2008 CITY ROOTS FESTIVAL

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2008 CITY ROOTS FESTIVAL
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City Roots is Music Pure and Simple

The 2008 City Roots Festival was a great success.
The music was fabulous, the audience was appreciative, and the weather was perfect.
CITY ROOTS 2008 PHOTO GALLERY

More great shots, courtesy of Ian Chandler.

2008 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE City Roots News Subscribe Link: <View>

City Roots presents RIVERBOAT REVIVAL
Friday June 27 -
Celebrating Toronto's famed
Yorkville coffee house of the 60's and 70's

Featuring performances by:
Danny Marks, Suzie Vinnick, Noah Zacharin, Laura Fernandez, Tim Harrison, Jay Linden, Sue and Dwight, The Palamino, Steve Raiken and Ronney Abramson

Doing the songs of:
Phil Ochs, Ian and Sylvia, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Lonnie Johnson, Mississippi John Hurt, Tom Rush, Steve Goodman, Willie P. Bennett, and Ronney Abramson (as herself)

Hugh's Room, 2261 Dundas St. W, Toronto
Reservations (416) 531-6604 8:30pm. $15/$17

The Riverboat. Coffeehouse in Toronto's Yorkville district. Seating about 100 in the narrow basement of a house at 134 Yorkville Ave, it was opened in October 1964 and became the best-known coffeehouse in Canada. The Riverboat was the showcase in the late 1960s for numerous emerging Canadian folk-inspired performers, including Bruce Cockburn, Gordon Lightfoot, Murray McLauchlan, and Joni Mitchell. Most major US folk performers of the day also appeared at The Riverboat. According to legend, several songs that would become popular, including Mitchell's 'Clouds' and Phil Ochs' 'Changes' were composed in the club's upstairs backroom

City Roots Festival at the DISTILLERY HISTORIC DISTRICT
Free admission - Donations welcome Festival proceeds Rain or Shine!	Distillery District is located north of Lakeshore Blvd, between Parliament St and Cherry St. Limited parking, TTC accessible. Click here for details.

Saturday June 28 - 1PM-11PM (schedule subject to change)

Trinity Square Stage
100	Songwriter Showcase - Blair Packham (host), Paul Quarrington, Jory Nash, Kyp Harness
230	Songwriters Unite - Russell Leon (host), Lynn Harrison, Michael Lake plus guest
400	Guitar Boys of Alderon
530	The Palamino
7	Donne Roberts Band
830	City Roots Blues Review - Danny Marks (host), Suzie Vinnick, Jerome Godboo, Mr. Rick, Doc MacLean, Donne Roberts - 2 SETS - Acoustic and Electric

Pure Spirits Stage
130	Roger Scannura and Ritmo Flamenco
300	Nancy Johnson
415	Ronney Abramson & Jory Nash
530	Porkbelly Futures
645	Suzie Vinnick & Layah Jane
8	Laura Fernandez Band
930	Foggy Hogtown Boys

Boiler House Stage
100	Seneca College Independent Music Program
300	Tony Cox
415	Jane Harbury Discoveries
530	Kyp Harness
615	Doc MacLean
700	Brian Gladstone
745	Sherry Ryan
830	Sue & Dwight
915	Jay Linden
1000	Tim Harrison

The Ledge Stage 1 - 5PM
Music from Humber College Songwriting School faculty and students, and Groovy Monday open stage

Sunday June 29 - 1PM- 7PM

Trinity Square Stage
100	Brenda MacIntyre
215	Metis Fiddler Quartet
330	Sultans of String
500	Creaking Tree String Quartet
615	Finale - Creaking Tree String Quartet, The Undesirables, plus more…

Pure Spirits Stage
100	Sisters of Sheynville
215	Good Lovelies
330	Rukanas
445	The Undesirables

Boiler House Stage
1230	Seneca College Music Program
200	Yiddish Swingtet
300	Rob Lutes with Rob McDonald
345	Peter Boyd
430	Darlene
515	Noah Zacharin

The Ledge Stage 1 - 5PM
Music from Humber College Songwriting School faculty and students, and Groovy Monday open stage

Thanks to City Roots Sponsors

FESTIVAL PERFORMERS

Blair Packham	Called "one of Canada's best unsung pop songwriters" by friend and fan Ron Sexsmith, Blair Packham began writing songs as a teenager at the end of the seventies. He is snarky, but annoyingly catchy. Intelligent, but with big dumb hooks that won't let go. Music by people who can play their instruments. And he's damn funny onstage, too.
Brenda MacIntyre	Brenda MacIntyre, a.k.a. Medicine Song Woman, is a world class inspirational speaker, singer-songwriter and artist. She has performed and spoken across Canada. Based in Toronto, she is an Aboriginal singer-songwriter performing a fusion of traditional Aboriginal hand drumming/singing and roots/soul (acoustic).
Brian Gladstone	Toronto's Brian Gladstone is a finger-style guitar master, an insightful lyricist, a colourful story-teller, and a dynamic performer. An imaginative songwriter unrestrained by conventional limitations, Gladstone's four albums have been highly acclaimed in dozens of rave reviews worldwide.
Creaking Tree String Quartet	Instrumental music like you've never heard - smart tunes for people who like to party. Based in Toronto, they are 2004 Juno Award Nominees, Winners of the 2005 IAPA Instrumental Album of the Year and IAMA Instrumental Song of the Year.
Danny Marks	Primetime Broadcaster, Guitarist, and Lifetime Mapleblues Achievement Award winner, Toronto's Danny Marks has been a force on the scene since he started out as a kid with Dora Mavor Moore, and as a teen in Edward Bear.
Darlene	Gypsy soul, engaging singer songwriter
Doc MacLean	Vagabond delta bluesman
Donne Roberts	Russian-raised and now Toronto-based guitarist Donne Roberts effortlessly combine polyrhythmic African, European folk & groove, North American funk, rock and blues influence. Roberts and his 6-piece band deliver a remarkably diverse, infectiously joyful and utterly unique live music experience.
Foggy Hogtown Boys	Toronto-based Foggy Hogtown Boys have established themselves as one of the most exciting bluegrass bands in the country. The band always delivers a highly entertaining and diverse show; ballads, breakdowns, gospel quartets and lots of laughs!
Good Lovelies	Sporting a medley of instruments from guitar to piano and mandolin to banjo - this two-time award winning trio, The Good Lovelies, are not to be missed. A combination of clever song writing, solid musicianship, witty repartee and bang-on three-part harmony will leave you wanting more.
Guitar Boys of Alderon	Toronto's own, Brian Gladstone, Noah Zacharin and Rick Zolkower combine to perform as the new "power-Roots" trio The Guitar Boys Of Alderon. They took up space in school, and now they are cadets.
Jay Linden	Based an hour west of Toronto, Canada, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jay Linden is a semi-reclusive legend who's been making music for over 40 years. He writes and sings haunting, memorable slices of time and space firmly rooted in a folk sensibility. His debut CD is called Satchel.
Jerome Godboo	Jerome Godboo is a singer, songwriter and harp player extraordinaire, and renown blues veteran on the Toronto scene. He has released twelve albums over twenty years.
Jory Nash	Jory Nash is an award-winning singer-songwriter from Toronto. He has recorded 5 CDs and sold over 10,000 CDs, all independently. His latest CD FolkJazzBlues&Soul showcases a variety of styles and influences.
Kyp Harness	Kyp Harness has created 8 independent albums over 15 years. He has been called "a great writer" by Daniel Lanois, Ron Sexsmith names him as his favorite songwriter, and Mary Margaret O'Hara has covered one of his songs. Originally from Sarnia, Ontario, Harness makes music that tells stories, whether singing a stark folk ballad or rocking with a band.
Laura Fernandez Band	Born in Madrid, Spain, singer songwriter Laura Fernandez is a classically trained pianist who writes musical life-portraits in English and Spanish.
Layah Jane	Folk-Soul songstress Layah Jane is a hearty young musician with a mission. With soulful vocals and a poetic, articulate tongue, Layah's sound recalls Joni Mitchell, Rickie Lee Jones and Ani Difranco, with a resonance all her own.
Metis Fiddler Quartet	Toronto based young Metis traditional family ensemble Metis Fiddler Quartet specializes in performing Canadian Aboriginal old-style fiddle music. This group is made up of 2 fiddles, guitar, and cello, and can perform together, or as a duo with guitar and fiddle.
Nancy Johnson	Nancy Johnson is a singer/songwriter and a member of Caldwell First Nation in southwestern Ontario of Cree/Metis origin. She was raised in Toronto in a musical family where she was exposed to many different music genres and learned to play a number of instruments including piano and guitar.
Noah Zacharin	Montreal-born Noah Zacharin lives in Toronto. Six CD's of original music, production and performance credits on over a dozen others.
Paul Quarrington	Paul is a humorist, novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and filmmaker - and has been making music since the 1970s where he played bass with Joe Hall and the Continental Drift. Paul is the front man for the band Porkbelly Futures.
Peter Boyd	Blues guitar, song-writer, a local hidden treasure
Porkbelly Futures	PorkBelly Futures takes writers, rockers and classical musicians and does the only thing it can - it creates a blues band. With award-winning author Paul Quarrington in the band, it is not surprising that it is the songwriting that sets this band apart.
Rick Zolkower	When not leading the Biscuits, Mr. Rick's unique finger style guitar drives his solo performances incorporating elements of folk, swing, country, blues -all behind strong vocals and a passion for the music..
Rob Lutes	Evoking a raw honesty in his voice and the written word, Rob Lutes has gained a following in his native Canada and in the US as a roots musician of substance. Lutes' lyrically rich and hook-laden songs span the spectrum of Americana influences. His soulful lyrics and vocals, deftly married with his indelible melodies and accomplished musicianship have established his reputation as a performer of note.
Roger Scannura & Ritmo Flamenco	Roger Scannura is an internationally recognized flamenco guitarist and a leading exponent of Nuevo Flamenco.
Ronney Abramson	Veteran singer/songwriter, many well known hits in the 1960s and 1970s and original Riverboat performer
Rukanas	Rukanas is a five-member ensemble that performs the music of the Quechua people of the Andes mountains. Based in Toronto, they have dedicated themselves to preserving and contributing to their Andean culture by bringing their music to audiences across Canada. As the band says, "We think that our art is of great value, giving credit and respect to our ancestors. Rukanas is the continuation of the work of many other great musicians from Peru."
Sherry Ryan	Sherry's musical personality reflects that wondrous blend of Newfoundland influences that kick any kitchen party into overdrive through the wee hours of the morning; her voice is powered by the haunting specter of Patsy Cline and Kitty Wells.
Sisters of Sheynville	All-female 6-piece band. Yiddish swing and klezmer tunes of from the 30s and 40s as well as original music.
Steve Raiken	Raiken's music and guitar playing has been influenced by many musicians and styles over the years. Noted for acoustic slide guitar and slide work, his performance includes covers and original tunes.
Sue & Dwight	The prairies, big city, and global village have provided strong influences for the roots based music of Sue and Dwight. Their lyrics are honest and insightful, weaving stories of life in small towns, city streets and African villages with themes of peace, courage and social justice.
Sultans of String	Canada's hot, new world-jazz flamenco ensemble, Sultans of String combine the sounds of Chris McKhool's lush, lyrical Gypsy-jazz violin with Kevin Laliberte's rhythm-fueled flamenco-inspired guitar-playing for a wild improvised musical journey. Bass master Drew Birston energizes the groove with adventurous Latin, Jazz and Folk rhythms
Suzie Vinnick	Suzie Vinnick is the owner of a gorgeous, powerful voice. Her music is roots-based branching out into blues, folk and pop.
The Undesirables	An infectious and irresistible songwriting duo with top-notch lyrics & acoustic guitar playing, story-driven songs and beautiful harmonies. Drawing from American Blues, R&B, Gospel, Ragtime and Country, they create their own brand of what has been called Canadian "folk-theatre" or "roots-cabaret".
The Palomino	Sultry cabaret roots ensemble
Tim Harrison	Tim Harrison has been on the folk music scene in Canada for over 35 years. He has been described as "cinematic Canadian songwriter" by the Boston Globe "poetic [and] a true standout" by SINGOUT! magazine.
Tony Cox	Multiple award-winning South African acoustic guitarist is a much-loved, icon of the instrument back home and is blessed with an enviable guitar technique. Cox not only is a master of his chosen musical form; playing his own deeply personalized, original music, he also excels at being the laid-back entertainer, the quintessential story-teller, with the ability to have you dreaming of far-off African plains one minute, then reduce you to fits by a single word or line and all delivered amidst an astonishing guitar technique that has an ability to slacken the jaw.
Yiddish Swingtet	Klezmer and traditional music with a jazz twist
Jane Harbury Discoveries	Jane consistently uncovers and presents under-appreciated and emerging artists who deserve more exposure and recognition.