Band Bios

Dave Impey

Drums and Vocals

Dave started playing in the 1960’s….

… drumming influences on a local level in those early days were Belleville’s John Logue and Jim McGuire , both finesse drummers with great hands . As well I had a lot of respect for the double drummers of TYME AND A HALF ( later became NOAH )– Barry Vandersel and Pete Vandertogt , countless hours were spent in Pete’s basement studio on West Street in Trenton . We were lucky in those days that there were a lot more local clubs and bars – they all featured live music , not only the local players but touring , upcoming and established Toronto/Canadian acts … David Wilcox , Burton Cummings , Long John Baldry , Ian Thomas all played locally plus many more

All time favourite band is STEELY DAN , which has led me to listening to more jazz these days…. really impressed with the music of SNARKY PUPPY and some of the young jazz lions/lionesses…. Jamie Cullum , Jacob Collier , Candace Springs , Cory Henry , Larnell Lewis and Jazzmeia Horn to name a few .

Dave performed with the following groups:

1968-1970
Westbury Union
Five piece top 40 band that played Eastern Ontario and Quebec , house band at the Presquile Pavilion , Brighton ( summers) , opening act for Bush , Mashmakan , performed at EXPO 67.

1970-1971
Freestone
Eastern Ontario bookings plus performed at Rock Acres Peace Festival , Queensborough 1971

1971-1972
Boojum
Four piece group based in Peterborough , house band at The Commoner ( Trent University Pub ) where we opened for Tim Hardin , Jerry Jeff Walker . Booked through the Bernie Dobbin Agency , Kingston.

1972
Studio work with local legend Marinus Vandertogt which led to a variation of his well respected group…

1973
Noah
this group played locally and gradually evolved into

1975
The River City Band (also known on one occasion as The Electric Dildo Band)
which also played local gigs and did some studio work, band member Ken Harnden (Pinnacle Music) was running The Sound Chamber studio at the time

1980’s
The Chatten Road Band
Danny Moon Trio
Suzy and the Knobs

1990’s
Mary & The Notables
Contemporary with a country twist.

1990-2005
Sideman for various local artists:
Emily Fennell
Lenni Stewart
Drew Ackerman
Jerry Foster
Whoa! Nellie
Terry Sheridan
Lucks X-Road
Andy Thompson
Ila Vann
Rett Wills

1992-current
Tequila Mockingbird (which became) The Fade Kings

Leigh Moore

Piano (Electric and Acoustic), Organ Synthesizer, Timbales, Lead Vocals

Leigh has played in numerous bands over the years, beginning in the mid-60’s in Manitoba, following ten years of classical training on piano. Moving to Toronto in 1973 to pursue a full-time career in music, he later took two years of private jazz instruction. Although having played various genres of music, Leigh’s musical style is deeply rooted in R&B, Soul and jazz.

Early musical influences include Jimmy Smith, Oscar Peterson, Brian Auger, Gene Harris, Greg Rolie (Santana), Gregg Allman (Allman Brothers), Donny Hathaway, Eumir Deodato, Joe Sample, Jimmy McGriff, Ramsey Lewis and Chester Thompson (Tower of Power).

Leigh has performed on stage with Meatloaf, Rick Derringer, Rick James (“Superfreak”), Liberty Silver, Sharon Lee Williams and Neil Chapman, and has recorded with Rich Dodson (Stampeders), Johanna Vanderkley and David Norris-Elye. Dodson’s song “Lookin’ Back” hit Top 10 on Billboard charts in the U.S.

Leigh has performed at many legendary music venues – Toronto clubs such as the Colonial Tavern, Palais Royale, El Mocambo, George’s Basin Street, The Generator, The Forge, PWDs, Mad Mechanic, Ontario Place Forum, Royal York Hotel, Embassy Tavern, Casa Loma, Camelot Tavern, Ports of Call, Windjammer Hotel (Wasaga Beach), Cirque Electrique (Quebec City), Café de l’Est (Montreal) and Danceland (Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba).

In the 70’s, Leigh’s keyboards included a Hammond B3 organ and modified 122 Leslie with Altec Lansing speaker, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hohner D6 clavinet, and various synthesizers including a Korg PolySix. He also played a set of Rogers timbales.

Today’s kit includes a Nord Stage 2.1 76 keyboard (affectionately known as “Big Red”) and a Hammond SK1-73 keyboard through a Yorkville 200 KB amp, along with a Pedaltrain-1 pedal board with various pedals.

Leigh has played in many bands over the years, including:

1966-1967 Prophet and the O-Men

4-piece group of high school friends playing chart rock tunes at dances in the southwestern Manitoba area

1967-1969 Children of Stone

4-piece group in Brandon, Manitoba playing Doors, John Mayall, Yardbirds, etc.

1969-1970 Salem Witch Hunt

4-piece Brandon group covering Steppenwolf, Deep Purple, Argent, Led Zeppelin, Blues Image, Spencer Davis, etc.

1970-1973 Blind Justice

Progressive 8-piece horn band with female vocalist playing Chicago, Santana, Ten Wheel Drive, etc. in Brandon area. Became a 4 piece band covering Allman Brothers, Santana, Stones.

1973-1975 Ram and The Mighty Pope

Toronto-based R&B / Soul band. Played eastern Canada circuit – Ontario, Montreal, Quebec City, New Brunswick. House band at Windjammer Hotel in Wasaga Beach every summer.

1975 Ram

6-piece R&B /funk horn band with female vocalist playing Tower of Power, Average White Band, etc. throughout Ontario and Quebec.

1975 Dancing Machine

4 piece R&B show band featuring vocalist Charlotte Martin and 2 dancers playing throughout Ontario, including Toronto’s Colonial Tavern and in Montreal.

1976 Ebony Jam

6-piece heavy funk band with vocalist Charlotte Martin playing Tower of Power, Average White Band, Brecker Brothers, Chaka Khan, etc. Played top Toronto club circuit. Members of this band went on to play with Long John Baldry, Chris de Burgh, Downchild Blues Band and the Stampeders.

1976 Patricia Dahlquist

4 piece band backing Juno Award winning vocalist doing 40’s swing and show tunes on a western Canada tour as well as at Ontario Place

1976 Rare Movement

4 piece R&B / funk band backing 3 vocalists doing obscure R&B material by Brothers Johnson, Graham Central Station, etc. House band at George’s Basin Street and Colonial Tavern (downstairs)

1978 Maiden Voyage

4-piece R&B / jazz oriented band backing vocalist Sherri Jaycock, former back-up singer for Aretha Franklin.

1979-1981 Ram

4-piece R&B / funk band featuring vocalist Darlene Walton

1982-1983 Streetlife

High energy R&B band featuring vocalist Johanna Vanderkley.

1983 The Dance Band

R&B dance group featuring Sharon Lee Williams and Leigh as front vocalists

1986 Double Exposure

5-piece R&B group featuring vocalist Johanna Vanderkley

1993-1994 Mary & The Notables

Contemporary

1994-current Tequila Mockingbird (which became) The Fade Kings

4-piece group playing a broad mix of R&B, Soul, blues, smooth jazz and classic rock, initially backing vocalist Lenni Stewart; later changing to a quartet

Eric Fry

Guitar, Mandolin and Vocals

Eric’s early influences include Johnny Winter, Leslie West and Eric Clapton. He plays a custom made Lado guitar primarily, using no effect pedals. Amplification has morphed over the years from a Fender super six and Marshall stack to the present day 40W Fender Champion.

Eric has played with the following groups over the years:

1974-1977 Token

Originally a power trio consisting of Steve Conley on drums, Mark Wilkins on bass and Eric on guitar. Roger Wilson later replaced Mark W on bass while Steve Wilson was added on keys.

1978 Backshed Revue

Country cross-over band with Ralph Wood on drums, Steve Martin on bass, Richard Grills on guitar, Debbie Dunitz on vocals and Eric on guitar

1979 Boojum

Eric played in the last rendition of this local band which included at that time Ralph Wood on drums, Steve Martin on guitar, Fran Rose on keyboards, Debbie Dunitz on vocals and Eric on guitar

1980-1988 Messenger

Local dance band with many personnel changes over the years. Original members included Wayne McFaul on sax, Mike Bond on drums, John deVries on bass, Steve Wilson on keyboards and Lynn Fennel on vocals with Eric on guitar. Later replacements would include Vitas Slapkauskas on bass, Steve Conley on drums, Dennis Baragar on keys and Rob Martin on keys.

1989-1992 Now and Then

Another local dance band featuring John Logue on drums, John Graves on trumpet, John deVries on bass, Angie King on keys and sax, Joel Trudeau on guitar, Mary Hazelwood on vocals and Eric on guitar

1998 & ongoing

Eric has performed as a sideman with various artists including Lenni Stewart, Emily Fennel, and Deja Vu

Phil Woodard

Bass

Phil was born in London, England, lived (never grew up) in Toronto and now resides in Prince Edward County, Ontario.

Phil’s long performing and recording career has taken him across Canada, to the USA and to Europe and Scandinavia, playing all styles of music from Country to Classical.

He has performed with Canadian musicians such as George Olliver, Doug Riley, Danny B, and Domenic Troiano and international artists such as American R&B singer Joe Hicks, Jane Child and the Tower of Power Horns.

He now enjoys participating in the the burgeoning music scene in ‘The County’ where he has the opportunity to play the music of his roots: Blues, Funk and Jazz.