Off Kilter Is Being "Fiddled" With!

[WEDWDW]

For anyone who hasn't heard,reports are that the great Keyboardist for OK,Tony Escapa,is leaving the Band and will be replaced by their "fill-in" Fiddle player Jason Thomas.

I have mixed feelings-I LOVE Fiddle playing and Jason is EXCELLENT,but it is so sad to see Tony leave after all these years!!!!

It will be interesting to see what this change means for the band musically.

[bleeps]

I always wonder how they all stay with it year after year -- I can understand reaching the point where you need to move on (as much as I'd wish to always have the same crew!). I imagine they'll just evolve a little with this change, but as long as they continue to be as popular as they have been they'll be keeping things the way they know we love them!

[WDSearcher]

I think this will be an interesting change for the group, as it will allow them to bring in music from other areas of Canada. I mean ... they probably could have before, but with the extra fiddle, it opens up the group to more French-Canadian folk music, which could be terrific! I'm looking forward to seeing what the guys come up with.

[minnie mum]

Originally Posted by WDSearcher

I think this will be an interesting change for the group, as it will allow them to bring in music from other areas of Canada. I mean ... they probably could have before, but with the extra fiddle, it opens up the group to more French-Canadian folk music, which could be terrific! I'm looking forward to seeing what the guys come up with.

You might want to re-check the bios for the boys in the band. None of them are Canadian. I believe that Tony is Puerto Rican. And the band has never billed itself or styled itself as a Canadian band. They're known as a Celtic Rock band. Granted, Celtic music is quite popular in the Maritimes, but French Canada has never been a hot bed of Celtic Rock. I doubt they are fluent enough in French, let alone the French Canadian joual to ever attempt it.

[BillSears]

Nonsense! They're all from Canada!!!! I see them walk out on stage from "Canada" every time they perform.

[madge]

so the group will have Jason & Jamie together?! Looking forward to that!

will miss Tony, though. we were bummed when he wasn't playing a couple of weeks ago

[WDSearcher]

Originally Posted by minnie mum

You might want to re-check the bios for the boys in the band. None of them are Canadian. I believe that Tony is Puerto Rican. And the band has never billed itself or styled itself as a Canadian band. They're known as a Celtic Rock band. Granted, Celtic music is quite popular in the Maritimes, but French Canada has never been a hot bed of Celtic Rock. I doubt they are fluent enough in French, let alone the French Canadian joual to ever attempt it.

I know they're not Canadian. I don't think I said anywhere that they were! What I did say was that they could possibly bring more French-Canadian music in. Just as the entire choir at Candlelight learns French and Spanish and German lyrics, I'm fairly certain that the Off Kilter guys are capable of learning a few songs in a language not their own. Besides ... there are a lot of French-Canadian folk tunes that are instrumentals -- no lyrics at all. There are lots of possibilities.

[disnut8]

Originally Posted by WEDWDW

For anyone who hasn't heard,reports are that the great Keyboardist for OK,Tony Escapa,is leaving the Band and will be replaced by their "fill-in" Fiddle player Jason Thomas.

I have mixed feelings-I LOVE Fiddle playing and Jason is EXCELLENT,but it is so sad to see Tony leave after all these years!!!!

It will be interesting to see what this change means for the band musically.

It's not surprising. They been performing together since 1997 which is longer than a lot of marriages last. In the past few years, there have few times we've seen the original five members.

I'm actually surprised it's just one band member leaving and not the entire group. Disney is not exactly loyal to their Epcot entertainment.

As far as Jason is concerned, he's subbed on numerous occasions when Tony hasn't been there so it's not that far of a stretch. And Jason is an excellent fiddler.

[carlyle688]

The band has so much more fun and plays a lot wider range of songs when Jamie is not there. In my opinion, he's the next one that needs to go. I'd be happy with Jason and Billy in place of Tony and Jamie.

[madge]

Originally Posted by carlyle688

The band has so much more fun and plays a lot wider range of songs when Jamie is not there. In my opinion, he's the next one that needs to go. I'd be happy with Jason and Billy in place of Tony and Jamie.

is Billy the other guitar player? he was a new to me face a couple of weeks ago.

I've loved listening to Jason since he played in a band that played at Canada on Off Kilter's off days, way back in the day. He's a great addition to the band!

[luvmick]

NOOOO Jamie needs to stay, love the group but Jamie is the best!!

[chalee94]

if it's not jamie, mark and randy, it's not off-kilter.

i wish mark would sing lead more, though...

[disnut8]

Originally Posted by carlyle688

The band has so much more fun and plays a lot wider range of songs when Jamie is not there. In my opinion, he's the next one that needs to go. I'd be happy with Jason and Billy in place of Tony and Jamie.

Really? With the avatar you have? Jamie is the heart of Off Kilter. I consider him THE founding "father". He makes bagpiping look effortless and we all know it's not.