Other Alma Artists
Aidan Mason
I was born in 1952 in East London, South Africa, 3 blocks from the Indian Ocean.
My early life was happy and full, surrounded as I was by a large and boisterous extended Family.
By the time I was six, my musical career had begun. On Sundays after lunch, with the house filled with visiting relatives, I would sing for the whole family, accompanied on piano by my sister Gill. One of my favorite songs to sing was "Love Is A Many Splendoured thing". One of the people listening to me would have been my Grandfather Yung Neuk Soon.
He journeyed to South Africa from Moyen, China around the turn of the century, in search of a better life for his family. He had heard that there was gold in that faraway land. Yung Neuk Soon was considered too complicated a name to spell by authorities, so he was renamed Yung Mason.
As a child, I remember hearing African "township jive" music all around me — on the radio, as well as played live by street musicians in East London. The locals loved to dance to this music and I would often make them laugh by joining in with them whenever there was a chance. I became interested in the guitar when my father took me to see a show featuring Cliff Richard and The Shadows. After getting my first guitar at age ten, I was treated to a wonderful concert by Jim, one of the employees at my father’s grocery store. Jim knew how to really play "township jive" and this concert left a lasting impression on me. Just after that time, the Beatles became really popular and I taught myself how to play by copying the sounds that I heard on their records. At the age of twelve, I was in my first band. We were called "The Kynd" and recorded our fist album in 1966. It was around this time that I wrote my first songs.
In 1970, I joined a band called "Tidal Wave" from Johannesburg. We recorded two albums and I co-wrote a song with Keven Kruger called "Money Baby" which became a top ten hit in South Africa. At the same time, I was studying economics at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. I subsequently abandoned my pursuit of a career in this field in order to devote my energies to music.
Three years later, I was ready for new horizons — both musical and spiritual — and followed my father to Canada after a brief stay in England.
In Canada, I was determined to further my musical education, and so began studying harmony and composition with the late Gordon Delamont in Toronto. This Study opened my ears to classical music and it’s working. I became a big fan of the music of Aaron Copland, because of the panoramic images it would evoke in me.
I returned to South Africa in 1977 for a six week tour with ‘Rabbit", the number one rock group over there at the time. At home, in Canada, I continued to write and perform across the country, including a regular spot as guitarist on ‘Rock It’, a Syndicated television musical variety show produced in Edmonton, Alberta. During this period, I had the opportunity to work with artists encompassing many musical styles, backing up performers such as David Clayton Thomas, Minnie Ripperton, Melba Moore, Elvin Bishop, Dusty Springfield and Dionne Warwick.
During the eighties, I toured with Canada’s most popular singing star, Anne Murray. I co-wrote several songs for Anne, including a single called "We Don’t HaveTo Hold Out". I married and started a family during this time, and have a daughter who is twelve, and an eight year-old son.
In the late 80’s I learned more about electronic keyboards and samplers as I began writing music for movies and television. After working with visual imagery and spoken narrative, I decided to write some music that would tell my own story. I had read in a newspaper article that some people in South Africa would refer to their country as ‘Azania’ — a name which symbolized a free and bountiful land. That name and the hope it represents stayed with me as I worked on m project, and images and memories of my early life began to return. Although Canada is my home, I often think of South Africa, and these thoughts sometimes take a musical form.
I discovered the ‘sound of Azania’ by experimenting with different instrumental combinations on my electronic keyboards. By contrasting the ancient sound of my original instrument — the classical nylon-string guitar — with the sound of modern synthesizers, I found a ‘sound’ that made me think of wide-open spaces. At that point, I knew my creative journey, ‘Azania’, was underway.
A year later, I played my working tapes for my long-time friend and colleague, Peter Cardinali. After some consideration, he said in his big, gentle voice, "This has a Cool vibe…Let’s do an album". His enthusiasm for the music was the encouragement I needed, and his participation has taken ‘Azania’ to a new and higher level.
Umoja
The story of Africa unfolds: As the morning mists begin to melt under the warmth of the African sun, the women walk down to the river to collect water. Balancing pots delicately on their heads, they make their way back to the kraal, humming, to prepare the meal. Even engaged in these simple domestic tasks, music is the underlying rhythm that accompanies their work. Suddenly the ferocious warriors burst in on the scene of tranquility, drumming furiously in aggressive unison. Muscular bodies clad in traditional garb leap, stamp and gyrate, brandishing shields and spears; the village maidens are persuaded to join in a dance of breathtaking sensuality as the male and female bodies merge and separate. The sounds become richer and richer as the audience beholds the history of a nation that sings and dances unfolding before their eyes. From the remarkable synchronicity of the Venda Snake dance, to the glorious sounds of gospel and acapella, the soul of Africa bares itself in music. Nothing is ever wasted: music is made from anything, and happens anywhere. A couple of wooden sticks, and the boys make a marimba; a few tin cans and the young girls make maracas...
The sounds and styles of African music develop as the story moves from the rural simplicity of tribal life to the hopes and dreams of city dwellers who have come to the “City of Gold” to make their fortune. As the pennywhistle gives its distinctive trademark of the emerging music of Sophiatown, Pata Pata and Jive make a foot stomping entrée. Toss in a dash of Marabi, Kwela, Swing, Kwaito and Kwasa Kwasa and you have a rich brew of musical styles that merge to create the sound that is uniquely Africa. Yet underlying it all is the beat of this continent, the sounds of the drums that have accompanied all of man’s rituals from birth to death... like the heartbeat of Africa itself.
A joyous celebration of dynamic talent, thrilling energy, great voices, sensual dancing and the best of South African popular music, Umoja celebrates the songs that have become part of the rich tradition of South African music — the music that lives on in our memory and that has captured the heart of the world. The creators, Todd Twala and Thembi Nyandeni, joined forces with Ian von Memerty to develop this full-strength musical. Umoja tells the story of the growth of South African Music, from the powerful rhythms of tribal music to the intricate steps of gumboot dancing, the foot-stomping jazz of Sophiatown, the uplifting full throated joy of Gospel and the pounding energy of Kwaito and Pantsula. Featuring a superbly talented cast of South Africa’s brightest and most versatile young performers, a unique collection of authentic drums, costumes and shields from around the sub-continent, Umoja is an exciting and energetic treasure house of South African popular culture.
Paul Gross and David Keeley
The oldest of two brothers, Paul Gross was born on 30th April 1959, in Calgary, Alberta. His father was a Tank Commander in the Canadian Army, and consequently, Paul and his family moved around when he was young. They lived in places as diverse as England, Germany and Washington DC.
After leaving school, he studied Drama at the University of Alberta at Edmonton. Not just a pretty face, he is also an award-winning playwright and actor on stage and screen. He was nominated for a Dora Award for Romeo & Juliet in 1985, and won a Dora Award for his part in Observe The Sons Of Ulster Marching Towards The Somme, in 1988. More recently, he has won a Gemini Award two years running for his role as RCMP Const. Benton Fraser in Due South
David Keeley has worked in theatre, film and television as an actor for the last fifteen years. During that time he kept himself involved in the music end of the biz, fronting cover bands and playing solo gigs. But two years ago his interest peaked when he and Paul Gross began writing their own material. David has and is appearing at Stratford this year. He has had leading roles in F/X The Series, Forever Knight and Kung Fu.
Puentes Brothers
Alexis and Adonis Puentes grew up playing the earthy, rhythmically sophisticated Cuban dance music called son. With their rich and textured debut CD, Morumba Cubana (Alma Records) the Puentes Brothers extend the traditional form with a series of brilliantly arranged, passionate performances.
Non-identical twin brothers , Alexis and Adonis Puentes were born and lived most of their lives in Artemisa, a small time-worn 19th century colonial town, 60 km southwest of Havana. The boys' father, Valentin Puentes is a noted guitarist who taught music at the rural town's cultural center. Alexis began studying clave with his father at four years old, and before the year was out the child prodigy played the Cuban rhythm instrument with his father's band on national television. At six years of age both Alexis and Adonis began guitar studies with their father.
The twin brothers lived and breathed music, often touring Cuba with a large guitar ensemble. Cuban music stars like Buena Vista Social Club vocalist Ibrahim Ferrer regularly visited the family home, often jamming with the young musicians. Adonis developed into a fine singer and Alexis fell in live with the bass. Playing together, they formed a traditional quintet under the direction of their father. For the first time, they began composing in the traditional son style. Not long after, Alexis won a Cuban national award for one of his compositions using the traditional son form.
In 1995, the family toured across Canada, recording a debut cassette called Los Puentes while visiting Vancouver. Returning to Cuba, Adonis starred in a nationally televised singing competition before joining a Cuban salsa band. Alexis toured Europe and recorded with Havana-based pop star, Augusto Enriquez and added funky, accomplished bass playing to his jazz-fusion band Temperamento's CD, En El Comienzo, which was voted best Cuban jazz CD in 1999.
That year, Alexis rejoined his brother in Victoria and formed the popular Alexis Cuba Band. They garnered rave reviews for their original son at clubs and festivals throughout western Canada. With a recording contract from Toronto-based Alma Records, the twins renamed their band Puentes Brothers .
In April 2000 the Puentes Brothers entered the studio with veteran producer Peter Cardinali to record their debut CD, Morumba Cubana. While touring North America as a feature performer with the Buena Vista Social Club, Cubanismo! Stalwart and Cuban Star Javier Zalba called his friend Alexis to say hello – this led to Zalba contributing his talents to the recording. Meanwhile, Cardinali gathered a cast of studio professional, Canadian jazz star Jane Bunnett, members of the Toronto Symphony's string section, and Cuban music luminaries like piano star Hilario Duran, percussion legend Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez (Santana, Sting, Bonnie Raitt, Tito Puente), and bata master Pancho Quinto to embellish the Puentes Brothers tradition-based, modern experiments with Cuban son.
Engineers Denis Tougas and Vic Florencia team-up with Cardinali to create a rich, sumptuous soundscape. Alexis demonstrates a fluid mastery and daring improvisation on guitar, bass, and tres, playing off of Adonis' addictive bongo beats while both Puentes brothers contribute dynamic, passionate vocals and infectious, juicy rhythms on assorted percussion instruments. Grounded in the earthy primal groove of traditional Cuban dance music, Morumba Cubana is a heady, seductive, effervescent sound that brings Cuban son into the 21st century.
The Outfit
The Outfit is a band with a love for gritty rock and sweet soul music. Their recently released debut CD on Alma, Sense of Soul, showcases the thoughtful, well-crafted song writing of the band’s James Russell and Chris Hawley. The veteran, Toronto-based duo have been collaborating on songs for almost a decade, and Sense of Soul’s ten originals demonstrate the eclectic, exciting results of their partnership.
James Russell grew up in Toronto’s east end, and played clarinet in the Toronto Youth Symphony at age 12, the youngest member in the organization’s history. He’s a multi-instrumentalist, proficient on guitar, bass, sax and clarinet. As a 19 year old, Russell broke into the Canadian music business with the band Acosta Russell. Two years later, in 1991, he met Chris Hawley at a Toronto jam session, and they soon formed a song writing partnership that has already produced over 400 songs.
Chris Hawley was raised abroad, and as a ten year old taught himself guitar while living in Saudi Arabia. While in boarding school in Spain, Hawley formed his first bands, but his music career stalled temporarily while studying English Literature at the University of Toronto. Years spent reading 18th century English literature inspired Hawley’s love of song lyric and lead to musical influences like Elton John and James Taylor. By 1990, Hawley had formed his own band and was making his living performing in Toronto. When Hawley began collaborating with Russell, he brought a passion for groups as diverse as The Beatles, ZZ Top, and the Allman Brothers. These rock influences merge with James Russell’s love for soul music and Motown in The Outfit’s eclectic mix.
Jeff Dalziel, whose earlier efforts include studio work with Prozzak, and Tom Wilson, serves as producer and engineer for The Outfit’s powerful recording debut. Songs like "Come On Back To Me" (the band’s first single featuring an effectively atmospheric video by Sean Michael Turrell), demonstrate the scope of the band’s music. Sporting a hypnotic slide guitar lick and a soulful vocal harmony by Hawley and Russell on the repeated chorus, the song is driven by a clever, concise narrative and an addictive pop hook.
You can hear elements of Lennon and McCartney, Smokey Robinson, Steely Dan, Hall and Oates, and the Allman Brothers in the infectious single’s songcraft. On two of the recording’s originals, "My Mind Right Now" and "Lovers Play", The Outfit sweeten their melodies with orchestral arrangements by noted film composer Peter Breiner, who conducts the Bratislava Radio Symphony Orchestra in the pair of George Martin-inspired, Beatlesque pop gems. On other songs you can hear Lenny Kravitz-like heavy R&B and in-your-face rock, even subtle country echoes. Sense of Soul reflects a prolific partnership that Hawley and Russell call "magical and brotherly."
"We love to write together, because when we’re working together there are no inhibitions, no fear, and no bullshit," the duo claim while characteristically finishing each other’s sentences. "We can’t tell you how much we’re enjoying this band and how wonderful it is to hear our music come to life in the studio."
Hawley and Russell have been working their material into shape for six years on Toronto’s active and highly competitive club scene. These songs have been lived. Sense of Soul has a refreshingly varied sound and style with a common thread of passion and soulfulness. A sense of soul indeed! |
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Aidan Mason playing
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