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April 2008
Well alright alright! Spring is in the air and the snow is melting. Nice to see some grass and be able to walk out the door without a hat, scarf, gloves etc. Thanks to all the peeps who came out the Boiler House on March 22 to celebrate my birthday. It was a beautiful night that will live with me for a very long time. Speaking of the Distillery District, The Lester McLean Trio will be back on the Pure Spirits Patio this year starting in May. Please check the LIVE section for more information. We're also playing the Rex quite a few times in May and June (Jazz Festival) so check out those dates too. I really hope you'll join me for a great season of live music. There's lots more coming down the pipe too so please stay tuned. Just a reminder as well that The Lester McLean Trio is now on I-Tunes.
That's all for now. Drop me a line anytime.
Best,
Lester
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BIO
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Lester McLean (Vocals/Tenor, Alto & Soprano Saxes/Guitar) - Let's face it, you don't have time to sit there at your computer to pour over the excruciating details of my musical career. Therefore, here is the complete Lester McLean Story in point form, more or less: First Musical Instrument: Guitar. Took lessons from age 10 to age 12, got bored, quit. Sorry Dad but I wasn't getting enough time to play with my friends. I still play guitar don't I? First person that made me want to be an entertainer: Believe it or not Roy Clark from the country music and variety show Hee Haw. I know that it is funny coming from a Black-Canadian of Guyanese heritage but it's true. I'll have you know that there are some very heavy Country guitarists so I think I had a good start. The Saxophone: Started playing the sax in Grade 7. I wanted to play the Alto but I got the Tenor. I was very disappointed because I thought the Alto looked so much cooler. I could care less about the Tenor and the connection to jazz. It was a blessing in disguise because I ended up playing lead tenor in a few high school bands and then went on to study jazz for 3 years at York University. York University was a very important step in my development and was key as I met Andrew Craig (Keyboards - The Colour of Soul) and Paul Neufeld and Michael Occhipinti now of NOJO and members of three groups I currently work with. (The Lester McLean Trio, Grooveyard and Rhythm and Truth.) Singing: I actually started singing in Grade 12 with some friends in my High School (TY-Mac) music program. I always thought I could sing and the band ended up doing some school dances and private functions. After high school I pretty much didn't do any lead vocals until I joined up with the Artful Dodger jam band Tasty Stretch (Every Wednesday for 5 Years). I was following in the footsteps of my cousin Kojo Ferguson (Graffiti Park) who spent 7-years doing the jam and is also a very big influence on my musical evolution. I joined the band in 1997 as a saxophonist and when I left in 2002, I was a lead singer. I hooked up with the band that eventually became Grooveyard somewhere in there as well. Favourite Saxophonists: (No particular order) Maceo Parker, Brantford Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Eric Marienthal (Chick Corea) and Stan Getz. Favourite Vocalists: (No particular order) Michael Jackson, Corey Glover (Living Colour), Sting, Stevie Wonder, Sammy Hagar (Van Halen), Phil Collins, Anita Baker, Michael Hutchense (INXS) Favourite Bands/Artists: (No particular order) Sting & The Police, Living Colour, Chick Corea & The Electric Band, Prince, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins (pre-Disney), Genesis, Peter Gabriel, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Lenny Kravitz, Anita Baker, Kenny Loggins (For The Grooveyard Fellas and Laura Lynn!) Bands I Have Been In: TMF5 (High School, Jazz and top 40) , Dr. D & The Midnight (University, Soul and R&B), Crazy People Time (University, Jazz), Hot Cheez & The Fondue of Funk (University, Funk), Soul Among Lions (Soul/Pop). Career HighlightsRandy Crawford - Zimbabwe, Africa performance (August 2004) Film and TelevisionTSN - Off The Record - Panelist (1998 to Present) Other Little DeetsDate of Birth: March 18 |