The Line Up
Imagine 10 Rounds Of Golf On Your Favorite
Course, with a Golf Pro coaching you every step of the way.
The League Of Rock works with many fantastic
professionals, all of which cannot be listed here. Below please
find a sample list of just some of our professionals. We'll update
the list on an ongoing basis.
Vocals
Dan Clancy
Dan is the lead singer of 4-time Juno award winning Canadian super-
group "LIGHTHOUSE". He continues to be an accomplished
singer/songwriter/producer/arranger and a respected college professor
of music business studies. In addition to his two solo releases
to date, Dan continues to develop the talents of up and coming Canadian
singer/songwriters at his pre-production/demo recording facility.
A strong supporter and promoter of local musicians and the "live"
music scene in Durham Region, Dan hosts the "Long & McQuade
Music Mania Report" every Friday on CHEX television show "Live at
5".
He continues to create commercial campaigns for clients aired on
regional, national and U.S. radio and television, some of which
include writing theme songs for the "Toronto Rock" lacrosse club
(Air Canada Centre), the "Facts of Fishing" on TSN and OLN, "Centre
Stage" on CHEX/CBC Television. Dan is the founder and director of
Collective Records, pre-production recording facility Collective
Studios, co-founder and director of the successful "School of Rock
'n' Roll Summer Camp" and a new private instructional school for
rock bands and musicians, Dan Clancy's School of Rock 'n' Roll &
Technology (www.schoolofrocknroll.ca)
currently being built and scheduled to open fall 2007.
Dan remains a highly respected and active member of music industry
associations SOCAN, ACTRA, SAC, CMRRA, and is an official judge
of the annual Canadian JUNO AWARDS.
Blair Packham
Blair Packham is perhaps best known as the former leader of The Jitters, a Canadian band popular in the late 80s and early 90s. Blair wrote five hits for the band between 1987 and 1991, including "Last of the Red Hot Fools" and "'Til the Fever Breaks". Currently, Blair has a flourishing career creating music for TV and film, but songwriting and record production remain passionate pursuits, as he works with artists both established--like the legendary Andy Kim or Ron Sexsmith---or emerging.
Rique Franks
Best known for her duets with Dan Hill including, "In Your Eyes",
"Hold Me Now", the duet version of "Sometimes When We Touch" and
the remake of "Can't We Try", Rique Franks has recorded with, toured
with or performed with many Canadian and international recording
stars such as Alexander O'Neal, Alan Frew and Glass Tiger, Alannah
Myles, Susan Aglukark, Bruce Guthro, Glen Lewis, Roch Voisine, Lisa
Dalbello, Ronnie Spector (Greenfield), and Lorraine Segato and The
Parachute Club, to name a few.
As a session singer and voice actor, Rique has sung and/or read
many memorable commercials for countless products. Currently, Rique
can be seen singing as a featured soloist with Jeans 'n Classics
and as a guest artist with orchestras across North America performing
symphonic rock, pop, latin and jazz. She is also one quarter of
"Lushus", a foursome of women who are all singer/songwriters here
in Toronto. When she's not singing, Rique can be heard as the infamous
silky on-air voice of Showcase Television or the gravelly voice
in the humorous Sponge Towels campaign.
Rique has worked as a vocalist on campaigns for: Air Canada, Air
Miles, AT&T, Atlas Van Lines, Aquafresh, Bell, Betty Crocker,
Blacks, Bounce, Bounty, Budget, Bud Light, Campbell's, Canadian
Airlines, CBC, Chrysler, CN Tower, Coke, Colgate, Coppertone, Downy,
Dupont, Easy Rock, Eaton's, Eglinton Square, Enbridge, Esso, Excell,
Ferrerro Rocher, Folgers, Ford, Glad, Goodwrench, Goodyear, Green
Giant, Heineken, Holiday Inn, Home Hardware, Home Outfitters, Hyundai,
Ikea, Imperial Oil, Ivory, KFC, Kodak, LCBO, Lever 2000, Lipton,
Lotto 649, Maple Leaf, McDonalds, Mennen, Michaels, Miller Light,
Milk, Molson, Monsanto, Mr. Clean, Mr. Sub, Nike, Oil of Olay, Ontario
Place, Pepsi, Polident, Pontiac, Purina, Purolator, RBC, Revlon,
Rogers, Sears, Scotia Bank, Smarties, Sponge Towels, Sugar Crisp,
Suzuki, Swiss Chalet, TD Canada Trust, The Bay, Toshiba, Toys R
Us, Tropicana, Twix, Windex, Wonderbread, Zellers and others.
Jim Gillard
As a vocalist, Jim has shared the stage with everyone from Letterman's Paul Schaffer to David Foster and The Toronto Symphony Orchestra. On national television for five seasons, Jim sang background vocals for such notable talent as: Vince Gill, Glen Campbell, kd Lang, The Judds, Leroy Parnell, Tommy Hunter...you get the picture!
Producer, Arranger, Musical Director, Drummer and Co-writer for
recording artist Wendy Lands, who's EMI CD, "Angels & Ordinary Men"
was nominated for a Juno Award, (Canadian Grammy) and two Canadian
Radio Awards. Signed to Warner/Chappell as a staff writer, Jim has
written with some of L.A.'s finest songwriters including: Paul Williams,
Robbie Nevil, Melissa Manchester and Wendy Lands.
Jim has played drums and sang with his own jazz trio, Jim Gillard's
Swinging Moods at some of L.A.'s hippest nightspots including The
Belmont and The Balboa Bay Club. He's broken eighty on more than
one occasion and has appeared on various episodes of the classic
sketch comedy show, SCTV. T.V. JINGLES Include: Windex, Home Hardware,
Toys Are Us, Ocean Spray Cranberry Cocktail, Amstel Beer, Stars
On Ice and Crayola Crayons
Wendy Lands
The San Diego Union Tribune raves, "Lands sings as if she were born to…you feel every moment, she's like a musician playing her instrument and she doesn't need to sing loudly to impress you."
Voice Quebec says, "The songs appear to float in a lightness inhabited by her subtle and caressing voice. Lands clearly brings to mind Norah Jones, and at other moments, the clear enchanting tone reminds us of Sade. Less exotic but no less bewitching…just imagine an acoustic Diana Krall."
Her unique, compelling voice and songs have taken her from co-writing and co-producing her own Juno nominated debut CD, entitled Angels and Ordinary Men, which Billboard Magazine described as "one of the most impressive Canadian recordings in years" to hitting the number 1 spot on The Mix's Canadian Count Down, to songwriting collaborations with everyone from Melissa Manchester to Paul Williams to The Jacksons.
In 2003, Rickie Lee Jones//Lyle Lovette bass player/producer John Leftwich hand picked Wendy to record with some of L.A.'s greatest players, in sessions that would later become the CD entitled, Wendy Lands Sings The Music Of The Pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman, the vocal soundtrack to the Oscar winning film, The Pianist. The project was executive produced by Andrej Szpilman, Wladyslaw Szpilman's (subject of the film) son, who set out to make a CD that took his father's original melodies, written over the span of his career from the 30's through the 70's and introduce them to the North American public, using brand new English lyrics, as well as bringing them into the new mellenium with modern, jazz influenced arrangements and production.
According to Canada's, The Record, "The album's songs are smooth, elegant, striking and memorable. The kind that can send chills up your spine…Wendy Lands puts her exquisite voice to these striking arrangements…what more could you ask?"
Wendy is currently one of the most in-demand voice actors in the country, voicing hundreds of spots for everything from CTV to Mattel to Homesense.
Michael White
While on tour in 1983, Robert Plant met with Michael and told him to contact Atlantic Records. This resulted in Michael signing a $350,000 record contract with the label and the release of his self-titled debut album on Atlantic in 1987. Since then Michael has recorded two more CD's for Griffin Music. One in 1990 titled "Michael White/The White" and a 1994 release "Michael White Plays the Music of Led Zeppelin". All of these albums have received critical acclaim from the press in Europe, the U.S. and Canada, including excellent reviews in The Chicago Tribune, Billboard and Britain's Kerrang magazine."
During his career that began in 1973, Michael has worked with performers such as Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue), George Lynch (Dokken & Lynch Mob), Randy Piper (W.A.S.P.), Lanny Cordola (Giuffria & House of Lords), and for a short time in 1987 the German band 'Accept'. Coincidentally, in the Motley Crue biography "The Dirt", Nikki Sixx credits Michael as having been the original singer in the legendary heavy metal band! Also, a little known fact is that in 1975 Van Halen was a warm-up band for Michael and George's band "The Boyz" as credited by Gene Simmons in his book 'Kiss & Makeup'. Michael has worked in recording studios around the world with producer/engineers such as Andy Johns (Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones & Van Halen), Mack (Led Zeppelin, Queen & E.L.O.), and David Glover (Yes & Tom Waits), as well as the band 'Blue Murder' whose members included drummer Carmine Appice (Vanilla fudge & Rod Stewart) and John Sykes (Whitesnake & Thin Lizzy).
Guitar -
David
Barrett
David was introduced to great guitar playing at a very young age
through his parents collection of old lps ranging from Glen Campbell
to Eddie Arnold. By the time David was 15 he was working at the
local guitar shop, playing concerts at high schools, and doing sessions
around Toronto. At this time actor/producer Mike Myers saw a rehearsal
of David's first band, Crucial Taunt, and many years later, asked
permission to use the original band name for the band in the then
upcoming movie, Wayne's World.
As soon as he left high school, David began touring Canada with
various covers bands. David joined Toronto band Rain and later formed
his own hard rock group Trouble In Mind, and was signed to EMI Publishing
Canada. In the 1990's, David worked with with Mark Holmes of Platinum
Blonde recording and producing artists including, Vertigo, no.9
and Amanda Marshall. David recorded and toured extensively with
Amanda Marshall and later Platinum Blonde. Some of David's recorded
work has included projects with engineers such as Richard Chycki
(Aerosmith, Def Leopard, Mick Jagger), producers such as Thom Panuzio
(U2, Bruce Springsteen) and guitar greats such as Alex Lifeson (Rush).
Recently David has worked on music for film and television including
the Florida based Tube Music Television Network, creating the music
for station Id's and promotional spots. In addition, David is director
of Special Projects for the Toronto Fingerstyle Guitar Association.
Last year he produced a compilation cd for the Association, featuring
12 Toronto based guitar players. David has also produced other Canadian
solo guitar players, including 8 string jazz guitarist Jason Crawford.
As part of the Classic Albums Live series, David played lead guitar
on several shows, including legendary albums by Rush and David Bowie.
David has released a series of solo guitar cds ranging from solo
acoustic to ambient soundscapes and currently performs solo guitar
concerts in Canada and the U.S.
David Baxter
David Baxter is a veteran musician, songwriter, producer and music publisher. He began his career in 1975 playing guitar with David Wilcox, and has recorded on the Toronto and National scenes with The Sharks, Juno-winner Sherry Kean, Alanis Morissette, Lori Yates, Wild Strawberries, Oh Susanna and others.
He has authored hundreds of songs, including a #1 in Quebec, and a CMPA song of the year winner. He has been creative director of two major publishing companies, a member of the board of CMRRA, and producer of such well-known acts as Northern Pikes, Bob Snider, Johnny Favorite, and others.
His guitar playing can be heard on many advertising spots and on the CTV television series, Degrassi, the next Generation.
Mike Bowell
Mike began playing guitar at the age of 8, and while a teenager began
playing rock'n'roll in local bars. In 1996 he graduated from York University
with an Honours B.F.A. in Music.
He has played across Canada in a variety of
musical settings, including Jazz, Country, Bluegrass and Theatre. In 2001 he
performed on singer-songwriter Jenny Whiteley's debut album, for which she
received a Juno award in the best solo roots and traditional category.
Mike
has been teaching the guitar since the age of 16. He is an instructor at the
Guitar Workshop Plus, has coached numerous rock schools, and maintains a
large roster od students.
Bruce Dies
Bruce has been playing guitar since the age of 12. He
has a broad interest in syles ranging from Rock, pop
to r&b and Jazz.
He currently has a full roster of students on both
Bass and Guitar.
Bruce has experience playing and touring all over the world with
many pro-level bands including Ozzy Osbourne, Lee Aaron, Lisa Dalbello.
He has Produced bands over the years sharing in the Songwriting
duties. Thrilled with the creative process he has an ability to
build songs from the ground up thriving in the team environment.
Rik Emmett
Rik Emmett was a relatively unknown singer/songwriter/guitarist
on the local Toronto scene in September of '75 when he joined a
newly-formed hard rock trio called Triumph. By
'79 three albums had gone gold and platinum in Canada - two of these
charted in the States, receiving serious radio airplay. By '81,
they were firmly established as one of the premier touring rock
acts in North America, with generous FM radio airplay support and
heavy rotation on the fledgling MTV cable channel. In the next seven
years, the band released ten albums, all of which went gold, with
four turning platinum in Canada. In the U.S., two went gold. Emmett's
name frequently appeared in guitar magazine polls and he won several
prestigious awards, including Best Lead Guitarist nationally in
1981. He left the band to begin his solo career in '88, but was
inducted into the Canadian Rock Hall of Fame in '93 as one of the
band's original members.
Rik's solo career spawned three releases for Duke Street/MCA Records
in the early '90's. The first, Absolutely, went gold in 1990, yielding
the hits "Saved by Love" and "Big Lie", two songs that provided
a transition from arena rock while maintaining continuity at FM
radio. Perhaps a bit more of a surprise was the ballad "When a Heart
Breaks", which crossed a rock guitar hero over into other radio
formats and revealed a more sensitive singer/songwriter persona.
"World of Wonder" also received substantial airplay and showcased
an expanding lyrical and stylistic range. The "Ipso Facto" CD followed
in '92, offering up the hits "Out of The Blue" (a jazzy-bluesy tribute
to Stevie Ray Vaughn, Hendrix and Wes Montgomery) and "Bang On",
a rocking return to one of Rik's personal themes - positive motivation
and inspiration. Ipso Facto was a tour-de-force of stylistic versatility,
but no surprise to fans who knew the guy who constantly plugged
trademark classical guitar pieces or little jazz tunes in between
the hard rock anthems, arena blues riffs and progressive flourishes
found on past records.
A strong singer/songwriter album called Spiral Notebook followed
in '95, which earned notice through airplay of its sensitive balladeer
singles "Let Me Be The One" and "The Longing". In '96, Emmett began
testing the courage of his musical convictions with work in his
own digital studio and through his own independent record label.
Following those instincts paid off artistically. The first release
was Ten Invitations from the Mistress of Mr E., beautifully realized
original instrumentals of classical nylon-string guitar. Critics
and fans were reminded that the 'rock guitar god' was not a one-trick
pony. Part two of his guitar trilogy, Swing Shift, took a completely
different musical direction, featuring jazz, swing and fusion. Again,
the CD was well received and piqued the interest of brand-new fans
in growing musical circles. Perhaps more importantly, the spirits
of diehard supporters were elevated by witnessing an artistic transformation
that defied mainstream classification. Raw Quartet, released in
early 1999, became the final CD in the trilogy, displaying Rik's
passion and natural affinity for blues. 1999's Live at Berklee (highlights
from sold out shows at the prestigious Berklee College of Music
in Boston) was followed by a traditional Spirit of Christmas album,
recorded in collaboration with Glass Tiger keyboardist Sam Reid.
2002 brought the release of a "20th Century Masters" "Best of Rik
Emmett Collection" through Universal, followed by another widely-acclaimed
instrumental smooth jazz masterpiece CD - Handiwork. In the late
summer of 2003, the acoustic singer/songwriter re-emerged with the
GOOD FAITH CD, and another new chapter was written in an already
storied career.
In 2005, Rik was honored as Guitarist of the Year at the Canadian
Smooth Jazz Awards, and in the summer of 2006, the wide range of
Emmett's abilities went on display - from a smooth jazz festival
in Canada to a heavy metal festival in Germany: from Artistic Directing
a songwriting workshop to hanging & jamming with Alex Lifeson of
Rush at the Guitar Workshop Plus: and from five classic rock outdoor
shows, to an idyllic afternoon acoustic duo gig at the Chateau-des-Charmes
winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
A guitar magazine once wrote that Rik Emmett was "his own worst
enemy. He's one of the only guitarists out there who may be too
talented for his own damn good". Partly true, in our celebrity/tabloid/sound
bite world: but the comment also recognizes the artist as unique,
and offers insight on an 18-year solo career, still going strong,
based on being a loyal friend to his gifts instead of a slave to
superficial fashion, with luggage to match.
Rik has held true to his dreams of the magic power of the music,
and he shares that with every audience, of every stripe - every
night that he performs.
Greigg
Fraser
Greigg's career covers performing, session work, music instruction,
producing, arranging, television work and composing. His solo career
focuses on original instrumental guitar music. His first album release
"Making Waves" enjoyed strong support, air play and rave reviews
not only on campus, rock and CBC stations across Canada but also
in the U.S.A. and Europe.
Greigg's second release"Tech Noir" has enjoyed similar success in
Europe and the States, with sales through Guitar Nine Records in
North Carolina, Red Room Records in Ohio, C&D Services in the
UK and repeated airplay on radio stations from Kansas City to Minsk!
Greigg has opened for and performed with artists such as Rik Emmett
(Triumph), Rush, Downchild Blues Band, Goddo, Cheryl Rae, Lisa Dal
Bello, The Naughty Sweeties, Lawrence Gowan (Styx) and Kim Mitchell.
He's been featured many times on CBC Radio, CITY/CHUM and Global
TV. He's won the Q107 Home Grown Award, the FM 96 "On Track Award"
and has received grants, awards and support from FACTOR and SOCAN.
He's been a featured soloist in Orchestra London's "Jeans &
Classics" Series, performing works by Steve Howe, Jeff Beck, Chet
Atkins and Steve Vai as well as his own compositions. As guitarist
and producer Greigg has done session work for such clients as the
United Way, the Canadian Cancer Society, FACTOR, Rogers Cable and
CHUM Television, and for numerous artists.
Robin Le Mesurier
Robin Le Mesurier is a touring guitarist playing with the legendary Rod Stewart. You can also find him on stage with European singer Johnnie Halliday. When Robin’s not on the road, he is an in-demand session guitarist.
Born and raised in the ‘50’s, in London - England, to parents, John Le Mesurier and Hattie Jacques , in the film and TV industry who (for about five minutes) tried to discourage him from having anything to do with the music business or its peripheries. But thankfully were totally supportive when they realized it was a complete waste of time.
During the late sixties, he fell for “the blues” and spent much of his time learning the craft of players like John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck.
At the of sixteen, he left school, discovered New York and signed his first recording contract with the EMI subsidiary Regal Zonophone. The group was called "Reign" and the first album two tracks was written by Keith Relf and Jim McCarty of the Yardbirds : 1970 - Line of Least Resistance / Natural lovin' man It will remain there until 1973. It will become a “Womble” and will take part in the recording of 4 albums: 1973 - Wombling songs, 1974 - Remember you're a womble, 1974 - Keep on wombling, 1975 - Superwombling
Robin Le Mesurier worked a lot as a session guitarist in England
and also in various bands playing up and down the country. In 1976,
he signed a publishing agreement with the Billy Gaff/Rod Stewart
Compagny, Riva Records, during which time, he co-wrote the music
for a spoken word record, " The Velveteen Rabbit ", narrated by
his father, John Le Mesurier.
In 1977, he found himself playing guitar for "Air Supply", on his,
and their first tour of the U.S., opening up for Rod Stewart. After
which, he was asked to join "Lion", an English band on A&M records
living in California. "Lion" later became "The Difference", who
gained quite a following in Southern California ‘till he was asked
to join the Rod Stewart group in 1980. There he stayed for seven
years, touring and recording. From ‘87 to ‘94, he was a sought after
session player in L.A. and also a staff writer at Sony Music.
In 1994, he was approached by Rolling Stones producer, Chris Kimsey and was asked to write for French icon Johnny Hallyday, and then went a record Hallyday’s first album sung in English.
When that record was finished, Robin Le Mesurier became Hallyday’s music director and writes, records and tours with him ‘till the present. In 1995, it forms, with Bernie Taupin and Jim Cregan the group “Farm Dogs”; they record two albums : 1996 - Last stand in open country, 1998 - Immigrant sons
April 2001, Robin Le Mesurier produced an album at Ocean Way Studios L.A. for a Swiss client. Players include : Reggie Hamilton - bass, Tony Brock - drums, Tom Canning - piano, and The vine St Horns. He is still working with Johnny Hallyday, and in 2004 was back again with Rod Stewart of the U.S.- Canada summer tour. During that tour, Rod’s daughter, Ruby, sang with the band on almost show and now, Ruby and Robin are writing together for her own project. From June 02, 2006 to March 03, 2007, Robin was on the round FlashBack de Johnny Hallyday.
Doug
Moore
Doug played guitar for David Bradstreet (A&M) opening for John Prine
on his Canadian tour and was also a guitar player and singer with
Gene Maclellan. He recorded a live album with Gene at Attica State
Prison, New York and was a featured artist on the Gene Maclellan
television show.
He is the Guitarist and singer on "Nobodys Children", an album recorded
by the MacKenzie Prokop Band for World Vision Canada. Doug was the
Guitarist and singer for several music pieces produced for Alan
Thicke and various other artist recordings.
He's done several television and radio ads as musician, vocalist
and voice over. He was the featured artist at the Alan Frew and
Friends benefit concerts and television programs, performing with
Lighthouse and also with Dan Clancy doing an original composition.
Some of the artists he's performed with in a house band situation
and concerts are Alan Frew, Jeff Healy, Lorraine Segato, Anemotion,
Greg Godovitz, and Joan Kennedy.
He's recorded original songs with The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
and Lighthouse for Bravo Television. He's performed other original
music with the Deroisier Dance Company and Lighthouse in Sao Paulo
Brazil and was co-writer with Skip Prokop on Remember The Times,
the last hit record for Lighthouse. He was co-writer on eight songs
for the Lighthouse CD Song Of The Ages, and was also co-writer with
David Matheson of Moxy Fruvous on a song recorded by Katherine Rose.
Joey Serlin
For more than 14 years Joey has built a reputable career in the
music industry. As the principal songwriter for The Watchmen, he
has written multiple top-ten hits, and received numerous Juno nominations,
Much Music Awards, and earned five gold & platinum albums. Joey
has licensed his tracks to a variety of television programs, including
Monday Night Football, CSI & Fashion Television.
No amateur to film, he scored the short film 'Mad Shadows' and 'What
Casanova told me' (International Film Festival) as well as the feature
length film 'Don't call me Tonto.'
A card-carrying Jedi Knight, Joey has produced & composed numerous
national television campaigns: Rogers, Budweiser, Walmart, Nintendo,
Chrysler and Coors…to name a few.
Proud husband and father of two, Joey successfully strikes a balance
between rock star & super dad.
Steve Shelski
Steve Shelski is an accomplished Musician, Composer with a degree
in Music Composition, and over 25 years in the music industry as
both band member and individual artist.
In the 1980's Steve was a founding member, and toured extensively
with rock recording act "Coney Hatch", after which he joined the
Gowan band playing guitar and keyboards, until 1992. Steve has a
wide range of production and composition credits to his name, including
"The Magic School Bus", and feature film music for "Starlight" with
Willy Nelson and Rae Dawn Chong, Heaven Before I Die with Omar Sharif
amongst others.
Steve is currently playing with Robbie Lane and the Disciples, Goddo
and Toronto with Holly Woods.
Michael Zweig
Michael Zweig has been writing and performing for more than 30 years.
He got his start in the late 70's playing guitar for such local
legends as Ray Materick, Lisa Hartt, Peter Foldy, and Bob Segarini.
He first became a lead singer in one of the Downstairs El Mocambo's
favourite bands, The Stingers, where he re-discovered his love of
60's music. In 1984 he signed to Ready Records under the name Michael
Zee, and recorded his first record, an EP, called "Five-Seven, Maybe
Five-Eight", which spawned the mini-hit "I've Got News For You".
Throughout the rest of the 80's, Zweig toured Ontario and Eastern
Canada with a band called The Knockouts, a skinny tie, all 60's music
band. They also served as backup band for visiting Old-Timers, such
as Peter Noone, Del Shannon, Bo Diddley, Lesley Gore, and others. The
Knockouts became Seventh Son, and released a self-titled album. This
album contained two more mini-hits, "She's Insane", and "Going
Downtown". The band dissolved shortly after that.
In the 90's, Zweig wrote, played, sang jingles, moved to L.A. and
back, and finally started his own jingle company. The company has
written and produced spots for Ford, GM, Sears, Adidas and many
others. It is also responsible for the current Home Hardware and
Ontario Place campaigns.
Most recently he toured Canada with Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman,
(including Live 8) and played on their "Jukebox" CD. He has also
played with Tom Cochrane. He can be heard every Saturday night on
Hockey Night In Canada as the co-writer and performer of "The Place'll
Be Rockin' 'Cause It's Saturday Night".
Drums
-
Dave Betts
Dave's music career has been long and varied. He's played drums since age of
11, and has worked with a number of tremendously talented musicians and
producers. As one of the founding members of Honeymoon Suite, Dave has been
fortunate enough to have sold over 1.5 million albums worldwide, toured
throughout North American, Europe and Japan as well as performing on many
radio and television programs, including Solid Gold and American Bandstand.
After leaving Honeymoon Suite, Dave landed the position of SOCAN's main
writer/publisher liaison. This enabled Dave to meet and develop strong
relationships with some of Canada's most successful songwriters, artists,
managers and executives.
Currently employed as a "stay-at-home dad", Dave divides his time between
home, songwriting, playing drums and guitar and teaching Copyright and Music
Publishing at the Harris Institute in Toronto.
Jim McCarty
Jim McCarty (born James Stanley McCarty, 25 July 1943, Liverpool) is a British musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance. He has also played in the bands Shoot (on lead vocals), Illusion (with three other ex-members of Renaissance), Stairway and Pilgrim.McCarty has also been a member of The British Invasion All-Stars, and his own Jim McCarty Band.
By now, everyone knows the Yardbirds legend, if not their music;
the band graduated three of the great Ph.D.s of rock guitar: Eric
Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. They created hard rock
out of standard twelve-bar blues, doubling the tempos and whacking
the amps up to ten.
On the British club scene, the Yardbirds, the Animals, and the Rolling Stones ruled the stages. The Yardbirds expanded the range of the electric guitar, experimenting with feedback, sustain, and fuzztone.
They also coined and popularized the rave-up, a kind of free-for-all where you jam long and hard, not as soloists, but in a tandem, until you reach an epiphany about 10 or 20 or 30 minutes later, a shuddering climax of decibels and pure energy, and then—back into the song for one more boom-boom chorus.
The Yardbirds were the bridge between the tributary white R&B of early-sixties London and the pastures of fuzz-toned psychedelia and power-chorded heavy metal plowed much later in the decade and throughout the seventies. Yes, the Yardbirds laid the groundwork for Rock Guitar As We Know It.
Jim McCarty and Chris Dreja reformed the Yardbirds in the 1990s, with John Idan handling bass and lead vocals, and touring regularly since then with a number of guitarists and harmonica players passing through their ranks. In 2003, a new album, Birdland, was released under the Yardbirds name on the Favored Nations label which consisted of a mixture of new material mostly penned by McCarty and re-recordings of some of their greatest hits, with guest appearances by Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Slash, Brian May, Steve Lukather, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, John Rzeznik, Martin Ditchum and Simon McCarty. Also, Jeff Beck reunited with his former bandmates on the song "My Blind Life".
The Yardbirds released a live 2007 CD, "Live At B.B. King Blues Club" (Favored Nations).
As a solo artist Jim has released numerous albums and projects including 2002s Two Steps Ahead, and 1994s Out Of The Dark, and has a new album that will be released shortly.
Chris McNeill
Chris McNeill has earned the kind of reputation and respect that
all musicians aspire to. For the past 20 years he has been one of
the most sought-out drummers in Toronto. His sound, style and feel
is distinctive and matched by few. As a drummer, he has performed
and recorded with many of Canada's chart topping artists including
Amanda Marshall, Amy Sky, Alannah Miles, Barlow, Von Groove, Carole
Pope, Snow, Randy Bachman, Platinum Blonde and most notable Alan
Frew and six time Juno Award winner Glass Tiger.
Exceptionally powerful productions are being pumped out of his studio
as well. While playing with Glass Tiger and in Alan Frew's solo
band, Chris introduced backing tracks produced in his studio to
help with live shows and expand on the sound and style of the band.
Alan Few and Chris co-write and co-produce material for up and coming
Canadian artists, including up and coming Taylor Jordan.
Chris is now known as an emerging new producer, along with his renowned
drumming. This consistent delivery of ground-breaking drum and keyboard
programming and extraordinary sounding productions is now grabbing
the attention of jingle houses, television shows and A&R execs,
including Dean Cameron of EMI.
Topher Stott
Topher Stott, drummer and percussionist, holds a BFA-Music from
York University (Toronto), where he focused on improvisation with
Casey Sokol + David Mott, Jazz and Carnatic music with Trichy Sankaran.
Recently Topher was asked back to York, teaching Contemporary Improvisation.
Topher has studied in private lessons with Andy Newmark, Brian Blade,
Joey Baron, Dennis Chambers, and Joe Morello.
As a live player, Topher has specialized in drumset with a variety
of artists in the fields of rock, folk, jazz, world music, funk,
pop and improvisation including Phillip Sayce, Bruce Gordon, Derek
Kai, Daryl Grant, Dj Carlos, Cherone Moore, Morgan David, Lyle Crilly,
Adam Faux, David Baxter, Karen Durrant, Laurel James, Janet Whiteway,
Jeff Healey, Stop Die, Andrea Florian, George Grossman, Glen Halls
and Jake Chisholm.
In the studio, Topher has recorded numerous cds with independent
artists and has played on jingles/productions for companies such
as Microsoft, Bausch and lomb, Catelli Pasta , Uniden Communications,
NexxTech Phones, Wolverine Work Boots, to name a few. He is currently
working on a drum loop project.
As a leader, Topher runs the Squawking Heads, a deep ambient groove
project, and co leads both the Tiny Specks (Garage jazz) and The
True Hot fo' Gandhi (live Jungle/Funk) with Adam Faux.
Keyboards
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Steve Koven
Steve Koven was born in Toronto, Canada, and began playing piano
at age seven. He has studied with various jazz artists including
Benny Green, Geoff Keeser, Bruce Barth, Mark Eisenman, and Brian
Rudolf.
Steve's been a professional musician since earning a BFA in Contemporary
Improvisation from York University in 1987. In addition to performing
world-wide with his trio, he's played solo throughout North America,
Europe, and the Caribbean. When not on tour or in the studio, Steve
composes music for film and television and conducts master classes,
workshops, and clinics at high schools, universities, and festivals.
Steve is currently on staff at York University where he teaches
Contemporary Improvisation and Jazz Piano in the Faculty of Music
and Arts Administration in the Fine Arts / Cultural Studies department.
Don Paulton
Don performs with the Canadian super-group "Lighthouse". As part of that band he was inducted into the Canadian Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
He has worked with five Juno award-winners and has performed with such acts as Chuck Berry, The Byrds, Peter Noone (Herman’s Hermits), Del Shannon, Ben E. King, Leslie Gore and the Platters. .
Bass -
Timothy Cameron
Timothy Cameron was given a copy of the Beatles album "Twist And Shout"
when he was four years old, and decided that being a Beatle would be a
good job to have when he grew up. Unfortunately, they weren't hiring. Instead, he waited a few years, then began playing in bars and pubs at the
age of 17, by which time he was tall enough to convincingly "exaggerate"
about his age.
Since then, Timothy has played literally thousands of gigs
across the province, both as a solo performer and member of countless
indie bands, along the way sharing the stage with such diverse luminaries
as Ron Sexsmith, Goddo, Platinum Blonde, Handsome Ned, and Brian Byrne, to
name just a few.
Within the past few years, he's released two independent
CDs, both of which not only charted on campus radio stations across the
country, but also received positive reviews both here and abroad. More
recently, Timothy discovered that one of his songs, American Dream, has
become part of the curriculum in a high school class in Germany which is
studying the recent impact of American culture on the outside world.
He's
also begun the first rough outline of a book detailing his musical
adventures, which, thanks to the wealth of material, looks like it might
be at least a trilogy... or two.
Bruce Gordon - Bass
Bruce Gordon was born in London, England to parents of
Scottish and German heritage. He immigrated to Canada with his family
at the age of six. They first moved to Edmonton, Alberta but after
only a year relocated to Oakville, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto.
After finishing high school, Bruce enrolled in the jazz program
at Humber College to further his musical knowledge. Around the same
time the demise of Circus Lupus led him to join the newly formed
Rocktopus. Rocktopus released several independent cassettes and
an EP on Lone Wolf Records. The band toured regularly across Ontario
and Quebec and successfully completed two cross Canada and one North
American tour before finally calling it quits.
In 1993, only one month after Rocktopus split, Bruce joined I Mother
Earthwho had already signed a worldwide deal with Capitol records.
A few short weeks after Bruce joined the band they embarked on a
pre-album release tour across the states. Over the next ten years
Bruce would release five multi-platinum albums with I Mother Earth,
be presented with MuchMusic and Juno awards and tour relentlessly
around North America and Europe.
In 2003 the band parted ways to pursue different projects. Bruce
expanded his teaching practice privately and at the Twelfth Fret
and began to explore new musical endeavors. He tried his hand at
as many different musical styles as possible, including various
jazz and blues artists, and for a year worked with songwriter Alison
Maclean in her band Fourstar. He also performed with the funk improv
band Hot Fo Ghandi and the lo-fi jazz combo the Tiny Specks.
In early 2005 Bruce was hired by Blue Man Group to help open up
a new Toronto based show. He continues to perform with the eclectic
ensemble on a variety of instruments that include electric zither,
chapman stick and talking drum.
Jeff Jones - Bass/Vocalist
JEFF JONES’ illustrious career has been focused mainly on playing bass and providing background vocals for such Canadian musical greats as Tom Cochrane & Red Rider, The Infidels (featuring Molly Johnson), Lawrence Gowan, The Carpet Frogs and now The Bachman-Cummings Band.
Jones’ career started at the tender age of 16 as a member of Ocean -- best known for their multi-million selling single “Put Your Hand In The Hand”. Working his way through the ranks of the Canadian music star system he has been a primary player for the better part of 25 years. His talent and dedication has garnered him a Juno Award, 3 platinum album awards and 2 gold records.
Jones has spent the last few years songwriting while maintaining a very active touring schedule and performs approximately 150 times a year with the likes of the reformed Tom Cochrane & Red Rider, The Carpet Frogs, and Randy Bachman & Burton Cummings among others. In the past he has toured across North America and has appeared with Red Rider supporting Shania Twain on the 2003 Juno Awards and with Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings on the 2005 Juno Awards. The highlight of this year was being invited to perform at Live 8 in Barrie, Ontario for famine relief.
After many years in the background, his desire to establish himself as a solo artist was realized. “Positive”, his solo CD debut, was released to critical and commercial acclaim in 2001 and was produced by Red Rider’s Ken Greer with remixes by legendary producer Terry Brown (Rush, Klaatu, Cutting Crew).
Bullseye Records has been supporting Jeff’s career mainly through his involvement as member of another of their acts, The Carpet Frogs and encouraged Jeff to step out on his own. “Positive” spawned FOUR radio singles including the hits “In Through The Out Door” and “I’ll Be There”.
After two years on the road supporting Tom Cochrane & Red Rider’s greatest hits package “Trapeze: The Collection” & the hit “"Pictures from the Edge". Jeff Jones is ready to take back the reins of his solo career & record another album. Songs have been written & production begins this fall.
Tom Lewis
Career highlights include tours and recordings with:Rik Emmet (Triumph, Universal), Amanda Marshall (Sony), Honeymoon Suite, Partland Bros. (EMI), Alan Frew (Glass Tiger, EMI), FeFe Dobson (DefJam), Gord Deppe (Spoons), Aselin Debison (Sony) and Alexs Johnson (Nickelodeon/MTV). Support tours with The Beach Boys, The Moody Blues and Jeff Healey have greatly contributed to Tom’s international tour experience! Currently Tom is performing and recording with the “star” of C.T.V.’s “Instant Star” Alexs Johnson. Look for spring and summer 2007 showcases and tours across America.
Tom toured and recorded with members of Prozzac and DefJam/Island recording artist FeFe Dobson as Musical Director 2003/2004. Noteworthy T.V. appearances include several national and internationally (MTV) aired music videos, The Juno Awards, The Arsenio Hall Show, and a live performance with Randy Bachman of Guess Who/BTO fame. Amongst all of this, Tom has put together one of Canada’s premier show bands: “Awesome Powers & the Shagadelics” performing nationally and internationally at casinos and corporate events. Tom’s accomplishments are recognised via product endorsements with such respected companies as S.W.R. amplification systems, D’addario Strings and DotonShaft Guitars.
Nikku Nayar
Nikku Nayar was raised in Grande Prairie, Alberta and has lived
and worked in Toronto as a musician and music educator since 1985.
A graduate of York University (B.FA Mus), he has worked with many
of Toronto's top musicians, including Juno Award winners Michael
Occhipinti and Kenny Kirkwood and drummers Mark McLean, Barry Romberg,
Paul DeLong and Daniel Barnes. His live credits include performances
at the Toronto and Montreal Jazz Festivals, as well as several appearances
with Fritz MacIntyre of the British pop group Simply Red and with
John Cody (songwriter for Tom Cochrane).
In 2005 he traveled to India to perform with the South Indian film
singer Sushila Devi on her most recent studio album. He maintains
an active teaching practice in Toronto.
JOHN SWITZER
John Switzer is a Toronto-based independent record producer. He
has produced records for Jane Siberry, Andrew Cash, The Grievous
Angels, Rita Chiarelli, and The Waltons, among many others. He was
voted Producer of the Year at the 1986 Casby Awards for Jane Siberry's
The Speckless Sky album, and was awarded a gold record for that
same album. In 1994, The Waltons' Lik My Trakter album was certified
gold.
He was voted Best Recording Producer in the 1996 NOW magazine Reader's
Poll (!?) and was awarded the 1996 Porcupine Award for Producer
of the Year. Touch the Earth and Sky, by Native-Canadian singer-songwriter
Vern Cheechoo, released in 1999, was nominated for a JUNO award
in the "Best Music of Aboriginal Canada Recording" category and
garnered Switzer a "Best Producer/Engineer" trophy at the 2000 Aboriginal
Music Awards.
Switzer has also worked in film as Music Consultant and Music Director for Patricia Rozema's White Room and I've Heard the Mermaids Singing, and produced the song score for ZERO PATIENCE, "a musical about AIDS" by John Greyson.
Recent recording projects include Spirit and Stone, the 14th album
from the venerable Tamarack, and Songs of Work and Freedom from
The Brothers Cosmoline, which was nominated for a 2001 JUNO. 2002
saw the release of the JUNO nominated Spirit World, Solid Wood by
NWT singer Leela Gilday, winner of three awards, including Best
Folk Album, at the 2002 Aboriginal Music Awards. Released internationally
in August 2004 on Nettwerk Records, the Switzer-produced album Jimson
Weed , by Winnipeg band Nathan, was nominated for a 2005 JUNO award
for "Best Roots/Traditional Album", nominated for "Outstanding Independent
Album" and "Outstanding Roots Album" at the Western Canada Music
Awards, and received the award for "Best AlbumContemporary" at
the Canadian Folk Music Awards.
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