BL PROGRAM NOTES

50 YEARS OF ROCK ‘N ROLL Jeans ‘N Classics Wednesday, December 4, 2013 @ 8PM

Thursday, December 5, 2013 @ 8PM Centre In The Square, Kitchener

Repertoire

Head Over Heels Could It Be I’m Falling In Love

Firework Sara Be My Baby Mon Histoire September Wichita Lineman You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling

INTERMISSION

Synchronicity II Toxic Could It Be Magic Never Can Say Goodbye Without You These Dreams Sherry Dancing Queen

Jeff Christmas – Conductor

Jeff is a Canadian-based composer, arranger, conductor, drummer, percussionist and trumpeter. He studied at York University, University of Western Ontario, and Berklee College of Music in Boston where he majored in Film Scoring and Composition.

Jeff's original compositions for a wide variety of ensembles are in demand internationally. His music for the Opening Ceremonies of the Canada Games premiered on national television in 2001. Jeff has worked on various feature films and television programs with credits including High Point Casinos (Global TV) and “Chatroom” (HBO, BET). His most recent commissions include Bluewater Portrait for solo oboe and orchestra and Canadian Voyage, a five- movement suite for French horn and orchestra.

David Blamires - Lead Vocals

David Blamires was born in Yorkshire, England but grew up in London, Ontario. He got his start in music as a very busy session vocalist in Toronto, singing on thousands of jingles, album recordings, and soundtracks. As a member of the Pat Metheny Group from 1986-1997, he appeared on three Grammy Award-winning albums and performed for multitudes of fans all over the world. During this time he also recorded and released his own self-titled contemporary jazz album, “The David Blamires Group”, throughout the U.S. and Canada.

David writes and records music for TV and radio commercials, for clients such as American Airlines, Coors, Proctor & Gamble, McDonald’s, Kraft, and many more.

Peter Brennan - Guitars

Born in England, Peter moved to Canada as a child. He studied music formally for a time, but ultimately the lure of a traveling rock band won out. During the '70s and '80s he toured extensively throughout North America, establishing himself as a guitarist and Music Director with a variety of groups.

Peter has always loved the sound of a rock band with an orchestra. In the early '90s this dream became a reality for him with the establishment of Jeans ’n Classics.

Peter recently received the Mayor's Award for the Arts in London, Ontario where he resides, and was named to the University Of Western Ontario, Faculty of Music “Wall Of Fame” in September 2010.

Neil Donell - Lead Vocals

"You blew me away!" - These were the words internationally renowned writer/producer David Foster spoke after hearing Neil Donell sing for the first time at Toronto's legendary Blue Note club. High praise indeed for the singer/songwriter, who moved from Montreal to emerge on Toronto’s music scene in the eighties.

Since then, Neil has come to prominence for his extreme vocal versatility, gift for mimicry and four- octave vocal range. This has made him the "go to" voice for more than ten thousand recording sessions, in virtually every medium where music is an integral component. He has been referred to in the media as "the most recorded voice in the country."

Paul DeLong - Drums

Best known for his multi-platinum success with rock artist Kim Mitchell, Paul has forged a career which encompasses funk, fusion, jazz and Latin, working with such diverse artists as Tom Scott, Domenic Troiano, David Blamires, Lawrence Gowan, and The Tenors, to name a few.

As a Juno award-winner and respected session player, Paul has performed at shows Los Angeles, Montreal, and Cape Breton. Paul has taught part-time at Humber College in Toronto for the past 24 years and has written several articles for Modern Drummer magazine. He also taught and performed at KOSA 2010. His book "DeLong Way To Polyrhythmic Creativity On The Drumset” is now being distributed worldwide by Hudson Ltd.

Rique Franks - Vocalist

Best known for her duets with Dan Hill (In Your Eyes, Hold Me Now), Rique Franks has sung, toured, recorded and/or written with many Canadian and international recording artists including Roger Hodgson (Supertramp), Eddie Schwartz (Writer for Pat Benatar), Ronnie Greenfield-formerly Spector (The Ronettes), Stephan Mocchio (Celine Dion), Marc Jordan (Rod Stewart) - the list goes on and on.

Currently, Rique performs live as a featured soloist and core performer with Jeans 'n Classics singing everything from Annie Lennox to Gershwin with orchestras across North America. Rique can be heard daily as the on-air speaking-voice of Showcase Television and Showcase Diva. You can listen to more of her stuff here.

Stephanie Martin - Vocalist

Born in the U.S. to Canadian/Greek parents and raised in California and Montreal, Stephanie now calls Toronto home. After successful runs in theatre (the leading role of Eponine in the bilingual production of Les Misérables in Montreal and other acclaimed appearances in Paris, London, Germany and Japan), film and television (such as the role of Disney's Pocahontas in the French language versions) she released her debut CD ‘Shape, line & harmony’ in 2007. The disc was chosen by CBC Radio as one of the year's best releases and is distributed nationally by Fontana North/Universal Music.

She continues to establish herself as a Canadian songwriter, a bilingual recording artist and actor in Canada and abroad.

John Regan - Piano/Host

Originally spotted by J’nC boss Peter Brennan while performing solo in a London Ontario nightclub, John Regan has been part of the Jeans ‘n Classics Band for almost two decades.

John mixes classical training with an ear for the pop and rock music of the last six decades. John played as a solo artist around southern Ontario, offering a vast repertoire of material for listeners. Frequently, John hosts Jeans ‘n Classics concerts, providing audience members with interesting, informative and sometimes inane facts about the music.

By day, John teaches History, Religion and Vocal Music at a high school in St. Thomas Ontario, where he also coaches the football team.

Kathryn Rose - Vocalist

As a singer songwriter, Kathryn Rose is known for her artful, cerebral brand of sexy/sad/funny cinematic pop. Her latest release, Something I Can Use (2010), is a compilation of favorites from her three previous solo albums, with new, live and reworked tracks, available at her website and on iTunes.

Kathryn’s reputation also precedes her as one of the country’s top “go-to" voices, having sung on well-over 60 albums of other artists. Her own songs have been placed in film and television. Kathryn was also a successful actress in film, TV and stage until she left that world for music in her mid-twenties. Currently she is balancing her solo music career, sitting on the Board of Canadian Independent Recording Artists’ Association.

Mitch Tyler - Bass

Mitchell Tyler, a London resident, has been a professional musician since 1987. He is a part time contract teacher of string music and classical guitar with the Thames Valley District School Board.

As a long-time member of the J’n’C Band, Mitchell has worked with many orchestras in Canada (Orchestra London Canada, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, etc.) as well as in the U.S. He has shared the stage with Roger Hodgson (Supertramp), Rik Emmett (Triumph), as well as countless other legends.

Mitchell also operates SMarT Laser Music Publishing where he is kept busy working as an arranger and music copyist.

ROCK SYMPHONY

Flutes Trombone Liesel Deppe Rob Stone Amelia Lyon Violins Oboes Megan Jones (Concert Master) Gwen Buttemer Jennifer Duke - Martyn Danielle Johannes Sarah Wiebe Sarah Wiebe Clarinets Jane Yang Mara Plotkin Andrew Bensler Nonna Aroutiounian Jonathan Garabedian Suhashini Arulanadam Bassoons Emily Sun Julie Shier Alicia Bots Violas Katherine Mrmak Horns Rachel Reimer Tim Lockwood Caroline Olsen Kiirsi Maunula Cellos Trumpets Hannah Jackson Paul Stevenson Robin Howe Julie Vaughan Brandon Wilkie

Percussion Double Basses Dave Robilliard Nicholas Davis Brennan Connolly Erin Macleod