Latin Wins @ Indies

2000+ people packed The Docks Wednesday 1 March to celebrate independent music in Canada and make salsa history.

Salsa music hit the national stage at the 6th annual Independent Music Awards. Toronto's own Caché won an Indie for Favourite Latin Alternative Artist/Group.

And, DJ, Promoter, and drummer Billy Bryans was inducted into the Indies Hall of Fame with 80s groundbreaking group, The Parachute Club.

Ever modest, Billy Bryans acknowledged his band mates and their role in establishing the venue for many Canada's musicians - independent music.

Looking right at the young crowd filled with musicians and fans, Billy concluded, "Give yourselves a big round of applause. That's what we're about ..." as Caché's Juan Carlos Cárdenas bellowed over the applause, "Billy!"

Salsa dancers owe a great debt to independent music as most of the Toronto salsa music scene would not exist if it were not for independent music.

Notes and News

The Parachute Club formed in 1982 to play a party at the Toronto International Film Festival. They received such an enthusiastic response they stayed together and signed with independent label Current Records. Billy Bryans said Parachute Club paved the way for independent musicians to be heard. From an almost underground movement in the 70s and 80s, independent music is now an established industry and medium for musicians.

The Parachute Club - Billy Bryans, Lorraine Segato, Lauri Conger, Steve Webster, Dave Gray, Julie Masi and Margo Davidson - developed a trademark sound of layered keyboards and guitars, global rhythms, strong choruses and socially aware lyrics. This stirred up quite a fuss back then.

Three Junos later, Parachute Club went its separate ways in 1988. Coming back together in 2005 with new music and performing live, The Parachute Club's signature piece, “Rise Up” is acknowledged as one of Canada’s 50 Tracks-Of-All-Time.

Caché is going into the recording studio in April 2006 to record their second album. And, fans are invited to enter their contest to name this second CD of Toronto Style Salsa. Details are on their site. Caché is Wilson Montoya Acevedo - percussion; Daniel Stone - congas; Paul Le Roux - piano; Randy Stirtzinger - vibraphone; Richard Morales - bass; Patrick Brown - trombone; Yannick Malboeuf - trombone.