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It's true underground
music
Would-be TTC buskers face judges 'World class' group vying for licences KEVIN MCGRAN
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER Guitarist Daniel Huezo, from El Salvador, was strumming to a Latin beat. Achilla Orru, from Uganda, was thumbing his kalimba while singing about Africa. Alexander Sevastian, of Belarus, was playing his accordion. A Musical Olympics? A Subway Idol competition? It could be either, since
the TTC's 26th annual competition for busker licences � which continues today
and tomorrow at the Canadian National Exhibition � is surprisingly entertaining.
"I'm amazed at the talent; it's world class," said judge Brian Blain,
editor of three music magazines.
"In terms of their musical ability, they're all at a high level. It becomes
a matter of what may work in the subway."
While the competition is keen, it's also obvious the musicians treat each
other like family. Orru, blind since age 7, made his way around the stage with
help from his rivals and friends.
"I love playing in the subway," said Orru, who has been playing his
kalimba, a traditional African instrument also known as a thumb-piano, in the
subway for three years. "It affords us the facility to practise and get the
audience to listen to our music, which is new to this part of the world, and
gives us exposure."
Orru � whose stage name is King Achilla Orru Apaa Idomo � says Torontonians
appreciate him and his music and that he's almost become a fixture in the
subway. "They call me by name and say `Hi' in the morning."
Urban folk guitarist John Brooks was surprised by the talent on display.
"It's really eclectic and adept and international. It's a much better
representation of what goes on in the basements in the city than what you hear
on the radio. It's interesting. It is underground."
Winners of the 74 licences can sell their self-produced CDs and get gigs
for weddings, corporate functions and other affairs.
"We have 1 million customers a day; that's high exposure," said the TTC's
Rick Ducharme.
The Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy" Groupe de communication Mulindwas "avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie" |
