Subject: GRUVASYLUM in Hamilton tonight / Lots upcoming... Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2005 09:28:54 -0500 From: The BROWNMAN Organization: Brownman Music Inc. -- http://www.brownman.com To: Brownman's Big Ass Mailing List Hey gang, And a big welcome to all those new on the Big Ass Mailing List... looooots of varied and unique performances coming up in Apr... Please do check the Gig Schedule (link below) for more specific gig info (links to websites, style of music, band descriptions, venue addresses, phone numbers, start times, cover charges, recommended underwear colour... it's ALL there...) http://www.brownman.com/GigSchedule.htm Here's some quick highlights highlights... Tonight my jazz-hip-hop crew GRUVASYLUM will play Pepper Jack Cafe in Hamilton (we're also in Toronto Fri Apr 29 @ Trane Studio)... Fri Apr 1 at Lula Lounge I'm honoured to be the special guest with a new Brazilian Group under the leadership of the mighty MANINHO COSTA (from Rio)... Sat Apr 2 my 10-man salsa group MARRON MATIZADO will play Lula Lounge (and debut some of my new arrangements!) as per our usual first Sat of every month residency... Sun Apr 3, I'm again honoured to be the special guest with DUB TRINITY - under the leadership of political dub poet Chet Singh - this brother has some things to say and should be heard! Tue Apr 5 I'll be guesting with BUBBA & The AGENTS OF GROOVE at C'est What under the ultra-groovin' leadership of bassist "The Bubba" (and again on Thr Apr 14 @ Cadillac Club)... Sat Apr 9 Ruben Esguerra's CHIVA will come Hamilton's Pepper Jack Cafe with their Colombian rhythms and urban grooves... and my ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC Trio will play Alto Bass the next night Sun Apr 10... lots more in the month... including a TRIBUTE TO FREDDIE HUBBARD at the Trane Studio... I'll lead an all-star band (Trane's own "Stellar Regions Band") for 2-nights - Sat Apr 16 & 17 - and pay homage to one of the greatest jazz trumpet players in history. And thank you for supporting live music in Canada. ========================================================= UPCOMING GIGS (http://www.brownman.com/GigSchedule.htm) ========================================================= Sat Mar 26 - GRUVASYLUM @ Pepperjacks, Hamilton Fri Apr 01 - MANINHO COSTA (Brazil!) @ Lula Lounge, Toronto Sat Apr 02 - MARRON MATIZADO @ Lula Lounge, Toronto (T.O.) Sun Apr 03 - DUB TRINITY @ Gladestone Hotel, T.O. Tue Apr 05 - AGENTS OF GROOVE @ C'est What, T.O. Sat Apr 09 - CHIVA @ Pepperjacks, Hamilton Sun Apr 10 - ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC TRIO @ Alto Basso, T.O. Thr Apr 14 - AGENTS OF GROOVE @ Cadillac Club, T.O. Fri Apr 15 - DJ RAD & BROWNMAN ("DJ+HORN") @ Laurentian Room, T.O. Sat Apr 16 - FREDDIE HUBBARD TRIBUTE (Night 1) @ Trane Studio, T.O. feat. Stellar Regions Band w/ Brownman, trumpet Sun Apr 17 - NICK ALI QUARTET @ Revival's Jazz Brunch, T.O. (noon-4pm) Sun Apr 17 - FREDDIE HUBBARD TRIBUTE (Night 2) @ Trane Studio, T.O. feat. Stellar Regions Band w/ Brownman, trumpet Wed Apr 20 - ELECTRYC TRIO @ E-Bar, Hamilton Fri Apr 22 - NICK ALI TRIO @ Old Mill, T.O. Sat Apr 23 - 7-PIECE ALL-STAR BAND @ private function, T.O. Sun Apr 24 - KUSH @ T.B.A., T.O. Fri Apr 29 - GRUVASYLUM @ Trane Studio, T.O. Sat Apr 30 - NICK ALI TRIO @ private function, T.O. Sat May 07 - MARRON MATIZADO @ Lula Lounge, T.O. Fri May 27 - CRUZAO GRUPO MONSTRUOSO @ Distillery Jazz Fest, T.O. Fri Jun 03 - MARRON MATIZADO @ private function Sat Jun 04 - LULA LOUNGE's ANNIVERSARY PARTY, Toronto Sun Jun 05 - MARRON MATIZADO @ SAV party (invitation only), Toronto Sat Jun 11 - MARRON MATIZADO @ Lula Lounge, Toronto Sat Jun 18 - ALI BROS @ private function ========================================================= BIG BROWN NEWS: ========================================================= CRUZAO GRUPO MONSTRUOSO now has a website! http://monster.brownman.com All kinds of audio, photos, profiles of the 15 members etc... and why is there a fancy new Monster website? Beeeeeeecaaaaaause: Coming in May - Toronto's Distillery Jazz Fest presents: Fri May 27 (8 & 10pm) - The return of "The Monster" Brownman's 15-man latin-jazz-urban orchestra CRUZAO GRUPO MONSTRUOSO returns to Distillery Jazz Fest. Not to be missed! 6 jazz horns, 3 latin percussionsists, 2 latin vocalists, 2 freestyle rappers, and 2 bassists!! Tickets go on sale mid-Apr! That above gig is going to be insane... I spent weeks writing large ensemble orchestrations of CRUZAO (my 5-man latin-jazz outfit) material for this 15-man permutation of the band. Both Paco Luviano and Marc Rogers - essentially our country's top latin bassist and top electric bassist will go head to head amidst a sea of multi-award winning horn players... AND both Enlight and Phatt Al will face-off that night (2 of Canada's most conscious freestyle rappers)... AND there will be a few mystery special guests that will blow your mind... yep... gonna be a crazy night - if you do nothing else in May - come check this out. ========================================================= JUNE 2005 TORONTO JAZZ FESTIVAL DATES: http://www.brownman.com/GigSchedule.htm ========================================================= Sat June 25 - 12:00pm - NICK ALI TRIO @ Danforth Stage (all-original jazz trio) same day - 07:00pm - TALKBACK w/ Ralph Benmurgui @ Nathan Philips (discussion on Arturo Sandoval's show) same day - 09:30pm - Tribute to ALBERTA HUNTER @ Trane Studio (tribute concert to a 1930's jazz great) Sun June 26 - 09:30pm - NICK ALI QUARTET feat. Adrean Farrugia @ Trane Studio Fri July 01 - 04:00pm - Jason Wilson & TABARRUK @ Nathan Philips same day - 10:00pm - ALI BROS feat. Enlight & N.I.Gel @ Lula Lounge * ("Symphony of Vibe" - The Ali Bros team up * with 2 Canadian freestyle icons Enlight * from Gruvasylum & N.I.Gel from Pocket * Dwellers and go head to head with special * guest DJ S-Luv from Pocket Dwellers on * turntables) Sat July 02 - 10:00pm - Nick Ali & MARRON MATIZADO @ Lula Lounge (10-man Salsa powerhouse) Sun July 03 - 09:00pm - Nick Ali & CRUZAO @ Esplanade Bier Market (close the festival off with a latin-jazz bang w/ this award-winning latin-jazz unit) ========================================================= SOME OLD BROWN NEWS: ========================================================= CRUZAO represented Canada at the Havana Jazz Festival in Cuba in Dec! http://www.Brownman.com/PressReleases/CRUZAO-HavanaJazzFest2004.html ========================================================= BROWN RAMBLINGS: ========================================================= Normally I'd do all my rambling in the BROWN NEWS section, but that got taken up with talks about the Monster, so I'ma hang here instead. Man oh man... that Monster gig's got my giddy... it's a rare thing to see so many gifted artists in one place and I'm so looking forward to the synergy that's created when they all come together. Also - the July 1st Canada Day madness will be something of a spectacle to see Enlight and Nigel face off... both are 2 of the most conscious rappers in the scene along with K-OS... their poetry and social analysis wrapped in groove will be something deep. What else to say... um... my stupid car had mad problems this week - generating of bill of $700 in repairs. That car is such a whore... I mean it!... she looks so good, and feels so good, but all she ever does is take my money. *muttering* The CRUZAO recording of the second CD has been delayed since key member Luisito Orbegoso (congas) is on tour for most of the summer. I'm in talks with El Negro and Dafnis Prieto to make guest appearances on the disc... we'll see... they're both considered 2 of the world's greatest Cuban drummers and consequently are ultra busy (and expensive - and with my whore of a car causing trouble... well... you know... grrrrr...). I'm looking for private investors in this record to help offset the cost of some of these monsters appearing, so if anyone reading this would like to experience the inner joy of philanthropy - puh-lease email me (all contributors will receiving a personal thank you in the recording's linear notes and an advanced copy before the record hits the stores... and likely a lot of hearty hand-shaking and hugs from me... sorry - you'll just have to deal). CHIVA is gearing up strongly and also has a new website - http://chiva.brownman.com (temporarily hosted there until chiva.com is purchased)... Ruben "Ben*E" Esguerra's group is off the boards and in deep rehearsal. As the musical director, I've been locked in the studio writing tunes for the band for the month of March and we hope to debut most of them on Apr 9 at Pepperjacks (see Gig Schedule). Chris Lamont (drums), Eric Boucher (piano) and Ross "El Maca" MacIntyre (bass) are bangin' it out back there in the rhythm section... Maca just had a birthday last Tues where he hosted the jam at the Rex... then came to the Chiva rehearsal the next day... he was very quiet and held his head a lot. Welp - that's about it for now... looking like a strong April of artful projects - please come out when able - and always do say hello... it's always good to see people on the B.A.M.L out supporting live music, or stumbling 'round rooms, or mackin' each other fiercely (I would love to turn the Big Ass Mailing List into a dating service... there are 2,800 of you on there... I mean, I should be able to hook up AT LEAST 2 of you! In fact I think I saw Maca starring longingly at Eric at the Chiva rehearsal... hmmmmmmmmm... does it count if it's 2 of mah musicians?) Please send all photos and measurements to hookups@brownman.com ... and to Scott Peterson (bassist for N.A.T.) - THAT DOES NOT MEAN NEKKED PICTURES OF YOURSELF. Those last few had me in the bathroom for a solid 20 minutes clutching my belly. Uh - but I digress... Let me conclude with my brownest thanks, as always, for YOUR support gentle soon-to-be-hooked-up reader. ========================================================= Please check the Gig Schedule for all performance information: http://www.brownman.com/GigSchedule.htm A'ight... I'm out. Peace. - Brown ---- If there's a heaven, they must have one hell of a big band... ---- brownman@brownman.com 416-738-9449 (24 hr number - leave message and I'll be paged) The BrownZone : http://www.brownman.com