Stephen Franke + High Plains Drifter - April 23rd - Gladstone Hotel

[Jay Funk Dawg]

VICTORIA RECORDING ARTIST

STEPHEN FRANKE

& noises from the tool shed

www.stephenfranke.ca

Saturday April 23 @ The Gladstone Hotel

w/special guests High Plains Drifter

www.sonicbids.com/highplainsdrifter

Doors: 8:30 pm cover $8

Stephen Franke & noises from the toolshed bring their furiously played fusion of groove, jazz and dirty dog to the Gladstone Ballroom, 1214 Queen Street West, Saturday, April 23, doors 8:30 pm. Songs For A Platinum Blonde Diner Waitress, their delicious debut, has already garnered an Outstanding Instrumental Release nomination at the Western Canadian Music Awards.

With hard bop/ jazz and New Orleans frunk, a dash of Zydeco, and aye carumba Cuban rhythms Stephen Franke has created a monster collection of gypsygroove/jazz tunes. The band has shared the stage with the likes of Little Feat and DJ Jazzy Jeff and on this tour they open in Hamilton for John Scofield and for the Jim Byrnes Acoustic Band featuring Zubot & Dawson in Kingston.

Franke, a former student of jazz notables Hugh Fraser and Pat Coleman, has played guitar with acts as diverse as Kinnie Star, violinist Lorrina Belluz and members of Luther Wright and the Wrongs. For this solo venture he assembled an ace rhythm section made up of ex Lift players Dan Mock (Bass), Brent Norman (Drums), and Chris Van Sickle (Keyboards). Stephen Franke and noises from the toolshed, play a distinctively Canadian brand of jazz and world fusion with hats off to Django Reinhardt, MMW, Charlie Hunter, Coltrane, Bela Fleck and Tom Waits.

Stephen Franke - Press Reaction

"Beyond category...a thoroughly entertaining collection of original material that brings together elements of Latin, Cuban and Gypsy jazz with some off the wall song writing."

Edmonton Journal

"This loose feeling rock/slack/groove instrumental recording by Stephen Franke & company is a crafty blend of all things boogie woogie: smooth funk, jazz, rock, soul, folk and the blues. The playing on this recording is

proficient and it is pretty easy to make comparisons to bands like Phish, the Burt Neilson Band, moe., MMW, Bela Fleck, Dave Hillyard & the Rocksteady 7 and the Jazz Mandolin Project..... This is positive good groove music and it sounds as if it would be best suited to lazy summer outdoor festivals and "happening" good-vibe clubs.

Earshot!