1002 NIGHTS
The Shed Co.
THE DEATH OF SOCRATES
Alianak Theatre Productions
RIGMAROLE
Danceworks
PLAY
inDANCE
MERNIE!
Maryem & Ernie Tollar
LISTME
New Music Coalition
CYPRESS, FLOTSAM ANDJETSAM
Princess Productions
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 21, 2002
Media Refer: Dianne Weinrib / Amy Stewart D.W. Communications (416) 703-5479
Fax (416) 703-5465 dwc@total.net
Maryem & Ernie Tollar and their
group Mernie! present
the Official CD Release Concert of
“Flowers of Forgiveness”
One Night Only!
Friday, November 29 at 8pm at
Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front Street West
After catching their breath from a seven week tour
to eight festivals that took them from the Atlantic to the Pacific, Mernie!
now reveals in live performance the treasures of their first CD, Flowers
of Forgiveness, in their first Toronto formal soft seat presentation on
Friday, November 29 at 8pm at Glenn Gould Studio.
Mernie!, a 10-piece Arabic WorldJazz
extravaganza, features illustrious Toronto world music all-stars performing
original songs and arrangements. Flowers of Forgiveness
takes the listener on a world cruise with stops in Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya,
Bulgaria, the Caribbean and Memphis, as in Tennessee, where the band takes
on a load of funk.
Maryem Tollar sets a William Blake
poem to a classical Arabic melody in Infant Sorrow. In Irroh
(the Soul), the lyrics in Arabic and English are set to jazz harmonies
and Arabic grooves. Flying Dreams showcases Maryem's Arabic vocals
and Ernie Tollar's kawal and ney flutes floating atop
interlocking Arabic and Indian percussion grooves. Omneya takes us through
a three-part story of the arrival of Maryem and Ernie's daughter that
begins with introspective flutes and vocals, then celebrates her arrival
with a fiery burst of salsa rhythm. Let Go of the 'Me' is a lighthearted
world beat song reminding us life is short and then you die, so enjoy!
“Mernie! reflects the teeming
diversity (of Toronto)." Alexander Varty, writing in Vancouver's
Georgia Straight paid a reluctant compliment to Toronto. Mernie!
likes to think that Flowers of Forgiveness is Toronto distilled
into a dozen tunes!
At the core of Mernie! is Maryem
and Ernie Tollar. Maryem's "marvelous alto voice" (The
Globe and Mail) singing her native Egyptian and Arabic styles among
other genres, and Ernie's "impressive command of both jazz and ethnic
reed instrument styles" (The Globe and Mail), bridge cultures
and continents. Maryem and Ernie now fulfill their dream of leading Mernie!,
an ensemble devoted exclusively to their creations.
Maryem and Ernie approached long time musical friends
and collaborators (many of whom lead their own bands) including feel good
kit drummer/vocalist Daniel Barnes, deep rooted world
vocalists Jayne Brown and Sophia Grigoriadis
and soulful urban-jazz vocalist Yvette Tollar. Also along
are ever funky bassist Rich Brown, and the Armenian who
never sleeps - guitarist Levon Ichkhanian, the globally
directed hands and fingers of Samba Squad leader and world drum icon Rick
Lazar and Toronto's hand percussionist to watch, Debashis
Sinha.
Mernie! challenges stereotypes and
preconceptions about musical genre and definition. Terms like jazz, folk,
east, west, traditional and contemporary cease to make sense. What emerges
is great music – passionate, beautiful and new.
If Ani DiFranco & Oum Kalsoum & John Coltrane
moved in to a co-op house at Bloor and Ossington – this is what
it might sound like at a Saturday night jam.
Maryem and Ernie Tollar and their group
Mernie! present the official CD Launch for Flowers
of Forgiveness
Friday November 29 at Glenn Gould Studio, 8pm, 250 Front
Street W.
Prices: $15 ($12 students/seniors/underemployed)
www.mernie.ca BOX OFFICE: 416-205-5555
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