With flute in hand, Grammy-winning recording artist RON KORB took to the stage Friday night at 3030 Dundas West club in Toronto, along with an 8-piece band comprised of equally renowned musicians to launch his 30th album, GLOBAL CANVAS. And oh what a night! The fans packed the venue to capacity and eagerly awaited the new tunes as well as Ron’s earlier hits they recognized from previous albums. The band included Bill Evans (piano/keyboards), Steve Lucas (bass), Xiaoqiu Lin (erhu), Larry Crowe (drums), Rick Shadrach Lazar (Latin and Middle Eastern percussion) plus other special guests. The high energy in the room was palpable – as Ron introduced each tune off the album, the audience leaned in, eager to hear the story behind the music, the inspirations and the passion put into recording each piece. Many of the musicians who recorded the 18 tracks with Ron were on the stage, and several were in the audience. It was a veritable who’s-who of Canadian classical, Latin, Asian, European & Middle Eastern musicians. 
His multiple Brazilian/Latin-themes tunes had the crowd swaying in their seats, while the Asian-themed ones had audience members in almost meditative moods, especially with the sound of the erhu played by Xiaoqiu Lin. When Ron switched into a Middle Eastern feel, the energy shifted and everyone was “chair dancing” like belly dancers.

Ron has developed a distinctive global musical persona, fluidly blending Pan-Asian, Jazz, Celtic and Latin influences, acquired through a lifetime of exploration. His music is both fiery and sublime, intimate and cinematic. He has 5 Grammy certificates with 2 of them earned last year for his work on Stewart Copeland and Ricky Kej’s Grammy-winning album Divine Tides and Masa Takumi’s Grammy winning album for Best Global Music Album. He has also participated in a humanitarian music project in Cambodia with Human Rights activist Arn Chorn Pond through a personal introduction from Peter Gabriel. His single, Angkor Wat off the new album, is inspired by and dedicated to Arn Chorn Pond (pictured below with Ron in the temple complex).Half-way through the concert, Ron proudly announced that GLOBAL CANVAS has made it onto the Grammy nomination ballot for this year’s Awards so fingers crossed that the album makes it through to the voting for Best World Music Album. As the evening drew to a close, Ron performed his Latin/Brazilian-flavoured pieces and with members of Toronto’s Samba Squad leading the way, the audience rose to their feet and started a conga line that wound around the showroom. Wow! The crowd gave him a standing ovation after 2 encores.  

The album is available now on your favourite streaming serves and CDs can be purchased through Ron’s website: www.ronkorb.com

1. Dream of the King Prelude Ron Korb: bamboo flute, bass flute, Margaret Maria: cello Sharlene Wallace: Celtic harp George Koller: acoustic bass John Taewook Lee: janggu, buk
2. Dream of the King  Ron Korb: bamboo flute, bass flute, Margaret Maria: cello Sharlene Wallace: Celtic harp Jeff Alan Greenway: piano George Koller: acoustic bass, John Taewook Lee: janggu, buk
3. Desire Prelude Ron Korb: bass flute, Muthu Kumar: tabla
4. Desire  Ron Korb: flute Muthu Kumar: tabla Ray Hickey Jr: koto, guitar, Bill Evans: grand piano Steve Lucas: acoustic bass Larry Crowe: Latin percussion, triangle, shaker, cajon
5. Havana Sun  Ron Korb: flute Hilario Duran: grand piano Jorge Luis Torres Paumier ‘Papiosco’:congas Roberto Riveron: bass Margaret Maria: cello Larry Crowe: Drums
6. La La Formosa  Ron Korb: bass flute, flute Bill Evans: grand piano, rhodes Bill Bridges: ukelele, guitar Steve Lucas: acoustic bass Rick Shadrach Lazar: ganzá, pandeiro, agogô, tamborim, cuíca, surdo, apito de samba, shekere, repinique, conga, Larry Crowe: drums
7. La La Formosa Postlude  Rick Shadrach Lazar: ganzá, pandeiro, agogô, tamborim, cuíca, surdo, apito de samba, shekere, repinique, conga Bill Evans: grand piano, rhodes Bill Bridges: ukelele, guitar rhodes Steve Lucas: acoustic bass
8. Kindness  Ron Korb: bawu, bass flute, flute Xiaoqiu Lin: erhu Margaret Maria: cello, Sharlene Wallace: harp George Koller: acoustic bass John Taewook Lee: janggu, Buk
9. Isla Grande  Ron Korb: flute Hilario Duran: grand piano Margaret Maria: cello Jorge Luis Torres Paumier ‘Papiosco’:congas Roberto Riveron: bass Larry Crowe: drums
10. Bossa Guitar Prelude  André Valério: guitar
11. Bass Flute Bossa  Ron Korb: bass flute André Valério:guitar Rick Shadrach Lazar: rebolo, pandeiro
12. Angkor Watt Ron Korb: pie pook
13. Azure Nights Ron Korb: flute Bill Evans: grand piano, rhodes, accordion Bill Bridges: guitar, 12 string guitar Steve Lucas: acoustic bass Rick Shadrach Lazar: congas, shaker, triangle Larry Crowe: drums
14. Blue Heron Ron Korb: bamboo flute, bass flute, Xiaoqiu Lin: erhu Victoria Yeh: violin Margaret Maria: cello Bill Evans: grand piano, rhodes, toy piano Bill Bridges: guitar Steve Lucas: acoustic bass Rick Shadrach Lazar: congas, shaker Larry Crowe: drums
15. Hinamatsuri Ron Korb: shinobue, flute Ray Hickey Jr: koto, shamisen, guitar, Chris Gartner: bass Larry Crowe: percussion
16. Peace Flute Ron Korb: bass flute
17. Three Kingdoms Prelude  Ron Korb: bamboo flute, bass flute, Margaret Maria: cello Sharlene Wallace: Celtic harp John Taewook Lee: janggu, buk
18. Three Kingdoms  Ron Korb: flute Xiaoqiu Lin: erhu Victoria Yeh: violin Margaret Maria: cello Sharlene Wallace: harp George Koller: acoustic bass John Taewook Lee: janggu, buk  Jeff Alan Greenway: piano Larry Crowe: percussion, shaker, cajon

Music Composed and Produced by Ron Korb
Recording Engineer: Gary Honess at Kuhl Muzik, Toronto
Mastering by Ryoji Hata, Sound Essence Studios, NYC
Track 12 Pie Pook recorded at Paul’s Folly by Paul Intson
Track 1, 2, 16 &17 pre-production by Jeff Alan Greenway
Track 10 and 11 arranged by André Valério
Photography and graphic design: Jade Yeh
Hilario Duran is an exclusive artist of Alma Records
Margaret Maria appears courtesy of Enchanten Productions
Ron Korb uses Geoffrey Ellis world flutesGLOBAL CANVAS is a must-have album for those who love world music that encompasses jazz, Latin, Asian and Middle-eastern themes. Ron’s entire music library is available from his website which I encourage you to check out: www.ronkorb.com