Thursday, July 15, 2004

this is taken from an earlier post today on jazztalk. thought it was worth repeating. tp

Hi folks,

Hope everyone is having a good summer and enjoying their local jazz festivals or the lucky ones out on tour enjoying all of them! (yes I am jealous)

If you live in Toronto or you are visiting, the Tranzac is a fun club to check out. Just off the thriving Bloor street strip between Spadina and Bathurst on Brunswick (just south of bloor)

It is the small front room that hosts a busy and eclectic scene. There is often at least two bands per night with the last set often starting at around 1030pm. You will often see many musicians hanging out checking out the music.

It's regular happenings include new bands, people experimenting with new compositions, improv or Thursday nights with Myk Freedman's St. Dirt Elementary School.

This Sunday at 9pm I am performing there with the Chris Banks Project. (we are hitting at 9pm, playing two sets)

Chris Banks: Bass
Tim Posgate: Guitar
Nick Fraser: Drums

Hope to see you.
tim

Well, I am sure I am not the first to say it but; dont go see farenheit 9/11. Okay, if you have lots of time and see lots of movies you may as well see it. Or if you think war is good or W Bush is a good president you must see it.

I feel a little bit like those criticizing the non smoking policy in toronto or something but it just wasnt a very good film in my opinion. I really liked the opening. It was a great idea (although it didnt take a genius) to decide not to show the planes going into the WTC.

Watching one half hour of ads and trailers at a really loud volume didnt help my experience either I suppose.

I see so few films...must see saddest music, ciggarettes and coffee and a few others. I was glad to go see a movie with my brother cause I enjoy doing things with him and I was able to catch the last tune and the hang with friends at the rex. Okay, it wasnt a terrible evening but definitely a mediocre film. (if you have to watch it get the video)

Sorry Mike,

tim@guildwoodrecords.com

Wednesday, July 14, 2004

I found a website where you can voice your support for a stronger cbc. As a parent, an artist and a proud Canadian I find the future of the cbc to be one of our most important resources. It connects us, helps define us and allows us to be individual as a country while staying aware of the rest of the world and how it impacts us.

http://www.supportcbc.ca/petition/cbc/index.php

write a letter today!

Tuesday, July 13, 2004

took the boys over to hanlans point on toronto island today for a big adventure. (they should be exhausted...not sure why they are still awake at 10pm!!??)

It was very cool to checkout Dale Morninstar's Gas Station. Great vibe, right on the beach. I am not sure how people get gear ther but apparently they do.

I really enjoyed spending some time on the beach with the boys and Dave Clark. Apparently they are getting a grand piano in there tommorrow. spread the word. If you like an exotic place to record with a great vibe. call Dale!

tim

Monday, July 12, 2004

Imagine if everyone who listened to music, checked out art etc. took a minute to let the artists know how much they like it. I think we would have way more happy artists in the world. I have no problem with file sharing, downloading etc. but I want people to let me know what they think.

I suppose I really want to hear the positive feedback but if some of my friends or knowledgable listeners have some negative feedback, at least I would know they were listening. you know what I mean?

sometimes I wonder. Even this blog! Thank you to those of you who do drop me a line occasionally and at least mention that you are reading. Even that is better than no message at all. I suppose I dont need the positive review as much as I would just like to know that someone listened to my new record while eating their shreddies.

You see, sonic youth as an example; they dont need to hear from you. Just by shear numbers, they know that at least some of those sales were from people who listen on a regular basis. ( I am one of them)

when you have no distribution, you are not touring much and the media attention is minimal...even an email from a relative that you gave the cd means a lot!

Ok, so you know. I am here waiting. Hope those shreddies are not getting mushy...
tim@guildwoodrecords.com

I did promise to write more about last nights show.Thought, I truly look forward to the big monday night affair as it is almost always more fun looking forward www.thescream.ca

One of my fave local poets, a friend and a real character; john barlow wrote this letter to his mom to describe last evening's events. It really touched my heart, made me miss mom a whole lot and made me smile and laugh aloud. (I may just forward this to my dad too as I am not sure what he would do if he ever received an email like this from me) enjoy.

tim
-----------------------------------------------

Hello Mum!
I thought of calling but am so tired out today
perhaps especially so vocally, I decided to come online
and write you instead. Good to have fresh message from you
then. I'm tired because I actually performed last night,
not just a reading, full piano artistry, with the poetry,
and with song, an exceptionally well turned out version
of that one 'My father lives in his head' introduced amusingly
by noting what a good back yard we had, the only one
on the street where chemicals weren't used to
kill everything but grass. Get the naturists on your side
early in the reading, and everything else flows from there.
The whole event went incredibly well. It was arranged
against all seeming plausibility, in a small informal art gallery
almost more of a studio. We had access to a rooftop for fresh air.
The format had two very fine jazz musicians, Tim Posgate
and Lina Allemano, guitar and sax, with the electronic keyboard
there just for me, courtesy Patrick McPhee. We'd been on
the roof ever so relaxedly beforehand and came downstairs
to find now every chair full, and people standing along the back,
such that suddenly, my first run at working with a
musical ensemble - ie i who does not know a note
and plays intuitively without foreplan - would have to
break such ice before 36 people or so, in a tiny room
with very little oxygen, all those people aislelessly
between myself and the exit, should I seek to bolt.
I gasped with terror, lost all breath, and my entire
thinking of my carefully planned performance
as well as breath pattern vanished. The several
facing the direction to witness my fright
I thought, as self-conscious people will "now they think
I'm a freak" - plus - the poems I had in mind
had a summery relaxed meditative quality about them
and were I to succeed in restoring the necessary behaviour,
it would seem horrendously false to those
that knew how horrified I'd been...

But the other performers were great and really rocked
in ways that were so interesting and again, unlikely,
I gradually did restore my functionality almost,
and in the first set I think, I came off as just
stagy, and, subtle. This was encouraging,
so in the second set I played it all up,
and people were wildly favorable to my efforts.
It's all been recorded digitally. Hope I get a copy.
Today it has been drainingly hot, and the amount of energy
I expended last night, I was finding even the downhills
a bit of a strain. It's not just me. I ran into friends
at a patio, and the waitress, who'd declared
she was depressed to the other two,
could not be found for some twenty minutes
for them to pay their bill. Today we rest.
Tomorrow is the Scream In High Park
massive poetry reading, with a thousand
people partying in a park for 4 hours,
followed by several hours more
in a nearby pub, then lift the bike over the
ttc turnstiles and head for home. Tuesday I'm taking as my
Canada Day, during which I will rest and comment
on proceedings. I've bought another disposable camera
for it. Outrageous enjoyment is certain to be had.
The Scream In High Park festival has
displaced George Bush from the polls.
It's all about poetry now, and jazz.
Which is certainly an improvement.
All thanks to this unlikely grassroots and a half
style poetry festival. Postmodernism at last.

John



Sunday, July 11, 2004

quite an exciting nite at the scream on a high note gig tonite. ups and downs, poetic roller coaster. Lina Allemano made her professional debut on electric fretless bass. (Wild things!)

John Barlow, singing and playing piano. lots of highlights, lots of learning and lots of fun. Great art on the walls by mike hansen.

hoping to have more to say about this tommorrow, time for bed. My improvising with the laptop is something that I will need to continue to work on, re evaluate etc.

I am sure Garage band is not the ideal program but I quite enjoy the challenges of its limitations thus far.

A night of chaos like tonight (beautiful chaos) makes me want to hear and perhaps study bach cello suites etc.

bonne nuit
tim


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