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CONTENTS Sept - Oct 2011, Issue 88 ISSN 1918 -560x 88 Contributors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
Some festival photos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 - 7 Fun at Komasket. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 BY JAYME MCKILLOP
Dirty Laundry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 BY LESLIE ALEXANDER
Lightning Dust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 BY BARB BRUEDERLIN
CD reviews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 - 27
BC Musician Magazine is published by Patanga Steamship Co. PO Box 1150 Peachland, BC V0H 1X0 604.999.4141 www.bcmusicianmag.com info@bcmusicianmag.com
Book reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 - 29 Porter, Burnstick, drums. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
17
BY JANET ROGERS
New journey, new sounds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
23
BY LARK CLARK
Armstrong Open Air. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 BY SHANE HUMBER
Publisher, Editor Leanne Nash lvnash@bcmusicianmag.com Marketing, promotions, Gogetter Christina Zaenker zippy@bcmusicianmag.com Associate Publisher, Editor Paul Crawford paul@bcmusicianmag.com Marketing, Sales, Distribution Joanne Layh jlayh@bcmusicianmag.com
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The opinions expressed within these pages are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect BC Musician Magazine or its affiliates. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher.
No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. Canada Post Agreement 41440066
ISSN 1918-560X
CONTRIBUTORS Barbara Bruederlin is a freelance
writer in Calgary. She is trying to singlehandedly save the arts community in Canada by promoting struggling musicians and theatre troupes. Her reviews are regularly linked on the press pages of the Calgary Folk Music Festival and Sage Theatre. Barbara also maintains an insanely popular blog, Bad Tempered Zombie. Her writing has been published in Prairie Fire Magazine, Swerve Magazine, Kitschykoo! Subcultural Magazine, and Alberta Views Magazine.
Shane Humber is a guitarist, bassist, drummer, vocalist and songwriter from Campbell River, BC. Born in Newfoundland, he grew up on Vancouver Island. Shane has been playing music almost all of his life, and feels passionately enough about it to have music notes tattooed onto his ears. His music of choice is Punk Rock and Death Metal, but he prides himself on being able to “sit through almost anything.” Shane also draws and would like to learn how to tattoo.
“Wonderfully evocative… the simplicity and directness of these songs make for a superb listen,” said Americana-UK about music from Canadian singer-songwriter
Leslie Alexander, whose independent recordings have garnered international airplay and honorable mentions from the ISC and Billboard song competitions. Along with duo partner Jenny Allen, Leslie is currently touring clean across on Canada on her “Dirty Laundry CD Release Tour “ in support of her new release “Nobody’s Baby.”
Lark Clark is a radio producer, host, and music writer. Her current programs include World Spinning (world music) and Ballads & Bluenotes (late night jazz) on the CKUA Radio Network, www. ckua.com. Lark is a frequent contributor to the Canadian music magazine Penguin Eggs.
Raised in Okanagan in all its abundance
Janet Rogers Janet is a Mohawk/Tuscarora writer from the Six Nations band in southern Ontario. She was born in Vancouver British Columbia and has been living on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish people (Victoria, British Columbia) since 1994. Janet works in the genres of poetry, short fiction, science fiction, play writing, spoken word performance poetry, video poetry and recorded poems with music. Janet hosts Vancouver Island’s only native radio program on CFUV 101.9fm in Victoria called “Native Waves Radio” and is host of a native music column, Tribal Clefs on CBC Radio One’s program, All Points West in BC every Tuesday.
4 BC Musician | September - October 2011
has shaped Jayme McKillop to be ridiculously indulgent and obsessively curious. A passionate foodie fiend and a wanna-be-musician with a big mouth, you can often catch Jayme promoting the community she loves by eating good food, drinking good wine and shaking some moves loose to good music! Based in Vernon, Jayme is always trying get the party to the north end of the Okanagan and is often found at whatever cultural events might be happening on any given day or on Facebook www.facebook.com/ jaymemckillop. Oh.. and she tweets! www. twitter.com/jaymemckillop
Richard Chapman has worked with
a wide variety of great Canadian artists for nearly three decades - from the Rheostatics and Herald Nix to Moose Records and The Pointed Sticks. Currently he conducts the Northern Electric collective www. northern-electric.ca.
Liberal Senator Larry Campbell with members of Willy Blizzard. Larry Campbell, former mayor of Vancouver, former Coroner, and inspiration for the TV series “DaVinci’s Inquest” says: “Canada has the best writers, musicians, playwrights and poets in the world.” Plus, he has really good taste in reading material. Andrea Law for Willy Blizzard
Kamloops This Week is pleased to support local fall events
Childrens Art Festival at Riverside Park September 17, 2011 Organized by the Kamloops Art Council for the past ten years, the annual Childrens Arts Festival is a creative day of artistic, musical and theatrical activities. The entire day is free and includes creative workshops such as mask-making, clay works, theatre games, rhythm drumming, belly dancing and watercolour painting, as well as childoriented performances by music, dance and theatre groups. 1st Annual Tomato Festival at The Kamloops Farmers Market September 17, 2011 Sample tomato-based dishes from some of Kamloops finest restaurants. The tomato festival will also include a tomato seed sale, blue ribbon contest, tomato-related displays and samples of tomato varieties and tomato growing advice. The event is sponsored by TRU Friends of the Gardens.
10th Annual VW Turtle River Race at Pioneer Park September 18, 2011 The proceeds from this year’s VW Turtle River Race will benefit the Western Canada Theatre Company. Races start at the Yacht Club and finish at Pioneer Park. Sun Peaks Classic Car Gathering September 23-25, 2011 Classic car enthusiasts will converge on Sun Peaks Resort for a public viewing of vehicles with the owners available for questions. World Rivers Day at Riverside Park September 25, 2011 Celebrate World Rivers Day by participating in the Riverside Park Shoreline Cleanup. Increase your awareness of water-related issues such as drinking water, wildlife, and freshwater ecosystems. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Antiques & Collectibles Sale at the North Shore Community Centre October 1-2, 2011 Over 30 vendors from across the Interior, including Kelowna, Sorrento, 100 Mile House, Keremeos, Salmon Arm, Vernon, and Kamloops, invite you to discover precious riches from the young to the very old. CFBX Record Fair at Campus Activity Centre, Thompson Rivers University October 2, 2011 Don’t miss the 4th Annual CFBX Record Fair, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Check out records, compact discs, music DVDs, cassettes, eight-tracks, stereo equipment, musical instruments, music memorabilia, books focusing on music, and sheet music that will be on sale! ArtRUSH! October 15, 2011 Drop in to Gallery Vertigo’s annual artRUSH! gallery and studio tour, which will include the participation of individual artists, local galleries and other arts-related businesses and organizations.
BC Musician |
September - October 2011 5
bc m maga zine mad e it to some festivals
Handling main gate duties at the Photo Leanne Nash
Cortes Island Music Festival.
The Kerplunks with new friends at the
Rotary International Children’s Festival in Penticton. Photo Leanne Nash.
Leonard Podolak gives BCMM the thumbs up at Vancouver Island Music Fest. Photo Christina Zaenker.
BC Musician did the rounds at the Princeton Traditional Music Festival. (We’re pretty sure BC Musician David Newberry was behind the camera.)
6 BC Musician | September - October 2011
The Cory Douglas McLean Project (from the Comox Valley) at the Festival of the Tomato in Oliver. Photo Carol Ann Quibell.
Showing their true colours at Photo Ashley Doull.
Calgary ReggaeFest.
This is a very happy volunteer at the Calgary Folk Music Festival. She looks familiar, no?
BC Musician |
September - October 2011 7
komasket never disappoints By Jayme McKillop
Driving down the dusty hillside that is Westside Road just outside of Vernon was always a thrill growing up. Right on the lake with the golden rolling hills on either side, such a lovely summer drive! Heading to the Komasket Music Festival along that same road every year has brought a new sense of anticipation. Nestled next to the lake on Okanagan First Nations land, this magical spot has led to many amazing musical moments in the last 10 years. This year, the 10th anniversary celebration brought some remarkable talent that I don’t think anyone expected. The big name bands, like the Wailers from the 9th annual Komasket Music Festival, weren’t there. Instead, we had obscure names like Jon Anderson from the band ‘Yes’ and N’kulee Dube (daughter of the late and legendary reggae star Lucky Dube) to totally blow our collective minds and really enhance attendees’ appreciation of all Komasket has to offer.
Jon Anderson at Komasket. Natalia Vignola photo.
Jon Anderson may be obscure to me, but to many ‘Yes!’ fans worldwide he is renowned... and he didn’t disappoint, in my opinion. I first heard Jon Anderson at the Vancouver Island Music Festival earlier in July. I wasn’t close to the main stage, but when I heard this very unique high-pitched male voice come over the PA I was completely captivated. He then busted out the ukulele! Through simple lyrics and sheer heart, Jon Anderson was able to completely delight a thousand people. At Komasket, under a gorgeous Okanagan sky, the 300 or so listeners were fascinated by what they heard. Earlier in the week, before the festival, I was able to have a quick chat with Thomas Thomas, the technical director and cofounder of Komasket Music Festival. Jon Anderson is his idol and bringing Anderson to Komasket was a total dream for Thomas. The moment was shared and appreciated by long time Komasket participants. Those of us who really know Komasket Music Festival know that that was an epic performance. The vibe from the whole weekend is always wonderfully charged by families and sunshine seekers alike. But this year, with the addition of the Yurt Jam stage, hosted by the Cipes brothers of Kelowna, all the aspiring musicians needing a stage were delighted by the opportunity to share riffs, licks, and skills alike. Even the talented and ever-young Buffy St. Marie graced the Yurt with her concise, trill vocal prowess! Every year at the end of Komasket Music Festival I feel like I have participated in something unexpected, something collectively awe-inspiring, and yet something that isn’t what I ever anticipate being a part of. The passion that resonates from Komasket is unique in its urgency. It’s almost like some kind of divine musical intervention takes over and forces talents from all over the world and all different styles of music to melt into one another and spew out raw, inspiring musical moments in the intense Okanagan heat.
8 BC Musician | September - October 2011
Get Listed Beatmerchant Record Store Steveston Village, Richmond 604 204 0044 www.beatmerchant.com
A Speakeasy vibe where the Gin is Cold and the Jazz is Hot! For club info, or to book a band for your fabulous event: fabulousPR@gmail.com • 250-763-6141• jazzcafekelowna.com
403-245-3155
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GREAT COFFEE, GOOD CONVERSATION 403-229-1232 1613 Ninth Street SW, Calgary (just off 17 th Ave)
Book your ad in our Get Listed section for as little as $30 bi-monthly, including full colour. Book for the full year (6 issues) for as little as $150 That’s only $25 per issue. Phone: 604-999-4141, fax: 250-767-3337, Email: info@bcmusicianmag.com
e r s
The Local is pleased to support fall events on the Sunshine Coast Farm Gate Market at Roberts Creek Hall Wednesdays until the end of October The Farm Gate Market takes place from 3 p.m.-6 p.m. every Wednesday at the Roberts Creek Hall. Check it out for a grand selection of the best of local produce, preserves, baked goods, eggs and more. The market frequently features the All Local Rockers and other great Sunshine Coast musicians. Pender Harbour Jazz Festival September 16-18, 2011 Mix great jazz of all styles with very, very small venues on the Sunshine Coast of BC and you have the phenomenon that is the Pender Harbour Jazz Festival. First established in 1966 by the local music society, the festival has blossomed into one of the best jazz festivals in Canada. It is an annual destination event for a crowd of jazz lovers from across the Pacific Northwest, Canada and the United States. Audiences will be exposed to 40s swing, Gypsy, fusion, straight up, Dixieland, Afro Cuban and more. Most of the events are free. Of the 25 performances planned, only four will be ticketed. .
Sunshine Coast Mushroom Festival October 15-16, 2011 The third annual Sunshine Coast Mushroom Festival will take place over two days at the Pender Harbour Community Hall and the Painted Boat Resort in Madeira Park. The event will feature a guided mushroom foray by guest speaker Larry Evans, a renowned mycologist from Montana. The event will also feature mushroom displays, cooking demonstrations, fibre dying, gourmet meals and wine pairings. The annual event is presented by SCHROOM (Society for the Hunting, Recognition and Observation of Mushrooms). Sechelt Festival of the Arts October 17-23, 2011 The eighth annual Sechelt Festival of the Arts will deliver an exciting showcase of music, visual and performance art to residents and visitors of the Sunshine Coast. Sunshine Coast Art Crawl October 22-23, 2011 A weekend event of open galleries, artist studios and more, taking place between Langdale and Lund on the Sunshine Coast. Events are free and will take place between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Singing...
composing & performing ...at Hollyhock
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Enjoy music programs with: • Russill Paul, The Ecstasy of Chant, sept 11 - 14 • Marc Atkinson, Guitar & Mandolin
Acoustic Inspiration, sept 25 - 29 • Rhiannon, Vocal Improvisation, oct 2 - 7
...more to come in 2012!
hollyhock cortes island, bc
Free catalogue 800.933.6339 hollyhock.ca
BC Musician |
September - October 2011 9
HollyHock quarter page bc Musician
airing their dirty laundry By Leslie Alexander As Jenny Allen and I head out on our Dirty Laundry Dual CD Release Tour, I find myself thinking about what it means to come clean. Aside from smelling daisyfresh, are we expected to bare our hearts from here to Halifax? Are we to assume anyone cares? Of course not. But we’re doing it anyway. Both of us have brand new records out with some very personal songs on them. As Jenny has said, “You break a folk-singer’s heart? She’s gonna write a song about you, and it’s gonna get on the radio, and then you’ll be sorry.” She speaks from personal experience. Jenny and I hardly knew each other when we started touring, but we felt like instant old friends. A good thing, since we saw a lot of each other’s dirty laundry over the next few months on our “Love’em or Leave’m Tour 2010.” When you’re on the road, ghosts from your better-left-forgotten past turn up stage-side with troubling regularity. The trick is, remembering their names, the better to introduce them to my partner-in-crime. It’s like, “Jenny, meet, um, CENSORED. He was on my floor in residence when I was at U of C.” Though I may have trouble remembering his name, I do recall a lot of dirty laundry on that residence floor. Jenny will find out all about it on the way to our next gig. There is a lot of time for true confessions between Kenora and Sault-SaintMarie. Staying on top of your look on the road is a challenge. You try to bring stuff that doesn’t wrinkle, doesn’t show stains, and matches everything else. But eventually, everything has to be washed – even if it doesn’t look dirty, you can’t always be driving round with the windows open. Many of the family and friends who put us up make their own laundry rooms available. Quite often they have their own dirty laundry to share. “Um, I just want to warn you,” I say as we drive over to the home of my second cousin once removed, who is saving us the cost of a hotel room somewhere in the middle of Saskatchewan. “My mom says she has a lot of cats.” Forty-two, as it turns out. But
Two very clean gals: Leslie on the left and Jenny on the right
that’s what lint screens are for. Laundromats are kind of fun – you’re trapped for the time being and can spend that time eating chocolate bars and looking at trashy magazines full of other people’s dirty laundry. As we sort and fold, however, in the time-honoured tradition of washer-women everywhere, Jenny and I often find ourselves talking about the formative experiences of our lives - and the songs that came out of them – discovering that we have quite a few soap operas in common. That’s why I know exactly who I’m talking to when a fellow with horns and a tail turns up at a show. “Hey, it that the guy you wrote CENSORED about?” I whisper. “Do you have to ask?” Jenny hisses, disappearing into the bathroom to deal with a nasty stain. Everybody knows it’s easier to write a song when your heart is broken, and coming clean can give you a nice, Downy fresh feeling. So you pour out your heart and soul into a song, cry a few buckets of tears, and run it through a few cycles. You play it for some friends and feel a little better. You play it for an audience and you feel a lot better. And after a while it‘s just another song on the set-list. By that time the
10 BC Musician | September - October 2011
laundry is totally clean. I’ve heard confessional songwriting described in a derogatory way as “Girl-in-aroom music.” Maybe women tend to come a little cleaner than guys do, but just because somebody is writing about personal experience doesn’t mean others won’t relate to it. And it’s not out of revenge or finger-pointing that these songs are created. The writing of a song that comes from the heart is an exercise in sartorial salvation. There is something very therapeutic about airing your dirty laundry. Damn the torpedos if there are a few casualties along the way. I’m thinking about the fella who smashed my guitar against a door-jamb over a revealing little ditty I penned about picking up his dirty shorts, so to speak. Needless to say, I’m not doing his laundry anymore. As Jenny and I head out clean across Canada on our Dirty Laundry Tour, I imagine we’ll discover all kinds of filthy little details about each other. Perhaps we may even create a fresh mess or two along the way. They say that eventually, everything comes out in the wash, and that may or may not be true. One thing is for certain. There is never any lack of dirty laundry on the road.
N E W S PA P E R
The Columbia Valley Pioneer is pleased to support local fall events
Art From the Attic September 3, 2011 Giant sale of new and recycled art. The event will take place at the Invermere Community Centre between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Columbia Valley Classics Autumn Show and Shine September 16-17, 2011 Enthusiastic classic car fans can expect to see over 1,000 cars on display at the 21st annual show in Radium Hot Windermere Fall Fair Springs this fall. and Scarecrow Festival In addition to car September 10, 2011 displays, the weekend’s The 12th Annual events will include live Windermere Fall Fair entertainment, a beer and Scarecrow Festival garden, and a cruise will feature food, live down the highway to music, judged entries Invermere where crowds of flowers, vegetables, will welcome them along fruit, baking, canning, the parade route through and photography as well town. as exhibitions, a market, and races. There will also East Kootenay be craft demonstrations Wine Festival and display booths from November 4-5, 2011 blacksmiths, quilters, The 10th Annual East bent willow furniture Kootenay Wine Festival makers, and wood at Fairmont Hot Springs carvers. The event will see the return will take place at the of the gourmet preWindermere Community festival wine-paired Hall Field between dinner, as part of the special weekend festival 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. package. Packages Kootenay Country Fair include two nights September 12, 2011 accommodation at the Fort Steele’s 33rd annual Fairmont Hot Springs Resort Lodge, the Kootenay Country Fair will kick off with a 9 a.m. Friday night wine-paired pancake breakfast before gourmet dinner, a bottle of BC’s finest wine in launching into a day of your room, tickets for flower, vegetable, fruit, baking, art, photography, Saturday’s evening craft, jam, jelly and pickle festival with over 100 wines, plus package displays. Live animals, wagon rides and old-time guests earn a spot on country music will also the Saturday afternoon feature. festival judging panel, to exclusively judge and select 2011’s winning wines.
The Peachland View is pleased to support fall events in the Central Okanagan Kokanee Interpretive Program Now until October 9, 2011 Witness an annual rite of nature while learning more about the life of the Kokanee salmon at Mission Creek Regional Park (off Springfield Road in Kelowna) and Hardy Falls Regional Park (off Highway 97 South in Peachland). A Parks Interpreter will be on site to offer interpretive programming every Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m.-4 p.m. until October 2 at Hardy Falls and October 9 at Mission Creek. Fall Okanagan Wine Festival September 30-October 9, 2011 For ten days in October the annual Fall Okanagan Wine Festival is a celebration of
BC Musician |
earthly delights. The festival includes over 165 events happening around the valley. Visit an Okanagan winery for a vineyard tour, lunch among the vines, or take in a seminar and learn about food and wine pairings from award-winning Okanagan chefs. Pop Okanagan Festival October 13-16, 2011 The 2011 Pop Okanagan Festival will take place from October 13-16 and will feature a bold cross-section of art forms and events including nine music venues within walking distance, multiple live performances, visual art exhibitions, fashion shows, local and international film screenings, social media conferences, and an instrument petting zoo for the kids.
September - October 2011 11
lightning dust By Barbara Bruederlin “It was sort of a mini-Christmas album,” Amber Webber explains, describing what spurred the formation of the band, Lightning Dust. When she and Joshua Wells, both veteran members of Black Mountain, found themselves with a half-dozen songs that didn’t mesh with the band’s retro prog rock vibe, they figured they could turn those songs into unique Christmas gifts. “We recorded them for fun and sent the album out to all our friends,” Amber recalls. Some friends who happened to be with Jagjaguwar – the label who handles Black Mountain – suggested that they re-record and release the homemade Christmas gift. “We didn’t really have any expectations,” Amber maintains. “We just thought we would put it out. And then we kind of got the itch to tour with it.” It proved to be an itch that was well worth scratching. That selftitled debut album, followed by an acclaimed sophomore album, Infinite Light, had critics falling over themselves trying to pin adjectives onto the darkly cinematic sound, driven by Joshua’s soulful piano chords and Amber’s shuddering vocals. Lightning Dust delivers an introspective sound, vastly different from its parent band, which requires a more intimate setting in which to be heard. That’s part of the reason that Lightning Dust tends to tour Europe about as often as they tour North America. Citing generous government arts funding which allows for venues particularly suited for their sound, Joshua maintains that Europe offers them a more accessible audience. “You have to create an environment that’s conducive to people actually listening and your average rock club isn’t really like that,” he insists. “In Europe, you can play the most mind-blowing places, like this church in Ottersum in the Netherlands. It was an operating church, where people would go on Sundays and such, but they had a full-on lounge/concert hall on the side. They sold beer and wine in this church; it just totally blew my mind!” Although both Lightning Dust and Black Mountain managed to play some of the same festivals this summer, it takes an extraordinary degree of coordination to cater to the diverse needs and schedules of both bands. “It makes the year really short,” admits Amber. “When Black Mountain puts out an album, we have to map out eight months of touring and then suddenly you realize
that you only have four months left to write and record and tour Lightning Dust.” Despite the successes of both bands, and the extra demands upon their time and creativity, Joshua and Amber have no plans to limit their involvement with Black Mountain. Between them, they have been members of every incarnation of the evolving sprawling collective that rules British Columbia’s hippie prog rock community. “Pink Mountaintops is Steve’s thing, Blood Meridian is Matt’s thing, Lightning Dust is our thing,” Joshua explains, when asked about the seemingly incestuous band history, “and Black Mountain is everybody’s thing.” Perhaps it is only fitting for musicians who have established real estate in so many bands that these two slip comfortably back and forth between their lives in Lightning Dust and in Black Mountain, borrowing band members like cups of sugar. “It’s basically like ‘I need some drums on this song. Do you want to go on this tour; got anything better to do?’” Joshua laughs as he recounts a typical conversation. “We’re just lazy and don’t want to have to get any new musicians,” Amber adds. Although they typically put together a different band for each tour, including the addition of a dubstep DJ during one of their European jaunts, Amber and Joshua find themselves inspired by the fuller, more stable lineup with which they have been touring lately. With cellist Cris Derksen imparting sweeping strings and bassist Ashley Webber blending her genetically similar vocals with Amber’s, Lightning Dust continues to grow in sonic richness. Recently, Amber, Joshua, and Black Mountaineer Stephen McBean teamed up to write the score for a post-apocalyptic surfing film. “It’s just a bunch of pro-surfers surfing with a little bit of storyline,” laughs Amber. “It could be crap.” One can’t help but notice that Black Mountain is prominently name-checked in the film’s trailer, so the smart money says that the music will likely be the best part of Year Zero. I have higher expectations for the split seven inch that Lightning Dust recently recorded with their friends, Hard Drugs. It will go a long way toward easing the wait to the next full album. With Black Mountain taking some time away from working on new material, Amber and Joshua plan to shift their focus from rock stardom toward nurturing their more reflective side. “We’re working on a lot of songs that are half-done,” assures Amber, when questioned about plans to drop a new album. “We’re really inspired with Lightning Dust right now.”
Time and Travel CD Release Party
David Roy Parsons and The Radishes Halloween, October 31, 2011 Railway Club, 579 Dunsmuir St ,Vancouver Show at 8:30 pm.
12 BC Musician | September - October 2011
In the heart of Cow Bay, Prince Rupert, where we make everything from scratch. Check out our famous postcards! Now Licensed!
MUSICIANS WANTED! Contact us at 250.627.1395
all reviews all the time BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
Herewith the second of two issues in the calendar year in which we review stuff. This time around we’ve included some book reviews. These books aren’t necessarily BC-oriented or BC-based, but they are interesting to musically-inclined people no matter where you live. Here’s a recap of the process: If you look through the following pages and don’t see your band and are sure you sent us your CD, you aren’t here for one of these reasons: 1. We gave your CD away. We used to do that, since we couldn’t keep up with the volume of incoming discs and felt wrong about hoarding the music. 2. You sent your CD directly to a fellow musician hoping for a review. 3. Your CD was published prior to 2010. 4. We received it after August 1, 2011. 5. It never actually reached us. How did we conduct these reviews? With some difficulty. It was a group process, some drinking was involved, but mostly it was honest work, listening through entire discs, researching the musicians, and keeping an open mind. Wondering how you can be included next time? Send us your CD plus bio and background information. Don’t bother with cellophane. Don’t send EPKs via email or disc; we actually like paper. Do send trinkets. PO Box 1150, Peachland, BC V0H 1X0. That said, we’ve heard some noises recently that undertaking a review of everything that we receive is generous to a fault, but ultimately foolhardy. Sadly, we agree. Therefore, we’ll make every effort to review up to 50 CDs next time around (March/ April 2012) but will not promise print space for everyone. It may be first past the post, it may not, but nevertheless send your material before January 31, 2012. And the listings are, as always, alphabetical (because just about all of them fit into one enormous “Alt-Country, Indie-Roots, Folk-Roots, Singer-Songwriter” category, except for the metal and rock dudes).
Abstrakt Sonance Forest Crunk: Birth of the Womp Rat LOCATION :
Salmon Arm
DATE OF CD: 2010 LABEL:
West Ave Productions
A DJ and a lover of all music, Abstrakt Sonance is the operator of West Ave Productions. He acts as producer and mixer for everything coming from the studio. With nine albums recorded, and an arsenal of three hundred beats, he can throw down. Forest Crunk: The Birth Of A Womp Rat is his debut dubstep album. Abstrakt has thrown more than twenty shows, and performed in over fifty in the two years he has been working. Abstrakt Sonance has his own career but he is also one half of the group E-Centrix with his MC counterpart, Zanzibar7. They recently completed a West Coast tour and expect to follow with a second tour.
Leslie Alexander - Nobody’s Baby LOCATION : Ashcroft DATE OF CD: 2011 LABEL: Independent Just so you know, Leslie Alexander writes for us and we love her. Originally a farm kid from Alberta this is her fourth release and she is backed by her full band. Her songs often turn on life’s small revelations, moving you in one direction and then shifting perspective leaving you questioning what happened. How did she do that? In general she has subsumed her influences. You can hear country swing, second line, honky-tonk, but her music is entirely her own and she is a unique voice. Although she subverts that on the track NOLA and links the blues standard Baby Please Don’t Go with the Kink’s Lola. The track Supergirl has been getting quite a bit of play on the CBC. She was a founding member of Barney Bentall’s Grand Cariboo Opry and has been touring the province this year with Jenny Allen, who also appears on this CD. Give her everything she wants. lesliealexander.com
Jenny Allen - Blanket LOCATION : Calgary DATE OF CD: 2011 LABEL: Independent This ten song CD is Jenny Allen’s third solo release and her first since leaving the Calgary based trio the Fates. She is a favourite on the festival circuit and brandishes a mean washboard. She has been touring recently with Leslie Alexander as Allen & Alexander and this recording is produced by John Ellis who also produced Alexander’s album. They share many of the same musicians and both women appear on each other’s CD. All the songs are original with the exception of one co-written with Alexander. Allen’s sound is based in traditional country/roots. She’s smart and has the cynicism that comes from one too many bad decisions or relationships. It gives her songs an edge and makes her interesting. Her experience has been hard won and her songs are expressed honestly without flinching. jennyallen.ca
BC Musician |
September - October 2011 13
reviews BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
Robin Brock - Monsters
Cloudsplitter - Cloudsplitter
LOCATION :
LOCATION: Vancouver
Salmon Arm
DATE OF CD: 2009
DATE OF CD: 2011
LABEL: Independent
LABEL:
Robin Brock lays bare her soul in her latest release Monsters. This album is a hard driving testament to the power of one’s ability to rise above the challenges life throws in the path of creative and personal freedom and expression. This album is a full forced kick in the ass providing high octane fuel to power through all that holds us back and drags us down. Robin shows us that hard rock is not only the playground of the young but the expression of a generation looking to exert themselves and be heard. Hold on tight and be prepared to experience the tsunami that is Robin Brock.
Cantoria Meditative Relaxing Prayers & Melodies
Off Season Records
Formed in 2009 by ex-Buttless Chaps frontman, vocalist and guitar player Dave Gowans, Cloudsplitter is an altcountry band. This nine-track debut CD was recorded in glorious analog. The music has lots of room to breath and has a live in the studio feeling. Their songwriting process is collaborative. Dave brings the seeds of the songs and everyone contributes to their development. Doug Liddle formerly of Swank provides guitar, banjo and lapsteel. Stephen Lyons on drums was with Fond of Tigers and Jesse Gander on bass was with Ghosthouse. Gander also produced this recording. The release of this CD will be supported by a western Canadian tour with Giant Sand. As of this writing there are dates booked in Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton and Penticton. myspace.com/cloudsplittercanada
LOCATION: Vancouver DATE OF CD: 2010 LABEL:
Independent
This started as a project to record a Sabbath Prayer. It expanded to become a father and daughter’s musical journey through seven multi-faith prayers, from Old Testament text common to Islam, Christianity and Judaism, and their connection to seven chakras. The vocals and harmony vocals are accompanied by acoustic guitar, strings, Tibetan singing bowl, tingsha, shakuhachi and udu. The effect is meditative and leads to the solitary contemplation that is prayer in any language. Essentially Mr. Fenster and his daughter Zoe are seeking to find a universal voice common to various forms of religious expression. It is an ambitious project with noble intentions. It has been performed live, in the spirit of Namaste, at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre accompanied by a string quartet from the VSO. AutumnStudios.ca
Darylectones - Hope Like a Bright Shining Face LOCATION : Penticton DATE OF CD: 2011 LABEL: Independent High country desert music. Their usual performing configuration is Daryl ONeill on vocals and various guitars backed by Stefan Bienz on bass. On this CD, their fifth release, they
are augmented by five backing musicians on drums, percussion, accordion, piano, organ, viola and flugelhorn. Daryl describes their music as a cross between Tom Waits and Ry Cooder or as two jazz players trying to stuff a blues player down a well. We could not have said it better. Twelve tracks all written by Daryl who can be both wry and poignant, sometimes at the same time. A tango, a troubled relationship with God, something that sounds Mexican, an English folk song in a new version, a Panama hat, a heightened sense of social justice and an african style tuning known as mi-composé, which is similiar to standard guitar tuning except that the d string is raised an octave. They cover a lot of ground. darylectones.com
14 BC Musician | September - October 2011
reviews BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
Jude Davison - Outskirts of Eden
Steve Dawson - Nightshade
LOCATION: Nelson
LOCATION : Vancouver
DATE OF CD: 2011 LABEL: Independent Originally from Hartlepool, England Davison moved to Canada with his family in 1975. After serving the usual apprenticeship in punk and rock bands he started his independent recording career in 1985 with the cassette Long & Sharp. Since then he has recorded steadily and this double CD, Outskirts of Eden is his 19th release. His last CD, Circo de Teatro, was a concept album on the theme of a Mexican traveling circus. These two CDs do not have a unifying concept; they are a sprawling walk though a variety of American music styles. The twenty-seven songs touch on traditional country, rock, blue grass, Tex-Mex, Mexican mariachi, blues and folk. There is even a cello quartet accompanied by baritone ukulele and voice. He is an intelligent songwriter with a sense of humour that can be a little quirky and he seems to have an endless supply of good tunes. A cowboy regrets his tattoo, an altercation with Justin Bieber’s dad, Magdelina dancing in the Garden of Eden. He was touring with a ten-piece band in support of the CD earlier this year. They don’t appear to have any fall dates, but if they do go see them. judedavison.com
Drum and Bell Tower Burn Beneath the Water LOCATION :
LABEL:
Black Hen Music
Steve Dawson is such a huge presence in BC music the problem is figuring out where to start writing about him. He is an accomplished guitar player and moves effortlessly between slide and finger style guitar, pedal steel, lap steel, banjo and other arcane stringed instruments. He is in demand as a live performer, session musician, producer and engineer. He operates a record label and he has five Junos, eight Western Canadian Music Awards and one Maple Blues Award. This is his fifth solo recording and the amazing thing is that he had time to do it. All of the songs are originals with the exception of Gulf Coast Bay, an old Mississippi Sheiks song (Dawson’s previous project). Some of the lyrics have a darker tinge but he sings them cheerfully and in a slightly laid back manner, so it easy to miss the dark side. He actually sounds like he doesn’t have a miserable bone in his body. The star here is the guitar and for the most part it is electric with the additional of occasional acoustic, banjo, weissenborn Hawaiian lap steel, national guitar, mandotar (electric again) and the list goes on. Dawson describes this as his most complex and fully realized work yet. One thing is for certain; there will be more to come. blackhenmusic.com
WIlliams Lake
DATE OF CD: 2011 LABEL:
DATE OF CD: 2011
Independent
Drum and Bell Tower is Brent Morton. The name is taken from the towers he saw in Xi’an, China reminding him of the essential elements of acoustic music. Recorded during one week in the winter of 2011 in Wells at the decommissioned St. George’s United Church. This is very much of a piece with his earlier acoustic CD Scratch Out Your Name. Except that the vocals were audible on the earlier CD and you have to play this one loud to get the lyrics. Morton wrote all ten songs and provides all of the instrumental accompaniment. Everyone here loves this CD but no one can actually explain why. You can listen on the CBC Radio 3 website and decide for yourself. drumandbelltower.org
Deadkind - Deadkind LOCATION :
Campbell River
DATE OF CD: 2011 LABEL: Independent We should declare up front that Shane Humber, the vocalist with Deadkind, writes for this magazine and is our resident metal expert. So this review has been assigned to a nonexpert who normally writes about eastern European jazz. At seven songs this is actually and EP and retails for ten bucks on their website. Deadkind are a five piece death metal band from Campbell River, formed in summer of 2009 although the various members had played together in different configurations prior to that time. The band wrote six of the seven songs on the EP. Humber sings in a deep bass growl and the band maintains a relentless intensity throughout. We are proud of them, but Humber would write a better review.
BC Musician |
September - October 2011 15
reviews BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
e.s.l. - Eye Contact
Karyn EllisEven Though the Sky Was Falling
LOCATION : Vancouver DATE OF CD:
2008
LABEL: Independent Okay so this was released in 2008, but they just sent it to us and it’s pretty good so here it is. This is what happens when eastern European gypsy music collides with the east side of Vancouver. The band consists of four classically trained women playing piano, cello, violin and drums. A fifth, Tess Kitchen, also contributes on trumpet although she is not on this CD. The piano player, Marta Jaciubek-McKeever, is the primary vocalist and songwriter. Marta J-McK describes her songwriting as a bit dark but actually it is spirited and even playful. The level of musicianship is extremely high and all of the material is interesting. The covers they play speak to their range of interests. Neil Young’s Like a Hurricane done as a slow duet from a woman’s point of view. The Velvet Underground’s Venus In Furs with Dionna Davis providing extraordinary violin contrast to nearly emotionless lyrics, and Czarne Oczy a traditional Polish song. We have no idea what the title means but the song appears to involve excessive drinking and its inevitable consequence - dancing. They finish with a pointillist reading of the Beastie Boys’ Girls sung by cellist Chris Derksen. Somehow it all seems fitting. We hope they are working on something new. eslband.com
LOCATION : Quesnel DATE OF CD:
2010
LABEL:
Independent
This CD was recorded when she was still a resident of Ontario but she moved to Quesnel last year. Ten tracks, nine by her and one co-write. Her father gave her a background in classical music; Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and she did two years of opera study as well as playing trumpet in a marching band. She did a bunch of odd jobs and the result is music that is, in a word – quirky – in a good way. This CD is her third release and she goes for broke. Thirteen backup musicians including a horn section, a string section and two additional choirs (adult and child). She uses some unusual instrumentation; glockenspiel, concertina, trombones, cello banjo. Composition is important to her music and she received an Honourable Mention in the Island Mountain (Wells) Arts Songwriting contest in 2010. She draws inspiration from unlikely sources, an episode of CSI, sitting in the parking lot of a festival that has rejected her application to play. The final track, Beauty, is dedicated to the memory of a university friend who died of cancer, and it is bouncy and joyful. Her music is about the power of redemption in the face of loss. karynellis.com
Joel Fafard - Cluck Old Hen LOCATION :
Madeira Park
DATE OF CD: 2010 LABEL: Independent Joel Fafard has seven releases as a solo act and one with Scruj MacDuhk. Four of these feature chickens on the covers and one, presumably, a duck. We haven’t heard all of them but the recent ones have all been instrumental, and good ones at that. On this CD he sings, plays guitar and resonator guitar backed by violin, viola and double bass. The vocals are a surprise, but apparently his audiences have been asking him to sing on record. Most of the material is traditional and the sources are either lost in time, John Hardy, or will be recognizable to blues fans. There are covers of Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, and Willie Dixon songs among many others. He also covers Lyle Lovett’s If I had a Boat, and Richard Thompson’s 1952 Vincent Black Lightening. He is an understated player with impeccable taste. Note to Joel, Mississippi John Hurt used to do a children’s counting song about chickens, might be worth looking into. joelfafard.com
16 BC Musician | September - October 2011
D
o
ind i g enous music - 3 reviews Porter, Burnstick, and drums drums drums By Janet Rogers Artist: CD: Label:
Murray Porter Songs Lived and Life Played Independent
It is possible to witness, within one lifetime, the transition from bar musician to top authority in any given genre. Such is the case with veteran Blues-man, Murray Porter. The transplanted westcoast Mohawk has channelled all his life experiences, musical expertise and soulful song crafting into his latest collection of songs. The opener is a honky-tonk blues anthem and theme song to the musical T.V. series; both titled Rez Blues. We learn through Porter’s lyrics why the “Red man’s got Rez Blues” all to the tune of a hip swing’n ditty more suited to chase them blues away rather than instil them. Murray’s gravel-voiced singing shares the spotlight with his smooth as glass keyboard playing on this record. And his keyboard blues chords help him to stand out from the usual line-up of guitar slingers in the blues field. Songs Lived and Life Played serves up those classic crying-inyour-beer blues tracks with “When She Went Away” but it also offers a tune to heal those emotional hurts with “Set My Love Free”. True, the collection offers something for the lover in all of us, and fall in love you will, with Murray’s voice. You will not tire of this singer who was born to croon the blues. Murray reunites with ex-band member Josh Miller from the Pappy John’s Blues Band from Six Nations on the track “Dog House” and is joined by
M’Girl member Renea Morriseau on many of the songs offering harmonies. If I was to bet on the commercial hits coming out of this collections I’d put my money on “The Way She Loves Me” and “Is Sorry Enough”. The latter is a song posing the musical question to the Harper governments national apology to the residential school survivors. Murray reports his family has first hand experience with the effects of residential school abuse, in fact you’d be hard pressed to find any native person who isn’t effected. This song inspires tears of a profound kind. Tears of sorrow, tears of pride and tears of joy for our collective message to be articulated in song. Thank you Murray Porter. Artist: CD: Label:
Sage Hills Pow Wow Drum Where the Rivers Meet Crazy Cuts Records
The non-pow wow going community may wonder “how can a pow wow drum group be distinguished from any other drum group and how does one review their music?” To begin, a good pow wow drum group gets to be good just like any other musical act and that is through good ol’ fashioned practice, practice, practice. And just like any other road band, they have to get out there and play for the people. Sage Hills are without question, one of the most committed pow wow groups in British Columbia. They are a group of young-bloods from Kamloops and the surrounding areas who, if not brought up on their traditional songs, have taken it upon themselves to train their voices, ears and musical sensibility to the unique nuances of pow wow and hand drum music. Then, because we are talking about a musical traditional that spans back in time before contact, there are elements within the music and presentation of that music itself which defies comment. Only to say that there is a spirit within it that you can only experience with your soul. Sage Hills has much of this “spirit” and it translates through the songs on their sophomore album Where the Rivers Meet (referencing the Fraser and the Thompson Rivers in Kamloops BC.) The drumming is tight, the collective singing is strong and when the women’s voices kick in to add their harmonies, often times two and three octave higher than the men; the sound is nothing short of divine. These songs are our prayers and when sung right, the experience is “spiritual” in what ever form “you” encounter that. Sage Hills, have learned the classic pow wow songs well ie. Flag Songs, Honour Songs ect. and they present new, original compositions on this album with titles such as “Soul Shaker and Full Throttle. Crazy Cutz Records has found a recording formula
Continued on page 19
BC Musician |
September - October 2011 17
reviews BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
Dwayne Ford - On the Other Side
Graham Brown Band - Hiwatt
LOCATION : Edmonton
LOCATION : Vancouver
DATE OF CD: 2009
DATE OF CD: 2011
LABEL: Independent
LABEL: Stomp
Dwayne Ford is a Juno Award Nominated artist who has worked alongside many of the world’s great artists, including David Foster, the band ‘TOTO’, Donovan, and countless producers and musicians. In June of 2000, he retuned to Canada setting up a new recording facility in Edmonton and focused his efforts on film scoring and music composition. His latest studio release is a trip back to his roots and the easy listening music of the 1980s combined with a world view and a conscience far removed from the seeming innocence of days past. His soulful voice and smooth melodies may seduce at first, but his lyrics remind us that in spite of our comforts, the world is filled with pain and suffering.
the gentle infidels Insolents and Indolents LOCATION : Vancouver DATE OF CD: 2010 LABEL: Independent The gentle infidels describe themselves as progressive folk rock. They are a trio consisting of Ed Bond on acoustic guitar, Ferdy Belland on five string fretless bass and Christina Rzepa on cello. They cite two of their influences as Burt Jansch and Leo Kotke, both acoustic guitarists who began recording in 1965 and 1969 respectively and developed modestly large followings in the psychedelic world. The songs on insolents and indolents are not credited so we assume they are created by the trio. All three musicians are noted as vocalists but Ed Bond appears to be the principle vocalist. They use different tunings on different songs and there is a lot going on that requires careful listening. They do a version of Led Zepplin’s Kashmir in their live concerts and their music is hard to describe. They need to be seen live to be truly appreciated. Ed Bond also builds Tinker Guitars, which have a high quality reputation amongst working musicians. myspace.com/gentleinfidels.com and tinkerguitars.com
Graham Brown was a founding member of Edmonton’s Jr. Gone Wild in 1984. In 1985 he moved to Vancouver and formed Brilliant Orange. In 1989 he left to form Happyman which has three full length releases to date. While working with Happyman he also launched his solo career. Hiwatt is his tenth release under his own name and the eighth on Stomp Records. He is both a prolific and hard working rock and roll guitar player. This CD has eighteen tracks. The band is a four piece and he describes the music as Canadian roots-rock. If his sound has a lineage it is closer to pre-1977 English pub rock, bands like Brinsley Schwarz and Ducks Deluxe. Stomp Records has a distribution deal in place for the UK, USA, Germany and France and has produced videos for at least two of the tracks on this CD. Play it loud. grahambrownsongs.com
Jaclyn Guillou - To The City LOCATION : Vancouver DATE OF CD: 2011 LABEL: Independent Five years ago, in Calcutta, Jaclyn Guillou received a vision to start singing her own songs, thereby accepting her Dharma. She was not the first person to be transformed by India and we should all thank Vishnu for giving us this interesting new jazz singer. Eight originals, one sung in French, three jazz standards, a samba sung partly in Portuguese and a Joni Mitchell cover. There is a wealth of material on this, her debut, CD. She doesn’t push aural boundaries, but she is remarkably accomplished and she is only at the beginning of what is bound to be an interesting career. The opener, Sunny Sunday, sounds like it could have come from a mid 60s Blue Note session, but things quickly get more contemporary from there. She gets stellar support from her backup band all of whom have extensive experience working with established jazz artists in the US and Europe as well as Canada. The great Denzal Sinclaire duets with her on one track. She’s got a ton of talent and is definitely someone to be watched. jaclynguillou.com
18 BC Musician | September - October 2011
indi g en ous r eviews Continued from page 17 that does not compromise their sound but enhances the listening experience with clarity. A difficult trick to master when recording pow wow drums. Crazy Cutz is local to the Kamloops area and is native owned and operated. So when you buy a title from Crazy Cutz you are supporting a whole generation of new traditional music while perpetuating a musical tradition initiated well before this nation was formed. Now that’s radical!
Artist: CD: Label:
Jason Burnstick Home to Abbey (5 song EP) independent
Jason Burnstick’s musical evolution has taken him from latin inspired musical collaborations to skilful blues performances and now we see him confidently record his songs in his voice arranged in a way that lets us know who Jason Burnstick is. And who he is; is a mindful musician who watches and learns from the best. On his new EP Home to Abbey, Jason has taken the best of his musical portfolio and added tasteful production to each song along with his talented friends Leela Gilday and M’Gurl on each track. This humble collection of songs in the folk/rock genre is of a high calibre. We can now recognize a “Burnstick” sound through his wessienborn playing which roots his music in the Delta blues style. And if I was to make musical references to his sound, I’d liken him to mid-career Blue Rodeo and later career Neil Young. Yes, Canadians, Jason Burnstick is the love-child of both these bands. Home to Abbey is a great disc to throw on during a first date, a Sunday drive around the lake, or a first date drive around the lake. No doubt we will see Jason’s music on both Home to Abbey and the musical score from the theatre production of Where the Blood Mixes featured, if not nominated, in this year’s Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Awards and the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. Good luck Jason.
The Northeast News is pleased to support fall events throughout the North Sweetwater 905 Music Festival September 2-4, 2011 Sweetwater 905 is a celebration of music, poetry, and visual and performance art. Located 1.5 miles west of Rolla, BC and 15 miles straight north of Dawson Creek in the northeastern part of the province, the event brings together a wide range of talent from the community, the province, and beyond. Chetwynd and District Half Marathon and Relay Race September 11, 2011 The Chetwynd half marathon and relay race is now nestled along Highway 29 North towards Moberly Lake. The race starts 21 kilometres out at Crowfeathers General Store and will end at the Rec Centre. The race is sanctioned by BC Athletics and is marked per kilometer so runners can pace themselves. The course has nice rolling hills leading you to a slight climb approximately 8 km into the run with a descent to Chetwynd. Chetwynd Farmers Market Thursdays The Chetwynd Farmers Market takes place every Thursday at the Chetwynd Rec Centre.
BC Musician |
Dawson Creek Farmers Market Saturdays until October 22 Visit local Dawson Creek and surrounding area farmers and artisans selling regionally grown and made goods at this weekly market. It takes place on the corner of 103rd Ave. and 8th Street, in and around the big white tent. Find everything from homemade goods, organic vegetables and plants to crafts, art, and wool and sheep products. Ladies in Business Fair September 17, 2011 Find out more about Fort St. John ladies in business at this annual fair. There will be refreshments and draws. Annual Terry Fox Run September 18, 2011 Residents of Fort St. John and Taylor are encouraged to come out and honour the wishes of a true Canadian hero! Registration will take place in Fort St. John at 1 p.m. The run will start at 2 p.m. A Terry Fox Run will also take place in Taylor, BC between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Old Fashioned Christmas Tea December 7, 2011 Enjoy tea and good company at this annual Christmas-themed museum event.
September - October 2011 19
reviews BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
Luke Blu Guthrie Luke Blu Guthrie
Holly Arntzen ~ Kevin Wright & The Dream Band - I Am the Future
LOCATION : Courtenay
LOCATION : Crofton
DATE OF CD: 2011
DATE OF CD: 2010
LABEL: Independent
LABEL:
If there were a style called Comox Valley alternative pop this would be it. On this debut CD there are ten tracks, nine written by Luke, sort of loose happy music, strong melodies underlain with a bit of bluegrass, blues and traditional folk. He’s a singer, drummer and guitar player backed by fiddle and bass, both electric and standup. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Corwin Fox. Corwin must also have influenced Luke’s taste in chapeaux. Jenn Forsland provides backup vocals, sets up one really bad pun and plays glock. You’ll have to buy it to hear the pun. lukebluguthrie.com
Mark Haney - Aim for the Roses: The Ken Carter Story LOCATION : Vancouver
Independent
Holly and Kevin are part of the Artist Response Team Inc. (ART), which was originally developed to produce radio programs and school music programs that delivered environmental messages. Holly has been a folk/jazz performer for over thirty years and Kevin has been on the Victoria rock scene for twenty-five. After the death of Holly’s husband, Stephen Foster, in 2006 Holly and Kevin became the faces of ACT. The songs are special purpose, aimed at raising social consciousness, so they have an anthemic feeling, designed to get people singing or clapping along. Our package came with a second CD called Water for Life. Recorded live in Burnaby this was used as the soundtrack from a recent Global TV special. On Water for Life the backing is the Dream Band and a choir from Brentwood Park School. Holly and Kevin write virtually all the music and they perform throughout Western Canada as a duet and with the six-piece Dream Band. HollyArntzen.ca
DATE OF CD: 2010 LABEL: Independent Ken Carter was a daredevil stunt driver in a rocket powered Lincoln Continental. Mark Haney is a composer and double bass player who has written and performed this extraordinary double bass suite based on Carter’s relentless pursuit of world record jumps. Using only acoustic guitar and double bass layered as many as 200 times, Haney achieves a range of sound that defies belief. The story is told through spoken word, sound effects, song and dialogue. It has a definite narrative arc and tension builds throughout the piece as Carter prepares for longer, higher jumps. We won’t tell you how it ends. Buy the CD. Definitely one of the most unusual and downright weird things you will ever hear. It’s not background. You have to concentrate and give yourself time to listen to the whole thing at once.
Honky Tonk Raw - The Last of the Right Reverend Mr. Kootenay Jack LOCATION : Trail DATE OF CD: 2011 LABEL: Independent Originally from Trial, Kootenay Jack left home in 1968 to make his living as a lineman and work as a musician, always with his guitar, playing in bars, sitting in or jamming whenever he could. The twenty-three tracks on this CD are a summary of his life so far. His influences are rockabilly, the early rock and roll of Chuck Berry and Gene Vincent, and the traditional country of Hank Williams Sr. His songs are all based on true stories that are drawn from his life and some of it was rough. He uses about six backing musicians in various configurations and has a mandolin player named Harry Mandolini. He made that up, right? The backup vocalist is Joni Anderson. Now back in the mountains of his youth, Jack and his wife Vera live in an old church, hence the Reverend moniker. He also performs a tribute to Hank Williams Sr. and Jr. called Outlaws, Rock and Honky Tonk Blues.
aimfortheroses.com
20 BC Musician | September - October 2011
reviews BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
Bill Johnson - Still Blues
the jvg experience - Loop-d-Loo
LOCATION : Victoria
LOCATION : Kaslo
DATE OF CD: 2010
DATE OF CD: 2010
LABEL: Indendent
LABEL: Independent
Bill Johnson is a guitar player who has spent his musical life steeped in the blues. Originally from Victoria, he spent three years from 1996 to 1999 in Calgary in the house band at the notorious, and now sadly gone, King Edward Hotel. There he honed his chops as a sideman to many blues greats including Hubert Sumlin and Son Seals. He also appeared on Donald Ray Johnson’s recordings at the time. He cites Chuck Berry, B.B. King and T-Bone Walker as influences, but his own style is slightly more relaxed, less stinging and with a hint of soul. Somewhere in the back of Bill’s head a Mighty Joe Young record is playing. Eight of the tracks are originals and there are four covers including T-Bone Blues and Willie Dixon’s 300 Pounds of Heavenly Joy. His exemplary guitar playing is supported by bass, drums, piano, and B3 organ. He deserves to be more widely heard. billjohnsonblues.com
The jvg experience is Jan Van Gold and this is her sixth release. She continues to explore different sonic possibilities for the guitar. Loop-d-loo is an instrumental album with just Jan, a guitar, a loop pedal and three effects. She layers the tracks, so in effect she solos over herself. Apparently it is an idea she got from Bill Frisell and she can recreate it live. This gives her the ability to perform the full compositions without a band, which is pretty efficient form a cost point of view. Fourteen tracks, all originals. She has been touring as the jvg experience. Watch for her. janvangold.com
Birgit Kuit - I Feel a River LOCATION :
Port Alberni
DATE OF CD: 2010
Shera Kelly A Bicycle Commuter’s Anthem LOCATION : Vancouver DATE OF CD: 2011 LABEL: Independent A five song CD introducing a relatively new artist. She is a 2007 graduate of Selkirk College in Nelson with a music diploma. The lyrics are intelligent and fun and she plays penny whistle on A Bicycle Commuters Anthem, which I recently heard a six year old sing back to me. We are suckers for penny whistles. It will be interesting to see how her talent develops. sherakelly.com
The Land of Deborah - In
LABEL: Independent This is Birgit’s third release. Twelve songs and she wrote them all. She is a Vancouver Island based folk singer songwriter who is not afraid to occasionally kick out the jams. Ann Mortifee said “Birgit’s music fills me with love and joy.” Birgit describes her music as “working-girl poetry.” She works some large themes that would be dangerous in lesser hands. When a river flows through you it is easy to float away in a cliché. But she handles it honestly and never lapses into solipsism. She has a purity of intention that makes her sound both knowing and innocent at the same time. As far as we know she is the first person to contrive a country and western song out of the seven kinds of lonely. Sheryl McKay interviewed her on the CBC’s North by Northwest. She is working on her fourth CD, which should be out later this year. birgitkuit.com
LOCATION : Vancouver DATE OF CD: 2011 LABEL: Independent This CD is comprised of remastered material from her two previous EPs and three new tracks consolidating her work to date. Originally from the East Midlands of England she prepared for a career in sciences before hitting the road and
developing herself as a singer/songwriter while also working as a backup singer for heavy metal bands. Her song I Don’t Mind was used as the theme song for the short film Potluck and was named best composition at the 2009 Action on Film International Film Festival. She observes relationships with a pop sensibility.
BC Musician |
September - October 2011 21
reviews BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
Cynthia Leigh-Ann - Daddy’s Girl
BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
Greg Martin - Call of the Wild LOCATION :
Gabriola Island
LOCATION : Kelowna
DATE OF CD: 2011
DATE OF CD: 2011
LABEL: Independent
LABEL: Independent Cynthia Leigh-Ann caught a break when she appeared at the Merritt Mountain Music Festival. She plays contemporary country pop music. This ten track CD is her first and she has written all the songs. She is now gigging with her band “No Ordinary Joes.” She has a chance to play at the 2012 CCMA in Hamilton. If you want it to happen go the Canadian Country Music.ca page and click like for her to go. cynthialeighann.ca
Sasha Lewis - Rooted LOCATION :
Greg Martin has left his fingerprints all over the Canadian Musical landscape having worked in the industry since the 1970s. This current release is an ambitious double album featuring a delightful blend of world and jazz rhythms. While his name and music might not be known in the wider context he has certainly earned his chops both as a performer, producer, concert promoter and booking agent. The songs are like a warm summer breeze, they wash over you, lulling you into a comfortable place where you can forget the realities of the world outside. Like an old friend these songs feel familiar, picking up the conversation where you last left off. With a silky smooth voice and accomplished guitar playing, this double album just might find itself as the new soundtrack for those nights your are looking for a little romance or an escape from all that ails you.
Salmon Arm
DATE OF CD: 2010 LABEL: Independent When we first heard of Sasha Lewis she was living in Dunster, a village with a really interesting music community, but she has now moved to Salmon Arm. She played a showcase for Salmon Arm Roots and Blues this year. By all accounts she is a prolific songwriter and this ten track CD is her debut recording. In the roots rock spectrum this leans to the rock side. One track, Reasons, was chosen by the Canadian Council of Music Industry Associations for the province playlist in May of this year. She was also nominated for People’s Choice at the 2011 BC Interior Music Awards. A hardworking developing talent. sashalewis.com
Jessica Myroon - Sylvannia Courtship LOCATION : Kelowna DATE OF CD: 2010 LABEL:
West Ave Productions
Jessica Myroon is the younger sister of Abstrakt Sonance (Tyler Myroon). She is an acoustic folk musician. This debut CD, Sylvannia Courtship, was released when she was seventeen. There are 16 songs on the CD, all written by her. She is obviously talented and has a lot of room to develop. Recently she has been performing around the central Okanagan and is gradually developing a fan base. The CD was produced, mixed and mastered by Abstrakt Sonance.
Mae Moore - Folklore LOCATION :
Pender Island
DATE OF CD: 2011 LABEL: Independent If there is folk music royalty in BC, Mae Moore would be it. At this point in her career she has the luxury of doing whatever she wants. She is a singer songwriter, a farmer and a painter. Details from six of her paintings grace the booklet that comes with this CD and a companion book of her artwork is available from her website. She surrounds herself with great musicians including Daniel Lapp on flumpet and Marc Atkinson on guitar. A flumpet is a cross between a trumpet and a flugelhorn and was first developed for the outstanding jazz musician Art Farmer. If you don’t own any of Farmer’s music you should. Start with his CD Blame It on My Youth. Producer Joby Baker plays drums and provides backing vocals throughout Folklore. Four of the songs deal with specifically Canadian subjects; snow, rain, Tom Thompson and Canada itself. Apparently she was listening to Steely Dan at the time she made this recording and you can hear their influence in the title track. In fact, they should cover it. Nine songs, all written by her, expressed thoughtfully at a relaxed, jazzy pace. maemoore.com
22 BC Musician | September - October 2011
new Jou r neys: a first fo r haida m us i c By Lark Clark Haida musician, cultural historian, and land claims lawyer Terri-Lynn WilliamsDavidson has dedicated herself to the continuation of Haida culture and her two careers, music and aboriginal-environmental law practice, are aspects of the same aspiration. Terri-Lynn’s recent recording New Journeys, featuring songs in the Haida language accompanied by guitar, piano, cello and percussion, is a first for Haida music. For the recording Terri-Lynn worked with Bruce Ruddell, a classically trained musician and producer based in Vancouver. The two had previously worked together on two box-set collections for the Haida Gwaii Singers Society: a compilation of historical recordings ranging from 1918 through the 1960s, and a collection of recordings performed by contemporary Haida singers. Both received Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, Terri-Lynn as a “Keeper of Traditions”, and Bruce as an “Industry Builder”. “It’s important to me to have the songs in the Haida language,” says Terri-Lynn, “but the difference is having an accompaniment. Bruce Ruddell wrote the arrangements for the CD. Our intention was to create settings that would allow the Haida songs to shine.” “I wanted the CD to give greater exposure to Haida music which is relatively unknown in Canada, and even in B.C. Not everyone has an appreciation for those songs, so I hoped that the arrangements would provide a bridge for people to connect with Haida musical traditions.” Terri-Lynn began performing at a young age. “I started singing Haida songs publicly when I was 13. My mother formed a dance group with all the children in the community for Bill Reid’s pole raising in Skidegate in 1978. I became very interested in Haida culture and in learning more about the traditions around the songs.” Terri-Lynn’s mother taught her about the Haida lyrics, going over the words carefully to impart their meaning and their beauty. Terri-Lynn’s great grandmother, Susan Williams, knew a great many Haida songs,
Vote for Terri-Lynn’s music in the Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Awards. Vote before Oct. 6 at
ravencallingproductions.ca and had actually recorded them long ago in an effort to preserve them. As Terri-Lynn became steeped in the culture she, “realized that everything in Haida culture, like many indigenous cultures, originates and is a reflection of the land. I decided I would become a lawyer to protect the land.” Naturally, one doesn’t become a lawyer overnight, and in the ensuing years of dedication, Terri-Lynn maintained her focus. Terri-Lynn is married to Robert Davidson, an internationally renowned graphic artist, carver, and musician. Together they are innovative carriers of Haida tradition, both reviving ancient songs, dances and protocols, and bringing them forward to the next generation. The majority of the songs on New Journeys were written by Robert. Some are inspirational (Today We Will Go On Our Own Strength), some are delightfully personal (Raven Love Song). Although I don’t know exactly what the lyrics state, I can see the glint in that Raven’s eye as he dances enticingly before his beloved! Another song entitled, Thank You Thank You I’m Having A Really Good Time, is used on many festive occasions as an
BC Musician |
expression of gratitude, and its upbeat swing conveys a feeling of happiness. Two of the songs on New Journeys, (Skedans Raven Lullaby for Boys and Sweet Song From Skedans) are taken from archival recordings. Terri-Lynn’s voice make these ancient songs intimate and tender. Bruce Ruddell’s instrumental settings include swellings of cello, which mirror Terri-Lynn’s warm tone. “The idea was to create a fusion of cultures, the hope being that it will allow for more sharing and more understanding. In many ways the work with the songs and the work as a lawyer is the same, in that the root is the same: to protect Haida culture and the beauty that I see there, to help provide insights to the rest of the world about how to live with the land and how to have a better relationship with each other.” Terri-Lynn adds, “It’s so important to find ways to work together and to achieve that reconciliation.” New Journeys is available through iTunes, amazon.com, and on Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson’s website www.ravencallingproductions.ca. It is also available at Vancouver’s Museum of Anthropology and various locations on Haida Gwaii.
September - October 2011 23
reviews BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
The New Jacobin Club - This Treason
Nir Blu - Egress
LOCATION : Saskatoon
LOCATION : Vancouver/Gibsons
DATE OF CD: 2010
DATE OF CD: 2010
LABEL: Independent
LABEL: Independent
For the past 17 years the New Jacobin Club have shocked audiences and built a loyal cult following as western Canada’s gothic shock band along with a live show which is reminiscent of Skinny Puppy crossed with the Jim Rose Circus. The New Jacobin Club is a septet of musicians who are frequently accompanied live by up to four performance artists (The Angry Teeth) who bring to the show an eye-popping array of disturbing visuals including stunts with broken glass, machetes, syringes, staple guns, torches, and the ever-popular flaming hula hoop. This album comes with a CD and the DVD “Inside the Cannibal Circus” which was filmed during a live performance in 2009. This latest effort is a morality play set to music tracing the relationship of Sir Hugh le Despenser the Younger who became royal chamberlain to King Edward II. For the uninitiated this album and DVD are intriguing and are worthy of a listen, if only to fuel your desire to see their amazing live show which may change the way you see music forever. If you are already a fan this will only serve as a compelling tool to recruit new fans to their growing following.
Originally from Montreal, piano rocker Nir Blu has now moved to Vancouver. Hence the title of this recording which marked his egress from Quebec. This is his second release and is only available as a download. It was recorded with his Montreal band and the backup vocalist and rhythm guitarist, Jess Hart, made the move west with him. He describes his music as melodic piano metal. His songs tend to be based in a melody or a riff and then he follows some internal logic out somewhere different. His concerts are often accompanied by projected images of his own 3D graphic art and he sometimes experiments with electronics. In addition Hart, his concerts in Vancouver are accompanied by Cary Pratt on drums and JC Thompson on bass. He will tour as a solo this fall on Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and the southern interior. nirblu.com
D
David Newberry when we learn the things we need to learn LOCATION : Vancouver DATE OF CD: 2009 LABEL:
Northern Electric
David Newberry is part of the ever-burgeoning arts community who live, at least part of the year, in Wells. What strange power is it that draws so many artists to a former ghost town at the end of the road buried deep in the foothills of the Cariboo Mountains? What evil Svengali like creature induces people to spend winters in twelve feet of snow? This is his debut CD, ten songs all written by him. For several years he has co-written and recorded educational songs for Ontario public television. He strips his instrumentation down to essentials, a banjo plucked not strummed, an accordion, a single base drum, a calliope style organ. He is a smart lyricist. David Francy said Newberry “is an outstanding writer. Simply outstanding.” He evokes Hank Williams on one track, Rabbit Foot, and Come On is a talking blues that would not have been out of place on Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited. The last word goes to Francy, “Each song is like a masterpiece of concise writing.” davidnewberry.ca
Peter Prince - Pacific Day LOCATION :
Salt Spring Island
DATE OF CD: 2010 LABEL: Independent Peter Prince’s latest release is guaranteed to lighten your mood through the blending of acoustic roots, jazz and global rhythms into a laidback easy listening album. Backed by a fantastic band featuring some of Salt Spring Island’s finest musicians (Zav RT, Tara MacLean, Laurent Boucher, Henry Boudin, Bruce Evert, Ian Van Wyck and Elvira Claire), they combine to create an album for the young and old alike, guaranteed to enrich and enlighten even the greyest of west coast days.
24 BC Musician | September - October 2011
Sunday, october 2, 2011 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
The fourth Annual
CFBX Record Fair * ylleess ty Allll SSt *A
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TRU Campus – The Terrace at the CAC 900 McGill Road – Kamloops, BC
Vinyl Records * CDs Music Memorabilia
Used Stereo Equipment
Used Musical Instruments
Kamloops’ one-day record store FFo ka ok oo bo ob to rt or no on tiio at ma rm or nffo ree iin or bllee mo ab ta rm or at
We’d love to have you in our magazine! Please get in touch to discuss advertising 604-999-4141 Box 1150, Peachland, BC V0H 1X0 or Email Joanne: jlayh@bcmusicianmag.com View issues online at
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Door Prizes * Concession
Free Parking * Admission $ 2 D Do on na attiio on nss o off v viin nyyll r reecco or rd dss o or r CCD Dsss a acccceep ptteed da att tth hee sstta attiio on no on n tth hee ttr ru u cca am mp pu uss
is pleased to support local autumn events Purden EcoQuest Community Conservation Celebration September 17, 2011 Celebrate 100 years of conservation at Purden Lake Provincial Park. Explore the parks of the inland wet temperate rainforests with UNBC scientists, outdoor guides and park staff. Activities will include programs and games, a GPS demonstration, a GEOCache hunt and a guided walk to the Ancient Forest Trail. Reid Lake Fall Fair September 17, 2011 The Reid Lake Fall Fair promises live music from local talent, farm animals, home art and garden exhibits, kids games, a farmers market, senior activities, a pancake breakfast, steak dinner, and a live sheep auction. Bathtub Race September 22, 2011 Support Habitat for Humanity and enter the 4th Annual Prince George Bathtub Race at CN Centre. Enter a team for an entry fee of $75 plus an auction item or sponsor a team for $75 plus an auction item. BC Rivers Day Music Festival September 25, 2011 Celebrate BC Rivers Day at Fort George Park from noon to 4 p.m.
The event will include music from Reggie Blackout, Ken McCoy and the Snake Oil Band in addition to a First Nations Showcase. The Festival will include kids activities, educational displays, regional artisans and many food vendors. Mennonite Fall Fair October 1, 2011 Come on down to the Mennonite Fall Fair at the Prince George Civic Centre. The event will include local crafts and Ten Thousand Village gifts. Diwali (festival of lights) October 29, 2011 Join the Hindu Cultural Society to celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights at the Prince George Civic Centre. The festival will include live music and dancing. Artisans of the North Craft Fair October 29 - 30, 2011 The Artisans of the North Craft Fair is an annual fundraiser for UNBC Athletics. The funds raised through the rental fee of the vendor spaces and from the sales of raffle tickets. will go to support UNBC student athletes. Over 140 artisans and 200 tables of crafts will be featured.
BC Musician |
September - October 2011 25
reviews BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
Shane Philip Life.Love.Music. LOCATION :
Quadra Island
DATE OF CD: 2011 LABEL: Independent This is Philip’s fifth CD since OM Cooking in 2005. Well known on the festival circuit as an endlessly energetic multi instrumentalist, this CD continues to follow his established path. His music ranges from delicately acoustic to overwhelming walls of sound, sometimes in the same song. There are two breathtaking didgeridoo workouts on this CD and he also plays acoustic guitar, drum boxes, lap slide guitars, ukulele, drums and djembe drums. He sings too. He uses elements drawn from blues and reggae; ten songs are original plus one co-write and a version of Bob Marley’s Exodus. He lives on Quadra Island and apparently turns up occasionally busking in Coombs. Worth the trip. shanephilip.com
Skookum Rockstar Dreamers LOCATION : Vancouver DATE OF CD: 2009 LABEL: Independent Skookum is a four piece Vancouver based hard-rock band who have recently seen some changes to their line up adding a new guitarist and with it a host of new songs in anticipation of a new album. Their latest release Rockstar Dreamers pays homage to the golden age of hard rock borrowing the raw energy, attitude and bravado of such bands as Deep Purple, Kiss and Black Sabbath combined with the angst and attitude of Seattle’s grunge scene. This album serves as a good introduction and an appetizer for their upcoming release due out in the not too distant future. If you’re a fan of dark side be certain to check out their live show and give this album a listen.
BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
Steve Brockley Band Steve Brockley LOCATION : Montreal DATE OF CD: 2010 LABEL: Independent Originally from Vernon, Brockley is now based in Montreal. His solo act has expanded to a trio with Leon Power on drums and Kevin Bertram on double bass. Brockley cites Mississippi John Hurt as his major guitar influence and he takes everything at Hurt’s pace. Finger picking electric guitar that is laid back but not relaxed. Story telling songs in the folk tradition. He has an understated delivery that draws the listener into the music. The band is presently on a tour that is taking them from BC to New Brunswick and then half way back across the country. Nine songs all written by Brockley.
The Sweet Lowdown The Sweet Lowdown LOCATION : Victoria DATE OF CD: 2011 LABEL: Independent The Sweet Lowdown are an acoustic bluegrass trio. Originally formed in 2008 by Amanda Blied, guitar and Shanti Bremer, banjo they recorded a seven song EP at The Fernwood Inn called Live Off The Floor. They have since added Miriam Sonstenes on fiddle and all three women share vocals. They play an old time music that is essentially sweet and the vocals are ethereal. This is not bluegrass with rough edges. Amanda sang with Victoria’s Balkan Babes who were named best Pan-Cultural Traditions Choir in 2008 in CBC Radio’s national choral competition. They are all firmly grounded instrumentalists and all three contributed original material to this CD. Earlier this year they won an M award from Victoria’s Monday Magazine for Favourite Roots/World Music Group. thesweetlowdown.ca
26 BC Musician | September - October 2011
reviews BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
The Pernell Reichert Band The Pernell Reichert Band LOCATION : Montreal DATE OF CD: 2010 LABEL: Independent The Pernell Reichert Band are a four piece band. Pernell plays various guitars and banjo backed by piano, bass and drums. This four song EP is a way of sustaining interest for those waiting for their full length CD. Self described as alt folk/alt country or some variation on that theme. Some nice slide guitar in the Elmore James mode (alt/blues?) on Highway 49, a song recorded live at the Tanz Cafe in Johannesburg South Africa. It is a promising start. We would like to hear more from them.
Various Artists Sessions Vol. 1
BAND NAME - ALBUM NAME
Greg Wood - Greg Wood LOCATION :
Bonnyville, AB
DATE OF CD: 2009 LABEL: Independent Fans who love arena rock, summer drives, the window down, music blasting, singing along at the top of your lungs, will love this classic rock album, as will fans of the bands Hedley, Nickelback, Default and Theory of a Deadman. There is a lot to like about this power pop album with songs ranging from heartfelt power ballads to full on rock songs. This album delves into the dark nether regions we have all experienced when love is lost and the consequences which arise when we loose touch with ourselves. Greg’s accomplished and impassioned guitar playing further adds to the depth and richness of a well-crafted album.
Victor Yong Dawn of the Carnival LOCATION : Vancouver
LOCATION :
North Vancouver
DATE OF CD: 2011 LABEL:
HIT / Maximum Music Group / EMI
This CD is produced by the Harbourside Institute of Technology (HIT) and showcases the writing, producing and engineering skills of graduates from its Advanced Recording Artist program. There are five student artists (or bands) representing rock, reggae, pop and electronic music. The CD is a joint venture between Harbourside and Maximum Music Group/ EMI. Maximum Music is an artist management, record label and music marketing company that in turn partners with EMI. So these guys have all the bases covered. Harbourside is certified as a Private Career Training Institution and therefore its students can qualify for student loans. It also has a British Columbia Education Quality Assurance designation, which means that it meets or exceeds provincial standards for an education institution. For those who want to gain hands on experience in all aspects of music production and promotion.
We’re doing this all over again in 6 months. Don’t forget to send your music before January 31, 2012 to PO Box 1150, Peachland, BC V0H 1X0.
DATE OF CD: 2010 LABEL: Independent This is Victor Yong’s first CD. He is a versatile guitarist and has worked as a session guitar player for 20 years. He has built a reputation as a go to guitarist who is flexible and works hard to get the job done. Originally from East Malaysia he brings Asian influences to his music and he has a band called The Orient Express who play various forms of Asian music. Over the years he has played in country, Latin, jazz, R&B and hard rock bands. For this outing he has chosen to concentrate on Latin jazz. Nine instrumental tracks clocking in at 49 minutes and all written by Victor. He cites Allan Holdsworth, Lenny Breau, Scott Henderson and Pat Metheny as his main influences as a soloist. victoryong.ca
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BC Musician |
September - October 2011 27
book reviews Have Not Been the Same: The Canrock Renaissance 1985-1995 (revised & updated) Michael Barclay, Ian A.D. Jack, Jason Schneider
Talk - Action = 0: An Illustrated History of D.O.A. Joe Keithley
PUBLISHER :
DATE: 2011
ECW Press
DATE: 2011 This is a revised and updated (final) version of a book that was first published in 2001. The thesis of the book is that prior to 1985 Canadian rock and roll was defined in cultural terms that were either British or American. There were successful Canadian acts; Neil Young, The Band, The Guess Who, Joni Mitchell, but except for occasional song themes they were not identifiably Canadian. By 1985 the CBC’s Brave New Waves and Night Lines, campus radio stations and Much Music all needed Canadian content and the indie music scene exploded across the county with bands such as Blue Rodeo, the Rheostatics and the Tragically Hip (amongst many, many others). By 1995 it was dead with live music venues switching to recorded music, major labels consolidating by dropping bands and private labels dissolving into lawsuits and folding. Two chapters deal directly with the Vancouver scene. The Fallout of Vancouver Punk covers Art Bergmann, the Payolas, Bob Rock, NoMeansNo, Slow and their subsequent incarnation, Copyright. Nettwerk Records charts the rise of Moev, Skinny Puppy, the Grapes of Wrath, Lava Hay and Sarah McLachlan. Other Vancouver-based bands such as 54.40 and Spirit of the West appear in different parts of the book. At 739 pages it is staggeringly well researched and compulsively interesting. As they say in the Overture “this is a book about music and the glorious, intelligent, beautiful, ridiculous, talented and fucked-up people who make it.”
Dancing Barefoot: The Patti Smith Story Dave Thompson PUBLISHER :
Chicago Review Press
DATE: 2011 An experienced music journalist and biographer,Thompson tells the Patti Smith story by relying primarily on her own words drawn from interviews with others and augments these with his own interviews of Lou Reed, Tom Verlaine, Richard Lloyd, Ivan Kral and others. Essentially it is Patti from Patti’s point of view as she moves from introverted poet to electrifying performer. And she was electrifying, as anyone old enough to have attended her May 1978 concert at the Commodore will attest. Thompson is a fan. His is not an analytical biography. He concentrates on the story around her early years as a performer in New York City (roughly the 1970s). The emphasis here is decidedly on the word performer; he does not seek scandal around her, nor does he seek to unravel her private life.
PUBLISHER :
Anvil Pulp Press
The title pretty much says it all. A large format chronological history of D.O.A. from 1977 to now. Starting with Joey’s first band, Stone Crazy, the book documents their transformation into The Skulls, the band that later was to become D.O.A. The book is primarily visual and organized around memorable gigs. There are photos, reproductions of posters, tickets, set lists, newspaper articles, record covers, unpaid bills, song lyrics and magazine covers. These are combined with Joey’s memories about the highlights or low points of particular events or tours. D.O.A. did a lot of road trips and established links to the San Francisco scene, particularly the Avengers, Jello Biafra and the Dead Kennedys, as well as Negative Trend, so this book is also a view of the larger punk scene on the west coast. 304 pages of unrelenting D.O.A. = an essential book. If you order the book from the publisher at arsenalpulp.com you will get a signed copy and a free download card for the songs Disco Sucks and World War 3.
Thompson is a good writer, he understands the need for a narrative arc and he maintains a fast pace. He pushes the story forward. Patti, however, is like the rest of us. She can be an unreliable narrator of her own life, she can misremember times or dates, like all poets she can exaggerate for heightened effect. Perhaps she even deceives to throw people off the track, she contradicts herself. In some ways it is as if Patti Smith dreamed herself into being. With no plausible place to start and following her role models – the Stones, the Doors, Janis Joplin and Hendrix – she simply willed herself on to the stage, reading poetry at first, managing to overcome every obstacle to became a rock star. Then, in 1979, after four brilliant albums and appearing before 80,000 fans in Bologna, she did one final gig in Florence and walked away to raise a family. In the last 15 years she has made public appearances as a poet and has continued to perform and record on a limited basis. She has also won a National Book Award for her memoir of her relationship with the photographer, Robert Mapplethorpe, entitled Just Kids. She will remain rich territory for subsequent biographers.
28 BC Musician | September - October 2011
books
c o nt ’ d
Neil Young: Long May You Run: The Illustrated History Daniel Durcholz and Gary Graff PUBLISHER :
Voyageur Press
DATE: 2010 In some ways this book proves the thesis of Have Not Been The Same. The first 20 pages deal with Young’s early career in Canada and the necessity for him to move to the US to seek commercial success. With the exception of the occasional Canadian song – Helpless, Sugar Mountain and his cover of Four Strong Winds – he is a quintessential Californian and his career has been defined entirely on American terms. Still, he could be brilliant and confounding and he remains hugely influential on many contemporary Canadian musicians.
At 225 pages this large format book is a chronological survey of his career and includes more than 400 photographs along with reproductions of posters, record sleeves, backstage passes and ticket stubs. There are also four separate detailed discographies: One for the 61 albums he has made; one for the 63 singles; the 54 albums on which he has appeared as a guest artist; and finally one for the 12 tribute albums that have been made of his music. Then there is a selected filmography and a guide to his primary sidemen. And that about covers everything you will ever need to know about Neil.
Voted best place to eat and hear live music Sept 19 Kevin Kane (Grapes of Wrath) w/ Daniel Moir $10 entertainment charge Sept 20 Roxanne Potvin $10 entertainment charge Sept 26 Royal Wood $15 advance tickets Oct 8
Coco’s Bistro Princeton, BC Proudly Serving Cowboy Coffee
Open at 4:30 a.m. every day
Willie and Lobo $34 advance tickets
Oct 17 Colin Hay “from Men at Work” $30 advance tickets Nov 2 The Contenders - Valdy & Gary Fjellgaard “In Concert” $20 advance tickets Nov 11 Lester Quitzau and Billy Hicks $20 advance tickets
4638 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna 250.764.2301 www.minstrelcafe.com
OPEN STAGE SATURDAYS 2 p.m.-5 p.m. CITY BREWS - COUNTRY VIEWS We Bake our own Muffins, Cookies & Squares Freshly Made Healthy Sandwiches Outdoor Deck • Organic, Fair-Trade Coffee 255 Vermilion Ave., Princeton, BC (Hwy 3 & Vermilion, across from Chevron)
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Show us what locations and into what hands BC Musician magazine lands! Send photo plus description to lvnash@bcmusicianmag.com
BC Musician |
September - October 2011 29
armstrong open air a great metal fest in spite of the fear-mongering by Shane Humber In only its third consecutive year, and against a strongly opposed community group, Armstrong Open Air 2011 has defiantly put its name on the map as a force to be reckoned with. AOA is an all-metal music festival held in Armstrong BC, and is defiantly getting larger year by year. The first two AOA concerts were held on a private farm in Armstrong, using flat deck trailers as a stage. In 2009 there were 12 bands, which grew to 16 in 2010. AOA 2011 hosted 22 bands – all of which hail from BC. This is also the first year the event wasn’t held on a private farm, but instead the IPE Fairgrounds, utilizing Hassen Arena for a performance venue. The decision to have the music indoors this year was made more out of necessity than the preference of the organizers, as this festival is meant to be held outdoors. Moving out of the private farms and into the IPE establishment speaks volumes for the growth and support of this festival. AOA was inspired by the European summer festival circuit – mainly the infamous Wacken Open Air Festival, held in Wacken, Germany, each summer. Wacken also started out as a small, party-like event held on private land, and quickly escalated to a world-renowned, multi-day, top-notch metal festival, consistently hosting some of the biggest names in metal music each year. This is the same magnitude and reputation of an event that Armstrong Open Air’s organizers and fans would all love to see our Canadian event grow to. Plans for next year are already showing signs of potentially adding a third day in order to allow for even more bands to play. The drive and enthusiasm in everyone involved with AOA is unlike most anything I’ve seen before when it comes to putting events together, and I am impressed beyond words with what these people are getting accomplished.
3 Inches of Blood. Photo Lindsay Wells
Not everyone shares my opinion about this show, however. The Armstrong Ministerial Association did not want this event to happen at all, and made several attempts to have it shut down. During the course of the festival, numerous people who were against AOA were spotted driving past the event slowly, taking pictures, in hopes of “catching something on film” that could help make the event look bad, or even help have it shut down. Prior to the event, the Armstrong Ministerial Association wrote a letter to city council claiming that, “This event is set to offer a venue for violent images and ideas which threaten people and property. It seems that this particular event is out of character for the City of Armstrong and the fact that it is being forced upon us, the residents, to just tolerate with the attitude of ‘let’s just wait and see’ is very unsettling.” Yet the RCMP made several rounds through the designated event areas, and aside from a couple of routine public intoxication tickets, they were quite pleased with the overall good behaviour and friendliness of the attendees and staff. Alongside the impending doom and
30 BC Musician | September - October 2011
destruction that didn’t occur as predicted, perhaps the Armstrong Ministerial Association also found all the extra revenue the event brought to the city equally unsettling. It seemed to me that business owners in the community were quite ready to embrace their weekend guests. My fiancée, Lindsay, and I had breakfast on Saturday morning at a little restaurant just up the road from the IPE fairgrounds, The Brown Derby Café, and we were pleasantly surprised to see the owners and staff openly showing their support for the event. The waitresses were dressed up in rock ‘n roll t-shirts and temporary tattoos, and could easily pass for AOA attendees themselves. The cook even had his face painted like Paul Stanley of Kiss fame. City council member, John Trainor, agreed that metal music may hold a bad image with some people, but also stated that, “We [City Council] hope they realize it’s just an image, and it was just a group of kids that enjoy a certain kind of music. Talking to the police, they had fewer problems with this event than they do during Funtastic*.” On a personal note, I must say that my fiancée and I had more fun at AOA 2011 than we expected, and our expectations were that it would be a blast. Mike Rodgers, Jesse Valstar, Matt Ruckus and entire crew of volunteers did an absolutely amazing job pulling everything together and making it all work. All staff and security members did an outstanding job keeping people safe and making things run smoothly. I can’t help but get excited already when I think about making the trip for AOA 2012. I would love a chance for
Continued from page 30 my own band Deadkind to perform hopefully next year if they’ll have us, because this show is beyond the shadow of a doubt THE show to play in BC if you’re in a metal band – and the show NOT to miss if you’re at all a fan of metal music. It’s about time that Canada (or better yet, BC) finally has a metal festival to call its own, and as far as I can tell, the only place to go from here is full speed ahead. * “Funtastic” is an annual (since 1985) slopitch tournament and music festival held by Vernon & District Funtastic Sports Society in Vernon, BC. (http://funtastic.org/) *Quotes from The Armstrong Ministerial Association’s letter to Armstrong City Council, and quotes from Armstrong city councilor John Trainor taken from The Vernon Morning Star, “Metal bands don’t rock council” (July 27 2011)
Send us Festival photos! c Fest land Musi Cortes Is
Take a picture of you or your friends holding a copy of BC Musician magazine at a festival. We’ll probably publish it. send photo plus description to lvnash@bcmusicianmag.com
by Richard Rolke. (http://www.bclocalnews. com/okanagan_similkameen/vernonmorningstar/ news/126216503.html)
Is pleased to support fall events in the South Okanagan Rock Creek Fall Fair September 17-18, 2011 The Rock Creek Fall Fair is an old-fashioned country fair with live entertainment and events, including a greased pig race, tractor pull, and lawnmower races. Best of Fest September 22- 24, 2011 This three-day independent film-and-wine event will bring a selection of the most popular films from the Washington State-based Tumbleweed Film Festival to the NK’MIP Resort in Osoyoos. Community Celebration at Gyro Park, Osoyoos September 25, 2011 Free BBQ, Nk’Mip drummers, kids carnival, water entertainment and Starfield concert.
Oliver Festival of the Grape October 2, 2011 Oliver’s Festival of the Grape is an annual event that was launched in 1997. It’s a wine festival with food vendors, merchandise vendors from local stores and boutiques, an art show and sale, live entertainment, games and a grape stomp. The Fall Okanagan Wine Festival Sept 30-October 9, 2011 The festival includes over 165 events happening around the valley. Visit an Okanagan winery for a vineyard tour, lunch among the vines, or take in a seminar and learn about food and wine pairings from award-winning Okanagan chefs.
The Valley Sentinel is pleased to support fall events in the Robson Valley World’s Longest Chinook Salmon Run Until September 15, 2011 In Valemount visitors can get a close-up view of the huge salmon jockeying for position and digging their nests at the Swift Creek viewing area. The viewing area is located in George Hicks Regional Park, a walking distance from the Visitor Centre. From midAugust to mid-September, you can also watch the powerful fish trying to jump over Rearguard Falls in nearby Mount Robson Provincial Park. Two local companies offer salmon float trips. Rare Book Event September 17, 2011 Travelling bookseller David Ellis will offer rare books on the Yellowhead, Robson Valley, Jasper, and Grande Cache areas, featuring First
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Nations (Shuswap, Stoney, Cree, and Metis), David Thompson and other early travelers, and the mining, ranching, railway, guiding, logging, mountaineering and parks history. Also included will be First Nations children’s books, art books and fiction. The event will take place at the Valemount Visitor Centre from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Valemount Arts and Cultural Society presents the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour September 25 The best of the best from the Banff Mountain Film Festival will arrive in Valemount on September 25. The event will include a range of amazing cultural films as well as a mix of outdoor adventure and beautiful images.
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