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Keith Elshaw In
The Grooves - Q107 FM Jimi B. Jimi B A & M
9069 - Jimi ( Bertucci ) B's career has been incubating for 10
years since he fronted " Abraham's Children, " a band
which had a lot of success in Canada. Through ups and - (more reviews and news). |
 " I will never forget
the tragic morning of August 24th. I can still feel the anguish
and unsettling in my stomach with just the mention of..(get it now) |
 Corremio
Certosa 2005 Premiato insieme a
Cordiano, Simonetta e BarillariÈ arrivato in Canada a
6 anni con una chitarra per bambini di plastica e ora è
uno dei più grandi interpreti della musica pop e rock
del Nordamerica. È Jimi (Vincenzo) Bertucci, nato (more) |
 Montreal Abraham's Children. Groupe
pop formé à Toronto à la fin des années
1960 avec Jimi Bertucci (basse), Ron Bartley (guitare), Bob McPherson
(claviers) et Brian Cotterill (batterie) et, à partir
de 1973, Shawn O'Shea (guitare). D'abord connu sous le nom de
Captain Midnight's Dirty Feet et, ensuite, d'Abraham's Children
ou tout simplement de The Children, le groupe joue dans les clubs
de Toronto avant de signer avec Gas Records en 1972 et ensuite
avec Buddha Records aux États-Unis. Le groupe devient
rapidement populaire, en grande partie grâce à son
style énergique, et joue pour des grandes foules - par
exemple à la Centre Island de Toronto et au Nathan Phillips
Square - ainsi qu'à des émissions télévisées
telles que Musical Friends et Canadian Bandstand. Ils font des
tournées importantes au Canada et aux États-Unis.
Leur son, tendant à l'origine vers le " bubble-gum
" commercial, évolue vers le rock classique. En 1968,
ils produisent leur premier 45 tours " Hot Love ",
suivi en 1972 de " Goodbye Farewell " (no10 au Canada
d'après le palmarès du RPM) et sa version italienne
" Bye Bye Bambino Occhi Blue ". En 1973, le groupe
sort son unique 33 tours, TIME (GLP 2001 Gas Records), et le
45 tours additionnel " Gypsy " (no 5 au Canada et succès
international) et, en 1974, le 45 tour " Goddess of Nature
". Bertucci (né Vincenzo Donato Bertucci à
Calabre, en Italie) et Bartley (né à Verdun, au
Manitoba) écrivent la plupart des chansons du groupe.
Bertucci commence sa carrière solo en 1975 et s'installe
en Californie et, même s'il enregistre toujours des 45
tours et se produit encore en tournée, le groupe se sépare
en 1976. Presque 30 ans plus tard, les membres d'origine de Abraham's
Children enregistrent un album de retrouvailles (intitulé
30) à Toronto. En 2004, Bertucci et les membres remplaçants
jouant sous le nom des Abraham's Children entreprennent des tournées
en Californie et au Canada. |
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 LOS ANGELES CA JIMI BERTUCCI is best known as the founding member and principal
singer-songwriter for the ‘70s hit-making band ABRAHAM'S
CHILDREN. Born Vincenzo Donato Bertucci in Serra San Bruno, Calabria Italy, he
immigrated to Toronto, Canada at the young age of six. Jimi lived
in a large household of relatives in Toronto's "little Italy”,
including his Uncle Sam who could play a variety of instruments
including the accordion and mandolin. Over time, Uncle Sam's
musical influence over the young Vincenzo would become profound.
After being the lucky winner of tickets from "Sam the Record
Man", Jimi went to see the Beatles perform Live at Maple
Leaf Gardens in Toronto at the impressionable age of 13. It was
following that monumental experience that he became inspired
to envision his life as a musician. The surprise gift of a Hofner
Beatle bass by his parents sealed his fate. He soon met another
local musician Ron Bartley and together they would form their
first group called "Just Us." They later added Bob
McPherson and Brian Cotterill to the group and, following a number
of name changes, the hit-making band "Abraham's Children"
was born. As the band’s principal songwriter, Jimi penned
their first national hit song called "Goodbye Farewell"
while signed to Gas Records. Other hits followed including Gypsy,
Thank You and Goddess Of Nature. The band toured heavily and
extensively to large enthusiastic crowds. Wanting to explore
other avenues with his music Jimi embarked in a different direction
in 1976 leaving The Children behind. Quick to recognize his talent,
United Artists Records wasted no time in signing Jimi. Finally,
having the creative freedom he had craved, he produced a pop-influenced
band called "Space Patrol" and later "Angel",
a band more on the R&B side. While on the A&M label in the 80’s, Jimi
formed the band "The Police" which gained an enthusiastic
following but who, due to disputes with the label, soon split.
With his newly formed band  Jimi B, Robert Hoelting, Mike Cherney, Kelvin Womack
and Bongo Fury , he decided it was time to get back on the road
and did just that, appearing at some of the more popular places
in Hollywood such as The Roxy, The Whisky A Go Go, Club 369,
The Vipor Room, Rumps and others. He continued to record and
tour all over the USA. As a prolific songwriter and solo artist
he released Through
The Eyes of Vincenzo. along with numerous other singles. Most recently,
he has released some of his poetry writings which are being critically
well-received. In 2004, after many requests from fans who wanted
to see him in Canada, Jimi reformed "Abraham's Children"
and toured the great white north. Although he was the only original
member of the band they played all the hits and satisfied a crowd
that for so long were anxious to see Jimi and The Children perform.
In 2005 the band was back on the road again promoting Jimi's
most recent project, a new double cd set titled "Abraham's
Children 30", that captures the last thirty years of pop
music with his band.This year Jimi released a collection of poetry
that has been well received in the literary world. Also in the
works is his involvement as writer and producer with his daughter
Juli. His plans remain to be committed to his art, including
touring and recording, and doing what he does best, exploring
music to its fullest, writing poetry, cooking, surfing and snowboarding.
( many more pages to read about Jimi enjoy ) Marisa Lang Management
-- Upper photo by Deborah Samuel |
 The Killing Road - WE
had a philosophy on the road: You can spend the night, but don't
use my toothbrush in the morning. How preposterously arrogant.
But as much as some don't like to admit, rock n roll is a cavalier
art. From the first day I picked up a guitar, I felt my confidence
was enhanced drastically, and in the process the recognition
of my talents exuded. I remember the first gig I performed at
was a dance at a boys and girls club. After we finished our set,
I was swarmed by pretty girls wanting my sole attention.
That was the beginning. My instrument became my addiction. Endless
hours were spent honing my craft, in the basement of my parents'
home. I would sometimes feign illness so that I could stay home
from school to play my guitar. My feelings of proliferation were
a constant battle, I needed to exercise my brain, now more than
ever, and it was this piece of wood and plastic that propelled
the movement. It being the sixties didn't help either. The musical
revolution had begun and I wasn't accustomed to the rapid changes
and digression from previous norms. Then again, why should I
have been? I was only twelve. I could feel the growth the more
I bonded with my tool and my direction was leading me to more
progressive paths of music. One of my early, negative encounters
occurred while I was watching this band rehearse. The bass player
had this awesome Fender Jazz Bass that he made rock hard. The
leader of the band (let's say his name was DCT) noticed me at
the top of the stairs. He picked me up by my jacket and proceeded
to throw me down the stairs screaming "I don't want you
f***in' hanging around here"... to think this guy would
eventually be a big recording artist. Go figure. This definitely
gave me a different outlook, one that I would not inherit.
I soon landed a gig a with three brothers that had heard of me
from another musician. We practiced intensely for an upcoming
show, this would be my first professional performance. Everyone
in the neighborhood was looking forward to it, because we were
opening for James Brown and The Famous Flames. Despite the clashing
genres and extreme differences between the styles of our music,
the local promoter who booked the gig was a friend of ours and
showcased our heavy talent on the same bill as the Godfather
of Soul. The audience was relatively receptive, after all, we
were ahead of our time, although further from what they expected
than was comprehensible.
We ate up the attention as if we were already famous, loving
the fact that someone asked us to autograph their ticket stub.
To think I could be possessed by such a musical carousel, the
surreal spin was frightening. Life as it was, was no longer.
I know this has touches of poetic streams, but the fact remains
that I could think about nothing else, aside from music. High
School was put on the back burner and my struggles to convince
my parents to rescue me from the institutional demands for my
time were finally realized when they signed me out of the ninth
grade.
I would soon be in a band that played totally original music,
and gained exposure as the house band at the El Patio, an underground
club that attracted an eccentric crowd. Our popularity was on
the rise and our live appearances were becoming more frequent
and further away from home. We were often booked in smokey, beer-drinking
rooms and no one stopped to ask how old I was, they just knew
I was in the band. One of these dark, musty, imitation-leather
filled spaces would be my nucleus de la vita.
 Club 813 was a predominantly Jamaican
hangout, and the smell of curried lamb filled the air as much
as the ganja and the tunes that four white boys were jamming
on stage. During one of our rock-steady nights, this elderly
man with a voluptuous woman wearing an extravagantly large, maroon,
velvet hat was silently watching us play. He approached us after
our first set and proceeded to hand me a business card. "Call
me tomorrow, I've got big plans for you guys," he said nonchalantly,
before leaving the club.
He was right, he did have big plans for us...As our marketing
team was busy designing and distributing memorabilia to the masses,
the band was racking up sky miles and every other day we would
arrive in a different destination. The fan base was getting bigger
and demand for the band was beginning to take its toll. We would
sometimes do as many as 55 cities in 60 days; this would include
meet-and-greet sessions, radio interviews, in-store appearances
and how can we forget those special gatherings that promoters
put together for after the shows. These theatrical events would
consist of that old cliché, S, D & RnR, and if you've
heard anything about this traveling carnal zoo, 99% of the dirt
is probably true.
For many years I lived the life of a rock star, within my own
outrageous bounds. My sweet clairvoyant Mama would save every
postcard I sent and review or newspaper clipping about the band,
as she mailed off our popular 45-records to her relatives in
Southern Italy.
By this point I was in need of a passport, more countries, more
concerts, more everything. The overindulgence became monotonous
and practically routine. I was a sequined soldier, defending
my public persona by means of gratifying my supporters. At times
it seemed that even the simplest form of stability was a luxury.
The revenue I was collecting afforded me the ability to drive
a great car, to have a recording studio built into the mansion
on the hill, and all the material goods one could drink, but
no sooner than I would sit down to enjoy a quiet brunch on my
patio overlooking the shore, I would receive a phone call notifying
me of the next scheduled tour. No time to soak up the sunlight
or read a good book, I had to hit the road again.
It felt good knowing that our faithful followers found some satisfaction
in our egocentric endeavors. Everything imaginable was available
to us, meaning the abundance of candy and promiscuity was part
of our daily menu. Our intrigue was not limited only to musical
fans. Our collective group of admirers ranged from gay politicians
to bored rich brats looking for kicks with rock bands. The subtle,
unrecognizable torment we sometimes faced was stored deep underneath
the layers of laughter and eye-piercing facades. We wanted the
fame, we demanded the attention, only to find ourselves weighed
down by a burden of responsibility. Luckily, time has a way of
slowing down the fast-paced highway of popularity; a good thing
if you're caught up in the redundant ruckus. In the end, we can
reflect as mature connoisseurs of our self-appointed space and
smile, knowing we slayed many dragons along the killing road.
(Courtesy Ciao Magazine) |
 HAMILTON, ONT. This question always comes up in interviews
so, as a dedicated journalist, I wanted to get the scoop for
our records. My question to Canada's Fab 4, as they were sometimes
labeled, was this. "What was the largest venue in which
you ever performed and why was it so special?" It didn't
take much thought for the Canuck rocker, Jimi Bertucci, to dive
in and paint a very visual picture for my anticipated pen and
paper. "I would have to say, Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton,
Canada. It was an unforgettable night of events that stayed with
us throughout the years. "My ears perked up as Jimi explained
that, prior to that historic concert, they had performed at Center
Island in Toronto to a crowd of about 30-thousand hungry pop
fans who proudly displayed many of the t-shirts and posters that
were available for them at the show. "The Ivor show was
a trip, I recall. The dj from the local radio station, I believe
it was CKOC, came on stage and started doing his thing, reminding
the crowd to stay back from the stage for safety reasons. Well,
that was a lost cause. After about 5 minutes of ranting about
community efforts and other related things, the show began. We
were in our rented trailer, parked at the side of the 40-foot
stage. The lights were flashing like a storm of colors from the
dark skies...our cue to get ready. I was sitting back, sipping
on my Canada Dry ginger ale, when the dj made his annoucement."
"Ladies and gentlemen, please give a welcoming round of
applause to one of the greatest bands to come out of Canada....Abraham's
Children." "The roar of the crowd was like a constant
sound of white noise hissing in the air. We were escorted on
stage by three security guards. The stage was flooded by a million
watts of lights that blinded our vision of the crowd. I plugged
in and approached my microphone. Good evening Hamilton, are you
ready to rock? The screams got louder. We opened with one of
our hits, Goodbye Farewell. As soon as the crowd heard that trademark
intro with the bass, they began rushing the stage in herds. Still
blinded by the overwhelming lights, we could see the playing
field of the stadium begin to fill up with young fans rushing
towards the stage. There must have been thousands. The security
guards jumped on stage and asked us to stop, unplug and move
to the side of stage left near our trailer. The crowd was frantic.
The dj came back on stage and announced that, if the crowd did
not move back, the concert would not continue. After about 10
minutes of reorganizing the excited stampede of fans, the dj
announced once again, "Ok, let's try this again...Abraham's
Children." Ok, here we are again. Are you having a good
time, I asked. The crowd yelled out a big YES of approval. We
began with another one of our hit records, Gypsy. Once again,
the over-enthused fans began approaching the stage. This time,
it seemed the numbers had doubled. They pushed and shoved their
way closer and closer, crossing the fence that separated the
stage and the field. Hundreds managed to knock down the barricade
and climb onto the stage. We jumped off the stage with our instruments
into the long stretch limo waiting for us. We began driving away
on the field, being chased by teens. It was a weird experience,
almost frightening. As I looked back through the limo window,
I could see people on stage trying to take cymbals, microphones
and whatever else they could get before the guards got to them.
We drove back to the hotel where we were staying and were greeted
by fans in the lobby. After signing a bunch of autographs, we
headed to our rooms where we remained until the next day."
Reporter Kant Gettalon for iUpdate. |
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Sitting on the edge of the bed
in my Toronto apartment, I pulled on my black jeans and Beatle
boots. Looking in the mirror, I combed my long hair and straightened
the collar of my black leather jacket. It had to have been during
the 70's. I was preparing myself for going out to a musical function
of some sort when the phone rang. I answered, only to hear a
very distinctive, yet familiar, voice. It was Liberace, announcing
that he was in town for a week of performances at the O'Keefe
Center. He said, "I thought we could maybe get together
and have dinner and, since you're the famous one in this town,
I'll trust you to make the arrangements." We gabbed for
about ten minutes before I decided on a place called Gatsby's
in the downtown district.I couldn't remember if I had eaten there
or not, but I'd heard good things about it. I made reservations
for eleven people. Finally, the time had come. I pulled up around
the corner and let the valet park my 1949 Thames, decked out
with interior purple and green lights, bean-bag chairs, paisley
carpet on the walls and bamboo delineating the front and back
seats. I arrived at the restaurant about ten minutes early to
make sure everything was kosher. I approached the somewhat feminine
maitre'd explaining I had a table reserved for eleven. He took
one look at my tight Harley t-shirt and unshaven face and nearly
laughed. It looked like this guy thought I was joking or something,
that is, until Liberace and his posse emerged from a stretch
limo, at which point I announced, "These are my...(read
more) |
 The
90's in LOS ANGELES - were
a new adventure for Jimi. After almost ten years of living in
California and not performing, his decision to play live was
a revelation as he puts it. Although he helped music companion
Robert Slap on a collection of new age cds for the VOTS record
label, his hunger to get active in rock was beginning to erupt.
In 1993 he would put together once again a line-up of well seasoned
musicians that would simply be know as JIMI B. Rehearsing in
a 13,000 square foot mansion high up on a hill in Orange County,
Jimi and his band would spend hours preparing to rock the clubs
and concert halls.The first gig would be at the famous Galaxy
Theatre with no other than The Rankin Family, a Celtic band from
Canada that was well known internationally. While backstage,
John Rankin approached Jimi and told him that one of the very
first concerts he attended, was with his band Abraham's Children
in Nova Scotia Canada. The reception was incredible as they hit
the stage. Jimi would ask "do we have any Canadians here,
EH" the crowd roared with enthusiasm. The next few years
would see JIMI B playing some of the hottest venues in Los Angeles
and Hollywood. His name was beginning to cause attention and
interest by some of the bigger promoters and record labels. When
his friend Kelvin passed away he would once again take a break
In 2001 he reunited with his old AC bandmates Ronnie, Brian and
Bob in Toronto, Canada at George Semkiw's Amber Studios to record
some new tracks that would eventually end up on the 30 CD. (read about Jimi and the 80's) |
ELTON SAVES THE DAY
It was a cold day. I really don't remember what day it was, only
that the night before was filled with all the things that make
up rock n' roll and my head was confirming that. The taxi dropped
me off at "Eastern Sound" an upper crust studio located
in the heart of downtown Toronto, Canada. It was the Rodeo district
of TO as they called it. Expensive cars, clothes and women that
just walked out of a Cosmopolitan ad. I tipped the cab driver
well, only because I didn't have a smaller bill and besides the
driver thought I was some important rock star. As I approached
the gate of the recording studio, I noticed this huge mountain
of a man standing tall and protective... or so he appeared. I
walked towards him and attempted to go around him; he quickly
pushed me away and said, "No one is to enter the building".
1 tried to explain to him that I was 2 hours late for my session,
and that the record company United Artists was not happy with
me. He told me to get lost. We started arguing and at one point
I made another attempt to go around him; once again he pushed
me, except this time I pushed him back. This annoyed the giant
and he began to get very physical with me. We
exchanged a few punches, which I can attest he got the best of
me. I was probably half his size.
A crowd was starting to gather and as I looked up I could see
my band members standing over me. They were stunned, this man
was attempt
ing to hassle all of us. All ofa sudden the door swings open
and there he was standing there yelling and cursing at the "mountain
man". He came over to me and helped me up, asking if] was
hurt. I responded, explaining I was fine, but that my butt was
sore from landing on a piece of ice. We walked into the studio,
he sat down and repeatedly kept apologizing for this man at the
door, which I discovered was a security guard hired by MCARecords.
He kept asking if I was alright.
Saline, the studio manager came in the room with concern and
asked if I needed anything. I explained I was ok and that should
get in my room and start the session. As I entered the recording
room "A", the President of United Artists Records,
his A&R staff, and some other important looking characters
were waiting anxiously. They were all shocked to see who was
standing next to me. With some humor, the President asked if
we could get started. "At $250.00 an hour, we'll have to
sell a lot of records," he said. I thanked Elton John for
caring enough to come outside and rescue me.... He asked if here
was anything he could do. 1 assured him that I would live and
that if I needed anything I would be more than glad to ask him.
Later that evening he introduced me to his band members. Kenny
Passerelli had this incredible new bass that he insisted I use
on my session. It was an Alembic, the heaviest bass I had ever
held, but the sound was like velvet and rock. We met later at
the posh, Yorkville Four Seasons Hotel where Elton was still
apologizing for this rude brute of a man. The next day I sat
in the studio with Elton and some of his band members and listened'
to some great tracks that would later become
"Blue Moves ". Ciao. |
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