Nelson Time Magazine #2: Summer 2015 by Nelson Time Magazine

Nelson Time Magazine 509-B Latimer Street Nelson, BC V1L 4V1 Publisher Cole Johnston Art & Photography Naomi Cromwell Bryce Duffy Jen Hill Murray Kimber Kyle James Patrick (Cover) Brandon Thompson Rod Wilson Printed by

Copy deadline for the Autumn issue is Sept 16. Ad space is available until Sept 18 and can be booked by calling 604-8318179 or emailing cole@nelson-time.com. Our rates are available upon request. Nelson Time welcomes submissions but accepts no responsibility for the return of unsolicited materials. Nelson Time is printed quarterly by Cole Johnston Design. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form by any means without prior written consent from the publisher. All content © 2015 Cole Johnston Design www.facebook.com/NelsonTimeMagazine www.twitter.com/NelsonTimeMag

ummer is definitely in full swing, and despite the fires that were surrounding us, it looks to be a pretty damn good season. As with every year in Nelson, summer is when the festivals seem to be almost weekly! Electronic music mega-festival Shambhala is in its 18th year, Kootenay Pride has been celebrating diversity for 19 years, the Kaslo Jazz Etc. Festival is turning 24, and Nelson’s art collective and walking tour Artwalk is now 27 years young! On top of that, we have the West Kootenay Eco-Society bringing us local markets throughout the season, the opening of the brand-new Bloom Nightclub, and amazing weekly shows at existing venues like The Royal, Cantina Del Centro, Kootenay Co-op Radio, and SpiritBar. Summer in Nelson can almost be overwhelming. Let Nelson Time be your guide to all these events and more throughout the year by checking us out at www.nelson-time. com or www.facebook.com/NelsonTimeMagazine. Nelson Time is currently looking for contributors, both writers and photographers, who would like to see their work published locally. Have a story idea? We want to hear about it! This is your local forum, and we want to know what makes Nelson such a hotbed of arts & culture. If you’re a business looking to advertise, contact cole@nelson-time.com or go to www.nelson-time.com. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter (@NelsonTimeMag) and help us make Nelson Time the area’s coolest new magazine!

How would you describe your musical style to our readers? It’s in a current state of evolution. It has turned from singer-songwriter style “Chasing The Sun” to electronic/jazzy progressive pop. Think if SBTRKT and Hannah Georgas had a baby, and then that baby had a second cousin twice removed. That might be my new style. What’s your favourite performing live?

aspect

Connecting with my audience. I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I think that’s evident when I’m on stage. I’m a “dear diary” style songwriter and I think people relate with my words. I feel the emotions of the lyrics I sing; I believe that being genuine

by cole johnston

is really important as a performing artist. Most memorable live performance? I would love to say something big, like when I played on the main stage at Whistler’s World Ski & Snowboard Festival. But in all honesty, I love an intimate setting. My most memorable performance would have to be at a small spot in East Vancouver called The Tipper. I booked out the back room for my first performance in over a year, after having vocal cord surgery due to vocal nodes. It was a devastating time, not knowing if I’d ever be able to sing again. We had the room full of about 50 good friends, a setting of candles and old lamps everywhere, and an opportunity for me to perform all new material to an extremely supportive audience, along with a completely quiet room with perked ears. I really couldn’t have asked for more. Who are your favourite Kootenay-based artists right now? I’m really digging local Nelson artists Mrs. Strange, The Magpies, Lyndi Lush, and cover band Val Kilmer and The New

photo by kyle james patrick (www.kylejamespatrick.ca)

enny Lea might be a familiar name to you already. She regularly performs in Nelson, she went to Selkirk College, she’s part of the most kick-ass cover band we’ve heard in years (Motherfucker Jones), and her single “Chasing The Sun” has been on radio rotation throughout BC. So take it from us, this is an artist you need to pay attention to. Lea has the voice, creativity, and stage presence that most pop divas only wish they could emulate. Splicing together elements of folk, R&B, hip-hop, electronica, and pop, it’s easy to see how diverse her musical background is. Classically trained in piano, she taught herself the guitar and began the path to becoming a professional performer, playing in Vancouver, Whistler, Kelowna, and Nelson. We got to chat with Jenny about being a music school “drop-in”, BC pot, Shambhala, and... Rick James?

Coke. There’s a lot of talent that comes out of the Kootenays so I could go on and on, but that’s my short list. Who would you cite as creative influences over the years? I’m a huge fan of Erykah Badu, Bill Withers, Bob Dylan, and my mom. Saying that, I listen to everything from Rick James to Rick Ross. You did a year at Nelson’s own Selkirk Music College. How would you describe that experience? Selkirk was a wonderful experience. I was hit by an SUV as a pedestrian in the summer of ‘14. That’s why I moved to Nelson and decided to use my healing time to study. I enrolled myself in the only thing I knew would hold my interest in a classroom setting - music - and Selkirk has an amazing reputation. I didn’t last more than a year because I am old and broke and literally wanted to get “the show on the road”. Sometimes it’s disappointing to say I am a music school dropout... But then I remember that I didn’t drop out, I dropped in. I learned so much in my year there, the teachers are some of the best I’ve ever had – so inspiring and supportive. The school is filled with incredible musicians. I would highly suggest it to anyone who’s considering a career in the music industry. Shout out to Melody Diachun- my spirit animal! Environment plays a huge role in creativity. As a BC musician, how does living in the area affect your sound? I have traveled to 14 countries and I’m still blown away daily at how beautiful BC is, and how blessed I am to have grown up here. Opportunities are endless, people are friendly and open-minded, the scenery is unparalleled, and the weed is some of the best in the world! I feel that being surrounded by those elements, freedom of expression, especially through creative outlets, is accepted and encouraged. I love how musicians in BC tend to be collaborative rather than competitive. This is how it should be in the music community, and it’s through these collaborations that I have been able to experiment and fine tune my sound.

A lot of people know you from Motherfucker Jones, doing amazing covers of classic jams. But you’re also gaining a lot of radio recognition with “Chasing the Sun”. What are the most surprising differences or similarities between doing covers and writing your own songs?

Shambhala, Nelson’s biggest music festival, is coming up and you’re performing! What can festival-goers expect from that? This is huge for me! I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am for this experience. Any festival-goers that are familiar with my previous works are in

for some nunu! I’ve started a collaboration with Vancouver-based producer Mikey J Blige, and we’re known as I M U R (pronounced I Am You Are). It’s a live electronic composition/acoustic fusion that integrates influences from electronica, jazz, hip-hop, and progressive pop. We are playing on Sunday, August 9th at 3pm on the Amphitheater Stage, so make sure to come check us out! What’s on the horizon for Jenny Lea? I M U R has just released our first single “Candle Burned” which you can download free at www.weareIMUR.bandcamp.com. We are releasing our EP Slow Dive August 3rd, followed by an EP release tour through the Okanagan shortly after Shambhala. This year is going to be a lot of serious grinding, hustling, writing, and performing, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Jenny Lea is performing with I M U R at Shambhala Music Festival August 9th at 3:00pm. Check out their music at www. facebook.com/weareIMUR and Jenny’s solo creations at www.jennylea.com.

photo by brandon thompson (www.bbrandphoto.com)

Performing with Motherfucker Jones has been some of the best times I’ve had in my life! I’ve always been a huge fan of hip-hop and have regularly included such covers in my solo act. There’s nothing more thrilling than playing a sold out show to a crowd full of people who are as excited to be there as we are. My solo stuff tends to be a lot more mellow, and although the crowd is equally engaged, it’s a different type of engagement. If I’m doing a cover, I tend to revamp it, pay homage to the original artist, but switch it up. It’s exciting for me to recreate, and I think the audience enjoys a different take on a classic as well. In that respect, it can be similar to playing originals - it’s something new and different. Saying that, I think for me personally, it’s a lot more rewarding to have someone tell me after a show how they got chills, or really connected to something I wrote. Being in a cover band is a ton of fun, but I get more personal satisfaction from sharing a bigger part of myself than taking on a totally different persona.

JULY 3 – AUGUST 28

NELSON, BC www.ndac.ca

250.352.2744

518 Hall St Nelson BC

bibonelson.ca

here’s no question that in our fast-paced culture we often feel disconnected from that which sustains us. In this era of smart phones, fast food and interacting with each other from behind screens, it’s easy to find ourselves neglecting the basic human need for connection and belonging. So where does one go to nurture this need? In short, farmer’s markets. “Going to market” is a weekly activity for many Nelsonites, as it has been in most cultures up until very recently. Farmer’s markets are meeting places, providing the opportunity to experience genuine and personal connections with those who lovingly produce and prepare their goods for sale. Set to a live soundtrack of local musicians serenading market-goers as they wander from booth to booth, this kind of weekly shopping feels to many a much more genuine experience than the conventional act of marching up and down aisles beneath abrasive fluorescent lighting at a big supermarket. “It’s a very human experience,” says Jesse Woodward, Market and Events Coordinator for the West Kootenay Eco Society. “I think people are hungry for that and they want to connect; they want to get fresh food, they want to talk to farmers and craftspeople... I think that says something about people wanting to connect with people again.” Fourteen years ago the West Kootenay Eco Society, a non-profit organization founded in 1994, was awarded the contract from the City of Nelson to run the Cottonwood Farmer’s and Artisans Market, located at the base of idyllic Cottonwood Falls. From its humble beginnings, the Cottonwood Market has grown to over 40 vendors and runs every Saturday from late spring through autumn. Due to overwhelming success at Cottonwood Falls, the Eco Society introduced MarketFest, which over the past ten years has become an eagerly-anticipated and highlycelebrated staple of Nelson’s summer arts and culture scene. One Friday evening per month throughout the summer, cars are rerouted and make way for foot-traffic and local craftspeople, food producers, healing practitioners, dancers, and musicians. MarketFest attracts between 2000 and 3000 attendees

and boasts over 100 vendors, 2 performance stages, and plenty of kids’ activities. The Nelson Downtown Market is the most recent addition to the Eco Society markets. Occurring every Wednesday on the 400 block of historic Baker Street, it has so far been a “smaller but mighty” version of the Cottonwood Market with just over 30 vendors. “I think people really enjoy that feeling of stopping traffic and having the street to themselves,” Jesse replies when asked about the impact of the markets on Nelson’s main street. “When we have events that block off Baker Street, there is a real joy that comes out of that... Lots of cities have done that and it seems to always prove positive for local culture and tourism.” The Eco Society’s “Make It/Grow It” ethos ensures that vendors have a direct relationship with the products that they are selling and that all the market offerings are truly local. The geographic reach of the vendors extends from Creston to Glade and the Slocan Valley. Food available at the markets is largely grown and produced without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Food is fresh, seasonal, and more flavourful than what one might purchase in a big-box store; rightly so as it has travelled a

photos by naomi cromwell

mere few kilometers from farm to market. Although the society oversees several other projects including GardenFest, the Kokanee Creek Visitor’s Centre, Earth Matters and the Jumbo Wild campaign, the markets are arguably the most visible and impactful endeavors of the organization and have proven to be essential elements of Nelson culture and local economic sustainability. “Markets are a glue for community,” says Jesse. “They provide this kind of space where everyone can mix together... We need to have that in our culture... This is our community. Here we are.”

For more information about the West Kootenay Eco Society, visit www.ecosociety.ca. MARKETFEST Baker Street (between Ward and Kootenay) June 26, July 24 & Aug. 21, 6:00pm-10:30pm COTTONWOOD COMMUNITY MARKET Cottonwood Falls Park Saturdays, May 16- Oct. 31, 9:30am-3:00pm NELSON DOWNTOWN LOCAL MARKET Baker Street (between Ward and Stanley) Wednesdays, June 10-Sept. 23, 9:30am-3:00pm

photo courtesy of the kaslo jazz festival (www.kaslojazzfest.com)

FRIDAY JULY 31

SATURDAY AUG. 1

SUNDAY AUG. 2

3:00pm Rabs Upstage 4:30pm Rafferty Funksmith Upstage 6:00pm BrickHouse Main Stage 7:30pm MonkeyJunk Main Stage 9:00pm Dan Mangan + Blacksmith Main Stage

12:00pm Fish & Bird Main Stage 1:05pm Lucas Myers & Kids Upstage 1:30pm Kootenay Divas Main Stage 2:35pm Trespassers Will Upstage 3:15pm Kenny Blues Boss Wayne Main Stage 4:05pm TBA 5:00pm Lint Main Stage 6:15pm Slocan Ramblers Upstage 7:00pm Dan Brubeck Main Stage 8:15pm Red Eyed Soul Upstage 9:00pm Cumako Main Stage

12:00pm Classical Legacy Main Stage 1:05pm Lost Fingers Upstage 1:30pm Cheryl Hodge Main Stage 2:35pm Rabnett & Jesse Lee Upstage 3:15pm Slocan Ramblers Main Stage 4:05pm M’Girl Upstage 5:00pm Polyrythmics Main Stage 6:15pm Sophiella Watt Upstage 7:00pm Elliot Brood Main Stage 8:15pm Gabriel Palatchi Trio Upstage 9:00pm Lost Fingers Main Stage

Now in its 24th year, the Kaslo Jazz Etc. Festival is often recognized as one of the best live music events in the world, with USA Today calling it one of the “top ten places to get outdoors and be in tune”. But we already knew that! For more information go to www.kaslojazzfest.com.

artwork by murray kimber (murraykimber.com)

ARTIST

VENUE

WEBSITE

Lainey Benson Touchstones Nelson (502 Vernon St.) www.laineybenson.com Keith Berens Craft Connection (378 Baker St.) www.keithwberensart.com Natasha Bogdasavich John Ward Coffee (503 Baker St.) www.natashabogdasavich.com Julie Breton Touchstones Nelson (502 Vernon St.) www.julie-breton.com Selda Canoglu Ellison’s Market (523 Front St.) www.seldacanoglu.com Richard Dudley Kootenai Moon (115 Hall St.) Karen Guilbault Kolmel Jewlers (459 Ward St.) Jennifer Hagel Aura Spa [in Hume] (422 Vernon St.) www.hagelart.com Lauren Herraman Blackbird Physio (182 Baker St.) Sandra Irvine Kutenai Clothing (327 Baker St.) www.sandrairvine.com Victoria Isott Kutenai Clothing (327 Baker St.) Lucas Jmieff Finley’s Bar & Grill (705 Vernon St.) www.lucasimagephoto.ca Dustin Lalik Kootenai Moon (115 Hall St.) www.dustinlalik.wix.com/dlalik Mitch Leeming Blackbird Physio (182 Baker St.) www.mitchleeming.com Yoshi Measures Ellison’s Market (523 Front St.) Cindy Moore Touchstones Nelson (502 Vernon St.) www.artmajeur.com/cindymoore Rielle Oswald Sage Tapas (705 Vernon St.) Tea Preville Finley’s Bar & Grill (705 Vernon St.) www.teapreville.com Tia Reyden Kootenai Moon (115 Hall St.) Curtis Sorensen Van Charles Art (202-602 Josephine) www.vancharlesart.com Niomi Starspires Torchlight Brewing (511 Front St.) Martha Stokoe The Booksmyth (338 Baker St.) www.martha.ollyfuntree.com Diane Trudel Kootenay Bakery (377 Baker St.) www.dianetrudel.ca Vishnu Das Jagannatha Express (660 Baker St.) www.vishnudasart.blogspot.ca Keira Zaslove Heart Gallery (566 Baker St.) www.keira-zaslove.weebly.com This year’s Artwalk boasts 25 artists! For more information go to www.ndac.ca/nelson-artwalk.

photo by bryce duffy (www.bryceduffy.com)

FRIDAY AUG. 7

SATURDAY AUG. 8

SUNDAY AUG. 9

Fractal Forest Stage: 4:30pm Justin Hale 6:00pm Dan Solo 7:00pm Vinyl Ritchie 8:30pm Slynk 10:00pm Fort Knox Five 11:30pm The Funk Hunters 1:00am Stickybuds 2:30am Smalltown DJs 4:00am K+Lab 5:30am Freddy J 7:00am Joseph Martin

Fractal Forest Stage: 4:00pm Wood N Soo 6:00pm Cosmo Baker 7:30pm Skratch Bastid 9:00pm DJ Jazzy Jeff 10:30pm Mix Master Mike 11:30pm A. Skillz 1:00am DJ Zinc 2:30am Jesse Rose 4:00am Dubtribe 5:30am Neighbour

Fractal Forest Stage: 2:00pm Fractal Funk Jam Hosted by Smalltown DJs 7:00pm Beat Fatigue 8:30pm Jillionaire (Major Lazer) 10:00pm Neon Steve 11:30pm Jack Beats 1:00am Jauz 2:30am AC Slater 4:00am Amtrac 5:30am Rich-e-Rich

Pagoda Stage: 5:00pm DJ Just-B 6:00pm Freebound 7:00pm Neighbour 8:00pm jackLNDN 9:30pm Kidnap Kid 10:30pm Destructo 11:30pm MK 1:00am GRiZ 2:30am Mystery Headliner 4:00am Mija 5:00am Whipped Cream

Pagoda Stage: 4:30pm De Block 5:30pm Wax Romeo 6:30pm DJ Soup 8:00pm MĂ&#x2013;WE 9:30pm Bakermat 11:00pm Thomas Jack 12:30am Kygo 2:00am Pretty Lights 3:30am Mat The Alien & The Librarian 5:00am Capn Fuzz & Ajax

Pagoda Stage: 3:00pm Logan Hart 4:00pm Wallis 5:00pm Ardalan 6:00pm Friend Within 7:20pm Cause & Affect 8:40pm Kill Frenzy 10:00pm J Phlip 11:20pm Shiba San 12:40pm Justin Martin 2:00am Claude VonStroke 3:20am Dusky 4:40am Christian Martin

Full DJ lineup available at www.shambhalamusicfestival.com.

photos by jen hill (www.twitter.com/jenhill)

FRIDAY SEPT. 4

SUNDAY SEPT. 6

6:00pm Pride 2015 Meet & Greet Burger & Beer Finleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Irish Bar & Grill 705 Vernon Street

3:00pm Kootenay Pride Parade 2015 Come As You Are! Baker Street Gather at Central School

SATURDAY SEPT. 5 12:00pm Kootenay Pride 2015 Coffee House (TBC) Expressions Cafe 554 Ward Street 10:00pm Spirit of Pride 2015 Drag Show & Dance SpiritBar 422 Vernon Street

4:00pm Pride Wine Garden & Cool-Down (TBC) BiBO 518 Hall Street

MONDAY SEPT. 7 11:00am 19th Annual Kootenay Pride Mimosa Monday The Hume (Library) 422 Vernon Street

For 19 years, Kootenay Pride has been ahead of the game, showing the rest of the world how open and progressive Nelson and area is. 2015 is set to have a bevvy of kings, queens, and local LGBTQ scene-makers. Go to www.kootenaypride. com or www.facebook.com/kootenaypride for the latest information and updates, as some events are to be confirmed.