of other bands were doing,” Erin said. “We were either going to write our own music and write tunes that we love to play or we weren’t going to do it. To be in it for the long haul, you have to play music that you love. The most satisfying part of performing live is seeing our fans singing along to songs that we’ve written and requesting fiddle tunes that we wrote. There’s nothing better than seeing the audience emotionally involved in your live show.” Searson performs at Chaucer’s Pub (122 Carling St.) on Saturday, January 21, 7:30 p.m. For more information, please call (519) 473-2099. Joe Ligon Remembered Joe Ligon, whose raspy, throbbing vocals and preaching style helped make the Mighty Clouds of Joy one of the most successful gospel quartets of all time, died on Sunday, December 11. He was 80. In a break with tradition, the Mighty Clouds of Joy added bass, drums and keyboards to the standard guitar backup and developed a funky sound that JOE LIGONʼS FATHER SANG IN A GOSPEL QUARTET AND HIS GRANDFATHER WAS A PREACHER JANUARY 12 - FEBRUARY 28 • 2017 <strong>CELEBRATING</strong> 27 YEARS 11 split the difference between gospel and R&B. Unlike other gospel groups, its members dressed stylishly — they used the same tailor as The Temptations — and worked slick choreography into their act. Purists balked, but younger listeners responded. “We didn’t want to just sit up there like other groups like we were playing at a funeral,” Ligon told The Washington Post in 2003. “We used to come out in red, purple, all the loud colors you could think of. We were so sharp, people clapped for 10 minutes before we even started singing.” In 1974 the group performed on ‘Soul Train,’ marking the first appearance by a gospel group on that show and a year later, the group scored a disco hit with ‘Mighty High.’ “When we went on ‘Soul Train,’ my dad got so mad,” Ligon told The Boston Globe in 1997. “It was unheard of. People thought we’d lost our minds.” Going For Grammy Gold Self-proclaimed as ‘Music’s Biggest Night,’ the 59th Annual Grammy Awards will take place on Sunday, February 12, 8:00 p.m. at Staples Center in Los Angeles. As for the major nominees, pop/R&B singer Beyoncé leads the field with nine Grammy Award nominations for her ‘Formation’ single and Lemonade album. R&B and hip-hop artists Kanye West, Drake and Rihanna are hot on her heels with eight apiece, while Chance The Rapper picked up seven nominations. Chance The Rapper’s nominations may be the most interesting of the bunch in that the Chicago-born artist’s debut album, Coloring Book, was issued only as a music stream, rather than as a physical CD, old-school mix-tape or digital download. His nominations resulted from a rule change that opened the door for music not available in more traditional forms. “We never want to be in position where music that deserves to be in the mix is usurped by some technicality in the process,” Recording Academy President Neil Portnow told The Times. “The evaluation and judgment of JAMES CORDEN, THE AWARD-WINNING HOST OF CBSʼ ʻTHE LATE LATE SHOW, WILL HOST THE 59TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS SCENE&HEARD CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
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