The swift blaze of a hot fire is a rare thing “up norf” on the shores of Lake Ontario. But it did get a little warm during Burnt Sugar’s visit to Harbour Front in Toronto… and not just from the combustible concoction the Suga’ people cooked up… but from bright-sunny days, upper 70’s weather-uncharacteristically still going strong at the end of the north’s summer (which is known to flip into the next season with only a day’s notice after the official change date), a Hot & Spicy Food Festival, the Rebirth Brass Band and the great Irma Thomas sounding like she’s still 25 years old, all within a hundred yards from one another, day in and day out to boot!
What more can a musician ask for on a gig than good food, good music and respect? The crew this ’round was Greg Tate, Trevor Holder, Jared Nickerson, Moist Paula Henderson, Mazz Swift, Dave Smith, Ben Tyree, Yours Truly… and our lovely road manager – LaRonda Davis.
The respect of Burnt Sugar weighed nothing against the honor of corn! I thought there was a shortage of corn in Canada the way folk lined up for roasted corn on the cob and corn soup at a vendor near our tent. I mentioned to several people how I would have parboiled them jokers, threw some spice on then put them over some hardwood charcoal for a grill-finish… whew-buddy!
But of course it would have not been the same and that is why I would not have had the line my brethren did at their spot… the connoisseur knew better… and more power to the vendors who did as well!
Other than that, it was Burnt Sugar in the morning (workshop) and Burnt Sugar in the evening (kickin’ it live and off the top of the dome) in the Brigantine Room.
We had a good ol’ time and musical experimentation was at a high other than the moment we slipped into “Shake Your Body Down (To the Ground)” 2-thirds into the hour & 1/2 set the 1st night we played in Toronto and our conductor, Mr. Greg Tate even put a spin on that, having violinist Mazz Swift riff on the string parts and sing only part of the lyrics after he, for 5 minutes or so teased the audience with various Michael Jackson samples on his laptop segued by some romantic piano passages totally unrelated to MJ’s music. BRILLIANT! There’s a lot to be said about building ideas on a regular stage in the same room under the conditions previously mentioned….(even though it was only 2 nights).
The challenge becomes that of the audience and familiarity could never breed contempt amongst Burnt Sugar people… and I say that with love for our audience. So yes, it was fresh every time we hit the stage and hopefully we inspired a few souls! Oh, did I mention we held workshops also? The workshops were a joy too! It went something like this: A few musicians got word we were doing workshops “up norf” in the early afternoon of Sunday and Monday, and joined us at the bay.
There was a mandolinist, a bassoonist, a Gu zhenge (Chinese zither) player, a percussionist/keyboardist and a vocalist. Greg invited them on stage along with their instruments to help us create a brew for the teaching…, then he broke down the science of conduction while the audience listened… the band displayed some musical ideas that Greg began to shape with his baton and there we were with a new configuration of sound! Now, there was no way we were leaving that happy-smiling audience of love out of the fun on this beautiful afternoon!
This was our chance to create a small city of northern cacophony caramelized by the “Sugar… So Greg granted me the baton and I took the pleasure of including and facilitating the surrounding audience in Burnt Sugar madness… I indoctrinated them into the band through a brief explanation of what we are, the elements we draw from (by having the band play several styles of music in the purest form possible) and how they could add, subtract and apply themselves to this mad math called Conduction! I got them chanting, singing, doing call & response, yelling, beat-boxing, you name it…! Cued them in and out, played with the space Greg and the band created and sweat like crazy!
As you can imagine, kids are brave but initially shy… so when they open up they often express themselves with the all encompassing SCREAM!!! I heard that portion was a bit unbearable for some band members… and I’ll take the blame for that… next time I’ll pull back on that mic… sorry guys. Like John Lee Hooker said: “they got to get it out”. After a few moments, several adults in the crowd began to raise their hands to get my attention so they could spew some new found ideas in the microphone I was holding… one cat blew some sweet notes into a bottle and there was this little girl who walked and ran with me because she kept coming up with ideas and was loving the rhythm of the band! She was great!
Oh yeah baby, hot fun at the end of summertime is what it was! Folks laid out on the grass with their kids crawling on them, trying to sing with mouths full of veggie hot dogs dripping condiments in their laps, kids trying to scat but end up spitting into the mic, I move to the next inspired individual who wants the mic… so I wipe it on my shirt under my arm because I know they just saw that other kid spit all over it…, meantime, some mysterious lady from somewhere in the caribbean has been holding her hand out for the mic because she has a musical idea she wants to share with the world… yeah, they were carmelizin’ in the sun on the most magnificent astro turf that side of the NFL has ever seen! If I may say so, I think we sort-a set things off on Sunday and Monday!
The festival itself drew love… I never saw a festival with so many couples and families all hugged up, no drama and enjoying the music like this… They could’ve called this the Hot & Spicy Love Festival! Right on to the festival organizers at the Harbour Front in Toronto! You made it lovely!
I must admit, I am a fan of the northern climate and I wonder if there are others in my family who like it “up norf”…I ask because they’re from the south… Lol! Oh well, I love it! What can I say!? When we trek north I get all warm inside! I grew up in New York City and I guess I’m one who feels I must practice life in the harshest conditions to enjoy life in the (deceptively) mildest. Can you complete this compound word – BULL…!? I just want the freshest trout I can get my hands on, a view of a great lake or ocean which offers a sense of freedom and the feeling that nature is on my side! So, yeah, baby! I get caramelized up north, Burnt Sugar style.
– B. Mack