Thurs. May 5: ‘City of Roses’ compilation CD release party to raise money for Windsor Hospice

Jamie Reaume is a busy guy. Apart from playing several nights a week at various bars, taverns, pubs and clubs around town (including his own full on band jam night, Tuesday Night Music Club, at The Manchester Pub every Tuesday night), he’s also been a member of some of Windsor’s most popular and successful rock outfits. From the sonic melodicum of the under-rated Foreign Film Star to the power trio QOTSA-esque riffery of The Golden Eagles, from taking a step back from the spotlight to play guitar with Dave Russell & The Precious Stones, or putting together a new alt. rock supergroup called Awkward Sex (featuring members of One Man’s Opinion), Reaume eats, breathes and sleeps music. And for someone with a powerful set of lungs, he also has a heart equally as big.

Years ago, Reaume launched Winter Rose, a series of compilation albums put out to assist local Windsor charities. Consisting of donated tracks from various friend musicians, these were principally funded by Reaume himself in an effort to give back to the community who took him in from the mean streets of Chatham many years ago. While the Winter Rose compilations did really well, Reaume always wanted to do better.This Thursday, Reaume launches his latest CD, entitled City of Roses, with all monies raised going towards The Hospice of Windsor-Essex. Featuring new or unreleased tracks from local bands like Inoke Errati, One Man’s Opinion, The Hung Jury, Dave Russell, Vultures!, Tara Watts, Dusty (featuring Kelly “Mr. Chill” Hoppe), Leighton Bain and more, as well as some vintage nuggets from bands like Blasternaut and Reaume’s own solo venture, Foreign Film Star.

This Thursday night, Reaume is throwing a CD release party for City of Roses at The Manchester Pub (546 Ouellette Ave.) and it’s going to be a rock and roll funfest, with live performances from two of the album’s contributors – Dave Russell (with The Precious Stones in tow) and Blasternaut – plus The Manchester’s resident Thursday night house band, Vice Aerial, a jam band supergroup featuring Daren Dobsky (Magic Hall of Mirrors, Is There A Band In The House?), Josh Zalev (Huladog, Mr. Chill & The Witnesses), Mark Calcott (Huladog, Theory of Everything) and Luke “Big Lou” Pelotte (The Crawford Yard, The Hung Jury, Theory of Everything). Tickets are $15 (which includes a copy of the CD), with all money going to the Hospice. Advance tickets are available at The Manchester or JamSpace. You can still attend without getting the CD, but there will be a $5 donation at the door.

TWZ recently spoke to Reaume about the compilation.

So tell us a bit about this latest compilation, City of Roses…

Jamie Reaume: It’s been around 6 years since I released the Winter Rose compilations, (and) I had an opportunity for corporate sponsorship with Blackburn Radio this time around and I wanted to showcase some of the talent Windsor has in it’s scene in 2011. The album is an amazing snapshot of one corner of Windsor’s scene, this easily could have been a double release. It was a pleasure to organize and I thank Blackburn Radio for their generous contributions.

You’ve done several charity compilations for Windsor before. Why do you think doing these kinds of things are worth doing?

JR: It’s a great way to get people to work together, hopefully this will be a spark for bands to play together, appreciate each other, go to more local shows, maybe even collaborate. We have so much talent in Windsor, this compilation’s mission is to expose that while at the same time bringing people together for a good cause with a local focus.

Jamie Reaume: "True colours burn the brightest and widest."

How did you go about with the line-up for this year’s CD?

JR: I really wanted to hand pick songs that I love from artists around Windsor and some cool friends from Sarnia and Toronto. If people had unreleased music I was all for that as well, we actually had some songs recorded or remixed for City Of Roses specifically, huge honour. When I received everyone’s track I stitched together a lovely ride for the listener starting at one end of the genre spectrum and calmly flowing through to the other end. Windsor is rich with songwriter’s and soundscapers, this compilation is proof of that.

What tracks stick out to you?

JR: Here are my Top 5: “American Primate” by Meters To Miles, because it has a brilliant catchy attitude. “Lolita” by The Hung Jury, because it crushes your chest, gigantic. “The Wander” by Between Blinks, because it’s about zombies, listen close. “The Ballad Of Ronnie Joe” by Dusty, because Dusty is epic and the song features Mr Chill on harp and he’s a bad, bad man. “The Hardest Part”, by Leighton Bain. a really great performance, beautiful voice.

What is it about Windsor that creates such musical diversity do you think?

JR: The musicians I know are really passionate and honest, often working on many projects at the same time. True colours burn the brightest and widest.

What have you got planned for the CD release party?

Dave Russell & the Precious Stones will be opening the night, Blasternaut follows, Vice Aerial finishes. Great bands, Great food, great drink at The Manchester with a bunch of friends. Sounds like a party.

City of Roses CD Release Party, featuring Dave Russell & The Precious Stones, Blasternaut and Vice Aerial, Thursday May 5, The Manchester Pub (546 Ouellette Ave.), 8pm, Tickets $15 (includes CD)

Wed. Feb. 2: Alex Carruthers & The Rhythm Brothers, The Manchester Pub

In just a few short months, Alex Carruthers & The Rhythm Brothers have begun to assert themselves as one of the top fresh faces on the local music scene. Alex is by no means a new comer – he’s the drummer in the explosive and popular instrumental band Red Rows as well as the experimental improv outfit Star Trek: The Band. But he’s making a louder impact away from the skins – as the frontman for Alex Carruthers & The Rhythm Brothers (his seat behind the kit is filled by the more than capable Adam Bombardier from Surdaster).

Drawing on a wide array of influences, Alex and his Rhythm Brothers create music that is at once recognizable (there is one song that gets dangerously close to “Five to One” by The Doors before going off in a direction that is anything but Doors-like) but fresh and hip, with an infectious energy that enthralls whomever is in the room at the time. They were added last minute to December’s FunnelFest line-up after an impressive live debut not a month prior, and immediately turned a lot of fickle heads with their charisma and musical passion.

This Wednesday, they’re taking their show from some of their usual comfort zones – such as Phog Lounge and The FM Lounge – to The Manchester Pub, for a showcase all their own. There is no cover at the door, so this is a great chance to check out one of Windsor’s latest bands on the rise. And make no mistake – these guys are not only passionate about their craft, they are true students of the game as well. They get better with each performance and convert new ears every show, to the wonder that is Alex Carruthers & The Rhythm Brothers.

Alex Carruthers & The Rhythm Brothers, The Manchester Pub (546 Ouellette Ave.), Wednesday February 2nd, 10pm, No Cover

Cash for Kit

Over the years, many a lonely soul has wandered into a bar with hopes that the man or woman behind the bar will have more to offer than just a quick pour. They may not realize it walking in, but sometimes a bad day at the office or a particularly glum moment can be rescued by the wit of a bartender and the twinkle in their welcoming eyes.

For the better part of the last decade, one man who has made more frowns return back to smiles has been Kit McEvoy, the lovable Scot with a cheeky smile and more anecdotes than the day is long. His charm and wit has won over more hearts than most people have friends on Facebook. To some he is known as “that guy from Tartan Army“, one of Windsor’s longest standing Celtic folk-rock bands. To others, he is perhaps the kindest, funniest bartender this city has had the extreme pleasure of getting a pint from, from his long standing stay behind the wood of the original Kildare House, to his current stints with both The Manchester Pub downtown or at The Mill Tavern on the city’s West side.

Recently, Kit slipped while leaving work. As he was getting into his car one night after work, he slipped on some ice and injured a previously wounded back. He suffered for a day or two before going to the hospital, only to be sent home because the only specialist authorized for a certain kind of shot was not available. When he finally got the shot days later, they injected it into a nerve rather than the muscle, which has caused further pain and suffering to poor Kit. For the past few weeks, he has been unable to work.

In an effort to raise funds for this remarkable gentleman, Bill Sarafianos, owner of The Mill Tavern and longtime friend of Kit’s, has been maintaining a “Cash For Kit” jar on the bar at The Mill. It’s set up with the hope that all the people who have been touched by Kit’s kindness over the years can throw an extra buck or two into the jar to help Kit recover monies lost from his inability to work due to injury.

If you’d like to help out, spin down to The Mill for a pint (or one of their famous Mill Melts!) and while you’re there, throw a Toonie or a $5 in the jar. It would be helping out a man who is probably too humble a man to ask for this but would do twice as much for you if the table was turned.

Cheers.

The Mill is located at 3199 Sandwich St. on the corner of Mill St. and Sandwich St. in Old Sandwich Towne on the west side.