FREEMAN DRE
6.00
Freeman Dre hails from the once gritty but quickly-gentrifying neighborhood of Parkdale. It’s a place where junkies, winos and new immigrants exist in the shadow spaces between condo towers and artists’ lofts. Even as gentrification pushes them out, these wayward characters find a home in Freeman Dre’s songs. The tunes are direct, memorable, wildly romantic, and informed by the North American folk-rock tradition as much as his Irish and Polish roots. They invoke hug-your-neighbour singalongs, foot stomping dance parties, and more than a few tears. Like a late night shot of whiskey, Freemans Dre’s music hits you straight in the gut and then fills your head with the foolish idea that, with enough love, anything is possible.
ORGANIC BALKANIC BAND
8.30
Organic Balkanic Band exist more then 15 years. Performs mostly folk, pop, gypsy music from Balkan region.
$15 cover after 10PM and $20 after 2AM, with all proceeds going directly to the musicians performing.
NIZO’S BRASS BAND
11.30
Born in 1986 in Štip, eastern Macedonia, into a musical family, Nijazi "Nizo" Alimov recorded his first song at 13 years of age. He started learning baritone horn from his uncle Ramče Ibraimov when he was 16 years old. He became a member of the famous brass band led by Kočo Agušev, and then was invited to join Kočani Orkestar by another uncle, Redžaji Durmišev, then he began touring extensively to Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Taiwan, Australia, U.S.A., New Caledonia, India, Russia, Tunisia, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Spain, and Switzerland. Nizo has also collaborated with various artists and bands, such jazz trumpetist Paulo Frezu Antonelo, pianist Antonelo Salis, as well as Beirut, Taraf de Haidouks, Duke Bojadžiev, Ferus Mustafov, and Esma Redžepova. Since 2008 he has worked extensively with the film composer and arranger Kiril Džajkovski.
Nizo has performed in major festivals such as Paleo Festival, Balkan Trafik, Exit, Sziget, Woodstock, North Sea Jazz, Vryheid Festival, Musicastrada, Les Nuits Européennes, Dromos Festival, and Fusion Faire Fest. In addition to baritorne horn, Nizo also plays trumpet, saxophone, trombone, clarinet, tapan, piano, kaval, and çifteli. He has performed on many albums with Kočani Orkestar, and also released a CD in 2007 with his brother, trumpet player Serdžuk Alimov. In 2010 they were featured at the Durham Brass Festival in the U.K. Nizo currently has his own studio where he composes and arranges music.
WAPAMA
2.30
Freedom of expression through rhythms, melodies and harmonies.
African inspired, groove based musical explorations.
Waleed Abdulhamid - bass
Patrick O’Reilly - guitar
Max Senitt - drums