I stumbled upon Andy Kim's web site a while ago and have
come to appreciate a forgotten gem in Canadian rock. About
a month ago, I even took in one of his concerts.
The one thing that struck me during Andy Kim's Christmas
Special, which took place at the Mod Club Theatre in
Toronto on Friday, December 2nd, 2005, was the sheer
diversity of the guests who took part. And not just in style, but
in age as well. Is this a renaissance of sorts for Andy Kim?
You bet it is.
Let me begin with a refresher in the school of Andy Kim. At
the tender age of 16, with nothing but desire and raw talent
in his pockets, Kim left his native Montreal for New York City
in the late 60s in search of stardom. Many Canadians found
themselves in the same predicament as Kim, as there was
no Canadian music industry to speak of. In this light, Andy
Kim is a true Canadian rock trailblazer.
Along with Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, The Guess Who and
The Band, Andy Kim was part of a small but dynamic
Canadian contingent that found fame in the United States.
All have left an undeniable mark on the rock' n roll
landscape. Not bad for Crazy Canucks, eh?
With 30 million records sold, countless tours in the United
States and a rock anthem under his belt - "Sugar, Sugar"
was recently inducted into the Rock'n Roll Hall of Fame -
Andy Kim has returned.
While Toronto and New York have welcomed him back, his
native Montreal has ironically remained cool to his
comeback. Far from keeping Andy Kim down, he will force
people to notice him as he did when Jeff Barry discovered in
him over 35 years ago.
This brings us back to the concert. In a sleek black suit, Kim
kicked off the evening with a rousing rendition of "Rock me
Gently" - a song that brought him a Juno Award in 1974.
From that point forward, the tone and mood of the night were
set. If there were any among the 550 plus people in
attendance who were skeptical, he quickly made them a
believer.
This set the stage for an impressive list of Canadian artists
to showcase their music. The group included Esthero,
Hayden Neale of Jacksoul, Shaye, The Hidden Cameras,
Andy Stochansky, Danny Michel, Blair Packham and Jully
Black.
Ron Sexsmith who performed and co-wrote "What Ever
Happened to Christmas" alongside Kim also treated fans to
a special guest appearance.
There was nothing formulaic to the evening. This much was
clear as musicians moved on and off the stage with a flair of
what I would call slight unprepared coolness. Whatever it
was, when the music started, each of them brought with
them a unique element to the concert. It was a magical night
that reminded us how Canadian music continues to thrive
and evolve.
Above all, for 2 1/2 hours, many of Canada's musicians,
who were barely in existence when Andy Kim began writing
music, had a chance to perform with a rock legend. It had to
be gratifying for Andy Kim - who influenced so many
musicians - as he watched people of another generation
connect to his music. Not only that, all are self-professed
fans.
Of course, all good things must come to an end, and what
better way to end the night than with "Sugar, Sugar?" With
everyone on stage performing it in a jam session, it was
reminiscent of The Band's Last Waltz or whenever great
musicians congregate to perform a colleague's song. It was
an awesome spectacle that was free of any tackiness that
can dangerously make such things ghastly to watch.
As I listened, I observed a young punker pass by and look at the stage. She turned and walked away, though not before
giving her opinion to no one in particular, 'This is so cool.' I
thought two things to myself after hearing this. This is
exactly how Tony Bennett revived his career when he
connected to a crowd outside his genre. Indeed, Andy Kim
had the aura of a rock'n roll crooner.
The second thing that came to mind, and probably more
important in the larger scheme of things, is that Andy Kim
belonged. He did not seem displaced artistically or
technically with this group of outstanding musicians. This, in
my mind, is the greatest accomplishment of the night. Well,
that and the fact that proceeds went to charity.
"Sugar, Sugar" was the perfect climax for an excellent show.
Or was it? Not wanting to call it a night, the performers
debated with which song they should continue? They settled
on "Rock me Gently", the song that began the whole affair.
This was, for those who pay attention to such things,
symbolic of Andy Kim's career, which has come full circle as
he connected with a whole new generation of musicians. If
anything, he can watch with pride the vibrancy and brilliance
of Canadian music he helped spawn.
Anyhow, check out his site - which includes his personal
diary - and you may even be moved to purchase some of
his music. His impressive latest EP 'I Forgot to Mention'
includes contribution from Ed Robertson of the Barenaked
Ladies, Timothy B. Schmidt of The Eagles and Kenny
Aronoff among others.
http://www.friendlymisanthropist.blogspot.com - The Commentator
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