Festival Entertainers

Festival Epicure 2009 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.


Rare Earth

Around 1969-70 Rare Earth signed with Motown Records, which gave Rare Earth their own record label calling it Rare Earth Records. This convinced Rare Earth that Motown was very serious about making Rare Earth a success. Rare Earth released 9 albums in a 10-year period and has garnered 9 charting hit singles including 5 top twenty hits. Classic singles like "Get Ready", "I Know I m Losing You," "Born To Wander," "I Just Want To Celebrate, and "Hey Big Brother" still resonant with audiences worldwide. Albums like "Get Ready" and "Rare Earth in Concert" have gone multi-platinum and are still selling today. The albums "One World," "Ecology," "Willie Remembers" and "Ma" have also reached platinum status. Rare Earth still performs world wide to very enthusiastic audiences bringing standing ovations for their trademark blend of rock, pop, soul and funk.Rare Earth consists of original member Gil Bridges,(sax,flute,lead and background vocals),Floyd Stokes, (lead vocal and drums),Randy Burghdoff,(bass and vocal background),Ivan Greilick,(guitar,lead and background vocal),Michael Bruner,(keyboards).

Performing Live:
7:30 - 8:30pm Sunday, July 12th


The Kimmie Horne Show

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.

Performing Live:
9:00 - 10:30pm Sunday, July 12th


Larry Lee and Back In The Day

Larry Lee one talented individual, spent 17 years in the NFL, 8 as a player and 9 as an executive. During his playing days he played for the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, and Denver Broncos. While with the Broncos he participated in Super Bowl XXII. He then went on to become Vice-President of the Detroit Lions. After his NFL years were done, with a little persuasion from a good friend and fellow bass player Kerry Lacy Larry decided to return to his childhood passion, music. He has been a professional bass guitarist for more than 30 years. After getting his fingers back into shape another good friend Detroit Blues legend Robert Penn hired Larry as his bass player. After playing with Robert for one year he wanted to start his own group. So he went out looking for the best musicians and vocalists in the awesomely talented musical City of Detroit, and found them. The result of his search produced a group that is comprised of former Temptations, 4 Tops, Parliament/Funkadelic, Contours, and Gospel Hall of Fame entertainers thus Larry Lee and Back In The Day was born. LL and BITD has comprised a resume’ that is second to none. In its short existence, 6 years, LL and BITD has shared the bill with artist such as Brian McKnight, Chaka Khan, Isaac Hayes, Gap Band, Morris Day and The Time, Dave Koz, Los Lobos, KEM, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, The Isley Brothers, Smokey Robinson, Little Richard, O Jays, Average White Band, and the Temptations just to name a few.

Performing Live:
9:00 - 10:15pm Friday, July 10th
7:15 - 8:45pm Saturday, July 11th


Johannes Linstead

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.

Performing Live:
5:30 - 7:00pm Sunday, July 12th


Impact 7

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:
11:00 - 12:30am Saturday, July 11th


REGULAR BOYS

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:
7:15 - 8:30pm Friday, July 11th
9:15 - 10:30pm Saturday, July 12th


Persuasion Band

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.

Performing Live:
10:45 - 12:15pm Friday, July 10th
3:30 - 5:00pm Sunday, July 12th


The Unsettlers

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:
5:30 - 6:45pm Friday, July 10th
4:00 - 5:15pm Saturday, July 11th


Nemesis

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!

Performing Live:
2:15 - 3:30pm Saturday, July 5th


The Beatnik Four

Featuring Hip Kat "Angelo" Alfini of British Beat 66, and Jumper: keyboard, guitar, vocals, singin' & playin' the tunes Cool Daddy O "Mike" Mike Hereford of British Beat 66 and Jumper: guitar, keyboard, vocals on the geetar Mr."Kevin K" Kevin Peterson of Reverb Rockers and Buzzard Band: bass, vocals just a groovin on the low notes & our man "Oh Oh Owen" Owen Jones of ABX and Jump Katz : drums, vocals with those wild & crazie beatz. These cats are totally groovy & proud of it! Playing pop favourites from the Sixties

Performing Live:
12:45 - 1:45pm Saturday, July 11th


Robert Penn

Robert Penn

Robert Penn, Detroit's " Man of The Blues " has been perfecting his craft for more than thirty years . He has developed a style compared to the likes of B.B. King and other great blues artists of our time. Growing up he had a strong passion for music in general but a true sense of belonging to the blues. Besides working with the great B.B.King his list of works are as follows: Opening act for Bobby "Blue" Bland, Little Milton, Jonnie Taylor, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Coco Taylor, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins and Jimmy Vaughn . His new CD is titled "A Little Blues, A Little Soul".

Performing Live:
12:45 - 1:45pm Saturday, July 11th


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