Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Ebonnie Rowe: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1533

Episode Date: August 9, 2024

In this 1533rd episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Roy Thomson Award of Recognition recipient and Honey Jam founder Ebonnie Rowe about Honey Jam and some of the great artists who participated, including Nelly Furtado, Kellylee Evans and Jully Black. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, The Advantaged Investor podcast from Raymond James Canada, The Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Team and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail]

Welcome to episode 1533 of Toronto Miked, proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, a fiercely independent craft brewery who believes in supporting communities, good times and brewing amazing beer. Order online for free local home delivery in the GTA. Palma Pasta, enjoy the taste of fresh homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta. Enjoy the taste of fresh, homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville. The Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. The best baseball in the city outside the dome, with eight championships since 1967.

RecycleMyElectronics.ca. Committing to our planet's future means properly recycling our electronics of the past. And Ridley Funeral Home, pillars of the community since 1921. Today, making her Toronto Mike debut, is Roy Thompson Award of Recognition recipient and Honey Jam founder Ebony Rowe. Welcome to Toronto Mike Ebony. Hello.

Thank you. Happy to be here. I hope you didn't get too wet coming here today. I just rolled in. I just dropped my kids off at camp and we were biking and it is raining outside. It's pouring outside, but I had my trusty umbrella. Try to always be prepared so I don't have to get ready. You know, I had my trusty umbrella try to always be

prepared so I don't have to get ready. You know I saw you in the umbrella I'm like oh yeah there's these things called umbrellas that were invented like I never think about an umbrella like I'm sure there's I'm sure I have Ridley funeral home umbrellas in this home and partly because I'm biking I can't bike up an umbrella but I never think about I just I figure I'll just get wet. I'm a girl with hair. You're a girl with hair and I'm a boy with hair and it's a pleasure to meet you a lot of ground I want to cover But before I want the like the origin story of honey jam and I want to learn everything there is about honey jam

and I've even pulled some songs from people who are a part of honey jam, so I want the Full story of honey jam, but just off the top, tell me a little bit about yourself. I want to know more about Ebony. Oh, that is such a broad question. You're going to have to narrow it down. Do you like stuff? Okay, so I like stuff. Yes, I like stuff.

I like long walks on the beach and Julie. Okay, I was gonna say, do you like walks in the rain? Are you not into yoga? Are you into champagne? But okay. So where are you from? Uh, I was born in Montreal to parents of both Barbadian heritage. Okay. You're from your Montreal. When did you end up in the big smoke here? When did you arrive in Toronto? So I left Montreal when I was about five moved to Ottawa then moved to Barbados then moved to Kingston, Ontario and Then I've been in Toronto now for the majority of my adult life Okay, amazing. Glad to have you now about you don't have to get too specific, but what neighborhood you call home in the city Right downtown right down down in Bloor. Yeah, okay city girl young and blue

I did live at 30 Charles Street West for a few years Did you and to just to date myself there was a the Uptown Theatre was still there? Yes Yes, which was my favorite theater in the city at the time. I miss that theater. It was great theater Long gone now, but we still have the brass rail Okay, Ebony, so some things will never change at that that intersection, but yeah, yeah from young and blur Okay, I'm sorry. You had to make that truck here was a painful. I'm happy to be here. Happy to be here all right, let's start with the origin story and then as I have more questions because I'm sure I will just kind of rudely interrupt

you and ask away. But please give me the origin story for honey jam and let us all know exactly what is honey jam. I'm going to probably give you the cliff notes as best I can because it's a long story. And ask a question off the top. Isn't it? How could we say in Canada? Why do I always think of it as Coles notes, but I always hear people usually Americans But also Canadians say Cliffs notes was there like a Cliffs notes and then Coles notes stole the idea or something

There's definitely a Coles notes. I remember that from high school and university like the Shakespeare Um, and then I'm not sure where Cliff notes came from because actually used to be books of Coles notes that you could buy for Different yeah Coles, which I think Coles has gone now, too Yeah, I don't think there was ever a cliff notes books might just be a saying I'm not sure I think here's my thought and I haven't googled this later I'll research and realize how wrong it was I'll bet you in America It was Cliff's notes and we consumed so much American television and movies that we Canadians picked up Cliff's notes because that's what we heard on the American programming and I'll bet you anything in Canada

It was like co-opted somehow by our own Coles and we knew Coles notes That's what I used in high school and university but I'll bet you anything that's that's gonna be the story and we will find out later in we learn that is really wrong okay back to your Cliff's notes so I started a mentor program for at-risk black youth called each one teach one and so I was hanging out with teenagers who were listening to a lot of gangster rap, which was very violent and also misogynist. And I was seeing that kind of attitude filtered down to the young men and their my female mentees would tell me that their little brothers would be calling them things

that they heard in these songs. The B word and the H word. They didn't know what it meant, but they would just mimic it. Because at that time, it was the Wild Wild West. There didn't need to be clean versions. And hip hop lived a lot on college radio. And these shows were in the middle of the day. They asked is this early nineties?

I just want to get it is because I remember the gangster rap of early nineties and probably consumed a great deal of it. Yes. And so the biggest hip hop DJ in Canada at the time was DJ X. He had a three hour nationally syndicated show. And I approached him and said, you know, these are some of the unintended consequences and that he had never, you know, thought about that.

And he said, well, why don't you come on my show and talk about it? I said, okay. He said, I'm gonna give you the three, a whole three hour show and you can produce it. Wow. I'm like, um. And this is three hour show and you can produce it Wow And this is the power move show it is Wow I don't know if you remember gone with the wind and that line where the the lady says I don't know nothing about birth And no babies

So I didn't know nothing about producing no show so by day. I am a legal assistant Okay, with my tight little bun in the financial district of Toronto and I'm doing this on the side because it's volunteer. So I have no experience in this. Okay, now pause you right there. I told you I have to rudely interrupt you a couple times, but this is just to set the context because I'm going to guess some listeners aren't sure about who's this DJ X and what is the Power Move show. So would you like to sit back and go back in a time machine essentially to the early 90s and hear how that show would begin?

Would you like that? It'll be fun. I don't know about when the show began and not. No, I'm gonna play something. It's okay. You just listen. Oh, you're gonna let me hear the music. Well, you're gonna hear how the show would open.

Okay, this is just to set us all up, put us back in time because you're about to produce a three-hour show time capsule Here we go everybody I told you, isn't this awesome? Yeah, memories. I'm playing this whole intro because I doubt any other podcast is going to play it this year or so. You're making history, Mike. I love this stuff. Groundbreaking. Award-winning move right there, Mike.

You're the award winner in this room. Turbines to speed. Roger. Ready to move out. Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Hey, you're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room.

You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room.

You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. You're in the wrong room. Fire! For Me! Fire! Hey! I had this album, this is the Cactus album

This is a third base Thanks, Surge! And now, the World Run Minister! I'm telling you, I even had the Cactus Revisited which was like a remix album of all the songs on the Cactus album Big third, which was like a remix album of all the songs on the Cactus album. Big third base fan here. Okay. So I just wanted, we're taking everyone back to 1994 here and you got DJ X of the Power Move Show and you're hearing, and I'm going to

guess it's a lot of like NWA. I'm guessing. Cause I had, yeah, there's a lot of misogyny in those NWA albums in the early to mid nineties., okay And you just reach out to DJ X and he invites you on your show to produce a three hour like episode about Misogynist lyrics and hip-hop. Yes. It was very bold brave and generous of him to do it Like I said, I didn't know anything about it But I'm a disciple of Malcolm X and one of the things he used to say is that when you see a problem, when you're pointing the fingers at someone else, point your thumb back at you and look in the mirror and ask what are you doing to be part of the solution? And if somebody gives you a platform to talk about what the issues are, and you don't take advantage of it, then shut the fuck up.

Right. Right. Like do something or shut up. And so I chose to do something route. I don't believe really in backseat drivers that a keyboard activists, I call them slack to this that want to talk and complain a lot about something and then not actually do anything about it.

So I was like, all right, I will figure it out. So we did it listening to the show where the editors of a magazine called Mike check, you may remember, remember Dr. J the Soca Prince. He was working with Mike Check magazine, right? Mike Check, M.I.C. Yes, M.I.C. Check. So he reached out to me and he was listening to the show. He said, hey, we'd love you to edit an all female version of our magazine. Oh, yeah, like I need another thing to do that I've never done and have to figure out.

But yeah, another opportunity did that. And then at the end we had a wrap party to celebrate the publication and that we had achieved this. And we called it honey jam. We featured some of the women that were in the magazine and it was just supposed to be a party and some performances and then back to my life. And it was just supposed to be a party. Yeah, and some performances. And then back to my life. And people came and they're like, Oh, this is so great. When's the next one? When's the next one? I'm like, What are you talking about next one? This isn't what I do. But I went home that night. And I thought, Okay, great response. Let me you know, maybe do a

couple more try it out for a year and see what happens And here we are 29 years later That is how honey jams started. Okay accident. So in May 1995, it's a one-off show This is the plan and the name honey jam, which I love the name honey jam I guess that just came naturally because these songs are jams. And well, I'll tell you, where does Honey Jam come from? So all of the writers who contributed to this magazine were all at my house. And we were talking about this rap party that we want to have and we needed a name. And I said nobody's leaving till we come up with a name.

So we're going around the room to snapping. Right. OK. What are men calling women like in hip hop? Because it was all hip hop five. So to come up with the name. OK, so bitches know how no shorties know. Honey's honey's. Let's go with that. Right. And then and what are we doing? A celebration, a party, a jam, honey jam.

Boom. And it's perfect because they both go so great on toast. Yes. Right. And that is how the name came. Okay. Now, so this is intended to be a one off. By the way, I would love to hear like, do you have any audio recording? Did you record it to cassette or something? This three hour. I believe it is on a cassette tape somewhere. I can literally play it. I have a cassette tape that I could play through the feed and pass over that cassette please Ebony. No, it just doesn't have it. Okay. Yeah. If you told me maybe a year ago and

given me lots of time to furrow through the crates and see if it's not stuck together. Right. I really need to do that. We're coming up on our 30th anniversary and I need to find those things. Look, here's what I can tell you. If you did find that cassette ever, if you ever did find time to go through the crates and find the three hours, I would digitize it and just drop it in the feed. Like, no, just drop it in 1990, whatever, 1994. For the young listeners out there, you'll know this was a time far, far away where there was no internet, no Instagram, no websites, no smartphones.

And so that is the only thing that exists would be that the tape. But there's something, there was something cool because in 1994, actually, so in 94, I'm actually in university now, but I'm, sure not too long before that I distinctly remember my buddy Warren peace Warren Blackwood shadowed to Ridley funeral home he's no longer with us Warren was a really good guy and I still remember we traded tapes all the time it was we go to high school and just trade cassette tapes like this was like our torrent network this was the pirate Bay was the cassette trading movement at high school so and you know much easier today at a fingertip anyone like our torrent network. This was the pirate day was the cassette trading movement

at high school. So, and you know, much easier today at a fingertip. Anyone can listen to any song, probably recorded and share it. But man, did it feel, it felt like there was more value to this cassette that you had to like, create on the market there. Whatever you have to work harder for has more value. And the tangible quality of it, like it's sort of like

you gave it more listens. I feel like if I had a a cassette I would give it a better shot than if I stream something Oh, I don't like it in 20 seconds. I'm moving on to something else, but that cassette I put some effort into appreciating it Okay, so the honey jam has a one-off at 95 and now people want more. Yes Are you gonna give them more? What's next? Well, I gave them 29 more years. Well, I'm just saying we're building a story here. OK, so tell me, how does it come to be that this is now? And then and tell us what it is today and how it evolved.

I mean, decades long journey. Honestly, I was just making it up as I went along. No experience whatsoever. So we did a couple of shows, a big break happened when Jonathan Ramos of REMG at the time, he was doing something called hip hop Sundays at Lee's Palace. And he invited us to do a co pro with him and have honey jam hosted there. So we went from doing it at ultrasound and x-rays, which was a little bar that Dan Aykroyd owned, um, to that held about a hundred people comfortably to Lee's palace that held about 700 people. Right. And, um, that kind of changed a lot for us. There was a reporter from the Toronto Star who just happened

to be writing by that day and heard the music coming out. She goes in, she winds up writing a huge article, you know, the old days when it, you know, could paper that your whole kitchen floor. And, you know, City TV was there. It was just new and different than anything anyone had seen before. Do you remember who the woman reporter was? I don't. But I have all the press clippings,

so I would have her name. And do you remember who at City TV might have shown up? Glenn, Glenn Baxter. He's okay. So Glenn Baxter is an FOTM. That means friend of Toronto Mike. Ebony, I got news for you. Yes What you can add this to the list of the awards we're gonna talk about later

But you are now and I say you had a million dollars for me If I had a million dollars if I had I have I do have some gifts for you very shortly I'm still absorbing this great more than just the water right but Glenn Baxter great FOTM I bumped into him fairly recently. There was a 30th anniversary of Electric Circus. Yes, I missed that. And I'm there. And he's like the organizer that Glenn Baxter plays a huge role in organizing

the the Electric Circus, almost called it the Much Music Reunion, the Electric Circus reunion, and Monica Dior was there. Yes, I have been on Electric Circus as a dancer. No, were you? Were you dancing with the cowboy? I went to promote the mentor program. Amazing. That's the thing. Like you said, I heard you make that quote or like if you have an opportunity, if you're not going to do something about it, then shut, shut the heck up. Yeah. And if you're given these platforms and I was thinking DJ X

reached out to you and you took full advantage of that I reached out to him. Oh, sorry, but he's so he made the invitation like you reached out to him and he could have said I appreciate your your concerns. Thank you I could have said but he's like, you know, come on and talk about it, you know, so broadcast this and that's amazing that was Unbelievable hip-hop was very much a boys club and the idea that he would invite me onto his treasured show and there was some backlash. You know, there were people outside the show waiting to punch me in the face.

Is that right? Yes. See, you just wait long enough. The real talk spills out here now. Okay. So I definitely remember. Okay. Because I know I can't even say the name of this album, but there, an NWA album. It did not have Ice Cube on it. There's a

clue for everybody. Ice Cube had gone solo or whatever, because they did the whole Benedict Arnold thing or whatever. But he, this song was pretty much about, I think they essentially took a sex worker, murdered her and threw her in the back of a truck. Like this was a trunk, sorry. And this was sort of the the whole song was about this. And I don't think it gets much more misogynistic than that. Like it's absolutely I remember. Yeah. And that and that and and I know that women would be dancing to that in the club, right without realize called to kill a hooker. I think

it was called like to kill a hoe. No, I think it's a hooker. But maybe I can't remember. It's been so long. But absolutely, like, you know, you know, Dre's on this thing. Like this was a big time commercial success, this NWA album. And we were all pumping it. And it's like, if you step back, yeah, and I have a couple of daughters. You don't even need daughters, okay? You just have to be a compassionate human being.

So humans, if you're a human being. But has it improved? And it is a sidetrack. We'll get back to honey jam, but has it improved? Is his hip hop less misogynist today than it was back in the 90s? I think absolutely. You're not hearing, or at least I'm not here. It's not reaching the mainstream, the, the types of extreme violence, talking about killing women about running a train on a woman gang raping a woman,

and celebrating it, you know, or even Snoop Dogg would have that line, we don't love them hoes, you know. And so for a whole generation of young men the idea of respecting your woman was not cool So even if they did behind closed doors outside for everybody to see they would not be respectful You know, they would not be gentlemanly because that was not the cool thing to do. You know, it was almost, it was cool to be misogyny was so damn cool. Yeah. The anecdote of course, which was my favorite hip hop band of all time was public enemy. Like you soak in the public enemy lyrics and Chuck D is also an FOTM.

I'm just going to throw that out there. Absolutely sort of the, the anecdote where they talked about respecting women and absolutely I didn't sense any misogyny in the public enemy lyrics. Right now, like with social media, with the me too movement, like things just won't fly with the public. You know, they won't get played. There'll be all this backlash. You know, you'll get the, uh, I call them the murder hornets from the internet that are going to come for you,

you know, and every and they all want to make money. And so they will adjust to what selling. But you know, I'm sure there's still dirty versions. And, you know, that type of commentary of objectifying women and that sort of thing but but the the killing and Raping stuff. I think I think that's gone down So gross that that was a thing and you know, and I think because it was a good beat and maybe good flow We sort of overlooked it like yes. Yes, that's exactly what happened Wow, and so good on you for you know speaking up and and I'm glad things have have Improved and I'm glad things have improved.

And I think you're right. I think with the fact there's nowhere to hide anymore of the internet that it's sort of corrected the market corrected itself for sales and airplay purposes. And then brands aren't going to want to attach themselves to you. People want money, you know, they want sponsors to finance their tours. So a lot of change in the world in general doesn't happen because, oh, I've now decided to have morals. This is now the right thing to do. Most change happens because of agitation because of being forced and because of commercial consequences. So glad things are changing.

It would be great if there was a shift as well, just in terms of people being more decent. And I think there are people that weren't aware of certain things that now are more aware. And people who have children, men who have daughters, who they may become a bit more sensitive to certain things. Glad, glad to hear it. Now. Okay, so back to to honey jam. So I'm going to play some music from some artists who were kind of winners. I believe. Well, you'll tell me why not a competition, not a complicated. So this is the start of the one on one here.

If you were going to define what, what is honey jam, maybe give us the one on one here. If you were going to define what what is honey jam, maybe give us the one-on-one here. I say it's an all-female Multicultural multi-genre artist development program Is there a honey jam concert coming up that people could see there is it's coming up on Thursday August the 29th and we chose the 29th because it's our 29th anniversary this is the last year in our 20s so you know next year what kind of party we need to have dirty 30 good on you and again some huge names I'm good and one of whom was actually I had a great conversation with her about a month ago. She came over. Did that be Kelly Lee?

Yes. Did you? I saw her on your site. She, and this never happened in the his, so your episode, I don't know, 15 something. I've never had a guest hand write a note and put it in the snail mail. And so one day I got a letter and it's, yeah. And it's, it's the loveliest handwritten note from Kelly Lee Evans. She's a sweetheart.

And she was struck by lightning. Yes. All part. It's what a story. So if people want to dive into the Toronto mic to archives and we'll, I'm going to play a little Kelly Lee. Cause she's a, and, and, and at the time, I think that was literally, she was coming over like the day after that I put you in the schedule and I thought,

okay, honey jam. So it was great talking with Kelly Lee, but so it's not a contest. It's it's so the only prerequisite is that you are a female. Yes. Okay. Talented. You got to be talented too. Damn it. Okay. So if you're a talented woman, you, how would you get show? How would it be a part of honey jam? Like is there an application? There is an audition process. Okay, I'm getting all the deets here now. So who, is there judges?

Is it like American Idol? What's going on here? Farley Flex, you have Farley Flex on that panel? We usually have about actually 10 to 12 judges from different parts of the industry. So there'll be a vocal coach, there'll be a singer-songwriter, a producer, an agent, someone from a label, maybe a music journalist, a manager, a booking agent. So different people from different areas of the industry and then they rate the artists.

So we do a live audition in Toronto. This year we did one in Montreal as well. And then artists can submit online from around the country. In the early days they had to courier a VHS tape. The good old days you mean? Sorry. Yeah, yeah. It's shocking to remember.

Well, I'm gonna play, The good old days, you mean? Sorry. Yeah. Yeah. It's shocking to remember. Wow. I'm going to play a, I think this might be the most famous, not the fame freaking matters here. Okay. But people want to hear the most famous person who was a part of honey jam. And you can tell me if you agree or not. You ready?

Yes. Let this thing brew here. Absolutely. There's no, there's no even debate. It's over. It's over. Also, I listened to the song as I loaded it in my soundboard and I thought this song holds up like this is I was just gonna say that it doesn't sound dated. It's still got a vibe. Better in the headphones too. By the way, fun fact,

all music is better in the headphones. Yes, absolutely. I'll be taking these with me. Thank you so much. Is this one of my gifts? You know what? Those are not great headphones. I feel like you could do better.

I feel like we can get you better headphones only because I actually picked these up for like 17 bucks and then the manufacturer stopped making them and the new model was like $89. This was the game they played, okay, so... We'll let Nelly go a little bit here, and then we'll talk about Nelly and Nelly Furtado and...

Honey Jam? So did Nelly Furtado do that audition you just described? Like she would... You know what? She was from Vancouver and it's so long ago. Even when she made it huge, you didn't know. Oh yeah, remember when she auditioned for Honey Jam? Yeah, so what struck me about knowing, back then we were like 99.9% black. So they organized, because we were coming out of

hip-hop that was the whole point of Honey Jam in the beginning and so just by the fact that she was not black made her really stand out and on the night of the show you know everybody's buzzing and you know lots of chatter and stuff. You can't hear yourself think. She comes on the stage and she's this tiny little thing in pigtails. She looks like she's 10 years old. Then she started singing and you couldn't hear a pin drop. Everybody just went quiet. This little girl with the big voice and the cool vibe.

She always remembers that. Drake brought her on stage when he did OVO Fest and he did an all Canadian night and he brought her out and the first thing she said was, oh my god this feels like Honey Jam all over again. I thought I was gonna fall down and faint and so what she was remembering was this tiny little white girl in a room, you know, full of, you know, black culture. And so that's what it was like for her when she stepped on, when Drake brought her out. So that was beautiful. Okay. So let me ask you this. I'm interested. So you have 99 approximately 99.9% of people

who participated at the time anyways, who participated in Honey Jam were women of color. And Nelly Furtado, I think she's a Portuguese descent or something, she's a white gal from Vancouver and she's the one who blows up. Yeah. Like, I am gonna play a couple more songs and they are from women of color. So but, Kelly, you said, sorry, Kelly is coming up. So, Nelly is the, by far the hugest global success to come out at Honey

Jam. Like you should have a t-shirt that just says Nelly Furtado started with Honey Jam. Like that, just, just, just wear it and put it on your jacket. Like that's huge. It is, it is. Her manager, Chris Smith, found her at Honey Jam that night. You know, and the rest is history. Was there ever a thought, like I understand why you wouldn't, but did you ever consider, hey, let's make this a, like have a winner? No. Like a contest?

I never considered it, but other people did. But you're the boss around there. I said you were the founder of the top, but you're you're actually the founder and the director and the producer. Yes. You're you're honey jam. So it doesn't matter what everyone else wants to do. You're going to make the call at the end of the day.

I have to sell it. I have to believe it and I have to promote it and I have to sell it. And one of the things that people love about honey jam in terms of the artists is this instant sisterhood that they feel when they meet each other and wind up having lifelong relationships. If it was a competition, there would be like, wow, you know, pass out the saucers of milk, um, with all the cattiness, right? Um, and jockeying for position. So you remove that when you don't have, um, and it's a much, uh, warmer, friendlier vibe. Everyone wants everyone else rising tide. Yeah. Lifting all the boats. Absolutely. I else to win. Rising tide.

Yes. Lifting all the boats. Absolutely. I get that. That's beautiful actually. And you know, you mentioned that it's more than just performers, talented women performing, but there's these sessions and stuff. And I was looking at some of the artists

who have participated in these sessions in the past. So I'm going to play a couple of songs shortly from artists who participated in in honey jam. But when I look at the list of people who have, you know, worked major artists have been, you know, I guess, are they volunteering their services? I don't know. But you, Erica Badu, for example.

Yeah. So that was an opportunity that someone else gave to us where we were able to take about 15 artists to go to a talk that she was doing. Um, so that was amazing. Um, you'll see Janelle Monet on there. Yeah. So it was performing for free, um, at Nathan Phillips square. Do you remember, was it during Panamania or something Pan Am games? Right. And they have these amazing concerts at Nathan Phillips. Girl, it's a bunch of the roots, right? Yeah. Tens of thousands of people there.

Yeah. So whenever I hear that there's an artist, female artist coming, I start stalking who, whoever the promoter is like, when are they coming? Would they be willing to meet? Blah, blah, blah. So for a couple of months I did that and they asked her management and they said she's willing to after her show, she's willing to come and do that. So I took the artist down there and we waited and I said, listen, that could change.

She could feel tired. There's no guarantees, but let's wait. And she came and she was so sweet. They got to sing for her they got to she spoke with each of them it was a beautiful experience and you know somebody Canadian artist Jesse Reyes yes Jesse is a gem so back and I think it was 2014 or just before that we were Facebook friends and She was asking about performing at the show and we already had our lineup set and I said the lineup's already done But we're doing these workshops common attend the workshops for free. No problem. I could kick myself right now

But you know every almost every artist will say that people might have passed over on them because they weren't the same artists that they are that we know, you know? Right. Um, so she still needed to get a bit better than she was at the time, but she came to the workshop. And then of course she blew up a couple of years after that. And then, uh, we did an artist talk with her. We found out from her manager, after me trying for years, he messaged me, he's like, okay, so we can do it tomorrow. Don't you love it when that happens?

On a Sunday in the morning before she goes to the airport. So I'm scrambling to find a space. Like there was no way I was gonna be like, oh, maybe another time, cause I'm tired or to find a space. Like there was no way I was going to be like, oh, maybe another time because I'm tired or that would be hard. Like this is not my personality. We're getting it done by any means necessary. No, I sense that from you. You're your it's your passion project and your tremendous.

Bull in lipstick. Of course, of course. Very cool. Now I've dropped her name already. So I will be sending her a note to tell her to listen to this episode, which means I'm gonna play a little song. We're gonna hear a little bit of this song.

You'll name the artist right away, then I'll bring it down and I'll give you some gifts because you made the track here and you'll be leaving with some swag, okay? I'll take care of you here. But here we go with the song that Nina Simone made famous. But Nina Simone, not a part of you here. But here we go with the song that Nina Simone made famous. But Nina Simone, not a part of Honey Jam. That's a bit of an insult to me. No, maybe in spirit. I'm not 500

years old, but definitely in spirit. I was wearing my Nina Simone t-shirt yesterday. Trust me, it's not an insult to you because I'm pretty sure I'm older than you, okay? So if I'm insulting anybody, it's me. But Kelly Lee Evans, everybody. Got my Nina Simone t-shirt on. Well done. And this is a great version. Yeah. Anything Kelly Lee sings is a great version. Okay, before I give you the gifts, then give me a little love for Kelly Lee sings is a great version. Okay, before I give you the gifts, then, give me a little love for Kelly Lee Evans, not

just because she hand-wrote a note and mailed it to me, which was unprecedented, but because I really, really, really liked chatting with her, and she's got a great story, and it all starts with Honey Jam. Well, I don't know if it starts with Honey Jam. Let's just make it up and pretend, because don't spoil this great story. It all starts, right? Kelly with nothing and then honey jam. No, I'm very careful about never ever doing that.

But Kelly Lee, she exudes joy. That smile, she can just light up a whole room. She's a good human with great energy. I remember when she did honey jam, she was completely bald. I have to find the picture and send one to you and barefoot and just natural, you know, no flash and all of that just very natural. And she just has to open her mouth and you are drawn in. Drawn in. I remember she had one of her albums called Fight or Flight. I think that was the name of it.

And I must have like worn that CD out. Yeah. Back CD days. We're not that... I'm still listening to some... Don't tell anyone. Yeah. Okay. It'll back CD days. We're not that I'm still listening to some don't tell anyone. Yeah, okay. It'll be our secret. Yeah, she's fantastic. You know, she's a mom, then she got struck by lightning and that but she's unstoppable and I have a lot of respect for her. She just auditioned for Honey Jam and everybody liked what they saw, liked what they heard

and she participated in Honey Jam. Yeah. It's from Ottawa. What a great show. From a nation's capital. From Ottawa. By the way, I just Googled it, okay? It's episode 1510.

So if you want to go after this, listen to Kelly Lee Evans on Toronto Miked, episode 1510. Now Ebony, I have a question for you. Yes, sir. Do you enjoy Italian food? Yes, I do. Oh, see, I was sweating. I'm wearing a, please don't let her be the one.

Don't let her be the one who doesn't like Italian food. I have in my freezer for you a frozen lasagna from Palma Pasta. What? They're in Mississauga in Oakville. Worth the trek, by the way, from Young and Blur. And they're gonna host us for a TMLX in the holiday season, in probably early December. More details on that soon. But delicious, authentic Italian food, palmapasta.com.

So don't leave without that box being filled. It's in my freezer right now. Don't have to tell me twice, Mike. Well, more than that. I don't know if you ever need to measure something, but that is a measuring tape from Ridley Funeral Home. Ridley Funeral Home are pillars of this community since 1921. Brad Jones has a great podcast called Life's Undertaking, and everybody should subscribe. No joke, it's great. Life's Undertaking with Brad Jones. He's the funeral director and the owner of Ridley Funeral Home

and that measuring tape will make your life maybe easier. Thank you. I hope to not be using their services anytime soon though. They don't want to see you anytime soon. Okay. Long time before that, maybe 60 years or so. Okay. Fresh craft beer brewed right here in southern Etobicoke. Great Lakes beer. They've ruined me for beer. I was at an event at a different brewery and I had their beer and it's like not as good as Great Lakes beer. It's delicious and you're going to go home with four cans of the fresh craft beer from Great Lakes brewery. So enjoy. I don't know if you drink but everybody knows somebody who does. That's right. it's delicious. So enjoy the fresh craft beer. I want to give you a little piece of advice real quick before I play this next jam.

Cause there's a woman I want to talk about who you'll know from honey jam and everybody knows her because she's famous. But I want to let you know, if you have any old electronics, old cables, old devices, maybe they're in a drawer at home there at young and bluer or maybe they're in a box somewhere Don't throw that in the garbage ebony because those chemicals end up at her landfill go to everybody write this down Recycle my electronics dot ca you put in your postal code and they'll say hey drop it off here and it'll be properly recycled That's a pro tip for you. Another gift. Write that down. Okay. And last but not least, there's a Brown, that book right there you

can take home with you is a wonderful book on the history of Toronto Maple Leafs baseball. They play their games at Christie Pitts. It's semi pro ball, very high caliber ball. It was there last Sunday. Great baseball, but it's a great environment. You're in a park in the Christie and Bloor Christie Pitts. You can fill the hill, great food. You can have a delicious Leafs lager. You can have a beer, great vibes. And I'm encouraging everybody to check out some Toronto Maple Leafs baseball. Honestly, you can go to the dome and watch baseball and it will cost you 200 bucks at the end of it all, whatever. But you don't need a ticket to see Toronto Maple Leafs baseball. It's just an awesome city event. And it's a go to the website, find out the schedule and check it out. Okay. Have you ever been to a Toronto Maple Leafs baseball game? I've not. Well,

listen, I'm telling you, uh, next year I'm hoping to be recording live from the park at a few games on Sunday afternoons. And I'll let you know, I'll send you a note and say when I'm going to be there. And if you drop by, we'll put you on the mic. I'll be recording and we'll catch up and learn more about Honey Jam 2025. It's a plan. All right, here's the jam. You're ready for this one. I'm ready. OK, ready for the honey jam. I knew this was going to be it.

You can read my mind. It's a short lead. I worked for you baby, worked my hand to the bone Care for you baby till you come home Do for you baby for the love that I seek Slave for you baby every day of the week And on a party day, scrub your dirty clothes On a Tuesday, do a whole lot more And on a Wednesday, I wash your dirty clothes To have a little love before the weekend goes I'll be, I'll be, seven day fool. I'll be, I'll be, seven day fool. I'll be, I'll be, seven day fool.

Only because I really love you. All right, Ebony, name that artist. That would be the incomparable Julie Black. Julie Black? The crowd, Julie Black. BFD, I say, big fucking deal there. Julie Black. How does she?

So she's auditioning for, this is how she gets her start? Give me the story on Julie Black and Honey Jam. She performed in 1995, I believe. The first one, isn't it? Or am I off in my research? So we did three the first year. The first one was in May at the ultrasound place and then we did, I think we did two at least.

That's the Dan Aykroyd place? Yes. Did you ever meet Dan Aykroyd? I did not. He once held the door for me at a restaurant on Avondale Road. What? Yeah, he held the door for me. I think he owned that restaurant too.

I think he owned a bunch of stuff. Legendary, legendary story there, Mike. But I didn't actually have a combo. I think I said thank you. Okay. Does that count? Does that get serious, quite? Because we have that, who was the most famous person you met?

Because my daughter met Will Smith filming something in Toronto and they got photos and then I think Will's son was there and was a big deal for her. And we always say, because I was like, yeah, I sat down and had a good half an hour chat with Chuck D from Public Enemy, like a one-on-one, like I met Chuck D. But if you, if Dan Aykroyd holds the door for you and you say thank you and he goes, my pleasure, no problem or whatever, did you meet Dan Aykroyd? Well, he doesn't know your name. No, he doesn't

know my name. Oh, introduction. So you have to introduce yourself. But I think, well, first of all, there are no rules, Mike. There should be rules though, because you can't say, oh, I met Dan Aykroyd. But you didn't formally meet him in terms of an introduction, but you still kind of met him in a passing kind of way. Okay. I feel like if somebody had told me that story about meeting Dan Aykroyd, I would say, well, you didn't really meet him. You just were in the same space as him at the same time. That's kind of what I just said, Mike. Have you been drinking this beer already?

At what time is it? I wish we could have a morning beverage. Okay. So enough about Dan Aykroyd. This is Dan Aykroyd cast here. Back to Julie Black. That's right. The legend. I produced a show for Donovan Bailey and we had Julie Black on because she had changed the lyric in the national anthem. Correct. And it made a lot of news in this country. Around the world. Around the world. Around the world. So we brought her in to chat with Donovan Bailey about it on Donovan's podcast. But So we brought her into chat with Donovan Bailey about it on Donovan's podcast. But Julie Black, Honey Jam 1995.

She was, I think she was 17. And I think she was working as a security guard part time. I do remember that I was afraid of her. She is a presence. Julie cannot walk into a room without people knowing there is a presence in this room, you know, that needs to be noticed and respected. And Julie is no seven day fool for nobody. And who you know who her hype man was? Cardinal. Wow.

Cardinal O'Fishaw. I claim him as an honorary honey jam alum because he was on stage hyping up Julie Black when she performed. Was a wingman. That's that's pretty awesome right there. Now, Seven Day Fool. Here's a fun fact. When I heard that song for the first time right there. Now, Seven Day Fool, here's a fun fact. When I heard that song for the first time back in the day,

Seven Day Fool, I thought it was a Julie Black song. Like it took me a while until I learned it was an Etta James song. Yeah, I knew it was Etta James. You know your shit, man. I'm learning on the fly. If I give you the list of songs that were covers that I thought were originals when I first heard,

Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, okay? I just assumed for like most of my youth and into my teens that this is a Cyndi Lauper song that she wrote or somebody wrote for her. No, that was a cover too. I was today years old when I found that out. Telling you, and I think it's kind of interesting speaking of Honey Jam and empowering women

because I believe the original Girls Just Wanna Have Fun was by a guy. Was a dude, for sure a dude, and it was sort of a negative like Girls Just Wanna Have Fun was by a guy. The dude for sure a dude. And it was sort of a negative like girls just wanna have fun. And Cindy kind of flipped it. And it's like owned it. And I think that's pretty good. It's similar to Aretha Franklin in respect

because that's an Otis Redding song that was a negative and Aretha just flipped that thing. And then nobody even really remembers that. No one no one knows the name of the dude that did Girls Just Want to Have Fun. I hate to tell you, but it's Robert Hazard. I'm the only one who knows that. OK, and that's just because it's a good bar room trivia thing here. But say that at parties now. Robert Hazard, that's a great name for a dude from Hazard County, maybe.

OK, so Julie Black, Honey Jam and then the rest is history. What a great showcase. So this is an amazing thing you're doing. And off the top, I said this not knowing what it meant. Julie Black, Honey Jam, and then the rest is history. What a great showcase. So this is an amazing thing you're doing. And off the top, I said this not knowing what it meant, and maybe that's dangerous to put things in your intro. You don't know what you're saying, but Roy Thompson Award of Recognition. Please educate me.

I feel like this is a big deal because that's an impressive name for anything, and you're a recipient of this. So someone nominated us for it. This is something that the city of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Foundation that they present every year, something that the mayor supports

and it's a series of awards that go out in the creative and arts community. So there's a number of different awards, maybe like 20 different awards for different people. So this was one of them. And we were nominated and we won. So it's recognizing a contribution to the community in the field of arts.

Well, congratulations to you. Thank you so much. That's amazing. Thank you so much. Now you mentioned the mayor, so I'm gonna ask you real quickly about something very topical, because yesterday I recorded with Edward Keenan.

Ed Keenan writes for the Toronto Star, and he covers a lot of Toronto stuff. But he's a very good writer, actually. So, the Toronto Star, by the way, still Canada's biggest newspaper in the shrinking pie. It's still got the biggest slice there. But we were talking about something that was written in the Toronto Sun criticizing our mayor, Olivia Chow for I'm going to use my words here.

I won't quote Joe Warmington, but being overly festive at the Caribbean carnival. Oh, I love. OK, so have you seen the photos? Yes, I've seen the photos and I've seen the video. Okay. So what are your thoughts on? Cause I have my thoughts, but I'd rather hear your thoughts and, uh, compare and contrast to the criticism she's receiving from the Toronto sun. But what do you think of Olivia chow? She gets very festive and gets full regalia. I loved it. I think I've, I've watched it many times just to bring myself joy and a good laugh.

I love her. She is exuberant about life. She's fearless, she's up for anything and she doesn't care what she looks like. I don't know what the criticism was, but Carnival is for everyone. There wasn't anything she was wearing that was sacred. You know, carnival is for everyone, all cultures, all races, all sizes. It's,

it's very inclusive. So I was, I mean, I think she definitely made history. There's no other mayor who has ever done that. I loved it. I thought she looked amazing and I loved it and it made me feel good to see the foot. I think I think Torontonians in general love that about Olivia. Of course you have to tell me after what his stupid criticism was worms. I'm going to patch you in right now here. Okay. But what else did I want to ask you about real quickly? Oh yeah. So I again, I don't want to jinx it. I don't have I want to ask you about real quickly? Oh yeah. So I, again, I don't want to jinx it. I don't have any power to jinx anything anyways, but in November,

there's an election in the United States. Have you heard about this? Okay. And the candidate for the Democrat party is a woman of color. Yes. Like, like this is, and I am optimistic about the democratic parties, the democratic Democrat party, uh, winning this election and Kamala Harris, who, much like yourself, spent time in Montreal. Yes. Her mother was a professor at McGill, where my daughter attends, where my father went. Great institution over there. And it's kind of wild that this woman who spent, you know, years in Montreal.

I know somebody whose ex wife was dear friends of Kamala Harris when she years in Montreal. I know somebody whose ex-wife was dear friends of Kamala Harris when she was in Montreal, shadow to humble Howard Glassman from Humble and Fred. His ex-wife was her buddy. And when they were both at the same school and the same class in Montreal. But I mean, this feels like a great, like we've come a long way, baby.

I don't wanna use a cigarette. Virginia Slim's here. I am't want to use a cigarette. I am so here for it. It giving me life. It's giving me joy and hope because another administration under the Republicans with their current leader, I was saying I would need to move to Mars. I can't imagine the chaos back to that every day. And all hands are on deck to make this happen. It's historic. And a lot of times when I see all the turmoil in the world, it's like, wow, there's a lot of old men that are making these decisions and, you know, having these big dick contests

and you know, having to just show their might, you know, with their insecurity about who can, who can, who can saber rattle the most. And I've wondered, I want to know what is it like to have a woman run the free fucking world, bring it on. And a woman of color. What? And with Caribbean heritage too. Oh my God. This is happening. Ebony here for it. It must happen. This is happening. Very exciting times here. Uh, on our way out here, I'm going to touch on just a few more, like, this is where I pumped the tire of the guests, cause this was a great time. Not only did I feel comfortable to reveal that I thought seven day fool was a Julie Black song and it is in fact that at a James song I felt comfortable enough to disclose that to you. We talked about the world judgment. I feel sometimes I'm in a I had an episode

recently and it was very interesting but Fergus Hamilton from Oh great reggae band satellites Mm-hmm satellites So we were talking about the satellites and he's dropping, you know this guy and I felt like a few times in a row I didn't know the name like it didn't resonate with me So I'm like I'm not gonna lie and say of course I know that guy like I'm here like no like educate me like I'm Learning now like this is how it works. You drop a name. I never heard it before now. I know it for the next time This is how it's been going for 12 years on this show. But I started to feel I started to feel a little judged because after the

third name that you know he talks like I should know this name and I don't know the name and now I'm feeling really dumb. So okay. So I appreciate no judgment from you. You were featured in a book called Canada 150 women conversations with leaders champions and luminaries and you were featured in a book called put called Canada, 150 Women, Conversations with Leaders, Champions and Luminaries. And you were featured in a book called, Put Your Dreams First, Handle Your Entertainment Business. You've got all these awards, all these accolades. Honey Jam has made a difference.

Like, do you ever step back and take a deep breath and realize like, okay, back in the mid 90s, when I stepped up and I wrote DJX, this is the culmination. Now we are almost 30 years later and look at the difference you've been making. I really hardly ever do because right now, please, I want to watch this because there's no time, you know, and whenever I do an event and people have commented to me, like they'll come over and be like,

oh my gosh, this is so great. This is so great. Like why, why aren't you jumping up and down? So first of all, I'm a perfectionist. So I'm thinking about what could be better. And then I'm also thinking about, you know, the 5,000 emails in my inbox and then I've got another event in two days. And so there's not that luxury to just sit back and to, you know, exalt yourself.

Well, you should be very proud times like this times like when the awards happen, or you know, memories come up on social media. That that I do. I do. When I get also the feedback from the artists about what the experience meant to them. So those are very special moments as a whole point of doing it. Like if it's not working, and if it's not impactful to the artists who we're doing this for, then there's no point in doing it. So that's kind of essential for me to get up in the morning and put on my pit bull persona and get out there and make shit happen, you know, get shit done. So while you've created a welcoming, supportive sisterhood in a safe space for young women to be vulnerable to learn to build self esteem and long lasting relationships.

That's fucking awesome. Thank you. That's, that's the goal. That's what we strive to do more than like, Oh, make you a star, make you internationally known. Um, all those other things, especially now, so many people suffering with mental health issues, anxiety, we're still recovering from COVID connection is so crucial. It's so crucial. And when you come to a honey jam event event, and I hope you will, you'll see it and you'll feel it.

Not only from the artists, but it kind of emanates from them to everyone in the room that, you know, escape from all the madness. And you might be seeing the next Nellie for total or Julie Black. I said people were not looking for the next anyone. We're looking for the first you. Right. That's why you're winning the awards. I never win awards. And that's why, because I say stupid stuff like that. All right, so nuts and bolts. So where and when is the next event again and how can people attend and be a part of this? So the next event, our 29th anniversary,

August 29th at TD Music Hall. Follow us at the honey jam or our website honeyjam.com. You'll see all of the information there. There'll be links to get tickets and yeah, we've got 16 artists from about five different provinces. We've got these are new artists that have never performed Honey Jam before. Then we've invited some alums back. There's going to be a tribute to Sarah McLaughlin. You know, she's celebrating

30 years of her first album and she's being inducted into the songwriters hall of fame. We're going to have one of our alums do her song angel that we are dedicating to the innocent lives lost in conflicts around the world. We're gonna do a tribute to Cowboy Carter, the other Queen Bee. And that's gonna be hype. That was an amazing achievement of hers that we want to recognize. So yeah, we've got two hype DJs,

DJ Mel Boogie, DJ Killakels, our amazing host, Angeline from The Block. I've reached out to her in the past to come on this program. I gotta reach out again. I would love to have her on Toronto Mic. Yes. Provide her transportation.

Is that the missing link here? Yes, a horse-drawn carriage would be great. Well, we're almost there. We're almost there. I do provide good directions, but okay. So I'm glad that we got to play some DJX from the Power Move show. Like that brought me right back. That was awesome. Brought me back too.

And you doing the, you know, talking about the misogynist lyrics in hip hop and how they were having the negative effect on the way young men were behaving towards women and the self-esteem and confidence of young girls. You stepping up there and you know, he said he gave you an opportunity and you took that three hours, you produced that show and now you're on Toronto Mike. See how it works? To the magazine that led to the show and here I am. It only took 29 years to get here Mike, but I made it.

Gosh, damn it. and what a pleasure it is to get to know you don't leave about the lasagna it might still be raining when I'm down in this cave cave man what do I call this I need I just know windows right so it could be a typhoon out there or it could be like birds could be singing in the Sun I we have no idea bunker it's kind of like a bug but I'll be safe should there be a disaster or something happened I'll be safe. Should there be a disaster or something happen? I'll be safe down here. I'll be I'll be the this is where I'm coming when the apocalypse is about to draw I have lots of beer. Yeah

Yeah, although what do you need other than beer and lasagna and music? Great music. I got lots of great music for you. And thank you for doing what you do It's a pleasure to meet you today. Great to meet you too, Mike. And that is that. And that is that. I'm going to change it up. And that is that. And that brings us to the end of our 1,533rd show. You can follow me on, I'm all over the place, Twitter, Blue Sky, all over the place, at Toronto Mike. Remember it's at The Honey Jam, if you want to follow Honey Jam, I'll be tagging The Honey Jam on this episode when I drop it in 15 minutes or less, or your money back.

Or go to honeyjam.com and be a part of this. This is a wonderful thing, almost turning 30 next year. You should come back and talk about the 30th anniversary, it'd be amazing. Absolutely. Much love to all who made this possible. Again, that's Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, RecycleMyElectronics.ca, the Toronto Maple Leaves baseball team. They play at Christie Pitts, and Ridley Funeral Home. See you all next week. I'm actually going into my calendar right now.

I don't know why I don't look before I'm recording. Who is my next... Oh! The next episode of Toronto Mic'd is Toast with Rob Pruse and Bob Willett. It's funny, today's Honey Jam. Honey and Jam go great on toast. And we'll be live at live.torontomic.com recording Toast at 10 a.m. Monday. See you all then. I know that's true, yes I do I know it's true, yeah I know it's true How about you? I'm picking up trash and then putting down roads And they're broken in stocks, the class struggle explodes

And I'll play this guitar just the best that I can Maybe I'm not and maybe I am But who gives a damn because everything is coming out