There's been lots of interest about the upcoming 1998 JVC URBAN RHYTHM
FESTIVAL, which
takes place in Toronto from Wednesday, August 26-Saturday August 29 1998.
Please spread the word in whatever way you can. Here's the scoop....
Formerly known as the JVC Acid Jazz Groove Festival, The Urban Rhythm
Festival is the funkier, more contemporary sister fest to the Toronto JVC
Jazz Festival and is being co-promoted this year by Beverly May of Ritual,
Carlos Mondesir of HotStepper, Denise Benson of Tommygrl & Jonathan Ramos
of REMG Productions. This year's festival will highlight house, drum &
bass, dub, hip hop, acid jazz, funk, South Asian underground vibes & way
more. Proudly, we present to you....our lineup ^_^ :
WEDNESDAYAUG. 26: settin' things off with the opening party @ the
Guvernment's beautiful Skybar patio, with local DJ's Gerald Belanger
(CKLN/Kinder Atom/Metro Breaks), Denise Benson (CKLN's "Mental
Chatter"/Glide resident), Bryan Falling (Mettle), Patrick D-Nice
(everywhere!) and Wayne Wonder. $5.
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THURSDAY. AUG. 27: 'Drum & Bass Meets Tablas & Turntables' with the Untouchable
OUTCASTE Beats Tour featuring BADMARSH & SHRI. A fully live set with
tablas, sitar, vocals, bass (Shri is a master!) and turntable skills
(Badmarsh is way wicked!). Outcaste Records have been gaining major respect
for their releases by Shri (solo), Nitin Sawhney, the Untouchable Outcaste
Beats comp (feat. Dave Pike, Pressure Drop, Ananda Shankar and lots more),
and now the Badmarsh and Shri album "Dancing Drums". All are gorgeous
releases and all are soon to go domestic in North America with Tommyboy
picking up the label for the U.S. and BMG here in Canada. Don't sleep on
this live set, which will be followed by another guest DJ from the Outcaste
crew PLUS....
DJ E.A.S.E. - the main man behind NIGHTMARES ON WAX hits T.O. for the first
time ever, performing an 'official' N.O.W. DJ set of Smokin' Delights. If
you've heard the new N.O.W. tune on the WARP 100 comp., you know that
E.A.S.E. and crew only get better and better and...
local DJ talents MARCUS (of CIUT's "Prophecy and records as Visionary),
GURU PRASAD (Exclaim! Mag) & SASSA'LE (CKLN's Version Excursion, Rivoli and
maaaaad mixer about town). Dub, drum 'n bass, hip hop, rare Asian grooves &
more will be in the mix with much local flair. Shout outs and major respect
to our co-sponsor for this one, UNCLE OTIS clothing shops - home of Stüssy
and other fine gear in T.O.
All this for only $15 adv. or $20 @ the door. Opera House 735 Queen St. E.
9pm - 3am
Also Thursday evening, at the Rivoli (332 Queen St. W.) RITA di GHENT and
her Sprawl Project give us a preview of their upcoming release, and IVANA
SANTILLI (ex- Bass is Base) performs a rare live set with her smokin' new
band. CKLN's DJ STASH mixes hip hop and funky beats throughout the night.
$8 at door.
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FRIDAY Aug. 28: 'Funk Funk Funk it Up' all night long with not one, not two
but THREE groovin' parties. First, an early jam at Harbourfront's Molson
Place stage featuring PUCHO & THE LATIN SOUL BROTHERS (yep!), Chicago's
hotly tipped LIQUID SOUL *and* the GREYBOY ALLSTARS who always kick out
the funky jams live. 8pm-11pm. Get there early. FREE!
Later this night, a Talkin' Loud party happens at Bauhaus (Mercer St.) with
another Toronto first - a lengthy DJ set by the one 'n only GILLES
PETERSON. Hear the man who coined the term "acid jazz," is former head of
the label with the same name, and is the main visionary behind Talkin'
Loud records (Roni Size, Incognito, 4 Hero, Nicolette, DJ Krust....).
Gilles will be spinning his world renowned eclectic mix and will be joined
by Bauhaus' Overproof Fridays resident, the very funky DJ Jason Palma
(CIUT's "Higher Ground"). $12 at the door. 11pm-3am.
At the Rivoli, Toronto's own CODEX perform a live drum 'n bass & global
downtempo set as part of their CD release party for their debut, being
released later this month on World Domination. Bass-heads extraordinaire,
the RESINATORS perform in their "maximum live dub" style earlier. CKLN's
"Rinse Out" specialist, DJ MEDICINE MUFFIN rinses away between and after
sets. $8 at the door.
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SATURDAY AUG. 29: 'The Funk Hits the Fans' with our blowout closing night
gig featuring the full-on live Philly funk of 15 piece SYLK 130. Sylk
fly-guy and mastermind KING BRITT will also be spinning a fine DJ set.
Toronto's Bump 'n Hustle crew represents with an opening performance by
soul diva extraordinaire DIVINE EARTH ESSENCE as backed by PANIC and DJ
sets by CIUT's MIKE TULL ("Higher Ground") and the super-smooth PAUL E.
LOPES. Not only will all of these fine folks throw down, but we go all
night with *more* funky deep house DJ sets by Montreal's FRED EVERYTHING
(Vinyl Peace/Sona resident) and Chicago's J-DUB (Shelter and Red Dog
resident). Opera House 735 Queen St. E. 9pm-6am. $20 adv./ $25 @ door.
The Rivoli features jazzy hip hop headz the POCKET DWELLERS doin' their
special live groove, as well as innovative live hip hop by A.K.A. who count
MC PHATT AL as one of their members. DJ SERIOUS rocks it between and after
sets. $8 at the door.
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Individual tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster 416.870.8000 or at
Play de Record (347a Yonge St.); Speed (423 Queen St. W.); Uncle Otis (383
Queen St. W. and Yorkville locale); Delphic (706 Queen St. W.) and Rotate
This (620 Queen W.)
A limited number of ALL-INCLUSIVE Festival passes are available through
Ticketmaster for the bargain price of $37.
For any further info on the JVC Urban Rhythm Festival, call our infoline @
416.760.3135 or check us online at www.techno.ca/urbanrhythm.
Peace out ya'll. Hope to see you at the Fest!
-d-
-denise benson-
"Mental Chatter"; Mondays 11am-2pm, CKLN 88.1FM
"Glide"; Wednesdays at Gypsy Co-op, 817 Queen St. W.
National Beat Promotions, Iron Music Canada 416.537.9700 x23
JVC Urban Rhythm Festival * August 26-29, 1998 Toronto