This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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East End Release Show for The Del Fi’s debut album, ‘Crowd Pleaser’, Produced by Hank Holly.
http://www.facebook.com/thedelfis
THE DEL FI’S – CROWD PLEASER
I dont know what The Del Fis are; the more I think about it, the more I dont know what to say. But I know its right, and I know its good. I know it works. I mean, its Jerry Legers thing, but when I asked him what he would say The Del Fis are, all he would tell me is that I meaning me am The Del Fis, just as you meaning you are The Del Fis. And because you are you, you understand. Dont you?
Okay, maybe we should try this again. Jerry Leger is a Toronto singer/songwriter, and one of the best in the world, as far as Im concerned. If you havent heard him, you have no right to be one of these people constantly moaning about how music was so much better when people actually played instruments, blah, blah, blah.
Jerrys released six albums and an EPeach one better than the lastwith help from folks like Ron Sexsmith and Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkies. He turned 30 this year, and he loves Bob Dylan, Neil Young and John Lennon. Sometimes it sounds as though all three are fighting for space in his songs. But those songs are his own, the product of a natural born storyteller with a sense of rhythm that would make Little Richards big toe shoot up in his boot.
Jerrys songs hit deep in your soul, but he also often loves just making music with folks just to flex some of his old time rock and roll muscles, and explore some of the paths his songwriting normally doesnt take. Thats kinda where The Del Fis come in.
On Friday, June 19, 2015, Jerry assembled members of his band, The Situation, along with about 10 other musical friends, at Aaron Comeaus recording-studio-in-a-trailer in Torontos east endyes, the studio is called The Trailerand over the course of that long, highly-charged day, laid down 11 songs for this album theyve called Crowd Pleaser.
Now I know what youre thinking; why should I care about a bunch of dudes who got together in a trailer and made an album in a day? My response is, take a listen and then tell me that this isnt one of the most vibrant, heartfelt, funny, poignant and all-around human records youve heard in a long time. All of these guys are young, but theyve lived. Lets never forget that practically all of our musical heroes did their best work before the age of 30.
The location of the recording is fitting too. If any album could be said to have an east end sound, Crowd Pleaser most certainly doestough, raw, sincere, and unrepentant. Theres a song called Rockin In The Funeral Home, two distinct versions of which bookend the record. No, its not the Monster Mash, but at the same time its no maudlin Irish wake sing-along either. Its simply a great rock and roll song, and theres plenty of others on the album just like it, such as Its Always Saturday Night, Baby Coming Up The River and Noisy Bars, not to mention The Junk Today, for my money the best country song Ive ever heard not written by someone named Townes.
Its rock and roll that we all care about right? Im sure you wouldnt still be reading this if you didnt agree. So I guess that does make you a Del Fi. Welcome aboard and grab an instrument, weve got a show to do.
Jason Schneider with apologies to Derek Taylor
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