ZULA Presents
MARCH 2006 at RIME
(Click here to download calendar in PDF)
Artist in Residence in March: SKYE BROOKS
Since finishing his music studies at VCC in 1998, drummer (as well as guitarist & vocalist) Skye Brooks has become an active figure in Vancouver’s creative music community. From 2000-2005 he co-curated the weekly improvised music series parallelatuesdays, which featured local and out town musicians. He loves the diversity and challenge of playing in a wide variety of settings. Some bands he performs with regularly are: Inhabitants, Copilots, DarkBlueWorld, Aeroplane Trio, Fond of Tigers, Tony Wilson Sextet and The Kevin House Band. he has also performed with The NOW Orchestra, Peggy Lee, Dylan van der Schyff, Wolfgang Fuchs, Ches Smith, The Be Good Tanyas, Bob Wiseman, Rob Wright and Submission Hold.
Wed, Mar 1/ Queso Blanco & Field (9 pm, $5-10)
Vancouver’s answer to Los Cubanos Postizos, quirky take on Cuban & Latin music smothered generously with premium cheese with tasty chops from Noah Walker guitar; Michael Paterson bass; Michael Simpson drums.
This talented group of local artists plays original compositions often characterized by catchy angular melodic passages, crafty odd-meter grooves, and creative extended irregular forms. The intimate trio format allows them to manifest the raw intensity of hard-hitting improvisations, fiery solos, and cohesive ensemble playing. Chris Kelly tenor & baritone saxophones; Shanto Bhattacharya bass, effects; Ben Wilson drums
Thu, Mar 2/ Barrie Davis & ShinyBuckleBand (9 pm, $5-10)
After a successful autumn tour of Ontario and whirlwind promo trip to the UK, singer, songwriter, storyteller Barrie Davis brings his Australian cabaret to Rime.
“Affectingly retro in style, Barrie Davis is a compelling entertainer with a powerful baritone, a penchant for grand sentimental ballads and the songs of Eric Bogle, and a grab-bag of humorous yarns, poems and commentaries that he has woven into a sort of Down Under cabaret entitled “Australia in Song and Story.” Greg Quill, The Toronto Star
ShinyBuckleBand brings together singer-songwriters Kat Wahamaa (Mad Cowgirls, Angela Harris, Grrrls With Guitars) & Tony Rees (Shirley U Jest, The Caboose) & Steve Vickery (Siyaka, Billy Bryans, Ken and Chris Whiteley, Lillian Allen) — with steel guitar, fiddle and vocal harmonies to create its own brand of Western Swing, blending standards, some early rock and roll, blues, country, Hawaiian and fiddle tunes, along with originals to produce their unique sound.
Fri, Mar 3/ Sangha (10 pm, $5-10)
Drawing from a melting pot of, predominantly Arabic, Persian and Indian musical/improvisational traditions, yet forging a new path, Sangha plays anything from Indian classical rhythms mixed with Persian improvisation in one piece, Arabic melodic modulation set in a Persian mode in another, to African melody set inside a Westernized improvisational structure in the next. Gord Grdina oud; Hidayat Honari tar; Hamin Honari tombak, daf; Neelamjit Dhillon tabla
Sat, Mar 4/ (eve) DJs Tarun & Adrian from Beats without Borders (9 pm, $5)
The Beats Without Borders Collective is made up of 4 established world beat DJs, who spin the best dance music on the planet… from funked out afrobeat to sexy middle-eastern bellydance to bangin’ bhangra, they’ll rock the party, guaranteed.
Tarun is a tabla player, dj, and producer from Montreal. Adrian is a producer, multi-instrumentalist (bass, electric guitar, laptop & the melodica) & dj. Tarun & Adrian spend much of their time organizing events with the Beats Without Borders Collective.
Sun, Mar 5/ (aft) Prince Albert Composition Workshop Band (1 pm, by donation)
Sunday afternoons at 1 pm: Drummer Dan Gaucher & friends have created Prince Albert Composition Workshop Band as a musical vehicle with the sole purpose of exploring original compositions from its members, all young up and coming musicians in Vancouver…the music is written for this band specifically. The instrumentation presenting both a challenge for the composer and a diverse sonic palette to draw from…with Neelamjit Dhillon tabla, alto sax, flute, and sitar; Evan Arntzen clarinet; Catherine Toren piano; Sean Cronin acoustic bass; Shanto Bhattacharya cello
Sun, Mar 5/ (aft) Sunday Afternoon Sessions (3 pm, by donation)
Sunday afternoons at 3 pm: Drummer Jesse Cahill hosts a weekly jam session to provide a good meeting ground for great players from all over town, including some of the finest up and coming music students. Along with Jesse, the house band will include Terry Deane on tenor saxophone, Tommy Babbin on bass.
Sun, Mar 5/ (eve) Hot Club of Mars (9 pm, $5-10)
Classic gypsy-swing-jazz exploring “…an imaginary terrain between Waikiki in the 1920’s and the Left Bank (Paris) in the 1930’s…” – Alex Varty
Deanna Knight vocals; Michael Dunn Maccaferri-style lead & National steel guitars; Steve “Bugzy” Szabo rhythm guitar; Mark Dowding saxophone, flute, harmonica; Charlie Knowles bass
Mon, Mar 6/ The October Trio (9 pm, $5-10)
Young lions perform beautiful, driving jazz, exploring the history, freedom & boundaries of the sax trio tradition. Check them out! These guys are the cat’s ass! Evan Arntzen tenor saxophone; Josh Cole bass; Dan Gaucher drums
Tue, Mar 7/ AIR: Skye Brooks (9 pm, $5-10)
Set 1 – Karma Sohn Band: Delicate, soulful, melodic songs featuring vocals and writing by Karma and Skye. Karma Sohn vocals, piano; Skye Brooks vocals, acoustic guitar; Russell Sholberg upright bass; Dylan Smith drums
Set 2 – Three unique voices come together to share their love for spontaneous music making. Ron Samworth guitar; Jesse Zubot violin; Skye Brooks drums.
www.dripaudio.com
Wed, Mar 8/ Rich Hope plus Mikey Manville (9 pm, $10)
In Rich Hope‘s musical universe, foot stompin’ free-for-alls and country laments meet right where Bob Dylan, Mississippi Fred MacDowell, R.L. Burnside and Hank Williams sit down together to eat BBQ and drink whiskey.
Mikey Manville of the Manvilles treats us to a unique blues-heavy sound that is offset by subdued, alt-country flirtations.
Thu, Mar 9/ The Skedaddlers (9 pm, $5-10)
The Skedaddlers were born out of Barkerville where they roamed the streets and saloons playing music for whoever would listen and even those that wouldn’t. Irreverent and reverential in their not so classic renditions of old time favourites, John Bottomley, Wyckham Porteous and Steven Drake have been nominated for Juno Awards, Socan Awards and Western Canada Music Awards. Don’t miss this show promising to be full of warmth and humour, with a musical feel reminiscent of O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Fri, Mar 10/ SqueezeFest Night #1 (8 pm, $15/20)
Zula presents the four set opening night of SqueezeFest; a 13 set accordion extravaganza featuring a madly eclectic line-up of music & musicians to honour the rich heritage & contemporary powers of this beautiful, tricky, often overlooked, magical instrument.
Set 1 – Minor Swing is made up of some of the city’s finest younger musicians. They play Parisian café music, resembling Hot Club of France’s Gypsy-jazz, with much passion, respect, sensitivity and gusto. Tyler Carson violin; Dave Taylor guitar; Tyson Naylor accordion; Michael Patterson bass
Set 2 – Explorer of minutia-Canadiana, Mark Berube‘s music is grounded in the shared styles of Hawksley Workman, Tom Waits, Rufus Wainwright and Bob Dylan. At 9 years old, he was among a dancing crowd of 10,000 watching the late South African pop star Brenda Fassie at Somhlolo Soccer Stadium in Swaziland. With apartheid still strong next door in South Africa, this concert reverberated on many levels: musically, socially, and politically. Mix this life-defining experience with Manitoban-Quebecois roots, a stylistically diverse musical repertoire, the piano, accordion, guitar and a voice that disarms his audiences, and you have the multi-faceted sound of Mark Berube.
Set 3 – Internationally renowned accordionist, New York City Downtown scene’s innovative squeezebox guru Guy Klucevsek has created a unique repertoire for accordion through his own composing and by commissioning over 50 works from composers including John Zorn, Lois V Vierk, Fred Frith, Alvin Lucier & William Duckworth. He has also performed and/or recorded with Laurie Anderson, Anthony Braxton, Anthony Coleman, Bill Frisell, Fred Frith, Robin Holcomb, the Kronos Quartet, Natalie Merchant, Pauline Oliveros, Bobby Previte & John Zorn. He was an original member of Dave Douglas’s band, Charms of the Night Sky, with whom he recorded two albums and toured throughout North America and Europe.
In 1987, Klucevsek commissioned Polka From the Fringe, a collection of 32 post-modern two-steps by such composers as Carl Finch, Fred Frith, Christian Marclay and Elliott Sharp, which he presented at the 1988 Next Wave Festival, and has performed around the world with his group, Ain’t Nothin’ But A Polka Band. In 1996, Klucevsek formed The Accordion Tribe, an international line-up of composer/accordionists Maria Kalaniemi (Finland), Lars Hollmer (Sweden), Bratko Bibic (Slovenia), Otto Lechner (Austria), and himself. They have released two recordings on the Intuition label, and are the subjects of the Stefan Schwietert documentary film, Accordion Tribe: Music Travels.
Klucevsek has released 16 recordings as soloist/leader, including the highly acclaimed releases Polka Dots & Laser Beams, Who Stole the Polka?, Transylvanian Softwear.. You can also hear him on John Williams’s score for Steven Spielberg’s movie The Terminal. He has even played on Broadway with the shows Piaf, Victor/Victoria, and Fiddler on the Roof.
For his first solo Vancouver performances in decades, Mr. Klucevsek will grace the Rime stage for each of the three nights of SqueezeFest!
Set 4 – Saul Berson Quartet: The focus of this great quartet is to create an eclectic mix of music incorporating Middle-Eastern overtones with a pinch of Piazzolla thrown in for good measure.
“…creates an intense set of Arabian rhythms and…is a delirious mess of tango and klezmer” – Cadence
“Fine stuff! What a treat, I love this disc; I am going to put it in my big bin for my end of the year ‘Hit List’ roundup… The music just makes me smile…Well done, may it sell millions!” – Jurgen Gothe, CBC Discdrive
Saul Berson alto saxophone; Tony Wilson guitar; Kim Darwin accordion; Paul Blaney bass
Sat, Mar 11/ (eve) SqueezeFest Night #2 (8 pm, $15/20)
Zula presents the second night -sets 5 through 9- of SqueezeFest; a 13 set accordion extravaganza featuring a madly eclectic line-up of music & musicians to honour the rich heritage & contemporary powers of this beautiful, tricky, often overlooked, magical instrument.
Set 5 – One of the city’s finest accordionist-singer-performers and funniest beings anywhere, Ana Bon-Bon‘s burlesque/wandering minstrels show is a must see/hear event! Ms. Bon-Bon will feature some of her new originals in the cabaret style with a large dose of humour, sensual and suggestive lyrics, as well as songs from her repertoire of gospel, swing/blues, and show tunes.
“Nodding to old blues, gospel, and Tin Pan Alley tunesmithing, Vancouver’s Ana Bon-Bon and her full-bodied voice and accordion playing bring a vintage bawdy-house bon-temps vibe to life.” – Rupert Bottenberg, Montreal Mirror
www.teaseorama.com/performers/ana_bon_bon.html
Set 6 – The eccentric and eclectic eight-piece Toot-a-Lute takes a combination of unusual songs and old world dance tunes and puts them into unique arrangements that showcase the band’s diverse talents. Oliver Sutton (button accordion), Isabella Trebond (vocals, mandolin), James Trebond (alto sax), The Troll (vocals, euphonium), Matthew Savage (clarinet), Paula Maylin (clarinet), Liam Helmer (vocals, percussion), and guest Bryan Siver (percussion) (star fiddler Annie Brown sadly not available tonight) combine their instruments and voices to provide a high energy show that is a visual treat as well, thanks to the members’ dancing talents and those of Isabella, who doubles as Band costumer!
Set 7 – David Roundell‘s music teachers kept chastising him for embellishing on his weekly lessons until they realized he had a talent for arranging and improvisation. Roundell has been involved in a wide range of music from country & western through to free-improv. He has scored for theatre and spoken word and is a founding member and impresario/host of Talent Hut, a performance art troupe. He has recently been playing with DarkBlueWorld and with new found inspiration he continues to explore ensemble and solo accordion music.
Set 8 – Guy Klucevsek (New York City) performs another mesmerising solo set. See March 10th for more info.
Set 9 – Jessica Lurie Ensemble: Originally from Seattle, now based in New York, Jessica Lurie covers diverse ground and is involved in many musical scenes as singer, composer, reeds and woodwind player, with quickly emerging accordion talents. She will be performing songs and improvisations from her recent recordings with a killer ensemble that includes long time collaborator accordionist/singer Amy Denio (from the Tiptons Sax Quartet) and drummer Andrew Drury, with whom she has a duo project, plus Vancouver favourites François Houle on clarinets and Tommy Babin on bass.
Sun, Mar 12/ (aft) Prince Albert Composition Workshop Band (1 pm, by donation)
See March 5th for more info.
Sun, Mar 12/ (aft) Sunday Afternoon Sessions (3 pm, by donation)
See March 5th for more info.
Sun, Mar 12/ (eve) SqueezeFest Night #3 (8 pm, $15/20)
Zula presents the third and final night -sets 10 through 13 – of SqueezeFest; a 13 set accordion extravaganza featuring a madly eclectic line-up of music & musicians to honour the rich heritage & contemporary powers of this beautiful, tricky, often overlooked, magical instrument.
Set 10 – What does David P. Smith, one of Victoria’s finest, have for us? 21st Century Hillbilly Rhythm ‘n’ Booze…The raw energy and emotion of old-time country & western and rhythm ‘n’ blues, articulate, visceral lyrics, the majesty of the accordion, noise, and your drunken uncle’s dinner table humour…talent gone waaay below the radar & deserving wide recognition … go figger … with his irreverent band Dad’s Juice, which includes the great Scott Henderson on guitar & banjo.
Set 11 – Contemporary music duo, The Slide Show Secret, was established in 2004 by German accordionist Eva Zöllner and Icelandic double-bassist Kristján Orri Sigurleifsson – currently living in Copenhagen. Both musicians are attracted to the many unexplored sound possibilities of this unique combination of instruments. In their new programme “TIME ZONE Z” The Slide Show Secret is exploring some of these aspects in new pieces by Icelandic, German and American composers, intending to draw a connection between these cultures. Short pieces by John Cage, the Harmonies from Apartmenthouse 1776, were chosen to frame the programme, as well as pieces by more recent composers Helmut Zapf (Germany), Pete Moss (US), Matthias Pintscher (Germany), Steingrimur Rohloff (Iceland/Germany), Ingi Gardar Erlendsson (Iceland) and intend to link tradition with latest musical developments.
www.eva-zoellner.de www.kristjanorri.com
Set 12 – Guy Klucevsek (New York City) performs yet another luscious solo set. See March 10th for more info.
Set 13 – Composer, singer, multi-instrumentalist Amy Denio is back with FAQ, a fearsomely joyous and able group of musicians bringing mostly original, some transcribed music and the gospel of accordion chaos from Seattle, WA to the world at large… with Scott Adams, Marchette DuBois & Eli Kaufman. What better way to close a very special festival… but with four accordionists!!
Mon, Mar 13/ Dusty Keeler & John Craigie (9 pm, $5-10)
Dusty Keeler has been hailed as one of Halifax’s unsung heroes, living proof of the romantic renegade that attracts us all to a good folk song. He sings songs of loss, of fortune, road stories and drinking journeys; the country sway and ramble rhymes of each tune capture his audiences time and time again with the romantic grit of reality.
www.dustysmusic.com
For the past four years, John Craigie has taken his unique musical style across the West Coast. He stays true to the essence of folk music, and the traditions of the seminal writers of the past century. With timeless melodies and insightful lyrics -interspersed with witty storytelling- his songs take many poetic turns before bringing it all back home.
Tue, Mar 14/ AIR: Skye Brooks (9 pm, $5-10)
Set 1 – One can’t help but be moved by the honesty and ferocity of guitarist, vocalist Chad MacQuarrie‘s live performances. Don’t miss this rare solo set of his mellower side. Skye Brooks will sit in on drums for a few numbers.
Set 2 – Aeroplane Trio is a tight, home-grown, vital, fresh jazz & avant-jazz unit that leaves no stone unturned in its search for the secret… JP Carter trumpet; Russell Sholberg bass; Skye Brooks drums
Set 3 – Inhabitants: “Blissful, yet dissonant ambience” – The Stranger
From melodic to minimalist, from deep groove to all out noise, this quartet inhabits Vancouver’s music underground… Dave Sikula guitar; JP Carter trumpet; Pete Schmitt bass; Skye Brooks drums
Wed, Mar 15/ Astrid (9 pm, $5-10)
A charismatic vocalist and versatile, skilled performer, alto sax and flute player, Astrid has collaborated with many great Canadian and European musicians, as well as New York poet Leanne Averbach. Some of her music has been featured in film, documentaries and dance productions. Astrid and her very talented band play a genuine fusion of bossa, pop, jazz and chill… distinguishing her as an artist with a style and sound of her own.
Chris Gestrin piano; Finn Manniche cello; Warren Brown electronics; Kerry Galloway bass; Randall Stroll drums, Raphael Geronimo percussion,
Thu, Mar 16/ ESQ & Jillian Lebeck Quartet (9 pm, $5-10)
ESQ is made up of local greats exploring free-jazz & more structured forms ranging from the subtle and eclectic to the very hard driving. Kevin Elaschuk trumpet; Dave Say saxophones; André Lachance guitar; Paul Rushka bass; Stan Taylor drums
Pianist/composer/vocalist Jillian Lebeck is one of the most dynamic and exciting voices on the West Coast jazz scene. The quartet features mostly original music influenced by the sounds of Bill Frisell and Norma Winstone. They also experiment with improv, as well as some modern day pop influenced songs. Jillian Lebeck Fender Rhodes, voice; Steve Fisk guitar, effects; Paul Rushka acoustic bass; Paul Townsend drums
Fri, Mar 17/ Dyad with DJ Su Comandante plus Zoë Bicât (9 pm, $5-10)
Dyad is Kori Miyanishi on fiddle, banjo, guitar, vocal; Shiho Mizumoto fiddle with special guest Dave Marshall on guitar sitting in for the touring Leah Abramson. Appalachian ballads, fiddle and banjo tunes are played with intensity, respect and conviction by three musicians raised on everything from indie-rock and punk to classical music.
Born in El Salvador and raised on Vancouver Island, DJ Su Comandante is a master of musical fusion, a captivating, innovative West Coast DJ seamlessly blending Latin, hip-hop, trip-hop, downtempo, raggaeton, dancehall, drum ‘n’ bass, funky breaks, house, world-beat, funk and old school r & b in a unique synthesis that pays homage to the roots and revitalizes the possibilities in each genre. With a contagious passion for music’s emotional and social power, DJ Su Comandante creates beats that are fresh, conscious and utterly danceable.
Sat, Mar 18/ (eve) Steve Dawson & The Gold Coast Ensemble plus Old Man Luedecke (9 pm, $10)
A multi-Juno Award winner guitarist and vocalist Steve Dawson‘s instrumental abilities have allowed him to share the stage with internationally-known musicians such as Bob Brozman, John Lee Hooker, Chris Whitley, Kelly Joe Phelps, and many others. With his amazing band, The Gold Coast Ensemble, he explores the territory between old and new, antique and modern – experimenting stylistically and sonically. Played on various guitars, including Weissenborn and pedal steel, there are glimpses of acoustic blues, early Hawaiian, jazz and pop music, mixed with modern sounds and textures…with Chris Gestrin on keys, Keith Lowe on bass and Elliot Polsky on drums.
In the tradition of solo banjo men and women of days gone by like Dock Boggs, Bascom Lunsford and Roscoe Holcomb, Old Man Luedecke sings accompanied only by his loving five string banjo, foot stomps and the occasional yodel. His songs are melodic gems blending old time sensibilities with an unusual vision and poetic sense. His music belies someone more than slightly ill at ease with modern life. This is a bizarre type of music Dock Boggs might have made if he’d studied poetry.
Sun, Mar 19/ (aft) Prince Albert Composition Workshop Band (1 pm, by donation)
See March 5th for more info.
Sun, Mar 19/ (aft) Sunday Afternoon Sessions (3 pm, by donation)
See March 5th for more info.
Sun, Mar 19/ (eve) Songsphere & Prashant John Trio (9 pm, $5-10)
Songsphere: Improvisational landscapes – ambient fields broken by bustling hedgerows of song… Britfolk, Celtic soul, re-contextualized classics and poetic originals, otherworldly sonic textures, and rootsy declamations presented in a suite-like setting. Ron Samworth guitar, vocals; Robyn Carrigan vocals, guitar, accordion; Jesse Zubot violin, mandolin; Peggy Lee cello; Paul Blaney bass; Kenton Loewen drums, guitar, vocals
Prashant John Trio: Improvised and composed organic world music full of rhythms, textures and melodies from Russia to Bangladesh to Canada via the Mid-east in a joyful spirit of musical delight, and friendship without cultural boundaries. Prashant John bamboo flutes, various stringed instruments; Boris Sichon percussion, woodwinds; Stefan Cihelka tabla
Mon, Mar 20/ The Gruff & Headwater (9 pm, $5-10)
Hailing from Victoria, The Gruff filter numerous folk traditions through the sieve of modern experience to create a truly unique sound. From old-time to country; from bluegrass to good old rock ‘n’ roll; these young songwriters harmonize, sing and shout songs of joy, sorrow, and everything in between; with astounding energy and passion. Jenny Ritter guitar, mandolin, vocals; Terri Upton bass, vocals; Phaedra Kemp snare, harmonica, guitar, vocals
Headwater consists of songwriters, string players Jonas Shandel and Matt Bryant from North Vancouver, and features a powerful rhythm section of Patrick Metzger on upright bass and Dan Gaucher on drums. The typical Headwater set contains over half original material, and cover material including Gillian Welch, Bruce Springsteen and Nirvana. Headwater focuses their live energy on keeping the crowd moving with infectious rhythms, improvisational experimentation and their very apparent love of performing.
Tue, Mar 21/ AIR: Skye Brooks (9 pm, $5-10)
Set 1 – Carsick, an eclectic and original electro-acoustic duo, will release their first full-length on Drip Audio this fall. And don’t worry, they’re not out to make you ill; they make nice music, really… JP Carter trumpet; Dave Sikula guitar
www.dripaudio.com
Set 2 – Copilots perform rhythmic, energetic songs with captivating melodies sung from the heart. Skye Brooks vocals, guitar; Chad MacQuarrie guitar, vocals; Pete Schmitt bass, vocals; Dylan Smith drums; with guests JP Carter trumpet; Karma Sohn piano
Wed, Mar 22/ The Crackling & Jonathan Inc. (9 pm, $5-10)
Kenton Loewen‘s music is lucid, delicate, intense and fiery. The Crackling features a strong focus on melody, vocals and guitar work… making for a transporting experience … a dynamic band and communication that is truly captivating. Kenton Loewen guitar, vocals; Sarah Donald violin, vocals; Debra-Jean Creelman vocals; Tyson Naylor keys, vocals; Jeremy Page bass, vocals; Dan Gaucher drums
Jonathan Inc. (solo) “Melancholic melodies, each acoustic guitar note strummed with the heavy hand caused by the dislocation and isolation of heartbreak, giving way to lyrics sung as tenderly as the words of a dying man” – Now Magazine
Jonathan Anderson guitars & vocals
Thu, Mar 23/ Grrrls With Guitars (9 pm, $5-10)
Curated by singer-songwriter Nadine Davenport, Grrrls with Guitars has been around for over 10 years, presenting over 500 women songwriters, including Kinnie Starr, Po’ Girl, Linda McRae.
Baltimore’s SONiA expands on her already exceptionally successful solo career by creating the newest version of the almost 20 year old band disappear fear as a power trio. The new band includes Laura Cerulli on percussion and vocals, and Angela Edge on bass and trumpet, along with SONiA on lead vocals, guitar, harmonica and piano. With new arrangements, lush harmonies and plenty of power and energy, disappear fear is delivering their own brand of social activism, connecting with fans across the globe.
ASH RIOT, in an acoustic performance, has a way of holding the audience in the palms of her hands. From the true punk-rock spirit that she unleashes, to the old school rock n’ roll that’s constantly sifting through her veins, she’s setting the audience on fire with her energy and originality.
Fri, Mar 24/ Pissed Off Wild (9 pm, $5-10)
The P.O.W started off as a beer, went around like a reefer and ended up passed out in the back yard under a picnic table as an empty quart of whiskey clutched in its hand and a huge smile on its face. It’s punk-rock/hip-hop at its best. With sold-out shows from Texas’ SXSW festival to Hawaii to Vancouver this quartet is absolutely tearing the roof off of every place they play. Josh Martinez vocals; Jesse Waldman guitar; Pete Schmitt bass; Kenton Loewen drums
Sat, Mar 25/ (eve) Feminine Protection (9 pm, $8-10)
This evening of spoken word and jazz, as part of the Sista’Hood 2006 Festival, will feature local wordsmiths Ivan Coyote and Rachel Flood, as well as the passionate and powerful Tara Hardy from Seattle, and the improv stylings of The Empressions, a branch of the Kalmunity Vibe Collective from Montreal.
Seattle’s Tara Hardy is a working class queer femme poet who founded Bent, a writing institute for LGBTIQ people in Seattle, WA. A daughter of the United Auto Workers, and activist in the Battered Women’s Movement, she was elected Seattle’s Poet Populist and won Seattle Grand Slam Champion in 2002.
The son of a welder and the daughter of a government worker, Ivan Coyote was born and raised in Whitehorse Yukon. The author of four collections of short stories, a monthly columnist for Xtra West, and a CBC lovechild, Ivan’s work has also appeared in the National Post, the Georgia Straight, Geist, Shared Vision, Nerve, and Curve Magazines. Ivan’s first and truest love is live storytelling, and over the last ten years she has become an audience favourite at music, poetry, spoken word and writer’s festivals from Anchorage to New York City. The Globe and Mail called Ivan “a natural-born storyteller” and Ottawa X Press said ” Coyote is to CanLit what k.d. lang is to country music: a beautifully odd fixture.”
www.ivanecoyote.com
Rachel Flood is a Vancouver poet and art administrator who has been performing at and producing events for over seven years. Rachel has performed locally at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, the Vancouver Poetry Slam and Under the Volcano; and internationally at the Berkeley, Brooklyn, Denver and San Diego Slams, as well as poetry venues in Boston, Portland Maine, and Chicago. She has shared the stage with the likes of Medusa, Michael Franti, K-OS and Siren’s Echo to name but a few.
www.rachelflood.coffeehouse.ca
The Empressions: A Branch of the Kalmunity Vibe Collective (Montreal)- The Empressions is the feminine expression of the Kalmunity Vibe Collective and has been working together for different performances since the Toronto Dub Festival in the summer of 2005 at the Mystic Women of Dub showcase; where they dazzled the audience with a fully improvised acapella set. It was from this performance that they were reminded of the power women possess when working together. The Empressions since that time have presented full length shows at the Kalmunity Vibe Collective weekly Tuesday night performances with exclusively female artists: musicians, singer, poets and rappers. Always staying true to form The Empressions works along the main principle of The Kalmunity Vibe Collective, which is to create communication with its audience through live organic improv.
www.SistaHoodCelebration.com
Sun, Mar 26/ (aft) Prince Albert Composition Workshop Band (1 pm, by donation)
See March 5th for more info.
Sun, Mar 26/ (aft) Sunday Afternoon Sessions (3 pm, by donation)
See March 5th for more info.
Sun, Mar 26/ (eve) Cantango (9 pm, $5-10)
Mike Spindloe (saxophones) and Martin Nemcovsky (guitars) come from strong classical backgrounds but share a love of jazz, Brazilian choros and other genres which are all represented in Cantango‘s performing repertoire along with the tangos from Martin’s native Argentina with David Spidel on bass.
Mon, Mar 27/ Twilight Hotel & Rodney DeCroo (9 pm, $5-10)
“Not since the heyday of Ian and Silvia 40 years ago has there been such a dynamic male/female duo on the Canadian Roots scene.” – Mike Youds, Kamloops Daily News
Winnipeg’s Twilight Hotel leaves your average folk/roots music in the dust with Dave Quanbury & Brandy Zdan‘s powerful, duelling electric guitars, soaring vocal harmonies and the unexpected sound of the accordion. The songs are heavy set with passion and fuelled by guts; they tell the stories of life’s odds, sometimes harsh, sometimes sweet. Growing up in Winnipeg leaves its mark, Twilight Hotel give you the feeling of being behind the wheel and staring out at that endless horizon, but this isn’t the kind of wheel you fall asleep at…
Vancouver poet, actor and singer-songwriter Rodney DeCroo channels the storytelling tradition of Dylan, Van Zandt and Parsons into his own commanding country-rock.
Tue, Mar 28/ AIR: Skye Brooks (9 pm, $5-10)
Set 1 – Ida Nilsen and Skye Brooks Duo: Spacious, subtle and beautiful tunes with Ida Nilsen vocals, piano; Skye Brooks drums, vocals, guitar.
www.greatauntida.com
Set 2 – Little Stitches Trio: Formed in 1999, this band plays otherworldly, spontaneous music that has already turned the corner. Chris Kelly sax; Joel Lower guitar; Skye Brooks drums
Wed, Mar 29/ Bob Wiseman & Leah Abramson (9 pm, $10)
Ex-Blue Rodeo keyboardist, singer, guitarist, accordionist & songwriter Bob Wiseman has become even more prolific since leaving the band. His music is hard to pigeonhole varying from avant-garde to political pop. He’s co-written, produced and played on records for a wide variety of artists ranging from the Barenaked Ladies to Mendelson Joe, as well as scoring music for many television & film projects.
Leah Abramson sings songs that are haunting, intelligent and beautiful, like the long lost love-child of Jason Molina and Joni Mitchell. Dark and melancholic, her songs have both sweet and sad undertones.
Thu, Mar 30/ Fond of Tigers & Bob Wiseman (9 pm, $10)
“In these heady 21st Century days, there exists an exciting musical melting-pot where elements of both post-rock and modern jazz cross paths in a sonic wonderland-one foot firmly planted in Don Caballero /Cap’n Jazz territory, and the other in Miles Davis / John McLaughlin country, with all stops in between. One of Vancouver’s best examples of this not-so-new but oh-so-fresh sound is the quirky yet compelling septet-collective known as Fond of Tigers.” Terminal City
Fond of Tigers is an eclectic post-rock band…angular, minimalist music by “maximalist” renegades. Stephen Lyons guitar; Jesse Zubot violin; Morgan McDonald piano; JP Carter trumpet; Shanto Battacharya bass; Skye Brooks drums; Dan Gaucher drums;
Bob Wiseman (see March 29th) will play a solo set and with Fond of Tigers.
Fri, Mar 31/ Doug Cox & Sam Hurrie (9 pm, $10)
Doug Cox & Sam Hurrie take their audience on a ride, regaling them with tales of larger-than-life characters who’ve shaped the blues. Visiting us from the Island, two wildly talented and celebrated veteran roots multi-instrumenstalists join forces on a stage cluttered with vintage National Steel guitars, mandolins, handmade brass guitars, dobros, Weissenborns and more, while sharing fascinating stories behind the instruments & the songs.
ZULA Presents 