No Grand Festival this year

I am sad to announce that the Grand Festival of Autumnal Happiness is taking a hiatus in 2006.

Personal reasons, busy schedules, etc. have cause us to put the Festival on the backburner for another year. Happy Autumn, enjoy those leaves, pumpkin pie and all that good stuff and see you next year. (i hope)

...if I say so myself!

This year's festival was a grand success! Reports have it that John Millard's new band was really something to behold. A number of people have said it was like a great lesson in the history of Canadian folk music. Bassist and co-artistic director Rob Clutton joined Lina Allemano and Ryan Driver in "N" who not only explored the vast potential of trumpet/bass and piano/synth but had their own t-shirts!! The Demon duo tore the roof off of the Red Guitar with a number of Shuffle Demon favourites including "What do you Want?"

A week later the festival closed on Ward's Island. The church was a great place to hear all three of these groups (if I do say so myself!) Selina Martin was a hit with her original folk/pop songs selling Cds to 40% of the audience. (not bad eh?!!) Bob Fenton took advantage of having a grand piano in a church by exagerating the sustain in his performance as the sonorities bounced around high above. Closing the show was the self proclaimed oldest jazz singer in Canada; Don Francks with the Tim Posgate Hornband. He put on a great show, sung beautifully (including Posgate's arrangement of Stevie Wonder's Village Ghettoland) and kept it real with his between-song-banter.

Stay tuned here for updates on GFoAH 06. Also please check out Guildwoodrecords.com and Roughidea.ca for updates on shows throughout the year.

Thanks again to our sponsors; Vergemusic.com, Soundscapes and the Red Guitar, and all the musicians for their beautiful music and support.

island woodpile

woodpile
Originally uploaded by tim posgate.

Another beautiful fall photo taken recently on the Island. Yes, I know we should probably have photos of the artists who are playing but...scroll down a bit and you will at least get their names and more details on festival info!

tree on Ward's Island

tree
Originally uploaded by tim posgate.

Here is some of that Autumn feeling (yes, a real photo taken recently on the Island by Ron Gaskin) you will get next week on the Island if you make it out on the afternoon Sunday November 27.

St. Andrew-By-The-Lake

Church
Originally uploaded by tim posgate.

This is the beautiful little church on Ward's Island where we are having the final concert this year.

It is a great place to hear music and such a nice walk in the fall from the Ward's Island ferry.

Grand Festival Press Release

For immediate release October 26, 2005
Grand Festival slims down but ramps up!

This year’s sixth annual Grand Festival of Autumnal Happiness presented by Rob Clutton and Tim Posgate is presenting a very special two night (as opposed to the four night festivals of previous years) program including the debut of new ensembles, and a stylistic harvest like never before!

Grand Festival venues have been as unpredictable as it’s musical choices and this year is no different. Toronto’s newest jazz venue the Red Guitar Arthouse Café will host the first night while there will be an afternoon autumnal celebration to close the festival at the Church on Ward’s Island. (The Grand Festival is glad to announce that Island resident Ron Gaskin of Rough Idea is officially now a part of the Grand Festival’s team of creative directors)

Among the artists at this years festival will be John Millard debuting his new core trio from his soon-to-be-released Cd and Canadian legend and icon Don Francks will make his first appearance singing with the Tim Posgate Hornband. Also don’t miss the two long time Shuffle Demon veterans Richard Underhill and Stich Wynston colliding as the Demon Duo and so much more.

Details:

Monday November 21, 9pm
The Red Guitar Arthouse Café
603 Markham St.
Toronto (416)913-4586
www.theredguitar.com
cover: $10, $6 for Artists and students

9pm “N” (Rob Clutton/Ryan Driver/Lina Allemano)

10pm. "A People's Fame" John Millard/Tania Gill/Jay Burr

11pm. "Shuffle Demon Duo" (Rich Underhill/ Stich Wynston)


Sunday November 27, 2pm
St. Andrew by-the-Lake
Toronto Island Church
http://torontoisland.org/church/
Cover: $10, $6 for artists and students

2pm. Selina Martin (w/Julia Hambleton, Annelise Noronha)

3pm. Bob Fenton (solo piano)

3:45pm Don Francks w/ Tim Posgate Hornband

For more info: www.grandfestival.blogspot.com
tim@guildwoodrecords.com or rclutton@uniserve.com

Grand Festival Returns!!

Here is the first announcement of the new Grand Festival lineup: (stay tuned here for more details, updates, photos etc.)

Grand Festival of Autumnal Happiness 2005

Monday Nov 21, Red Guitar Arthouse Cafe
Clutton/Allemano/Driver
John Millard
Shuffle Demons Duo

Sunday Nov 27, Ward Island Church
Selina Martin/Julia Hambleton
Bob Fenton (solo piano)
Don Francks w/ Tim Posgate Hornband

the Grand Festival artists for 2004

Thanks to all the artists, our sponsors and especially Mike Hansen for being our host at the New Works Studio. Tune in next year right here for the 6th annual Grand Festival of Autumnal Happiness. Also check in at guildwoodrecords.com or tim's blog for related news, information and more!

November 24

eric chenaux
runcible spoon

November 25

bourne/clutton/oswald
porkchops

November 26

tim posgate/ben grossman
atm+guy

November 27

bob wiseman
jazzstory

Introduction/history

The Grand Festival of Autumnal Happiness is currently in it's fifth year. This festival was created to provide performance situations for our friends who we hope others will enjoy as much as we do in a time of year that can sometimes use a little spiritual lift. Curators Rob Clutton and Tim Posgate have chosen this years lineup and are excited that all the artists are available and interested in being part of this year's festival.

The festival has had a few different locations over the years including C'est What and Revival. This year's location is the New Work Studio at 319 Spadina Ave. Thanks to Mike Hansen for his committment to this festival and to Toronto's creative music scene.

Other special people involved with this festival have been Greg Davis at Soundscapes for being both one of our earlier and most consistent sponsors, Vergemusic.com and Ron Gaskin and Rough Idea.

All shows start at approximately 9pm (second set approximately one hour later) cover is $8, 6 for artists and students.

eric chenaux

eric chenaux
Originally uploaded by tim posgate.

Eric is one of the most interesting and unique guitarists in Toronto's creative music scene. He is a co-founder of the Rat Drifting label and a member of the Reveries as well as the leader of a new ensemble called the Tristanos. It has been a long time since Toronto has had the opportunity to hear this artist play a solo set. Don't miss it!

Posgate/Grossman

hurdy gurdy
Originally uploaded by tim posgate.

Guitarist tim posgate and hurdy gurdy player Ben Grossman performed for the first time this year at a CIUT benefit and had so much fun, they had to do it again.

atm + guy

atm + guy
Originally uploaded by tim posgate.

These four guys have been making music and noise together for six years.guy LeBlanc, mike hansen, tomasz krakowiak and arnd jurgenson are all interesting artists individually but collectively this this group will add up to make for a special evening that should blow the roof off the new work studio.

175
Originally uploaded by tim posgate.

Runcible Spoon

Runcible
Originally uploaded by tim posgate.

Pamela Bettger - viola
Monica Fedrigo - cello
Tania Gill - piano
Julia Hambleton - clarinet
Leah State - voice

This highly entertaining group does it all and does it well! Jazz,klezmer, pop? Fun. for sure. more info:

Clutton/ Bourne/ Oswald

rob
Originally uploaded by tim posgate.

Three exciting Canadian improvisers perform together live for the first time! Rob Clutton is the Co-artistic director and has worked with numerous North American artists including Charles Gayle, Don Byron, Sam Rivers, NOJO, and Steve Koven among others. He has released two Cds as a leader and has a new solo bass disc coming out on the Rat Drifting label.

Anne Bourne
Originally uploaded by tim posgate.

"anne bourne is a composer/cellist/vocalist who focuses on the moment in
sound, just before form becomes fixed while listening with curiosity to all
sounds. she played improvised music with john oswald in marvin's basement
for 13 years. a more recent collaboration with rob clutton has led to
discovering an inspired sympatico."

oswald_jo.3
Originally uploaded by tim posgate.

The best place to get info on composer/saxophonist John Oswald is at the Plunderphonics websitePlunderphonics.com

Porkchops

victorbateman
Originally uploaded by tim posgate.

These three busy and creative Toronto musicians; victor bateman, jake oelrichs and brodie west all come to bebop through different doors and leave through different windows. Bebop is alive and well! Come hear it played with lotsa love and passion.

Brodie
Originally uploaded by tim posgate.

jake
Originally uploaded by tim posgate.