Celebrating The Music of the Brill Building!

     Micah Barnes, Billy Newton-Davis, Gavin Hope and Tyrone Gabriel star in
                          "STAND BY ME: THE Music of the Brill Building" 
                   STRATFORD SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL AUG 23RD 2014

           Micah Barnes on  "Stand By Me:The Music Of The Brill Building"

"One of the most important musical landmarks in New York City is the Brill Building where a small army of ambitious teenagers competed with each other to write the next million seller for Elvis, The Drifters or The Shirelles. Along the way this bunch made a long string of hit records that saw them leaving parents basements in Brooklyn and entering rock n roll history as they created the second great American songbook, filling the airwaves and the dance floors and jukeboxes of the world with the hopes and dreams of the american teenager.

I first began singing this rich material during my time as a member of The Nylons when the guys schooled me on how the early Doo Wop and Rhythm and Blues developed into sophisticated three minute pop classics such as "One Fine Day" and "Spanish Harlem",  but it was while I was living and writing in The Big Apple, writing the songs for my next release "New York Stories" when these songs began to inspire me once again and the idea of "Stand By Me" was born! 

Imagining an evening that might recreate a concert from the early 60's I asked some of the best singers in Canada to join me in forming a vocal group to interpret songs written by legendary Brill Building composers and lyricists such as Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Lieber and Stoller and  Bacharach and David.  Each of the singers had to be able to handle  harmonies so it was natural to ask Billy, Gavin and Tyrone (who have all been a part of The Nylons), however this show also features an excellent batch of musicians including my brother Daniel Barnes on the drums, Russ Boswell on bass and our musical director Michael Shand.

"We are all really looking forward to meeting audiences in STRATFORD with the perfect summer evening out, one that will have everybody singing these songs for the rest of the season!"
                                                           
"STAND BY ME: The Music Of The Brill Building" 
STRATFORD SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL
Saturday August 23 | 9 pm |  
The Church Restaurant
$42 Show Only | $92 Show and Dinner Package 
For dinner reservations call 519.271.2101
The Church Restaurant
Please call our box office at 519.271.2101 | 1.866.288.4313
https://stratfordsummermusic.ca/artist.php?id=104 

World Pride: Singing Because I Can

It's easy to feel cynical about the idea of World Pride as a citizen of Toronto, the whole city feels like it's gearing up for one big colorful tourism event. Amidst all the hoopla I am feeling something very real around this year's international focus for Pride as I prepare to perform on stages across the city.

"All great artists draw from the same resource: the human heart, which tells us that we are all more alike than we are unalike"-Maya Angelou


 This year I will be thinking about all the gay men and women who live in fear of bring killed for living their truth in countries around the world such as Uganda and Russia. How lucky are we to live in such an open and accepting place as Canada where we led the charge for same sex marriage internationally and offer safe haven to refugees from countries where their lives are in danger.

I will be joining the Nylons performing at the outdoor Aids Vigil June 24rd. June 25th I will join Lorraine Segato, Jackie Richardson, Billy Newton Davis and kd Lang on the bill for the World Pride Gala, and take part in the ROM World Pride concert with John Alcorn, Heather Bambrick, Julie Michaels and Bill King June 27th.
                                                                             
                                                                 

"The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free"-Maya Angelou

Thats what I will be carrying in my heart as I join my singing brothers and sisters in song for World Pride. Singing for those who can't. Singing for these who have been silenced. Singing because I can.

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New York Story: Chapter Two

Greetings from NYC where we came to launch "New York Story" to the world. What a whirlwind week it's been watching the song climb to the top of the Canadian Itunes Jazz chart in less than 5 hours (climbing to #21 on the US chart!)! I feel truly humbled and grateful for the deep support from friends and fans on both sides of the border. Thank You!
  We've come full circle, returning to the place where the song was born one beautiful fall day during a long romantic walk through Central Park and The City. The lyric and melody and feeling is still very much alive for me as the musical history and energy of New York continue to inspire.

     For a recording to create impact in the world there is always a small village that has nurtured it's birth, and in this case it all starts with the incredible musicians in my trio, Daniel Barnes & Russ Boswell, who helped arrange the song as it took shape over our Month of Sundays at Toronto's Jazz Bistro Dec 2013, (Special Thanks to Sybil Walker and to her right hand guy Ori Dagan for their tireless support of the music!). Also contributing is the exceptional Michael Shand whose keyboard work on this song and others on the upcoming full length brought just the right touch.

       I also hold deep gratitude to my favorite singing partner, the incomparable Ms. Jackie Richardson for her intelligent approach to the lyric which helped clarified the romantic story as we recorded the duet version for the complete"New York Stories" due fall 2014).
    Of course the recording atmosphere at The Drive Shed studio's has been amazing, with John Beetle Bailey and Taylor Kernohan at the helm, really and truly nurturing of the music. Thats a large part of why the recording sounds and feels so damn easy going and relaxed!
      While putting the finishing touches on the recording my video producer Leonardo Dell'Anno assembled his top notch team of Juan and Louisa to shoot an in studio performance video of the song which really captured the spirit of an old school jazz recording session and invites the viewer into the atmosphere of a New York Jazz club! Like lightening in a bottle.

 
And finally.. I have to thank the listeners and viewers who have welcomed this song with such loving embrace.. it has filled us with a sense of grace and purpose as we put the finishing touches on the full length "New York Stories" for release in the fall.

Thank you for being a part of this New York Story!

Listen and Watch: Reverb Nation
Purchase:  U.S.A.   Canada
Follow The Story: Micah Barnes FaceBook Fan Page

"New York Story" Chapter One

In the midst of what we hope is the last winter blizzard in Toronto Jackie Richardson and I made our way up to The Drive Shed studio's to cut the duet  version of our title track "New York Story". John Beetle Bailey and his trusty side kick Taylor having raised the already recorded band track into a suitable key for us… and Jackie and I already having rehearsed and performed the song live at our annual Jazz Valentine concert at Hugh's Room last month..so of course the recording session itself was a breeze, and the lady could not have sounded better. Our romantic vibe together is so delicious, what an amazing feeling to hear this song come to such beautiful life.

           Our fearless engineer John Beetle Bailey and Jackie Richardson

"New York Story" the song itself burst into life last fall 2013 while my honey and I were spending time at the New York apartment, for what seemed the first time there was space for us to take in the city and feel the romance of living in New York. Inspired by Jazz standards and the likes of Carmen McCrea and Tony Bennett I started to feel that there was an emotionally true story to tell about my experience of romance both in the city and WITH the city.
          At first the lyrics were just little snippets but the melody already felt lush and romantic in the tunes infancy. In fact it was based on the bones of another song, (which happens a lot when I am preparing material for an album) "The Rules Of Romance" which served the title song from the solo show I had toured in order to try out the new collection of original and cover songs on audiences across Canada. (FYI Winnipeg loved "My Used To Be", Halifax liked "After The Romance The Rent"!)
         Sketching the new snippets of the song in our Harlem apt (on the electric keyboard I had driven down from Canada) and finishing up the first draft of the lyrics in a nearby coffee shop up on Sugar Hill, I was able to bring the song into enough shape to present it to my trio (Daniel Barnes and Russ Boswell) in time for our Month Of Sundays Dec 2013 at The Jazz Bistro.

   The Micah Barnes Trio, Micah, Russ and Dan, backstage at The Jazz Bistro

    During that month the tune kept eluding myself and the trio, tempo, key, chords and melodies shifting subtly until the fully realized version began to emerge. But the words still had some glaring holes in the lyric and so after our month was done I began  the hard sweat part of writing, zeroing in making sure every single word fell in just the right way melodically and that the sense and meaning of every moment in the song was perfectly clear.
 The listeners will be the judge but by the time Jackie and I were rehearsing the tune for our Jazz Valentine it felt like the lyric and melody had in fact landed. What a relief.. and with guest pianist Michael Shand on deck for both that show and the recording session the whole arrangement started to make sense to our ears;  the first chapter in our romantic adventure with New York City!

The solo version will be available for download from itunes April 13th! Single release show at The Jazz Bistro Sunday April 13th at 12.30 pm and 7 pm!  Single Release Show Details!

Billy Newton Davis For X Mas!

The powerhouse that is Billy Newton-Davis!

 Here is a brief interview with everybody's favorite powerhouse performer and pioneering pop star Billy Newton-Davis! He will be joining us Dec 1st as our first special guest for our "Christmas in New York" Month Of Sundays at The Jazz Bistro! Now thats rockin' the Holidays!!

Micah: Your family had many famous musicians already so a career in this business

must have seemed likely for you. Was your family encouraging?

Billy My family has always been very supportive of my career.  My Dad and My Aunt
sang in churches around the Grenville, South Carolina area in the 40's.  My
cousin Billy Davis Jr. was a member of The Drifters.  When he was in town,
he always tried to put me on the stage... always!
My Dad played every genre of music.  Somehow inherently I could pick up the
rhythm, the style, the lyric from mimicking artist like Aretha, Dinah
Washington, and Sarah Vaughn...My most memorable style was that of Sam Cooke.  My Dad in his later years, Iwould have been five years old, sang in a quartet in Cleveland capturing the quartet, and a'capella style of his roots from the south.

Micah: Thats why The Nylons A Capella was such a good fit!  I believe before that you started out singing in The Church. How has that influenced the way you make music?
Billy: My voice is my gift. Having gospel roots shaped my career. 
 Micah:Your early years included a stint on Broadway with Sammy Davis Junior  How do you think working with "greats" helped you achieve your own career?

Billy: I was enamored with Sammy Davis every since I can remember.  He just tore
down the colour wall.  I have always loved cool, unique, and sassy. He was
just so Hollywood... ha ha ha ...Many times I saw what I did not want to
become ha ha ha ha .

Micah:Did you know you were born to make history as one of Canada's first Afro-Canadian pop stars?

Billy: No I did not... I am flattered, and much honored. 
I would like to think more like... I hope that I have contributed something
to make a change, and some things a bit easier for young artist in our
community, and across the country.

Micah: What advice to you have for up and coming artists who are considering a
career in this business?

Billy: Ha ha ha ha! Take a business course; take a promotion and marketing course.
Have great social media skills.  Of course study your craft of voice, music,
and dance. Acting courses don't hurt.  The big thing is connections
...putting yourself out there..one more thing.  Remember...
Song writing and touring is where you make your money!
And by all means never ever give up on your dream..ever...

Micah: Awesome words for all! Your recent collaborations with Electronic Dance Music's biggest star Deadmaus lead to yet another juno win. What was working with him like?

Billy: Deadmau5 is a force to always be reckoned with.  He is genius.  He has a
great ear.  He is totally savvy in the world of dance music.  He has a very
unique sound, and a wicked sense of time, and rhythm.  He is a business man
obviously.
He knew my voice, and just surrounded it with magnificent sound.  Winning
another Juno was just a blast! 

Micah: Singing with you in The Nylons was one of the highlights of those years for
me. Any special memories from those years?

Billy: We were all comrades'.  I thought in our years we brought another dynamic to
something that was already quite established, and we put a new twist on that
era of The Nylons.  I remember a lot how much we laughed.  I also remember
the loving arms around me when I joined....  Oh I learned a lot about my
voice and my talent. I met the fabulous Micah Barnes. a great friend for ever! 

The Jazz Bistro
251 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T8
Cover $15; Reservations recommended at Tel: 416.363.5299 (JAZZ)
Doors open at 11:30 am, Music starts at 12.30 pm

A Musical Tour Of New York!

This Holiday season my Trio (Daniel Barnes drums, Russ Boswell bass) and I will be taking audiences on a musical tour through New York City in celebration of our upcoming disc "New York Stories".

We will be visiting legendary musical landmarks such as The Brill Building, The Savoy Ballroom, The Cotton Club, The Apollo Theatre, and Broadway's Time Square with songs taking the audience on a journey through the musical history of The Big Apple. New York has long been an inspiration to musicians in the Jazz world so it's no surprise that when I began writing the upcoming disc there  I found the energy and the musical history of the city deeply inspiring.

Living in an apartment right on the site of the legendary Savoy Ballroom and writing in a piano studio near Time Square, I found a deep connection to the Jazz and Blues standards written in the 30's and 40's, by folks such as Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Howard Arlen, many of which debuted at The Cotton Club or in Broadway shows. The creative explosion of Doo Wop and early R & B written and produced at The Brill Building and heard at The Apollo Theatrewas also a huge influence on me as he composed the romantic songs that make up our upcoming release "New York Stories". (Release date March 2014).

The Jazz Bistro is the world class venue for Jazz that Toronto deserves  and I am proud to be returning to their stage for another month of Sunday brunch shows.  Our show "Christmas in New York"  surprise special guests throughout the month! Please join us Dec 1st to kick off the month when 3 time Juno Award winner Billy Newton Davis  will be dropping by to sing a few songs! Check https://www.facebook.com/micahbarnesmusic for news and special guest updates!

The Jazz Bistro
251 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T8
Cover $15; Reservations recommended at Tel: 416.363.5299 (JAZZ)
Doors open at 11:30 am, Music starts at 12.30 pm

New York Stories: The Music Of The Brill Building.. featuring Gavin Hope!

Gavin has one of the most beautiful voices in the country and is celebrating his critically acclaimed new disc "For All We Know". I am so excited to finally be sharing the stage with him again after many many years! Here is our short interview in support of the concert New York Stories: The Music Of The Brill Building Oct 24th at Hugh's Room in Toronto reservations at info@hughsroom.com!

                                                           

Micah: When we first met you were still a teenager singing with The Earthtones and opening the show for The Nylons! So you started singing A Capella young! How did all that come about?

Gavin: I've always loved choral and a cappella ensembles since I was in high school, and in 1991, I won a talent competition singing at the Calgary Stampede called the Youth Talent Showdown, and that's where I met the Earthtones. As a part of that group,  we toured around a lot in western Canada performing doo-wop and pop tunes, and were stoked when we were asked to join the bill and open for the Nylons!! A highlight of that experience was you bringing us back on stage to sing with you in the encore "Kiss Him Goodbye", and you passing me your microphone.. I nearly shat.   ( on a side note, the year before I became an EarthTone, I saw the Nylons perform at Jack Singer Concert Hall  and absolutely loved the show - Little did I know that the next year I'd be in a group that opened for the Nylons, and the following year - I'd be IN the Nylons! What a trip ). So yes Micah, I was a wee lad of 17 or 18 when we met I think..lol. 

Micah: How do you compare your musical theatre experience (starring in the original Canadian production of both RENT and The Lion King) influence your stage performance work as a singer?

Gavin: As a singer, to be in shows like The Lion King and RENT were quite demanding. We had 6-8 weeks of rehearsal leading up to performing 8 times a week, 6 days a week. So I learned how to sing in a much more controlled way, for survival! I couldn't be reckless with my voice and just belt anything out.. I started learning where my limits were and how to overcome them. It was a challenge, but definitely a growing experience. I also learned how to take care of my instrument more, and getting more sleep to make sure I was rested for the performances. Matinees and double show days were pretty demanding for sure - especially by the end of the week! In Lion King especially - it wasn't just singing, but it's one of the most physically demanding shows you can do as a singer.. running around, dancing AND singing..all in cumbersome and delicate costumes. When I was playing Simba, I had a tight head mask on, a corset, and in one scene I even had to battle the villain while being strung up 14 feet in the air. It was all quite the wild experience.

Micah:The Nylons is a musical institution in Canada, what were the challenges in joining an already existing group for you?

I think the biggest challenge for me was fitting in as the youngest member. I was barely 20 years old when I joined the group initially, and the guys not only were quite older than myself, they were an established icon in Canadian music that had been around for about 14 years before I joined. They had many fans, and I was one of two 'new guys' in the band. But because I was young, I had fresh wide eyes and was pretty much ready and willing to do just about anything - it was such a thrill!! WIthin a month or two of joining the band I was already in studio recording my first album with them ( Because ) and the follow up Christmas album Harmony. As far as the challenges though - primarily the age gap, trying to fit in, and wooing the old fans.. But it all seemed to fall into place relatively quickly, which I was thankful for.There was also learning the dynamic of the individual guys in the group as well.

Micah Can you tell us a bit about the making of your beautiful new disc and how that all came about?

My new solo Jazz album is called "For All We Know", and it came about randomly literally a year ago, by meeting my producer and accompanist Bill King at the SING! Vocal Arts Festival fundraiser last October. SING! Is a great new local music festival that focusses on vocal talent, groups, and just anything to do with singing in and around Toronto. I was singing at the annual fundraiser as I had performed with the Nylons as a featured group the inaugural year, and was asked to help out. I met Bill at the fundraiser and he played as I sang a tune. He liked my voice and wanted to do some recording together, so over the next few months we laid down a couple of tracks, got some funding from great people at Slaight Music, and lo and behold, we just released a full album of Jazz standards as well as one original by Bill. I'm really excited about it as it's the first time I've recorded this type of album ( my first album was much more pop oriented ) with such lush, simple, and intimate songs. So far we've had a lot of buzz about it, fantastic reviews, some radio play, and some really positive feedback! Looking forward to seeing where this goes. 

                                                                           

New York Stories: The Music of the Brill Building
Micah Barnes & Friends in Concert
$28.50 advance $30 at door
Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013 – 8:30 p.m.
Hugh’s Room
2261 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON
For dinner reservations or concert tickets, please call the club at 416-531-6604 or email info@hughroom.com.