Local residents are invited to celebrate East York Days: Behind the Music! this month.
Presented by East End Arts, the online event is being hosted CBC Radio’s Errol Nazareth and it begins on the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 16.
East York Days: Behind the Music! will consist of three one-hour online presentations on Facebook Live, from 7 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 16, 23 and 30.
The presentations will take participants “behind the music” to learn more about the journey and artistic process of musicians and the stories behind their songs.
“This year you’re invited to join East End Arts and the host of CBC’s Big City Small World, Errol Nazareth, for an updated version of our annual concert series, East York Days: Behind the Music!,” said East End Arts on its website.
“While we may not be able to gather at the East York Civic Centre for what would have been our third summer of East York Days, we are keeping the spirit and celebration of local music alive and well this year, but with a fun, new digital twist.”
Those viewing online will be taken “off stage to the fireside at St. Matthew’s Clubhouse, where our iconic host will chat with an incredible lineup of musicians to hear the captivating stories behind the songs.”
Nazareth is a highly respected music journalist who hosts co-produces and hosts Big City Small World on Saturdays on CBC Radio. He has also written for the Toronto Sun, Now Magazine and Eye Weekly.
The Sept. 16 presentation will feature artists Andrea Ramolo and Luis Simao.
Ramolo is a multiple Canadian Folk Music Award nominee and has earned accolades for both her solo work and her part in the duo Scarlett Jane.
Born to Italian immigrants, she began her artistic life as a dancer and actor until she released her debut album Thank You For The Ride in 2008.
Her most recent record, Homage, honours songs by the late and Leonard Cohen and earned her a 2020 Canadian Folk Music Award Nomination for Contemporary Singer of the Year.
She has had the pleasure of singing alongside Gordon Lightfoot, Andy Maize, Ron Sexsmith, Tom Wilson, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Adam Cohen and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and more.
Simao is an award-winning, Toronto-based musician who has been composing, performing and recording as a multi-instrumentalist in a variety of genres for more than 20 years.
Simão has performed and/or recorded with Nelly Furtado, Kiran Ahluwalia, Dominic Mancuso (2010 JUNO winner), Bïa, Michael Occhipinti’s Sicilian Jazz Project (2009 JUNO nominee), Luis Mario Ochoa, Justin Rutledge, Guinga, Henrique Cazes, Patricia Cano, Daniela Nardi’s Espresso Manifesto, Sophie Milman, “MARIA SEVERA” at The Shaw Festival, Tapestry New Opera Works, Eliana Cuevas and Aline Morales.
Described as “utterly unique”, he was nominated in three separate categories for the 2017 International Portuguese Music Awards (IPMA), and won Song of the Year with his composition “Três Anos” (Simão/Petrilli). In November of 2017, he was named World Solo Artist of the Year by the Canadian Folk Music Awards for his first solo release, A Luz (The Light), and in April of 2018, was nominated by the Independent Music Awards for 2018 World Beat Artist of the Year.
The Sept. 23 presentation will feature artists Jenna Marie Pinard & Jay Yoo and Denielle Bassels.
The Sept. 30 presentation will feature Joanne Morra and Armelie Lefebvre.
To take part, please visit East End Arts’ Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/eastendartsto/
For more info on East York Days: Behind the Music!, including bios on all of the artists being featured, please visit https://eastendarts.ca/east-york-days-behind-the-music/
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