The Lemon Bucket Orkestra

The Lemon Bucket Orkestra
Origin Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres
Years active 2010–present
Website lemonbucket.com
Members
  • Mark Marczyk
  • Tangi Ropars
  • Os Kar
  • Alex Nahirny
  • Jaash Singh
  • Stephania Woloshyn
  • Michael Louis Johnson
  • Mike Romaniak
  • John David Williams
  • Emilyn Stam
  • Christopher Weatherstone
  • James McKie
  • Eli Richards
  • Nathan Dell-Vandenberg
  • Ian Tulloch
Past members
  • Karl Silveira
  • Jessica Deutsch
  • Rob Teehan
  • Anastasia Baczynskyj
  • Nick Buligan
  • Emily Ferrell

The Lemon Bucket Orkestra is a Canadian self-described "Balkan-Klezmer-Gypsy-Party-Punk-Super Band" based in Toronto, Canada.

Early history

Founding member Mark Marczyk met bartender and musician Michael Louis Johnson in 2009 after returning to Toronto from Kiev, Ukraine. Johnson then introduced Marczyk to the Gypsy-Punk band Worldly Savages. Marczyk joined them on fiddle. It was at afterparties for the Savages' shows that eventual members of the band, such as Tangi Ropars and Os Kar, joined in on late night jam sessions.[1]

Eventually, the concept for the band was solidified during a conversation between founding members Mark Marczyk and Tangi Ropars in a Vietnamese restaurant in Toronto.[2]

Other members began to join the band over the next few years, usually after seeing the group live. Many of these meetings were by chance or accident. By 2013, the group had swelled to 17 members.

The group were also involved in a collective known as Fedora Upside Down, a collection of bands, artists and theatre acts in the genres of singer-songwriters, improvised party brass, forró, flamenco, Brazilian percussion, ragtime jazz and others founded by Marczyk and Dre Flak of Freeman Dre and the Kitchen Party.[3] Lia Grainger in 2012 described Fedora Upside Down as a "motley assortment of cultural ambassadors."[4]

In 2011, the band recorded an EP titled Cheeky at CBC. In November 2011, the group performed at a TSoundcheck event held by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.[5] Their song "Lemon Cheeky" from Cheeky has rotation on CBC Radio 3.[6] Lemon Bucket was also broadcast Nationally and Internationally on CBC Radio in 2011 by Gilda Salomone.[7]

Breakthrough

The Lemon Bucket Orkestra made headlines (such as CNN, CBC, Fox News and CTV), on their way to Romania for a three-week tour of Romania, when they played an impromptu concert on a delayed Air Canada flight.[8] While in Romania, the band opened for Taraf de Haïdouks.[9] On their way back to Canada, the band once again performed aboard a delayed Air Canada flight in Germany, and then in Toronto Pearson International Airport upon arrival.

In 2012, Toronto filmmaker Justin Friesen made a short documentary on the band titled Let's Make Lemonade.[10] The film won Best Documentary and People's choice award in the Air Canada enRoute Film Festival.[11] The film played in September 2012 at the Toronto Ukrainian Festival[12] and was one of four Awards Finalists in the Air Canada enRoute Film Festival.[13][14] The film played on Air Canada flights via the in-flight entertainment system from November 2012 - February 2013.[15][16][17][18]

Lume, Lume

In fall of 2012 saw the release of the band's first full-length album Lume, Lume.[19][20] Alan Cross described the sound of the album as "A traveling musical caravan burning wildly across the night sky". The following November, they began their Lume, Lume European tour, in support of the album.[21] The tour took them to the countries of Romania, Serbia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Macedonia and Germany.[21]

Upon their return to North America, the group participated as musicians in a collaborative theatre piece entitled Midwinter Night: Sacred and Profane Rituals, at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York City.[22]

In September 2012, the band played with Romanian brass ensemble Fanfare Ciocărlia.[23] This was repeated when they brought Ciocărlia to a sold-out[24] show at The Opera House in Toronto on July 5, 2013.[25][26]

On July 8, 2013, the group embarked on a third tour of east Europe, visiting Germany, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania and the Czech Republic. The tour was an ethnographic research tour, wherein the group accumulated new music and dances. Several of the songs the band learned on this tour ended up on the "Moorka" album, notably "Mirsa Reel" and "Dimineaca Pe Recoare", both of which were taught to the band by Nea Vasile and Taraful De La Mirsa in Mirsa, Romania.[27][28]

In 2012 and 2013, the group sold out Toronto venue Lee's Palace three times: October 31, 2012, a Hallowe'en themed show; March 16, 2013, celebrating the band's third birthday and St. Patrick's day; and again on May 25, 2013, when they brought Friends Gypsy Kumbia and Roma Carnivale from Montreal.[29][30][31] In 2014 and 2015, this trend continued, with their shows at The Opera House and Lee's Palace becoming regular sellouts.

In September 2013, the band was nominated in four categories at the Canadian Folk Music Awards. They were nominated in the categories of "New/Emerging Artist of the Year", "World Group of the Year", "Traditional Album of the Year" and "Instrumental Group of the Year".[32][33][34][35] In 2015, they were vindicated when they won "World Group of the Year" at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.[36]

In February 2014, Lume, Lume was nominated for a Juno Award in the category of "Best World Music Album" for the Juno Awards of 2014.[37]

In March 2014, the band was nominated for an Indie Award by Indie88 for "World Artist/Group or Duo of the Year".[38]

In the Summer of 2014, the band embarked on its first cross Canada tour, playing in various locations across Ontario, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia.[39][40][41]

Moorka

In September 2014, the band began recording their second full-length album, following their summer cross-Canada tour. The album was recorded in a barn in Waterloo, Ontario.[42]

Between January and February 2015, members of the group took part in a critically acclaimed dinner theatre performance about the ongoing Ukrainian crisis written by bandleader Mark Marczyk and Marichka Kudriavtseva.[43][44]

In February, the group announced the release of Moorka, and it was released March 24, 2015.[42]

In August 2015, the group remounted Counting Sheep before heading on a fourth international tour in the Summer and Fall of 2015.[45][1]

In October 2015, they teamed up with a Korean Folk Ensemble Dulsori in South Korea, spending 3 weeks performing, as well as creating and recording music.[46]

Upon their return, Lemon Bucket was awarded the title of "Best Band in Toronto" in Now Magazine's "Best of Toronto 2015" annual poll.[47]

The album "Moorka" also won the title of "World Group of the Year" at the 2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards.[48] "Moorka" was also subsequently nominated for a Juno Award in the category of "World Music Album of the Year".[49]

Discography

References

  1. 1 2 "Lemon Bucket Orkestra brings Counting Sheep to SummerWorks 2015". Toronto Life.
  2. ↑ Lemon Bucket Orkestra (Toronto) | The Ashkenaz Foundation | Ashkenaz Festival
  3. ↑ "Celebrating a year in the life of Fedora Upside-Down". umanota.ca.
  4. ↑ Grainger, Lisa (August 22, 2011). "Eclectic mix of music can pop up anywhere". Metro Canada. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  5. ↑ Lin, Karen (November 7, 2011). "tssoundcheck is for Prodigies of Symphonic Degrees". The Genteel. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Radio 3 has moved!". cbc.ca.
  7. ↑ "RCI // Nans AND Nat, The Lemon Bucket Orkestra, The Barr Brothers". rcinet.ca.
  8. ↑ "Lemon Bucket Orkestra's arrivals and departures". umanota.ca.
  9. ↑ CBC Music. "CBC Music". cbc.ca.
  10. ↑ "The Work of Justin Friesen". justinfriesen.com.
  11. ↑ "Film Festival - Air Canada enRoute". Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ "Air Canada enRoute Film Festival reveals 2012 finalists" (Press release). Air Canada. October 17, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  14. ↑ Plummer, Sean (November 7, 2012). "Air Canada enRoute Film Festival showcases short films". MSN. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  15. ↑ "A Fat Free Glass of Sweet Lemonade". filmarmy.ca.
  16. ↑ KATIE CHATS: JUSTIN FRIESEN, FILMMAKER, LET'S MAKE LEMONADE. YouTube. December 18, 2012.
  17. ↑ "The Work of Justin Friesen". justinfriesen.com.
  18. ↑ Air Canada's EnRoute Film Festival 2012 | Canadian Film ARTICLES
  19. ↑ "A Journal of Musical ThingsMore Music from the Inbox: 22 October 2012 - A Journal of Musical Things". A Journal of Musical Things.
  20. ↑ ""LUME, LUME" – LEMON BUCKET ORKESTRA". mikeromaniak.com.
  21. 1 2 "Home::BUBU Booking". bububooking.ro.
  22. ↑ La MaMa » Midwinter Night: Sacred and Profane Rituals
  23. ↑ "Fanfare Ciocarlia with Lemon Bucket Orkestra @ The Hoxton". Ceva Romanesc.
  24. ↑ "The Opera House Toronto". google.com.
  25. ↑ "Lemon Bucket Orkestra welcomes Fanfare Ciocarlia @ The Opera House, Toronto - JUL 5". Ceva Romanesc.
  26. ↑ "Events in Toronto". blogTO.
  27. ↑ Shows - the Lemon Bucket Orkestra
  28. ↑ "Lemon Bucket Orkestra take Prague, next stop Pohoda Fest in Slovakia". Globalite Music.
  29. ↑ Torontoist. "Folk the Winter Parade". torontoist.com.
  30. ↑ "Plan your St. Patrick's day now". NOW Toronto Magazine - Think Free.
  31. ↑ "Concert Sampler for March 16". thestar.com. March 16, 2013.
  32. ↑ "Lemon Bucket Orkestra among top folk award contenders". cbc.ca. September 26, 2013.
  33. ↑ "Canadian Folk Music Awards nominees announced - Canadian Folk Music Awards". folkawards.ca.
  34. ↑ Two Edmonton performers nominated for Canadian Folk awards
  35. ↑ Francey, Lemon Bucket Orkestra, Freeman-Fox lead folk award nominees - Yahoo News Canada
  36. ↑ "Canadian Folk Music Awards recipients announced in Edmonton". cbc.ca.
  37. ↑ "Arcade Fire, Serena Ryder nab Juno nominations". cbc.ca. February 4, 2014.
  38. ↑ "2014 INDIE AWARDS NOMINEES". indie88.com.
  39. ↑ "Lemon Bucket Orkestra Map Out Canadian Summer Tour". exclaim.ca.
  40. ↑ "Lemon Bucket Orkestra / Gypsophilia". exclaim.ca.
  41. ↑ "Lemon Bucket Orkestra reconsiders revolution". Straight.com.
  42. 1 2 3 "The Lemon Bucket Orkestra Announce 'Moorka' Album". exclaim.ca.
  43. ↑ "Toronto musician transports Ukraine's turmoil to the stage". thestar.com. January 30, 2015.
  44. ↑ "Preview: Counting Sheep". NOW Magazine.
  45. ↑ "Top Ticket: Three shows to take in Aug. 1 to 7". thestar.com. August 3, 2015.
  46. ↑ "유튜브 스타 연주단이 충남 서천에? 별난 아해들". 오마이뉴스. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  47. ↑ "NOW's Best of Toronto". bestof.nowtoronto.com. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  48. ↑ "Folk music in spotlight at Canadian awards in Edmonton". Calgary Herald. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  49. ↑ "Concert Sampler". thestar.com. March 10, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  50. ↑ Now Magazine
  51. ↑ "Lemon Bucket Orkestra - Lume, Lume". NOW Toronto Magazine - Think Free.

External links

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