(From left: Tom Easley, Bill Stevenson and Geoff Arsenault. Photo by Mat Dunlap.)
A trio of award-winning musicians recently released its debut album as a group. Now, Tom Easley, Bill Stevenson and Geoff Arsenault will tour in support of the album, Nine Steps.
Produced by Halifax’s Charles Austin, the blend of jazz and blues features eight original tunes and one cover – the trio’s take on Bob Dylan’s Just Like A Woman.
Staples in the Atlantic Canadian music scene, Easley, Stevenson and Arsenault’s credits as sidemen read like a ‘who’s who’ of roots, blues and jazz icons. They have, as individuals and together, been nominated for and received multiple East Coast Music Awards and Canadian Maple Blues Awards.
Easley co-leads the ECMA-winning group, Hot Toddy Trio, with whom he has co-produced and released seven CDs. Stevenson, in his 40 years as a musician, recorded for Elektra Records while still in his teens, opened for The Doors and backed up John Lee Hooker. Meanwhile, Arsenault travelled the blues and jazz circuit in Halifax and Ottawa in the late 70s and by the mid-80s he moved to Toronto and began to tour the country and world with artists such as Rita MacNeil, Morgan Davis, Carlos del Junco and more.
These guys have been there and done it all. Over the next few months, they have a ton of dates.
Here’s the east coast dates:
Sept. 18 - Fredericton, NB @ The Playhouse (Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival)
Sept. 19 - Fredericton, NB @ Daily Gleaner Stage in Officers Square (Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival)
Oct. 1 - Riverport, NS @ Confidence Lodge Studio
Oct. 2 - Prospect, NS @ The Village Hall
Oct. 3 - Taymouth, NB @ The Community Centre
Oct. 4 - Halifax, NS @ The Carleton
Nov. 19 - Windsor, NS @ Stray’s Lounge (The Woodshire Inn)
Nov. 20 - Hampton, NB @ Vintage Bistro and Lounge
Nov. 21 - St. Andrew’s, NB @ Arena Theatre
Jenocide releases machines to make us wet
Halifax’s Jen Clarke (Windom Earle, HOTSHOTROBOT) is releasing her debut under the name Jenocide, machines to make us wet, on Sept. 26 at Gus’ Pub in Halifax. The show also features performances from Hot Panda and A/V.
Over the past four years, Clarke has been writing songs based on her experiences as a female musician. The result is Jenocide, an indie-electro act that plays upbeat dance music with themes geared towards women’s empowerment.
Clarke (vocals and synth) and Ed Renzi (synth, drum programming, bass) began their collaboration in late 2008. Since then have played several local shows and released a limited edition mini-disc EP entitled tiny demo. Most recently Jenocide released an EP entitled bikerides.barrettes.bruises, a series of edgy thrash tracks, launched as part of the 2009 Atlantic Jazz Festival alongside Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees and Room Doom.
Lazybones releases Songs From Here
Toronto-based Lazybones, featuring Newfoundlander Matt Wells, the former Bucket Truck vocalist and MuchMoreMusic VJ, along with Nova Scotia’s Tim MacNeill, formerly of east coast band Arlibido, released its debut album, Songs From Here, last month.
Released independently, the folk-roots project is a very grassroots affair. A free download of the song Perfect Life (featuring Huey Lewis on harmonica) is available on the band’s website.
You can also purchase debut single, Slowmotion, with proceeds from the sale going directly to War Child Canada. The album is available as a digital release offered through the fair-trade music website www.noisetrade.com where it can be purchased with a “pay what you want” deal or with the option of simply telling five friends about the duo.
According to the band’s website, no east coast dates are currently scheduled.
Brockway Biggs comes home
Formerly known as Pimp Tea, the grown-up but always fun Ottawa-based rapper Brockway Biggs is returning home for a series of shows in the next few weeks.
An East Coast Music Award winner, Biggs toured Canada in 2008 and has three albums to his credit. A hug supporter of the Canadian hip hop scene, he regularly updates newsletter subscribers to not only his own activity, but also what others are up to.
Check him out here:
Oct. 1 - Moncton, NB @ Contact East Showcase, Capitol Theatre
Oct. 2 - Fredericton, NB @ Tea Party at Boom Nightclub
Oct. 3 - Fredericton, NB @ Phoenix
Oct. 4 - Moncton, NB @ Paramount Lounge
Oct. 7 - Halifax, NS @ The Cogo
Oct. 8 - Sydney, NS @ TBD
The Novaks tour the east coast
Warner Music rockers The Novaks (interviewed here by EastCoastNoise a few months back) are touring the east coast this week. Here are the dates:
Sept. 16 - Charlottetown, PEI @ Hunter’s Alehouse
Sept. 17 - Halifax, NS @ Atlantic Film Fest
Sept. 18 - Sackville, NB @ Bridge Street Tent
Sept. 19 - Fredericton, NB @ The Capital (Harvest J&B Fest)
Doiron joined by France artist on tour
Eric’s Trip bassist and acclaimed singer-songwriter Julie Doiron is touring the east coast next month with France’s Herman Dune.
Check Doiron out here:
Oct. 22 – Halifax, NS @ St. Matthews United Church
Oct. 23 – Sackville, NB @ George’s Roadhouse
Oct. 24 – Quebec City, QC @ Le Cercle
Oct. 25 – Montreal, QC @ Ukrainian Federation
Oct. 26 – Ottawa, ON @ Babylon
Oct. 27 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
Shotgun Jimmie crosses Canada
Sackville’s Shotgun Jimmie is embarking on a Canadian tour this fall in support of his acclaimed album, Still Jimmie (You’ve Changed Records, 2009). The shows will also feature performances from B.A. Johnston.
Dates are as follows:
Nov. 10 - Sydney, NS @ Bunker’s Magic Peanut Mansion
Nov. 13 - St. John’s, NL @ The Ship
Nov. 14 - St. John’s, NL @ CBTG’s
Nov. 18 - Sackville, NB @ Struts Gallery
Nov. 19 - Moncton, NB @ Paramount Lounge
Nov. 20 - Halifax, NS @ Gus’ Pub
Nov. 21 - Fredericton, NB @ The Capital