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whasup?
reviews...
R
PRESS RELEASE:
There's a new JACK de KEYZER ALBUM in the making John's friend and colleague Jack deKeyzer has been working on a new CD release, in recent months. Y'all will want to note that some of the musicians heard on John's "Whasup?" album were involved in Jack's newie, which is to be titled "Six String Lover" (bluestar Records). Michael Fonfara plays the organ and the piano and, Alec Fraser and Shane Scott alternate on the bass duties. Sessions and mixing for the record have been taking place at Liquid Sound in Toronto. Some of Jack's original, new tunes, such as "Deal Me In", "Makin' Love To You", "Drivin' Home" and, "It's In The Way You Love" are now being heard at recent concerts. One of the songs to be included on the new "Six String Lover" CD was co-written with John Mars and, it is titled "Jump Right To It". For more info, go to Jack's site at: Charles "Plank" Schiesmann December 2001JOHN MARS with ROOM 101
In recent months, John has been performing a number of gigs with ROOM 101, an exciting, new Rock 'n' Roll combo. The band is led by singer/songwriter/rhythm guitarist LUCAS STAGG. The rest of the room is occupied by JAMIE ROBERTSON (lead guitar), CHRIS BLACKER (bass) and, TOM WILLIAMS (drums). Gigs with ROOM 101 have seen John doing selections from his "Whasup?" CD, as well as some surprise covers. ROOM 101 have their own, original album, entitled "Album" and for more information on the group, you can go to their brand new web site at:Charles "Plank" Schiesmann November 2001
JOHN MARS &
WAYNE MARSHALL UNPLUGGED
John Mars fans were pleasantly surprised this past winter by a series of
"unplugged" style guest spots that he made with his friend, singer/songwriter
Wayne Marshall. With Wayne taking a back seat for a moment, John suddenly appeared and
sang a plaintive "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" (written by Bob Dylan) mid-set, on
several concerts where Wayne was opening the show. These gigs included occassions where
Wayne was doing the warm-up slot in front of such stalwart perfomers such as; Ray
Materick, Gayle Ackroyd and, Fred J. Eaglesmith & The Flying Squirrels. Wayne Marshall
is sounding especially powerful himself these days - he gets an absolutely beautiful tone
from his big, Gibson acoustic guitar, his voice has never sounded better and, his original
songs such as "Today's Just One Of Those Days" are real crowd pleasers.
Huggy Bundle/April 2001
RAY MATERICK teams up with MICHAEL FONFARA
Fans will want to note that Ray Materick's great, new "Ashes And Dust" CD
includes keyboards by MICHAEL FONFARA, who was featured on John Mars' "Whasup?"
album. The album was produced by former Rhinoceros producer Frazier Mohawk, Tim Drummond
(ex-Bob Dylan/James Brown) plays the bass and, Mike Fitzpatrick is the drummist. The
record includes the pop/rock charm of songs like "You Babe", "Emily"
and, a gorgeous ballad called "Talkin' About You", which has long been a staple
of Materick sets. It sounds like a hit CD to us! With "Fomph" playing the organ
it gives Ray's backing group a sound that is a bit reminiscent of The Band. For ordering
info, go to our "links" page and, click on Ray Materick # 2. Ray Materick has
long been a distintive voice in Canadian music and, he is well worth checking out.
Huggy Bundle/June 2001
Rock 'n' Roll singer JOHN MARS first full length album of new songs, entitled, "WHASUP?" is out now. The CD was produced by Juno nominee, JACK DE KEYZER who co-wrote many of the songs with Mars and also plays lead guitar as well as handling back up vocal duties. Also featured on the disc are: MICHAEL FONFARA (Lou Reed /Rhinoceros/ Downchild Blues Band) on organ and piano, MARK FRENCH (ex-Blue Rodeo) on drums, SHANE SCOTT (Jack de Keyzer Band) on bass and backing vocals, jazz musicians extraordinaire, CHRIS ROBINSON on tenor and alto saxophones and BRIGHAM PHILLIPS on trumpet. Long time pal, GORDIE 'LEGS' LEWIS (Teenage Head) also contributed his distinctive, slash 'n' burn guitar style to 2 tracks. Recording engineer ALEC FRASER (Bottle Devils) supplied backing vocals on several tunes and country rock singer GAYLE ACKROYD can be heard harmonizing on one number. The 13 song CD exhibits a myriad of styles and influences from basic Rock 'n' Roll in the Little Richard/Eddie Cochran/Jerry Lee Lewis vein, to Stax/Volt, Memphis style soul music. Check this page for up and coming John Mars news. To order "Whasup?" or hear real audio clips please go to the CD page.
WILLIE 'BIG EYES' SMITH Meanwhile, the new album by Willie "Big Eyes" Smith features a song written by JACK deKEYZER and JOHN MARS entitled "Big Wig Woman". The CD, called "Blues From The Heart" features Jack deKeyzer on lead guitar, Michael Fonfara on piano and, Alec Fraser on bass. Fans will want to note that all of these great musicians are also featured on the John Mars "Whasup?" CD. Willie's "Blues From The Heart" disc was produced by Alec Fraser and, harmonicat Al Lerman at Alec's studio in Toronto and, it is real Chicago blues with a sense of humour. Willie was once the drummer for Muddy Waters and, this smokin' new release should not be missed. If you are a blues fan and, have not already heard Willie Smith play a shuffle beat, then your life is about to improve! The CD is available worldwide. For ordering/distribution information just go to our "links" page and click on Willie "Big Eyes" Smith. Huggy Bundle/ March 2001
The news is out...here's what critics are saying about Whasup!
John Mars:
Whasup? (Blue Star) 100% pure unadulterated rock'n'roll! John Mars and a dynamite
all-star band (Michael Fonfara, Mark French, Alec Fraser), led and produced by CDN rockin'
legend Jack de Keyzer (guitar), pump plenty of soul and swagger into these lucky 13 cuts
of rootsy rumble. Hopefully John will be taking these tunes out for a road trip out so we
can all get a bit'a rockin' in! A marvellous version of Joe Tex's "I'll Never Do You
Wrong" is but one of the standout cuts. Watch for the opening number, "Good ën'
Bad," or "Wild At Heart" to be gettin' a fair chunk of airplay on any
station, with even a modicum of good taste, near you. Yeah! (13 tracks. 46:23 playing
time.)
MOHAIR SWEETS (Winnipeg)
Originally from Brantford, Ontario, singer-songwriter John Mars has been kicking
around the Toronto music scene since 1972, when he was vocalist and drummer for John Mars
& The Martians. Through the late 70's and the 80's he performed as part of a jazz duo
with pianist Stuart Broomer, and later as lead singer for Brian's Children. It was through
the Children's drummer, Teddy Fury, that John came to meet Jack De Keyzer, when Fury had
gone on to found rockabilly revivalists The Bop Cats, and that leads us to John's first
solo album.
John's love of early rock & roll shows all over this recording, co-written and
produced with the help of his good friend, Jack De Keyzer. Jack plays all the guitar on
the album and makes use of his backup band of Mark French and Shane Scott throughout. The
end result is a collection of rockin' tunes that harken back to the rock and roll of the
50's and 60's. There are a couple of nice ballads thrown in, a few jazzy touches, and a
sprinking of horns that take me back to the Jersey sound made famous by the Asbury Jukes.
John's vocal style is very reminiscent of many 60's pop records, pretty smooth, and he
wears all his influences right on his sleeve. The songwriting is first-rate, with Jack's
guitar work outstanding as always. Some nice sax work by Chris Robinson also, especially
on the album closer, "Friday Night Gig." Some other standout cuts include
"Good N' Bad," "I Want A Girl Like You," "The Girls Are
Rockin'," "L'il Suzy Sue," and a cover of Jack's "Wild At Heart."
THE NAIL (Niagara Falls)
Toronto, Ontario's John Mars boasts quite an extensive pedigree, including musician
(Brian's Children, Broomer And Mars),
sportswriter (with an exhaustive look at the NHL in the works), music critic (including a
lengthy stint as a Blitz Magazine columnist) and record collector.
As such, Mars has been able to call upon several friends in high places to assist him in
this solo debut, including Rhinoceros' Michael Fonfara, Teenage Head guitarist Gordon
Lewis and Canadian rockabilly stalwart, Jack De Keyzer. But the vision realized within is
totally Mars' own.
The inspirations in "Whasup?" are diverse, from "Sticky Fingers"-era
Rolling Stones to Stax/Volt and rockabilly. Mars especially excels at the latter, as
evidenced by "Lil' Suzy Sue" and "Pristine Christine".
Thoughtfully chosen covers like Eddie Cochran's "Nervous Breakdown" and Joe
Tex's "I'll Never Do You Wrong" are not only competently executed, but serve to
demonstrate that Mars' muse is well-grounded. If nothing else, "Whasup?" is
proof that spending too much time with one's record collection is not necessarily an
exercise in futility.
Blitz Magazine (Los Angeles)
Canadian Rock'n'Roller JOHN MARS has been
playing with assorted Ontario-based combos since the late 60's; he also spent over a
decade as the drumming half of a duo with jazz-based pianist Stuart Broomer. Mars was the
singing drummer in his first band, The Martians, but, for his solo
debut-"Whasup?"- he's set aside instrumental duties to focus solely on singing.
He's enlisted the help of a host of pedigreed players, all of whom fall in line to support
the simple and sturdy songs; producer-guitarist Jack de Keyzer, for instance, understands
the strength of a solid foundation, and, the rhythm section of drummer Mark French and
bass player Shane Scott is the pumping heart of the album. Filigree is minimal but potent
when utilized - the backup vocals and organ on "There's A Hole In My Soul", the
horns on Joe Tex's "I'll Never Do You Wrong", the percussion and handclaps on
"Good 'n'Bad".
Mars wrote or cowrote nine of the set's 13 tunes, and, he's clearly learned from his
decades of listening and playing - the songs are flush with the verve, flair and
confidence of Eddie Cochran, British Invasion flagbearers and Memphis soulsters. Mars and
de Keyzer also have added two solid new entries to the litany of girl-name songs
("Danielle" and "Lil' Suzy Sue").
Metroland "The Capital Region's
Alternative Newsweekly" Albany, New York
