As part of the giant effort undertaken by Undo Collective and Alternavox with the organizing team comprised of : Alita González-Vucina, Andres Mendoza, Carol Navia, Julie Fernandez, Roberto Cortez, Valentina Saavedra and yours truly. But there are so many more hands involved including a legion of dedicated volunteers whose names we will add at a later date to this article. But also we would be unable to take up such a massive undertaking without the support of talent that has made Toronto a world class city. This is the line up and we promise you it will be memorable.
Publisher’s Note March 21st, 2010: Well the event WAS amazing, it was incredibly well organized, all of us lived up to our tasks, the volunteers were amazing, the performances moving and the DJ’s amazing. Everyone was amazing and I am proud to have worked with each and everyone of the organizers, volunteers and artists. If I missed anyone don’t hesitate to email me at mikhail@alternavox.net. This post will remain in our archives for anyone who cares to reference in the future. Here is the list of volunteers followed by the acts:
Volunteers
1. Gabby Zamorano
2. Cecilia Oteiza
3. Fabrizio Divari
4. Tamara Hurtado
5. Gustavo Mery
6. Ivo & Sharon Gonzalez-Vucina
7. Jacquie Menezes (no email)
8. Jose Luis Cerda
9. Carolina Maldonado Figueroa
10. Lina Vargas
11. Valentina Morasky
12. Keka De Luca
13. Michael Villaroel
14. Maggie Villaroel
15. Bella Valenzuela
16. AJ Parucha
17. Ian Boquiren
18. Ricardo Bravo
19. Leslie Santivanez
20. Wendy A
21. Rodolfo Perez
22. Andrea Torres
23. Ximena Morris
24. Melissa Torres
25. Josy Rivera
26. Karen Flores
27. Vania
28. Rod Bravo
29. Diana Orellana
30. Amanda
31. Lilian Cortez
32. Carla
33. Iggy
34. Marcelo Sanchez
35. Javiera Vidal
36. Kathy Alegria Duran
37. Angela Lam
38. Diane (friend of Melissa’s)
39. Heidi Marisol
40. Graciela Vilchez
MC’s
Diego Fuentes: Born in Chile, Diego lived in Argentina and travelled across Canada before settling in Toronto. As well as a world music specialist, he’s also an accomplished actor. He was also the host of the groundbreaking Much Music show “Cliptrip”
MC Abdominal and The Obliques: Abdominal who is also performing formed his first rap crew with DJ Serious and Scott C. back in the day. He has toured as part of Jurassic European tour.
His first solo album, “Escape From The Pigeonhole”, was released in May 2007 and his song “Pedal Pusher”, co-written with Rodney Pleasant, won the Echo Songwriting Prize from SOCAN.
Hear them here:
LIVE ACTS:
Sergio Elmir:
Sergio Elmir is the host/producer behind Canada’s only Alternative
Latino Radio show, Dos Mundos, on CIUT 89.5FM. As a DJ, he has opened up
for the likes of Bajofondo Tango Club, the Zizek Collective, Grupo
Fantasma and more. Sergio is also a member of Toronto-based, dub-cumbia
group Huelepeega Sound System as well as an accomplished music
journalist and documentary producer.
Fernan: Renowned Toronto Andean musician Fernan has been enchanting audiences for decades with his incredible andean pan flute sounds and is well know throughout the community and in major cities across Canada. His music is a powerful link to traditional Chilean music. You can find out more at www.kordillera.com
Jose Contreras (By Divine Right): Jose is the leader of Toronto “indie psychedelic art experiment in beat song” band By Divine Right. Since 1989 Jose and the band have earned their rep as one of Canada’s top indie bands touring across Canada and being one of the first Canadian acts to tour China. They recently released “Mutant Message”. Jose is an accomplished singer-songwriter-guitarist in English and Spanish.
Listen here:
Alvaro C & Kid Conga:
Creator of QUADRASONIC Party and concept, founder MY CORPORATE FIESTA founder of ROBOT’S BALL and GLOBAL DANCE SYNDICATE, Latin Roots, Wabash legendary parties, Barry white’s Ball. Originator of CAFE CON LECHE – The party and Radio show on JAZZ FM 91.1. Writer and Director of “Bicicleta”, … Writer of UN OSITO – a book of poems and illustrations by Ulysses and Alvaro C. Creator of the Q4 online home QUADRASONIC.COM.
Kid Konga: House music has been Kid Conga’s primary focus in the last five years. You can find him at the legendary Bauhaus “Martini Mondays” alongside Alvaro C. applying his trade at the longest running Club night in Toronto. Other residencies under his belt include; Bauhaus Mondays, Lily Thursdays LOT 332 Fridays and last but not least the ever-popular Quadrasonic and Robot’s Ball parties which Kid Conga helps organize and promote
Listen here:
Maylee Todd:
She’s a quirky songstress, the multi-talented singer/songwriter with an appetite for obscure instruments. If you ask Maylee how she manages to play the Paraguayan harp as well as she does the guitar, she’ll tell you “anyone can do it.” But we’ve tried and that’s not true.
Maylee’s debut Album ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ will be released on June 15th, 2010 on the Do Right! Music label. For more info check www.mayleetodd.com
Listen here:
Elizabeth Shepherd:
Elizabeth Shepherd’s music is less about following a particular tradition than it is about expressing a creative spirit.
Elizabeth has earned 2 Juno nominations, tours in Europe, North America and Japan and most recently, a show at the legendary Hollywood Bowl with Jamie Cullum & Count Basie Orchestra. On Tuesday, she released her new album “Heavy Falls The Night” on Do Right Music! More info at www.elizabethshepherd.com
Listen here:
DJ’s
John Kong (Do Right): Well where could you even begin? The man runs the label so you know he knows a thing or two about music. You will be pleasantly surprised once you hear the sounds he will make at the turntable. Passion for beats is his driving force
For more on John Kong: www.dorightmusic.com
Simon (Coup Digital):
Partner and Creative Director at Derooted creative agency, he is a multi-disciplinary artist who has shared his visual gifts on projects for the likes of Fritz Helder & the Phantoms, MacLaren McCann and Redbull Canada. Spanning music performance and production with Coup Digital, to live visuals to interactive technology, Simon is a slave to experience.
For more on him check this: www.youtube.com/user/coupdigital
Jason Palma (Higher Ground Radio): A well known figure in the Toronto scene, Palma brings over 15 years experience deejaying a wide variety of music; from latin, soul, classic house, funk, hip hop to brasilian samba & afrobeat. As one of the first architects of Toronto’s early Acid Jazz, Deep House and Funk scenes, his skill at mixing records that would appear to be ‘unmixable’ has placed him in constant demand over the course of his career, while also making him one of the most beloved DJs in the T-dot!
For more on Jason: www.myspace.com/footprintstoronto
Alvaro G (KOLN): One of Toronto’s most dedicated underground DJ’s. Not only is he knowledgeable in what’s new and current but his skills at the mixing table are second to none. He will make you dance!
For more on Alvaro G: http://kingsoflatenite.podomatic.com/player/web/2010-03-05T08_43_05-08_00
DJ Machetero: El Machetero (b/n Daniel Rojas-Orrego) is a Toronto-based DJ specializing in Cumbia, Chicha, Descarga, Boogaloo, Afro Rock, Soul, Reggae/Rocksteady/1st Wave Ska, Doo-Wop, Rhythm and Blues, Psyche, Garage/Proto-Punk/Juvenile Delinquent Rock N’ Roll, Underground Oldies and Original Break Beats….strictly raw and dirty analog sounds with plenty of hiss and crackle, piss and vinegar, more spit and less polish.
You can find more about him…Well he actually is mysterious and likes for you to find out by listening to him live!
DJ Grouch: DJ Grouch has always been around music. His love for Hip Hop started at the early age of 10, b-boying outside with his neighborhood friends. Realizing he wasn’t going to be the next member of the Rock Steady crew, he began to focus more on the art of deejaying. Inspired by the LL Cool J video “I’m Bad”, Grouch would imitate what Bobcat and Cut Creator did in the song. “I just saw those two deejays going at it on the turntables and I knew that’s what I wanted to do. DJ Grouch has definitely left his mark in Hip Hop. He has performed with various Canadian and International Hip Hop stars, traveling across North America (Canada and the U.S.A) and Europe. He has played in almost every club and venue in Toronto
For more on DJ Grouch: www.myspace.com/djgrouch
DJ Mensa: From the frozen tundra that is Toronto, Canada, DJ Mensa single-handedly keeps the streets hot. In a city where the biggest acts are humbled by unforgiving T-Dot audiences, Mensa brings nothing but his A-Game on every occasion.
From the smallest of lounges to thousands in attendance, Mensa has brought parties to life across Canada, the US, and his native Philippines. Smooth mixing paired with a turntablist’s sensibility make his sound hard to duplicate, and has quickly made him one of Toronto’s favorite DJ’s.
For more on DJ Mensa: www.djmensa.com
DJ Fase: As one of the original underground hip hop DJ’s in Toronto, Fase consider’s himself very fortunate to make a living playing the music he play’s, mainly a combination of hip hop, r&b, reggae, funk, soul, old-school and jazz. As a full-time DJ/music producer for the last 9 years, gigs have come and gone, butFase has always managed to stay busy. He has have been apart of many successful weekly’s, but currently play’s out 3 times a week (which his wife would say is plenty). Footwork Tuesdays at Wrongbar is Toronto’s longest running Hip Hop, Funk, Soul & Old School weekly which started in early 2000. Sunday nights at Czehoski on Queen St. West & Do Right Saturday’s at Supermarket. Plus, Edumacation, Fase’s long running party goes down at the Drake Hotel every third Friday of the month. Radio has been on Fase’s resume since the late 90′s, with shows on Chin & Project Bounce, and many guest spot’s on CKLN. Currently he holds down two time slots on 89.5 fm. “Stolen Moments”, Tuesday afternoon’s from 3-5 and “Stylistic Endeavors”, Friday evenings from 8-10. CIUT has been his ‘on air’ home, and has been for the last 9 years
For more on DJ Fase: http://djfase.podomatic.com
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