THANKS! Stephen Franke + High Plains Drifter

[Jay Funk Dawg]

VICTORIA RECORDING ARTIST

STEPHEN FRANKE

& noises from the tool shed

www.stephenfrake.ca

Saturday April 23 @ The Gladstone Hotel

w/High Plains Drifter

www.highplainsdrifter.ca

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.

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.

OPENER - 10:30 PM

High Plains Drifter is an original groove/funk and world-beat music collective fronted by guitarist Jay Cleary. High Plains Drifter's live performances have been captivating audiences across Atlantic Canada at the Halifax International Jazz Festival, The Spring Shaker and Evolve Music Festivals. Showcasing funk, jazz fusion, and Afro-Cuban rhythms, High Plains Drifter's original material displays an innovative blend, creating a highly infectious and danceable sound that is their own.

Tour Dates

Tuesday April 12, Kingston @ the Elixir

Thursday April 14, Montreal @ Upstairs Jazz Club

Friday April 15, Peterborough @ TBA

Saturday April 16, Ottawa, Café Dekcuf

Wednesday April 20, Hamilton @ Club 77 w/ John Scofield

Thursday April 21, Guelph @ Manhattan's

Friday April 22, Sudbury @ Townehouse Tavern

Saturday April 23, Toronto @ The Gladstone Hotel

www.stephenfranke.com

www.evolvefestival.com www.elmocambo.ca

Edited April 24, 2005 by Guest

[Jay Funk Dawg]

hypin' this mofo!

[Kaidy Mae]

Okay, okay! Settle down Jay.

I think I'm in.

[Booche]

If I were in TO, I wouldnt be missing Stephen Franke. They blew my mind this past Saturday night. Total pro's with a nod to traditional jazz. Each member is absolutely a scorcher on their respective instruments.

[Kaidy Mae]

Good to know Booche...I may have to ditch out of work early on Saturday.

[Booche]

Whatever you do, stay away from the talkers. You dont want to miss the intricacies (especially the drummer) in their music.

[Jay Funk Dawg]

and those High Plains Drifter doods.. they rock!!

[The Chameleon]

High Plains drifter. BIG UP!

[Jay Funk Dawg]

couldn't help the shamless self promotion!

[Stoolshed]

By the way, this show is in the newly refurbished ballroom of the Gladstone. It's an awesome room with a kickass sound system, right beside the Drake hotel. We picked it because of the room, so it should be great to play!

[Jay Funk Dawg]

have a great show tommorrow Stephen.. I'll be there to cheer you on!!

jay

[The Chameleon]

Yeah the Gladstone is like the Drake without all the attitute, cologne and man-blouses.

I'll be there to up the pierced up dreaded out cyberhippie contingent.

[SmoothedShredder]

Hmm... I'm hoping on a lengthy reprise of the opener set in Ham'sville.

~W

[Jay Funk Dawg]

this is going to be a funky good time

j

Edited April 22, 2005 by Guest

[Large Marge]

I spoke with SF at the Scofield show, albeit briefly - I can’t believe I became one of those dreaded “talkers” and got shushed before I even realized! I blame Stephen

Anyway, he assured me that they are going to be unloading a whole whack of new material all over us on Saturday night!!! Yee-haw! I saw Noises 5 times last summer and have been listening to their album all winter… I’m ready for MORE jazzy goodness!

He’s right about the Gladstone as well; a Toronto venue that must be seen! It’s about to be turned into another boutique hotel, so come and see it while it’s still in all of it’s amazing character glory!

Oh yeah, them HPD boys are pretty good too

[Stoolshed]

Hey, it's Friday and I'm in Sudbury.

Just wanted to say we had a blast in Hamilton, meeting a lot of the board members face to face and having Scofield open my mind on thew guitar.

We played in Guelph the next night at a little jazz club called Manhattan's, with a nice baby grand piano and it was the jazziest and most different show we've ever played.

We're hoping to keep the creative musical vibes of the last few nights going at the Gladstone, and it's our last night in Ontario for a while, so hopefully we can see a bunch of you out...

Ciao fer now,

Stephen

[SmoothedShredder]

Hi,

I'll be there... because I remembered this thing I was taught. It's not the weather... it's how you dress. Besides, this rains going to be done in an couple of hours. I'm lookin to part-eah tonite!.

~W

[Jay Funk Dawg]

Thanks to all the board memebers that came out last night.. we had a blast!!

Happy Birthday to April!!

Thansk to: Willam, Chameleon Josh, Margaret, Super Dave, Andrew, The PhunkyB, The Doctor, Geoff and Kate, Heidi, April and Byson, Kaity Maie, Nathan, Tim, Helen and Champ! (great to see ya!) and the rest of the Toronto crew for makin' it a great night!

Good jazzin' by Stephen Franke & The Tool Shed... hope to see you again soon!

Here's the set list for High Plains Drifter

It's a C thing (J.Cleary)

When I feel the sea beneath my Soul (Taj Mahal)

Rough Luck (Ray Bonneville)

My Sista (J.Cleary)

Rust A Bout (Kevin Breit)

12 Slugs (Hot Toddy)

White Shadow Dove (AMB) *with guest Chris Van Sicle on Keyboards.

High Plains Drifter was:

Tim Croft (upright bass)

Nathan Beranger(drums, percussion & back-up vocals)

Jay Cleary (acoustic,electric guitars and vocals)

Edited April 24, 2005 by Guest

[SmoothedShredder]

Great show last night!!!

I'm feeling it today though... or maybe it's this high pressure cell that seems to have snagged itself on the CN Tower . Stephen plays one mean (and shiney) guitar. And the rest of the Toolshed was buzzing aways nicely too. Hope you guys had a nice trip back home! And congrats, in waiting, to Stephen and his wife for their new arrival due this summer! High Plains, you guys were wicked, and so much better when the bass is actually pumped through!!!

Thanks a million Jay, once again!

~W