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LE Newsletter - May 14, 2009

“Celebration Of Music” Tribute to Washington Savage – Monday, May 18 – 4:00 pm to 9:30 pm In honour of the music and life of our friend Washington Savage, please join us this holiday Monday to pay musical tribute to this genius who left us much too soon. Washington Savage passed peacefully into the arms of The Lord April 30, 2009.  A fearless genius, Washington created and inspired all the while humbled by humanity itself.  He will be remembered and forever missed by his family and friends.  Artists create…this is their chance to play, sing and dance with and for others who excel at expressing their feelings through music.  There are many who have expressed an interest in contributing funds to his family.  As such, admission to the event is a donation, all of which will go to his children. Backline will be provided; hors d’oeuvres will be served, cash bar. A partial list of performers, as more and more are confirming, include: Joe Sealy Eddie Bullen David Williams Bruce Skerrit Etric Lyons Jeff Jones Bryant Didier JK Corey Blackburn Sekou Lumumba Tony Rabalao Brooke Blackburn Adrian Eccleston Danny Depoe Aadin Church Saidah Baba Talibah Piera Savage For further information please email: Shannon @ nenala@yahoo.com MONDAY MAY 18, 2009 “CELEBRATION OF MUSIC” TRIBUTE TO WASHINGTON SAVAGE Palais Royale 1601 Lakeshore Boulevard West 4:00 pm until 9:30 p.m. Admission: Donations, all of which will go to his children Bio of Washington Savage Washington Savage, long hailed as one of Toronto’s favourite pianists, and most recognisable personalities, is an accomplished pianist, producer, arranger, composer, lyricist and musical director.  He has performed with and written music for a diverse range of artists. Being hand picked (at the age of 16) by honorary Order of Canada recipient and Canada’s own Ambassador of Blues, Salome Bey, to be her pianist, Savage has gone on to perform in every type of venue: from church halls to stadiums.   His volunteer work is centered on youth choirs, and giving them option/opportunity of various music genres in their lives; whereby discipline, study, and understanding helps them to create options and make decisions based on openness of mind and variety of choice . Raised in the church, he formed his first choir “God’s Creation” which helped to harness his love of tones and shapes within the cornucopia of colors that is music…his specialty. Being courageously versatile has led him to work with artists such as: Deborah Cox, Billy Newton Davis, Margie Evans, Shannon Maracle, Jackie Richardson, and Liberty Silver (for whom he was a co-writer) to name a few.  He has performed for such dignitaries as Queen Elizabeth II, Nelson Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu, and former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Touring (North America and Europe) has included  Molly Johnson’s Juno award winning band “ The Infidels”,  Tom Cochrane’s “Red Rider” , and the late Jeff Healey , on the “Feel This” tour (with whom he recorded).  Closer to home,  and further back in time,  theatre productions have included “Coming through Slaughter” and “Indigo” with Salome Bey,  “Mamma I Want To Sing” (the longest running black off- Broadway  musical in history) , and,  most recently, at the Berkley Street theatre production of “Steal Away Home” by Shantay Grant.  Washington has been musical director for the last 8 years at the “Harry Jerome Awards”, and adding to that, in recent years the “Crystal Awards” for W.I.F.T. (Women in Film and Television) and S.A.W.W. (South African Women for Women).  He has founded two original bands: “Age of Reason” and “BLÄXAM”, for whom he solidified a publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music, U.S.A. (New York).  Their CD “Kiss my Afro” was released independently in 1998 to critical acclaim.  The latter achieving great success and being the opening act for such performers as Roy Ayers, Corey Glover (Living Color), Maceo Parker, and the Reverend Al Greene. Playing at Toronto’s most prestigious restaurants, bars and lounges has helped to cement his reputation:  North44 (for 12 years), the Windsor Arms hotel (3 years), Sassafraz (pre- fire, for 4 years), Centro, Acqua, Rosewood (for which he was also the talent booker), Opal Jazz Lounge, Cittadini and Sopra Upper Lounge. 2007 saw the debut of his solo piano CD entitled “Savage Piano Lounge”.    An independent release on Sweet 16 records, it showcases his versatility and includes two original songs: “Tyrant Saint Blues”, and “One of Three”. Savage is currently anticipating the premiere performance of the first movement from his symphony by the Brampton Symphony Orchestra in November 2008. The “Froadia” symphony saw first light when Savage was Musical Director at, and trying to write an opening piece for the Harry Jerome Awards.  Being as such, the first movement was inspired by him, and is therefore named “Harry Jerome”.   Consisting of five movements, it is Washington’s first foray into the untapped venue of black Canadian classical composer.  “Uncle” Marcus, Savage’s brother who passed away, was the inspiration for the second movement, a hauntingly unforgettable ode to the tyrant on the hill.  The third movement entitled “Ben Johnson”, of whom the composer still thinks of as a hero, is a mercurial piece of Canadiana, tracing the twists and turns of Johnson’s being bounced between nationalities like a Tim Horton’s Timbit at a hockey tournament. The honourable Lincoln Alexander is the focus of the fourth movement- vastly romantic, highly intelligent, wise and observant is the tone defined here.  The final piece, entitled “Spadina and Dundas” captures the daily lives: loves, hardships, struggles and victories of the many black families that settled in that section of Toronto between the 1940’s through to the 60’s Washington Savage is truly an original.