Toronto: 'Decks 'n Divas' at the Jazz Fest

From: Denise Benson (tommygrl@interlog.com)
Date: Tue Jun 20 2000 - 05:17:16 MET DST

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    heya everyone,

    I'd like to pass along some details concerning the 'Decks 'n Divas' event
    I'm co-producing as part of Toronto's Downtown Jazz Fest. It's pretty
    exciting seeing a festival such as this - huge, well-attended, and
    traditionally more conservative in programming - support artists and
    programming such as this. Props must be given to Shane Gerard of
    Rhythmethod who has spearheaded and co-produced this event, and the entire
    E=MCjazz series.

    All three acts on this bill are totally fantastic, and I can't recommend
    enough that T.O. dwelling citizens get out to support....and be
    re-energized. :-) I've included the main details of the eve followed by
    people's bios...hopefully that works for those of you who want to skim
    through the details and those who want the full scoop.

    As always, if you'd like to be removed from my little mailout list, just
    pop me an enote and lemme know. Hey, also feel free to pass this info along
    to others who may be interested. Thanks 'n take care. Here we go....

    -db-

    the Downtown Jazz Festival, Rhythmethod, tommygrl Productions & Soleil Fridays
    join forces to bring you
    DECKS 'n DIVAS
    where the organics of Jazz meet the soulful Digital realm
    featuring LIVE performances by T.O.'s own
    MAXELLE * LAL * DIRECTIONS
    plus DJ's
    DENISE BENSON & SASSA'LE (Soleil residents) and STACH
    Friday, June 30th * 10pm-3am
    at FEZ BATIK, 129 Peter St. (at Richmond)

    Part of the E=MCjazz series in the 14th annual Downtown Jazz Festival,
    'Decks 'n Divas' sees three superstrong T.O. talents performing LIVE. Come
    check the sexy, sophisticated, and jazzy deep house sounds of DIRECTIONS,
    featuring vocalist Chantal Thompson. MAXELLE's Don Ray and Stach bring us
    their sultry, soulful bilingual stylings as they caress elegant dub, house,
    d&b, and breakbeats; and LAL features conscious vocalist Rosina and
    producer/ instrumentalist Murr bringing together jazz, soul, hip hop and
    drum & bass with their East Indian heritage.

    Decks 'n Divas also features Soleil Fridays resident DJ's Denise Benson and
    Sassa'le, alongside fellow CKLN spinner, Stach, all mixing up jazz and dub
    flavoured sunny, soulful grooves.

    Decks 'n Divas marks the final Soleil Friday, before Denise Benson and
    Sassa'le move upstairs to B-Side for SOULAR System, Saturdays as of July
    8th.

    Come out, support, and celebrate soulful, innovative local talent. Tickets
    are $8, available at the door from 10pm. For further information:
    416.204.9660 or <mentalchatter@sympatico.ca>.

    -------------------

    BAND BIOS:

    MAXELLE:
    A collaboration between Toronto DJ/Vocalist Stach and Montreal DJ/Producer
    Don Ray, MAXELLE creates captivating electronic collages that capture
    styles ranging from Breakbeat to Dub, House and Drum N' Bass. No matter the
    groove, MAXELLE always embodies Soul.

    Stach, originally from Montreal, matches her unique vocal talents to her
    dynamic DJ skills at events throughout Toronto and as the co-host of the
    CKLN Droppin' Dimez hip-hop radio program. She seamlessly integrates French
    and English lyrics with a breathless intensity and a freestylist's
    spontaneity.

    Don Ray (producer, programmer, keyboards, guitar) mines the roots of
    Jamaican rhythms for electronic inspiration. In addition to producing
    remixes for artists like Esthero on Sony's Work record label, his own
    polished creations have been released on Guidance, Hypnotic and Flying
    records.

    MAXELLE also includes Justin Keating on guitar and I-free on congas/percussion.
    ---------------------

    LAL
    Refined lyrical insights and intensely focused rhythms are the two worlds
    that collide to formation of musical innovators LAL. Consisting of vocalist
    Rosina and producer/ instrumentalist Murr, LAL are intent on adding
    original concepts to the existing musical soundscape. On the surface rests
    the culmination of such Afro-musical traditions as jazz, soul, and hip hop,
    combined with drum & bass acts as a smooth protective skin for the
    East-Indian blood that flows beneath.

    Rosina
    One of the primary foot soldiers in Toronto's underground music scene,
    Rosina has been instrumental in the growth of many of the city's female
    artists and DJs, providing venues and forums for their musical expression.
    More importantly, she has managed to add an air of consciousness and
    political awareness to many of those events, and this awareness is the most
    distinctive factor of her music. Lyrically, Rosina draws from experiences
    that seem almost commonplace to anyone living in an urban setting like that
    of Toronto, painting pictures both of the pride of the privileged and the
    despair of the less fortunate. The result is a detailed account of a
    society and culture that has become a haven for people from around the
    world. Similarly, Rosina's vocal stylings are a homogeneous mixture of hip
    hop, soul, and classical Indian sounds, and make for a very unique and
    refreshing listening experience. This has allowed her the opportunity to
    work with some of Toronto's top producers, performing backing tracks for
    hip hop production crew Da Grassroots and house producer Abacus aka A:xus,
    to name a few. She has also demonstrated sound productions skills of her
    own on 'Code 416' drum & bass CD from PTR records out last summer.

    Murr
    Fresh off the completion and recent success of the 'Passage Through Time'
    album (Conception Records/U.S.), this member of the Juno award winning
    production team Da Grassroots has settled down long enough to be the beats
    and orchestration behind LAL. Murr's time travels have drawn him to some
    Toronto's finest, including Ghetto Concept, Esthero, the Dream Warriors,
    Thrust, and Raggadeath, adding musical stability to all he has worked with.
    Murr's rich ambient vibes, soulful atmospherics, and intense drum
    programming have brought him both critical acclaim and music industry
    credibility, and the Lal full-length should give listeners an in-depth look
    at his unique style. Recent projects by the Toronto based producer include
    tracks for both the independent film 'Instant Dread' and the play 'White
    Mice', along with contributions to the PTR drum & bass compilation 'Code
    416'.

    Lal's LIVE show is a blend of their philosophy, incorporating eastern and
    western styles of music. Along with Rosina's vocals and beats provided by
    Murr, a LAL performance consists of Prithi playing hand drums and the
    Veena, an ancient Indian stringed instrument, Keith playing the electric
    guitar and hand drums, and Rosina adding harmonium. This all adds an
    improvisational element to their unique live show.
    ---------------------

    DIRECTIONS: sexy, sophisticated & jazzy deep house

    Toronto's DIRECTIONS electrify audiences with uptempo deep house grooves.
    Waxing electronic at Toronto venues such as Fez Batik, NASA, and the Film
    Café, as well as Ottawa's Mercury Lounge, the band has created a more than
    impressive buzz within T.O.'s discriminating dance music community.
    DIRECTIONS' full-out live performance has also been featured on
    1groove.com.

    The DIRECTIONS ensemble consists of Benjamin Perosin (trumpet, keyboards);
    Jason Kenemy (keyboard, percussion); and Wayne Ogilvie (guitar). DIRECTIONS
    also features the vocal stylings of Chantal Thompson.

    -denise benson-

    'Mental Chatter' * Mondays 11am-2pm, CKLN 88.1FM (Toronto)
    (check us via RealAudio: http://ckln.sac.ryerson.ca)
    'Glide' * Wednesdays @ Gypsy Co-op, 817 Queen St. W.
    'Soleil' * Fridays alongside dj Sassa'le @ Fez batik, 129 Peter St.
    Writer * Exclaim Mag. & Eye Weekly ('Extended Play') + more
    Music Editor * The People Have Spoken (TPHS) magazine



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