Old Town School – On The Road
Dispatches from the road from our wayfaring travelers.
Weekend Update
Last night since I had no plans I decided to take myself out for a good meal at a Quebecois bistro. After much deliberation I chose Cafe L’Échaudé. I ate alone at the bar, and while I enjoyed my delicious meal, I chatted a lot with the owner about music, bicycles, and the city. And that’s how I went from wandering around solo to spending my Friday night being escorted around the city by one of the premier restauranteurs and sommeliers in Quebec. He showed me a terrific view from a high bridge just behind the restaurant, and from there we walked through the city to a jazz bar called Largo (where we sat and chatted with the man pictured), and from there to a brand new hip bar and performance space called L’Cercle. Every time we entered a place, the person at the door would recognize him and say, “Why aren’t you working at the restaurant tonight?” He was a great guy and it was fantastic to be shown around by someone who knew the good places to go. What a fortunate friend to make.
This morning the sun came out in Quebec and the temperature got up to 78, and it feels like a new city. People are EVERYWHERE! I met Philippe at the Theatre to tour around today and was glad to see that he brought his two year old daughter Alexandra with him in the stroller. Going from 18 kids classes a week to zero is a big change, and I hadn’t realized how much I missed seeing kids! It was very strange however, to discover that I couldn’t quite turn on my usual kid-charm when I couldn’t speak French. By the end of the afternoon she did give me one high five and we were communicating in silly sounds and bouncing a ball back and forth. In the meantime, we strolled around, rode the funicular to uppertown, visited a park, watched people, went to the Capital Observatory for another good view, sat for a beer in the open lobby at Theatre Petit-Champlain, saw many street performers and tourists, rode the ferry across the river to Levis where they live, and got a little sunburned. Well, that was just me.
Here's a good view of the wall that goes all the way around the old part of the city. So many people out!
And here's me on the ferry. Note the fabulous Hotel Frontenac.
After I left them I walked myself around and checked out the big public market across from my hotel– I love those! I arrived just as they were closing, so I’m eager to go back and sample more cheeses and maple goodies.
In a little while Geneviève is picking me up to go to Cynthia’s house for dinner. Valerie and Emilie should be there as well. I am very much looking forward to another evening with those ladies! I have some chocolate eggs I picked up so I’m excited to be the Easter Bunny for them.
Philippe asked me today if I noticed anything particular about Quebecois people, and the main thing I’ve noticed is that everyone, no matter if it’s a merchant or musician, someone I’m introduced to or a stranger, seems to be intentional about making a connection with you. On the one hand I feel extremely fortunate to have found companions to share my weekend with, but on the other hand it might just be the city’s typical charm.
Filed under: Canada,Notes from Lindsay,Quebec by Lindsay | April 3, 2010 | Comments (2)
The journey begins
I’m having a restful Friday afternoon after a busy start in Quebec. I arrived late Wednesday night and Philippe, the director of the Théâtre Petit Champlain, picked me up and brought me to the Hotel des Coutellier. As soon as we got to the lobby, he reached over to a display of brochures for businesses around town and took one for the theatre, then opened it to show me this:
That’s me! It was a nice welcome.
The hotel is nice, and the best part is that every morning a magic breakfast fairy delivers a picnic basket full of pastries via a little hook outside the door.
Delicious and adorable.
After breakfast Philippe met me and we walked the short ways to the Theatre. Here are some photos along my walk. The city really does look like a little slice of Europe!
The last one is Petit-Champlain, the street that the theater is on. It seems to be a gathering place for tourists as well. The city and its people are beautiful and very welcoming. While all the locals will do their best to speak in English (which is always better than they say it will be) when asked, this feels like a very French city and I certainly wish I spoke more of it!
Once at the theater, I met everyone who works there as well as the 3 participants in Cinq Fois Cinq. We each met with Sebastien, the musical director, to practice our songs for the show. The theme is rebellious songs; I was unsure of which songs they wanted me to sing until this meeting, but it turns out that my three will be Maggie’s Farm by Bob Dylan, Rehab by Amy Winehouse, and Un Canadien Errant. If you didn’t understand that last title, it’s because it’s in French. As is the entire song. It’s an old French-Canadian folk song which you can learn more about here. It is an intimidating challenge for me, and while it’s not the same as performing one of my originals that I know by heart, it is a beautiful song and I think I am up to the task.
The staff and singers had lunch together after our rehearsals, where much French was spoken. Then Geneviève and Héra took me to run some errands and to visit Montmorency Falls, just outside the city. In early spring, the still snow-covered paths were very slushy and muddy, so we didn’t get to hike much, but the falls were great to see. The waves were very strong with all the spring thaw!
Happy to see the sun!
Geneviève & Héra are fun-loving girls and roommates who have been friends for 6 years before participating together in Cinq Fois Cinq this year. Geneviève in particular has great English and especially loves music in English.
Jumping to shake the rickety bridge!
I walked through town along Rue St-Jean on my way back to the hotel, and snacked on a bit of maple candy. To serve it, the woman poured hot syrup onto a trough full of ice. You wait a few moments, then take a tongue depressor stick, start at one end, and roll it up around the end of the stick till you have a big sticky lollipop of taffy. Yummy!
I met Philippe for dinner, and we walked further along Rue St-Jean to the St. Roch neighborhood where we ate at a restaurant with a good, lively atmosphere. According to Wikipedia, “The April 1 tradition in France and French-speaking Canada includes poisson d’avril (literally “April’s fish”), attempting to attach a paper fish to the victim’s back without being noticed.” Sure enough, our server had a paper fish on her back and they seemed to swim around to the backs of all the servers while we had a peacefully long meal.
That night the Theatre was sponsoring a rock concert at a larger venue; Wolf Parade was playing at the Imperial. It reminded me of the Metro, but much nicer. Cynthia from 5×5 was there, and while she struggles with English we were able to communicate with the help of her girlfriend and another friend we ran into who had majored in English and who, by the way, was hilarious. I had a great time hanging out with those girls. The show was packed and the best part was that unlike crowds of hipsters in Chicago, the people were VERY enthusiastic! Singing along like crazy (which I especially love at rock shows), dancing, clapping, and yes, bodysurfing. I think 12 different bodies got passed around.
Downstairs, pre-show. Not too crowded yet.
From the balcony. Lights, Camera, Action! Rock out! I was exhausted by the end of this very long day and was happy to get in the cab home. The cabbie of course was wide awake and I didn’t get inside the hotel until after we sat outside while he gave me instructions for all the things I ought to do and see in this fair city. I had a similar experience with a guy selling paintings on the street, who stuck up a conversation when he saw my guitar. People here seem to love to chat and share.
Today I was coached on my performances for the 3 songs and on my French for Un Canadien Errant. There are a few group numbers, also in French, so I may get involved with those to some degree as well. I had a little sandwich and soup in a cafe and have had a lovely relaxing time writing this post for you, dear Reader. Now I’m going to get outside to enjoy the sun– it’s 59 degrees F, which is 20 degrees warmer than it was when I left this morning!
A bientôt!
Filed under: Canada,Notes from Lindsay,Quebec by Lindsay | April 2, 2010 | Comments (2)
Jason’s Visit with Frank and Mary Hamilton
Hello friends,
Maybe you already know, but I’m down in Georgia visiting with Frank and Mary Hamilton. I’ve been down here since Sunday and I go back tomorrow. It’s been an incredible visit.
I’d post some stuff here, but I’m using my personal blog for now. If you’re interested I have some pictures, a couple of videos and a recording or two. You can see them at jasonplaystunes.blogspot.com. Look for titles that include the phrase “My Visit with Frank and Mary Hamilton.
Filed under: A visit to Frank Hamilton,Notes from Jason,Uncategorized by Jason | April 1, 2010 | Comments (0)
Packing my bags!
Hello! I’m Lindsay Weinberg, teacher of Wiggleworms, Kids Piano and Kids Voice. I’ve become quite connected in to the Old Town School in the past five years, by teaching, working at the front desk, and collaborating musically with other staff members on stages far and wide. I currently sing with Come Sunday and It’s A Girl, and while I perform regularly for kids, I’m sort of an emerging artist when it comes to the singer/songwriter world.
The Old Town School chose me to send to the Théâtre Petit Champlain in Québec, Canada to be a guest in a big program called Cinq Fois Cinq. “5×5″ is a residency offered by the Théâtre in which three selected young artists from around Québec participate in training workshops and performances with industry professionals. They perform in three thematic shows, each created and directed by a different renowned artist, which go up on stage at Petit Champlain. Finally, the fourth performance gives them a chance to play their own songs and interpretations of songs as they choose. You can read more about it on their website (in French), and see photos here, and even watch a video spot about the first thematic show here.
I’ll be a guest young artist for the 2nd thematic show. The theme of the first one was Happy Songs, and they did covers like Walking On Sunshine and Don’t Worry Be Happy. The second show, hosted by Pierre Flynn, has the theme Songs of Rebellion. We’ll be playing not just songs of political rebellion, but also music where people put their foot down in social, personal, humorous and romantic ways. It should make for a moving show and I’ve got a couple of originals that are great candidates for the theme!
I leave for Québec tonight. I’ll be there for 9 days. On the schedule: meeting Héra, Geneviève and Cynthia, the participants of 5×5; a brief radio spot on English-speaking Québec radio; struggling with all the French and putting my faith in the language of music; an adorable hotel a short walk from the Théâtre; planning the show with the house band and lots of rehearsal; a workshop with the three other ladies; the show next Wednesday April 7th; and poutine.
![Poutine (Quebec French pronunciation [ˈputsɪn]) is a dish consisting of French fries topped with fresh cheese curd, covered with brown gravy and sometimes additional ingredients.](http://oldtownschool.org/connect/ontheroad/files/2010/03/poutine.jpg)
I’ve got a brand new Facebook page for my music (listen to my songs and be a fan!) and some new boots that were made for international rockin….
…let the adventure begin!
Filed under: Canada,Notes from Lindsay,Quebec by Lindsay | March 31, 2010 | Comments (7)
Rock Camp Day Six
We spent the morning preparing for our set tonight at the Key Club, then headed to the hotel for a few hours of R & R. The energy at the Key Club was peaking as camp bands ruled the stage one by one. Literally every band had performed with intensity and precision, and every camper’s faced expressed the same sentiment: It’s great to be alive! Our band was scheduled to perform last, and we scorched through “Rainbow in the Dark” (Ronnie James Dio), our original song, and “My Hero” (Foo Fighters) in honor of Rami for making our camp experience so positive and productive. Fellow campers and counselors said their goodbyes as we prepared to head back into reality. From the moment we arrived until the moment we left, the entire Rock Camp staff accommodated to the campers’ every eccentric need. Most remarkably, they did it all with smiles on their faces and rock –n- roll in their hearts. I truly hope I get the opportunity to reunite with my band mates again someday, but I know they will keep music going in their lives and do it with a little more edge now that we’ve tasted the rock –n- roll fantasy.
Filed under: Domestic,Notes from Eric,Uncategorized by Eric | March 2, 2010 | Comments (0)
Rock Camp Day Five
Rehearsals resumed all morning for our recording session later in the evening. Rami then treated us to an amazing sushi lunch, followed by a tour of his amazing studio. After dinner, the band loaded onto the Gibson tour bus and headed to EASTWEST Studios for our original song recording. EASTWEST is the home of incredible legendary recordings from rock and pop superstars over the last 50 years. There to greet us in the booth was the notable producer, engineer and camp counselor, Ron Nevison. Ron has worked with the likes of The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Bad Company, Chicago, and Led Zeppelin, so I knew we were in good hands. The session was over before we knew it and the rough mixing process began. I’m looking forward to getting the final mix in a couple of weeks. Hopefully it will catch the great mood we all were in after collaborating so well together.
Filed under: Domestic,Notes from Eric,Uncategorized by Eric | March 2, 2010 | Comments (0)
Rock Camp, Day Four
We spent the day at AMP Studios rehearsing our original song for the recording session tomorrow and jamming to various songs so we can fill out our set at the Key Club. We got a chance to jam with Ace Frehley from KISS, and I sat in on a Q & A drum session with Charles “Keep a Knockin” Connor (original drummer for Little Richard) and Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats). Connor created that unique, choo choo train sound with nonstop 1/8th notes that American and British drummers in the 50′s and 60′s copied over and over in the 1950′s and 1960′s. As a left-handed drummer, I am always navigating in a right handed world by constantly switching the drum set when I share gear with other drummers. Performances become logistically bothersome when the drums and mics have to be changed quickly. Both Charles and Slim Jim are lefties, and Charles even told us that he was discouraged by others at an early age not play drums because he was left-handed. It turns out that there are many left-handed drummers but are often pressured in their youth to conform to a right-handed kit, like Ringo Starr. The rock stars have all been generous in sharing stories about the road and the many musicians they have known over the years, and I’m stretching out as a drummer by playing a variety of rock styles. 
Filed under: Domestic,Notes from Eric,Uncategorized by Eric | February 27, 2010 | Comments (0)
Rock Camp, Day Three
The band rehearsed today in preparation for an acoustic performance at the Gibson Guitar Showroom in Beverly Hills. As we were deciding what song to perform, Rami suggested “No Rain” by Blind Melon. When the song came out in 1992, I listened to it thousands of times in my car until the cassette wore out. The choice of song was certainly a good one as Rami got on the phone and asked some of his friends to join us on stage that night – Christopher Thorn (bass) and Brad Smith (mandolin) from Blind Melon, and Jesse Greene (violin), who recently toured with the Foo Fighters and now with Pink. Rami broke out his accordion and the extended jam version of the popular song went over big with the crowd. The band is really coming together this week and ready for more.
Click here to see the performance at the Gibson Showroom
Filed under: Domestic,Notes from Eric,Uncategorized by Eric | February 26, 2010 | Comments (0)
Rock Camp, Day Two
Campers arrive at the AMP studios via a Gibson Tour Bus at 10 am. Everyone’s still tired from the night before, but we quickly head to the practice rooms and crank up the amps. We rehearse for a few hours before various rock stars show up to hang with the bands. Our band rocked out on “Runnin’ with the Devil” with Michael Anthony of Van Halen and Chickenfoot, I traded drum solos with Steven Adler and Sandy Gennaro, and played a few Kiss numbers with Bruce Kulick. Our band has already written most of an original song for our recording. More to come.
Filed under: Domestic,Notes from Eric by Eric | February 25, 2010 | Comments (0)
A Rock –n- Roll Crusade; First day at Rock –n- Roll Fantasy Camp
Thanks to a fellowship grant from The Chicago Community Trust, I am here in Hollywood as one of about 60 campers spending six days with an incredible array of rock star counselors to live “the dream.” Today I was assigned to a band featuring Rami Jaffee (the Wallflowers and Foo Fighters, among other projects). The band consists of seven members including Rami, and represents East Coast, West Coast, Midwest, and Canada: three guitars, two drummers, bass, and vocalist. Just after meeting for the first time, we had 1 ½ hours to choose a band name and pick and rehearse a song to play at the Key Club for the opening party. We chose “No Logos” for the name, a reference to the dress restrictions placed on us due to a VH1 film shoot going on here the camp. Seconds after we were ready to play, one of the guitarists started to riff on “Shook Me All Night Long” by AC/DC. We never looked back. No Logos closed out the student bands at the Key Club party, and handed it over to a rock star counselor jam that brought the house down.
Next up, the bands head to the studios and all week for rehearsals, master classes and open jams. Then we’re on to recording an original song and performing at the Key Club again for the final night. Stay tuned for more.
Click here for info on The Chicago Community Trust Fellowship.
Click here for info on Rock –n- Roll Fantasy Camp.
Filed under: Domestic,Notes from Eric by Eric | February 25, 2010 | Comments (0)
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