I am quite pumped to be listed in Alex Varty's top ten list for 2009. It may seem small to sum of you but he is a good writer who I have a lot of respect for and it is a good magazine too.

To make it extra special, it is "top everything", not just jazz records or something. As always I just hope it makes a few more people check out our new record; Banjo Hockey.

Don't forget, tomorrow night (Friday) is our big double-bill gig with the Creaking Tree String Quartet.

Hope to see you there!
tim

Tim Posgate Hornband + Creaking Tree String Quartet
Friday December 11, 2009
The Sixth Gallery (1642 Queen W.)
8:30 pm doors Tickets $15

I am writing some new music that is harder work than any composing I have ever done. For example it is frustrating to write 40 or so bars of music for five instruments only to realize you don't like it. I know that seems strange but I am hoping it is not a trend.

Oddly enough the music I enjoyed the most today in my work hours was improvising on the fiddle along with a rough banjo demo I made of this new piece. Hmmm....maybe a banjo/fiddle duet record?

Too much computer tonight but that is part of the job. Letting people know about the December 11 gig with the Creaking Tree String quartet. (cool double bill eh?)

later,
t

I am a bit sad that I have been spammed here on my blog. Fortunately it is in a post from a few years back and will be ignored, I hope.

I would just delete the post in question but sadly it is the one from three years and a couple months ago where I got the banjo bug. (officially) I watched a DVD of Bela Fleck playing with Edgar Myers and rushed out to Long and McQuade to buy my first set of picks. I remember it clearly; I bumped into the great Hurdy Gurdy player Ben Grossman and told him of my new interest.

Anyways, fast forward 39 months and a few days and now I consider myself a banjo player. In fact next week I have two rehearsals and four gigs in seven days. (all on the banjo)

I feel very fortunate to be part of the local and international banjo community as there are many interesting artists doing great work all over and I live in a city where there are lots of great banjoists too. (Chris Quinn and Chris Coole come to mind first!)

Once I heard a radio feature that pointed out that spam was just another way for people having trouble getting by in North America (often new immigrants) so I feel patience and forgiveness for this part of our world. Also, it allowed me to go back to this point in time and relive and maybe even celebrate my banjo life.

happy days.
tim

Weekends are crazy as a parent. I sometimes don't even feel like a musician when I am home on weekends. It is hockey, birthday parties, cleaning, hockey, birthday parties....Sure it is fun, but hectic. Hence the reason I love Monday mornings. It is not that I am not enjoying all the hectic fun but I really enjoy the switch to a slower gear. Most importantly I head to the basement and practice.

I am super anxious to play my banjo but must get a bit of fiddle in before. Don't forget that Andrew Downing and I are still playing every Monday night at Todo from 9-11pm. Tonight our special guest is Hugh Marsh. Todo is at 217 Ossington just south of Dundas.

Happy Monday!
tim

Today is the day of the hearing regarding the cuts to the Canada Council for the Arts recording grants. Here is the letter I sent off.
-----------------------

To whom it may concern,

Having been on both sides of the Canada Council recording grants as both a juror and an artist receiving the grants I am deeply disturbed by the cuts.

Being a Canadian jazz recording artist has given me the credibility to tour Nationally and Internationally, perform at festivals, teach and generally be a self-sustaining artist making a living through my own creative music.

However, if I had not received the support from the Canada Council I would not have had the opportunity to make a new recording every few years. Through that process I learn about the art of producing, recording, arranging etc. and improve upon these skills each time. Not only are these skills necessary but so are the recordings in order to continue to make a living as a musician in Canada.

Being an artist in a large country like Canada is a challenging way of life to say the least and taking away one piece of the puzzle like this is enough to slow down and perhaps even put a stop to some of our greatest artists.

Being on Canada council juries and seeing how much good music was already not getting funded was a harsh look at the reality of the arts in Canada. This cutback however to zero grants for recording is beyond harsh and should not be part of our reality.

Sincerely,






Tim Posgate
Guildwood Records
422 Shaw St.
Toronto, Ontario
M6J 2X3
416 530-0688


http://www.guildwoodrecords.com

I am starting to take a liking to Tom Allan's voice and sense of humour on Radio two in the mornings. Unfortunately I am having a tough time getting with his music. Although, I know it is not him that chooses it.

I listen to a beautiful Violin Concerto that they are playing now on the show following and wonder why the music can't be this good all morning long. Somehow, for some reason they choose to play a lot of mediocre popular music from Canada.

I am a believer in Can Con but there is so much music being made here that is really good and interesting I don't see how they are choosing theirs. Would you go from Beethoven to Vivaldi to something lousy? In the same way; if you play Bob Dylan, Talking Heads and Radiohead don't follow it up with some new mediocre artist. I have so many friends who are making great music. (unfortunately they don't seem interested in playing instrumental music on that show...very disturbing)

If it doesn't improve soon I will surely move over to Jazz Fm or back to community radio, CIUT or CKLN for my mornings.