David Clayton-Thomas
I’ve always been fascinated by the parallels between New York City’s Carnegie Hall and Toronto’s Massey Hall. When I was a young musician, I worked the bars and strip joints of Yonge Street. There was a cathedral of music at the top of the Yonge Street strip called Massey Hall. It was austere and dignified. It was where the great artists played. It was where you went to see Heifetz and Oscar and Brubeck. For a young Toronto musician to play Massey Hall meant you had graduated from the strip and you had arrived.
When I hit New York City in the sixties, I was immediately struck by the similarities between the two cities. There was Broadway with the same bars and strip joints. Standing at the top of Broadway like a cathedral was a holy church of music called Carnegie Hall. Ask any cab driver how to get there and they all had the same answer: “Practice”.
Carnegie Hall and Massey Hall. On those stages you are standing in the footprints of greatness and it’s a humbling experience. To play either of these grand old cathedrals means you have worked your way uptown and you have arrived.
Former singer of Blood, Sweat & Tears, beloved musical icon and Canadian Music Hall of fame inductee, David Clayton-Thomas, makes his Massey Hall début on February 12 and 13, when he performs live with his band and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
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When I was a young kid, there was a guy who played piano on Parkdale dale Road a couple houses down the street.
His name was Tony MaCoulucough, I think this was the spelling, I was maybe 14 or 15, I love walking and listining to to music from his
second floor verandah.
I only lived 3 houses up the street.
He would play this really good classical music, but at times he played the blues, that was really good.
I was in sr pubic school where is was the soul man time, you know Sam and Dave, Wilson Pickett etc.
Well one day, playing on the street, these cars came up, it was a little odd, this is like 1965, these guys came out, went to Tony’s place and I just waited. A lot of excitement. I waited for a while.
Then the music started, it David Clayton Thomas and Blood Sweat and Tears on this second floor screened verandah playing this most fantaistic music.
I am 56 years old now, but I can still remember that afternoon day, as if it happened yesterday.
Hope my daughter can get a couple ticket to DCT for Fri.