Festival Entertainers |
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Festival Epicure 2008 has a musical lineup featuring the best musicians the Windsor/Detroit area has to offer! Whether you are into R&B, Pop, Blues, Bluegrass or Jazz, Festival Epicure is second to none.
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The Miracles |
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The Miracles are pleased to announce the addition of lead singer, Mark Scott. A Flint, Michigan native - Scott is no stranger to the entertainment world, beginning his career as a featured vocalist in the 1985 film "Breaking II Electric Boogaloo". The Miracles performed as a trio with their band, “The Miracle Workers”, with Tee Turner as musical director/bass player and background vocalist. An accomplished writer, producer and vocalist, Tee's satin, airy vocal qualities with the ability to sing first and second tenor moved Tee to the front line - once again completing the four man group. It is noteworthy that The Miracles have maintained their professionalism and cannot be duplicated in a time when clone groups are unfortunately on the rise. The Miracles sweet sounds are loved throughout the world and with the positive energy of these four gentlemen, MIRACLES WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN
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The Kimmie Horne Show |
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A native Detroiter, is considered by many to be one of the most outstanding vocalist/entertainers to emerge from this area in years! Billed as
the "Kimmie Horne" show (with an 8 piece band), featuring classy blends of Jazz, Pop and R&B, Kimmie takes her audiences on a journey
through time and an electrifying ride through various musical idioms. Having just been voted "Casino performer of the year 2002" by the
Casino writers guild of America, Kimmie's career is presently streaking like a meteor! Her repertoire includes standards like "Sweetest Georgia
Brown", contemporary hits like Desiree's "Gotta Be", Sade's "Sweetest Taboo", bluesy hits like "Last Two Dollars"
and "Ain't Misbehavin'". Kimmie has appeared with The Neville Brothers, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, En Vogue, Pieces of a Dream, as
well as, performing at the Emmy's, Super Bowl, Caesar's Palace and Trumps Plaza.
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Johannes Linstead |
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Get ready for a fiesta with award-winning Latin guitarist Johannes Linstead and his ensemble of Afro-Cuban & World percussion! Johannes' live performances are nothing short of phenomenal. Bursting with tropical sounds and rhythms from the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, Johannes and his group create a high-energy, festive mood with plenty of lightning fast guitar improvisations and spicy percussion solos. Johannes' latest CD, Mediterranea, recently won "Best World Album" in the US and has reached the Top Ten on the Billboard magazine music charts.
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Impact 7 |
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Bernard Allen, George Anderson, Mark Croft, Frank Kelley Jr., James E. Payton, Jon D. Pettiford and Ronald A. Wallace make up the harmonies and sounds of Impact 7. These seven gentlemen have been working on various forms of music individually for over 20 years. The group was formed in 1993 and began to blend their wide influences into a soulful assortment of Blues, Rock & Roll, Motown, Jazz and may other various styles of music. Impact 7 shows are somewhat patterned after the old Motown Revue shows of yesteryear with tight harmonies and choreography with a a lot of high energy!!
Performing Live: |
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REGULAR BOYS featuring Stewart Francke |
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Regular Boys is a ten-member band from Detroit, featuring music that is the pulse of the city today. The band features the rocking but soulful vocals of Ms. Jeannie Stales (formerly of “Jeannie and The Dreams”), a blastin' four-piece horn section and a rock solid rhythm section. Since their formation in 1984, Regular Boys has developed an impressive following of music lovers from the Detroit and Chicago area. Their fans thrive on the excitement of a truly authentic rhythm and blues sound.
Performing Live: Featuring
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Chick Willis |
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It is no exaggeration to state that the blues is one of the most flexible of musical forms. While most people associate this music with despair, the down and out, and the overcoming of adversity, it is also a sanctuary for much humor about the human condition. While the majority of performers only hint at this and even fewer utilize it effectively, hilarity and good times permeate the music of Blues Recording Artist “Chick Willis”. He can, and often does lay down some serious Blues. But his good nature and concern for his audience almost demand that he keep it on the light side. His early influences included Sam “Lighting” Hopkins, Guitar Slim, T-Bone Walker, and Little Milton in the later years. He became good enough in his late teens to begin working professionally in Atlanta at the old Royal Peacock Club, where he backed or played with a wide variety of talent such as Jackie Wilson, The Five Royals, Ray Charles, Big Joe Turner, Nappy Brown, Sam Cooke, Jimmy Reed, and many others at venues ranging from the Apollo Theater to the Magnolia Ballroom.
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Priscilla Price |
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Singing the blues for royalty and heads of state is enough of a stretch for the young daughter of a West Virginia coal miner. For Priscilla Price to be introduced to John F. Kennedy on the White House lawn, and get invited to perform at Hyannisport was “totally off the charts”. After moving to the Brooklyn the fledgling singer got to the Brooklyn Apollo Theater, where she met up with Leo Price as well as his brother, Lloyd, Millie Jackson and blues legend Ruth Brown. She was soon appearing on the same ticket with Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson and Patti LaBelle. Or she was on the road with the bands of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke and Sam & Dave - and meeting royalty and heads of state. When not touring, she worked steadily at Brooklyn's Apollo Theater. Priscilla's first single, in 1973, was a re-release of "Funny." Picked up by BASF, it went to No. 17 on Billboard's top 30 R&B chart. Decades later, in October 1998, Priscilla Price, the seasoned performer, joined Alberta Adams and Bettye LaVette in a Detroit Blues Society performance to honour her as one of the Women of Detroit Blues
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Persuasion Band |
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Persuasion band has been performing in the Metro Detroit area for more than 15 years and are considered one of the most high-energy bands in the Midwest. The band has a strong rhythm section, outstanding horn section and three up front vocalists that are not only great singers, but interact and involve your guests to keep the party happening.
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Serieux |
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Innovative, Fantastic, Awesome, and Dynamic - These are the words used by audiences all over the world to describe the explosive entertainment provided by the group, Serieux. Serieux is a high impact, group of singers and musicians, who has re-surfaced the “back in the day” Motown sound that once captivated the entire world. Serieux was founded in 1998 by Larry Griffin, vocalist, choreographer and CEO/Group Manager, Valenica Taylor, Chief of Staff, Donovan Johnson, Musical Director and Robert Grande Road Manager. Mr. Griffins vision has joined together a 10 - member group who has perfected the entertainment style provided in the 60's and 70's by world renowned groups like the Temptations, The Contours, The Miracles, The Four Tops and many others that made up the “Motown Sound.”
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The Unsettlers |
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Based out of Montreal, with roots in Windsor On, and Vancouver BC, THE UNSETTLERS, bring their foot stompin', beatnik/klezmer, turn of the century “Folka” music to the Epicure stage for the first time. Blacklight theatre meets old time roots music with a brand new twist…ladies and gentlemen …The Unsettlers Check out myspace.com/theunsettlers, for more information.
Performing Live: |
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Nemesis |
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Now in it's 32th year of performing, this 7-piece ensemble originating from the Leamington/Kingsville area, continues to rank as one of the most popular shows on the festival scene. Original members Bob Gabriele, Greg Sims, Tony Masciotra and Walt Jakob kick out tight rhythms and sweet harmonies, while the slick horn section of Andrew Wasilewski, Clint Weir, and Corey Fitzpatrick add the colour and diversity culminating in a memorable show of versatility ranging from blues to high energy rock and roll. Be prepared to boogie when Nemesis takes the stage!
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Mr. Chill & the Witnesses |
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Mr. Chill & The Witnesses are one of Canada's finest roots music aggregations. Fronted by lead vocalist Mr. Chill (aka Kelly Hoppe) on harmonica, tenor sax and melodica, they whip up a spicy-hot feast of blues, soul, funk, rock, bluegrass, folk, gospel and country in a style all their own. Mr. Chill, as a member of rock/reggae outfit Big Sugar from 1994 to 2003, performed throughout North America and Europe sharing stages with the Rolling Stones, the Allman Brothers Band, Blues Traveler, Gov't Mule and Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes, to name a few. His trademark harmonica and sax can be heard on CDs by the aforementioned Chris Robinson, The Trews, and Halifax indie-rocker Joel Plaskett. Joining Mr. Chill will be The Witnesses: guitarist Greg Cox, bassist Josh Zalev and drummer Bradford Helner.
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Greg Cox Roots Combo |
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Greg Cox is a guitarist of many suits and his group serves up even portions of early jazz, ragtime, delta blues, swing, jump blues, and bebop. Take a tour through the evolution of the guitar and its ascension to the frontlines as a mainstay instrument in 20th century popular music. Joined by musicians well versed in multiple idioms, Greg recreates seminal guitar playing to the letter. Beginning with 1920’s pioneer plectrist Nick Lucas, and moving gracefully through the styles of some of the mythic figures of early guitar: Skip James, Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Robert Johnson and Django Reinhardt. Acknowledging the rise of the electric guitar in the 1940’s, Greg Cox and band summon the voices of Charlie Christian, T-Bone Walker, and Hank Garland. Rhythm and blues, soul, country, gospel, and rock and roll all factor into the mix as The Greg Cox Roots Combo put their personal stamp on the genesis of modern music.
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