WhiStle Radio 102.7 fm

What an incredible evening at Pastaggio’s Restaurant in Stouffville on Saturday night. It was the warm up to the 10th annual WinterFolk Blues and Roots Festival coming to Toronto on February 17 – 19th at the Delta Chelsea Hotel. The Winterfolk Blues and Roots festival is an annual fundraiser put on by “The Association of Artists for a Better World”. (a registered not-for-profit organization here in Ontario) an association that supports blues and roots music and artists and develops music programs and festivals for youth.
Many Stouffville musicians were featured at the WinterFolk Preview. The night started off with The Cris Cuddy Acoustic Unit comprised of Cris Cuddy, Pierre Bordeleau and Andrew Heathcote. Between Cris’s lyrics, Pierre amazing guitar skills and Andrew holding on to his stand-up bass (Bessie) so she doesn’t take off across the floor – the harmonies were nothing short of amazing.

Next in the lineup was Poor Tom – the female duo of Wanda Stride and Susan Luke. With Wanda on the keyboard and Susan on the fiddle, the music was so crystal clear – the voices added an even higher level to the night’s performances – their sound is Original Celtic, Folk, Country Rock, Roots Music. With Wanda’s Newfoundland roots meeting Susan’s Virginia roots in some happy place near Toronto, Ontario – Uxbridge perhaps???.

Not enough can be said about the next artist – Erwin Schack is among the best finger style guitarist in the region. He proves the point that music doesn’t always need voice. His style and technique captivated the audience. Erwin runs a regular jam in Port Perry on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 at Salvatorre’s Restaurant. Erwin is also a member of the York Region Finger Style Guitarist Association and helps run a monthly Finger Style Jam at the Cornerhouse on Main right here in Stouffville.

Tom Pullin and his band were up next, which included Robin Short on guitar, Rob Pare on bass and Ray “the Artist” Partridge on drums. It’s always exciting when Tom pulls out the electric guitar and plays “Lucy B” – great music, great sound. Tom has a strong 70′s & 80′s background with some throwbacks to the late 60′s. Tom is a solid entertainer.

Tom was followed by Laura Fernandez (keyboards) who was accompanied by Noah Zacharin on guitar. She captivated the audience with her beautiful voice as she sang mostly in Spanish. Her final song “Red Red Bird” was a real treat, not only was it a great uplifting song – she bounced back from Spanish to singing the chorus in English. Laura was born in Madrid Spain and now resides in Toronto. She is an accomplished singer, songwriter, pianist, music producer, painter, awarding winning illustrator and designer and also a radio host/producer.

Grainne Ryan graced the stage – Although she now resides in Peterborough – Stouffville wishes to refer to Grainne as “our girl”. Grainne’s big voice, powerful lyrics and gutsy, earthy sound will have you singing along to her infectious melodies. Last night Grainne sang Colours of You and dedicated it to Whistle Radio – see why we love her. Grainne’s latest CD “Looking for Sunshine” can be purchased on ITunes, CD Baby and Napster.

Hotcha! is a truly unique husband and wife duo of Beverly Kreller (Artistic Services Director for Winterfolk) and Howard Druckman that just blows you away with their dust bowl roots. “If you could take a picture of HOTCHA!’s music, it would be a grainy, sepia-toned portrait of depression-era musicians with nothing but an old Sears-Roebuck guitar and a nickel in hand for the jitney dance. If you listen to HOTCHA!’s music, you’ll hear a unique combination of accordion and bodhran (Celtic drum) alongside gritty guitar, wailing harmonica and soaring vocals harmonies”. Saturday night they create a flurry of excitement with their hard hitting, fast pace, down home folk music. Folk Music at its’ best and in their own creative style. They electrified the crowd as they took simple depression era songs and “Hotcha- fi-it”. The crowd roared as they asked folks to “scat” along with them with random syllables on their second to last song – what a hoot.

Marie Lynn Hammond was on stage next, accompanied by Toronto native guitar master, singer, song writer and world renowned performer, D’Arcy Wickham. Always a true professional Marie Lynn entertained the crowd with her beautiful melodies and sense of humour. Backed up by D’Arcy on guitar (and at one point an Electric Ukelele). Marie Lynn charmed the audience with her unique voice, dynamic stage presence and brilliant songs. She always pleases with her catchy turn phrases as in her opening song “I had a dream I was dreaming about you dreaming about me”. She then drew in the help of the evenings’ emcee – Jim Priebe; who held up a placard with the so called words to the chorus of one of her songs so the crowd could sing along “AAAAEEEE Comma Comma Comma Comma Bracket Bracket Bracket Bracket” lyrics she attributes to her cat walking across her computer keyboard.

To close the show, Noah Zacharin took to the stage once again along with Festival Director Brian Gladstone and guitarist Tony the “Ringer” Quarrington as The Guitar Boys of Alderon (missing was regular guitar slinger “Mr. Rick”). These men have about 100 years of playing and performing and thrilling crowds between them and they didn’t disappoint. They busted out a variety of blues roots classics that define the genre and brought the entire evening to triumphant finale with all of the evenings’ performers and the audience participating in and belting out at the top of their collective lungs, the ancient American classic – Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter’s Irene Good Night.
All in all, once we catch our breath – there is only one thing to say, “It was a Great Night Out”. Pictures can be seen on the Whistle Radio – CIWS Facebook page.