What’s it like on tour with the Boys of Maple Syrup? Here’s just a few typical incidents that transpired on one or all of our 6 European tours from 1990-1992.
We stored the bass case in Carol’s back yard (that case was like a massive Frankenstein coffin), we were paid 100,000 rubles (in five and ten ruble notes - enough to buy 25,000 cups of tea and some souvenirs) for 3 days of shows in Pärnu, Estonia, had a bus for a dressing room, danced with the wife of the Canadian ambassador in Den Haag, crossed the Swiss Alps 4 times in one week (and still didn’t find the Autobahn), played a private concert for John Zorn in his dressing room, played 5 on 5 footy against the musicians, agents and club owners of Glasgow (and lost 14 nil, let’s see them with skates and sticks), played hockey on the canals of Amsterdam (Demon Rich managed to fall through the ice AND then set his pants on fire while to close to the gas heater) played a reunification of Germany party in Hof for Wiedervereinigung Nacht, a Scottish Highland wedding, and every imaginable venue, from house parties for seven friends to 300 capacity clubs to 2000 seat concerts halls to festival stages for 7000.
We slept in the luxury of 5 star hotels and comfortably on 5 star couches and floors. We travelled on almost every form of European transport from planes to trains to ferries to buses to trams to bicycles and of course in our mobile home and hazardous waste area, the Shuffle Demons van which logged about 65000 kilometres. We experienced every sort of mystery meat deli tray including reindeer, wild Finish salmon and deep fried cheese. We know how to say cheese on bread, thank you, cockroach and where’s the club in 9 different languages.
Basically although we were probably the hardest working Bop Rap band in Europe, we had a lot of fun, met a lot of really great people, and explained to many mystified Europeans that yes, everyone dresses like this in Canada. With this Live CD, we hope we’ve captured the spirit of abandon, spontaneity and good will that characterizes our tours. See you on the road somewhere!
credits
released October 10, 2019
Mastered at Zerobeat by Richard Underhill & patient Zero August 7-18 1992
Recorded on a dat with crown PZM mics by Richard Underhill 1990-92
Produced by Richard Underhill and patient Zero for Shuffle Demon Productions
Cover Design: Peter Dako
Photos: Rick McGinnis
Demon logo: Doug Murley
The Boys of Maple Syrup/Les Gars de Syrop d’Erable
Demon Richard Underhill: alto/bari saxes, lukaphone, accordion, vocals
Demon Dave Parker: tenor sax, vocals, map reading.
Demon Perry White: tenor/bari saxes, vocals, social convener
Demon George Koller: acoustic bass, mandolin, accordion, howls, roach death
Demon Stich Wynston: drums, percussion, vocals, dance, roach death
Euro Demons: Demon Simon de Souza: tenor sax - “Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting “ Demon Oliver Saar: bari sax, vocals- “Maple Syrup,” “Another Story,” “Les Enfants de Trudeau “. Demon Hardy: tenor sax, vocals -“Maple Syrup,” “Another Story,” “Les Enfants de Trudeau “. Demon Markus: didgeridoo, vocals- “Maple Syrup,” “Another Story,” “Les Enfants de Trudeau “. El Comandante: vocals “Another Story”. Demon Paul Harvey: commentary “Scraggle,” “Another Story”. Herr Raaaaa: Raaaa - “Another Story”. Chocolat Blanc: percussion “Awaken the Sfinks” Sfinks Demons: vocals, shouts “Free Mouth Adventure”
A huge thank you, merci, danke, dank je wel, kitos, tuc, grazie, dannon and cheers to all those people who: put up with and even encouraged jam sessions in their kitchens, food raids, gave their floor, couch and their own bed as alternative sleeping arrangements, gave directions to a lost band, set up a gig, stored a bass case, fixed a sax, found reeds, bass strings, drum heads, put up posters, took us to their wine cellars, let us play with their animals, fixed a dead van, found good cheap restaurants, invited us to stay for weeks at their homes, had parties for us, beat us at chess, backgammon, soccer, basketball, football and scrabble, didn’t smoke in the van, asked us to sit in, leant us hockey gear, took us swimming, skating, hiking, biking, found ankles of a pig for DM 6.50, did wonderful sound for us, interviewed us, made us laugh, cry, belch, pointed out the ausfarht, let us take showers, showered us with hospitality and generosity and generally helped the cause of the Canadian-European friendship association.
These are our European Cosmic Helpers and in the list below we try to mention everyone. Of course, some of the names are spelled wrong and others are trapped deep in the subconscious mind. A hearty and heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped us with our tour and helped put this recording together. A special thanks to our families and our adopted families in Schweinfurt, Germany (the European hog town), in Wolplinghausen, Germany at the “health farm,” in Gent, Belgium, Amsterdam, Amlingstadt, Leeds and York.
Thank You, Cosmic Helpers:
Aberdeen, Scotland: Craig, Keith, Allan.
Almere, NL: Guido, our driver and her fire truck.
Amersfoort, NL: Analise, Anita, Astrid.
Amlingstadt, D: Oliver Saar, Hardy, Markus, Max, the Booby Hatch Brothers.
Amsterdam, NL: Wim, Peter, Jean-Michel, Dana, Michail, Marc, Glenn, Noel, Moshe, Tash, Lee, Louis, Maika, George, Gerry, Georgie, the Werk Theatre, Gerda, Jacqueline, Marion. Bielefeld, D: Juergen.
Birmingham, UK: Clive. Bochum, D: Frank, this is Milo talking.
Bremen, D: Wolfgang.
Brugge, B: Cactus Festival, Patrick, Wim, Patrick.
Bruxelles, B: Jules, Gabi, Francois, Chadox.
Brussels, B. Bruzzles Festival, Guy, Wim, Jan.
Caen, F: Festival Municipal, Serge, Magali.
Crawley, UK: Outside In Music Festival, John, John, Carol.
Den Haag, NL: North See Jazz Festival, Marcel, Paul D., the guy who got my jacket. Canadian Ambassador’s Residence, Marcel, Guy, Jacques, Patricia.
Darmstadt, D: Tilly, Cordula.
Donai, F: Jean-Paul, Michel.
Edinbourgh, Scotland: Jan and Carla, Ferguson Jazz Festival, Andy, Keith. Eindhoven, NL: Lizzie, Meno.
Freiburg, D: Martin, Felix, Mike, Amei, Jesper, Stefan, Zelt Musik Festival, Stefan, Wolfgang.
Genova, Italy: Andrea, Pepe, Paola, Federica, Luca, Sergio.
Gent, B: Louis, Gene, Else, Blanche, Marie, Nicki, Natalie, Patrick and Doh, Paul, Wim, Joe, Sophie, Fabien, Guido and all Gentse Feast survivors.
Glasgow, Scotland: Keith, Craig, Callum.
Hamburg, D: Princess and Cheops, Oliver.
Hannover, D: Herr Raaaa!
Hilversum, NL: Paul, Nicolette, Jan, Bram, VPRO.
Hebden Bridge, UK: Colin.
Hof, D: Mike, Klaus, the pickle man.
Hull, UK, Peter, Hull Jazz Festival, Paul, BBC Radio Humbersides.
Husum, D: Johannes, Ute, Uwe.
Immenstadt, D: Klaus, Uli, Stefan, Uli, Johan.
Iserlohn, D. Wilhelm, Herr Henkelmann.
Karlsruhe, D: Manfred.
Konstanz, D: Wolfgang, Christine, Matts.
Kortrijk, B: Leuven.
Leeds, UK: Dave Hatfield, Jenny, Bill Ben and everyone at Leeds Jazz. Open Music.
Leeuwarden, NL: Middelsee Jazz Treffen, Ivan, Nicolette, VPRO.
Liege, B: Pierre, Sophie.
Lille, F: Eddy, Elli, Nic.
London, UK: Canada in the City, Curtis, Jazz Cafe, John. Celia, Carol, John, John, Graham, David, Serious, Speakout, Fergus, BBC Radio 3. Lons le Saunier, F Manu. Lund, S. Pol.
Lyon, F: Randy, Jacqueline, Gerard, Pierre.
Maarsen, NL: the guy with the rose in his teeth.
Manchester, UK. Iain, Tereza
Menen, B: Bird and the tree people.
Moers,D: Jacques, Markus.
Molde, Norway: Molde Jazz Festival, Rolf, Ingrid, Leif, Siv.
Munich, D: Monica, Harald, Nikolai, Tom.
Newcastle, UK: the Light Castle, the Broken Doll.
Nijmegen, NL: Valkhof Festival, Paul.
Osnabruck, D: Robert, Tom, everyone at the Lagerhalle, Connie, illegal artists.
Oxford, UK: David, Christine and family, David, Jane.
Parnu, Estonia: Andreas, Herbert, Gaia, Lee.
Plauen, D: Ute and the Ossies.
Rotterdam, NL: Harry, George, Nicole, Juergen, Rowtown.
Schweinfurt, D: Max, Piti, Julia, Oskar, Arman, Tomas, Steffi, Annette, Robert, Doris, Chandor, Jimmy, Christian, Stefan, Casey, Mikail, Sebile, Eugen, Marion, Condi, George, Julie and everyone in Hogtown.
Solingen, D: Stefan.
Stadhagen, D: Haika, Uli.
Stockholm, S: Od Sneegan.
Stockton, UK. Stockton Riverside Festival, Stewart.
Stuttgart, D: Christoph, Klaus, SDR.
Tain, Scotland: Craig, Callum and Sarah.
Tampere, Finland: Tampere Jazz Festival. Aila, Evamaya, Jan, Juhamatti, Pablo, Piki, Tapio, Jari, Esa and everyone at the Tulikamarin Club.
Tershelling, NL: Oerol Festival, Paul, Paul, Joep, Andre, John, Ned, Vu, Jan, Elf, Astrid, Anita, Anich.
Toronto: Mary, Frank, Rick, John, Peter, Claire, Naomi, Joe, Mike, Mitra, Tom, Kay, Guy, Kurt, Marianne.
Tour des Pins, F: Gerard.
Tubingen, D: Dr. Winnifred.
Utrecht, NL: Robert, George.
Vienne, F: Jazz a Vienne, Jean-Paul et famille, Didier.
Volkach, D: Max, Piti, Casey, George.
Wilhelmshaven, D: Iko, the chef who was boss, Wolfgang.
Wurzburg, D: Reiner, Gunnar, George.
Wolpinghausen, D: The Health Farm Crew: Sabina, Bernhardt, Jesper, Marina, Hartwig, Gesa, Uli and Connie and kinder, Daggi, the Comandante and Bernie.
York, UK: Mary MacDonald, Eugene, Trevor, Simon, Mark, Ken, Brendan, Ron, Johan, Clair, Steve, Annie, Mike, Isabel, Mike, Desmond, Mike, Jo, George, Allie, John Bull, Margaret, John, Peter and Grace and all the staff at the Heslington post office and all the musicians of York.
Thanks to the Department of External Affairs Canada, Government of Ontario, Ministry of Culture and Communications and FACTOR for their generous tour support on three of six tours.
The Shuffle Demons leaped onto the scene in 1984 with an electrifying musical fusion that drew from Sun Ra, Charles Mingus,
Run DMC and the Beastie Boys. This genre bending, visually entertaining, virtuosic jazz funk group have 10 CDs, 4 hit videos, several music awards, toured 25 times in Canada, 5 in the US, 17 in Europe, Caribbean, Central and South America, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand....more
Seriously exciting live set with Wynton Marsalis Alum trombonist Ronald Westray, Snarky Puppy drummer Larnell Lewis, Juno Award winner Rich Underhill, guitarist Eric St-Laurent, pianist Dave Restivo Shuffle Demons
Top notch playing by
Patrick Boyle: trumpet, flugelhorn
Bill Brennan: Fender Rhodes
Mike Murley: tenor saxophone
Mike Downes: double bass Shuffle Demons
