Going down memory lane
John Gracie’s new CD includes songs he grew up with
You have a couple of guitars, some bass and a splash of sax. Match it with some favourite songs — Dylan, Lightfoot, Paxton, Fogerty, Tyson — that type of thing.
Maybe add in a few of your own. Take it down to the basics and just sing. That’s what John Gracie does on his new CD, “Hollow Street.”
Gracie admits there’s nostalgia in this recording. These are the songs he grew up with, songs of emotion and protest: “Blowing In The Wind,” “Dirty Old Town,” “Who Will Stop The Rain,” “Where Have All The Flowers Gone.”
Songs of things that have been and should have been, and things that are no more.
His own contributions send some of the same messages.
“Hollow Street” is a coming of age song (remember he grew up in Glace Bay), “Hideaway” is a tribute to the late Gene MacLellan, “Crying A Lot Lately” says it all in the title. You get the idea.
There’s a lot of good stuff here, 18 cuts to be exact. Gracie, smooth-voiced as ever, indulges in some memories.
When he does that, he dredges up memories for me as well. Get your hands on “Hollow Street” and let him do the same for you.
I was at the Savoy Theatre’s 90th anniversary celebration Sunday and all I can say is wow!
There was an all-star musical cast and presentations from stage productions, past and future. This was the ‘night-ofnights’ with a lineup that included Bruce Guthro, Lucy MacNeil, Aaron Lewis and a host of others.
They showed pictures from the past, told the history of the venue, had lists of past performers and greetings from many who couldn’t make it. It was a high energy and very emotional evening that ended with everyone on stage and The Men of the Deeps performing “Working Man.”
The audience stood, cheered and sang along. It was magic.
Happy anniversary Savoy. Congratulations to the board of directors, management and staff.
May this be the start of another 90 years.
I made it to the Louisbourg Playhouse recently for a stellar Lyrics and Laughter concert but it wasn’t your typical L&L presentation with local music and light comedy.
This time they outdid themselves as they performed a musical tribute to Canada.
They selected songs and tunes from coast to coast to coast, including well-known material from composers such as Jann Arden, Joni Mitchell, Bryan Adams, Susan Aglukark, Celine Dion and Blue Rodeo. Ron Hynes, Lennie Gallant, Jimmy Rankin and even Hank Snow were included, along with fiddle tunes from Western Canada, Prince Edward Island and right here at home.
I think I’ve caught just about every presentation that Lyrics and Laughter has done over the past 16 years, and this was one of the best and (considering the Canada 150 celebrations) one of the most relevant. Job very well done.
The L&L crew will be back with a pair of Christmas shows on Dec. 8-9.
The Men of the Deeps perform at the Louisbourg Playhouse on Nov. 24, showcasing their new Christmas CD.
It’s well worth the trip to Louisbourg.
From what I saw, Contact East (which took place two weeks ago) was a success.
Put on by the Atlantic Presenters Association, this brings together venues, festivals and other presenters for meetings, workshops and showcases. It is a chance to exchange ideas and plan programming for the next several years by getting a look at some talent trying to make their mark.
It wasn’t just open to East Coast presenters, as people were on hand from other parts of Canada, the U.S. and Europe and the showcasing acts were just as varied, coming from as far away as Australia to do their 15 minutes on stage trying to get noticed.
Parts were open to the public and I caught good music the few times I attended.
Maxim and Gervais Cormier, Jordan Musycsyn and Carmen Townsend all played at a reception at the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion in Sydney, sponsored by CBMIC. They, along with Heather Rankin and Kim Dunn, were the only Cape Breton acts during the conference, but they were well received and those that I chatted with were pleased with the response.
I caught another showcase at MTCC that featured a trio of Quebec acts and two from Newfoundland & Labrador. These ranged from traditional to electronic to rockin’ blues, about as eclectic a mix as you could find.
The first on stage was Video Phase, an electronic sound and light show, followed by Matthew Byrne, who presented some lovely traditional ballads. Then came Nicolas Pellerin et les Grands Hurleurs, a traditional Quebec fiddle and vocal trio. Next was Ouroboros, a St. John’s-based saxophones and percussion quintet. The show’s closer was Betty Bonifassi, a Montreal blues-rocker with a tight band and a wicked voice.
That’s the usual format for the regional Contacts. You can get a strange mix, but it’s always entertaining. Next year Contact East is in St. John’s, N.L.