Summer is the season for road trips, and Hong Kong-Canadian musician Tennyson King — coming soon to Ashcroft for a concert — says that his latest album, Good Company, would make a great soundtrack for anyone travelling.
“I write my own music, and the album was inspired by my time touring during the four years prior to COVID,” he says.
“It’s a reflection of the different, beautiful places I’ve been to in China, Australia, and Brazil, which inspired me visually, and the music reflects my own thoughts about connecting with the people and their communities.
“The songs could be the soundtrack to someone’s trip, as my music was inspired by my own travels. It’s feel-good, upbeat music that you can listen to on a road trip or backpacking adventure.”
King brings his indie-folk music — which he says can be described as having a “Jack Johnson meets Jack Mayer” kind of vibe — to Ashcroft’s UniTea Café and Lounge on Wednesday, July 13. It’s one of the first stops on a tour that kicked off in Creston on July 2, has him performing at Music in the Park in Kamloops on July 7, and will see him continue through the prairie provinces before finishing in Ontario at the end of September.
“It’s exciting to be be back on tour,” says King. “Before COVID I was touring 10 months a year, three months at a time. I tour in Australia and Asia a lot; I go there when it’s winter here.”
On his website, King notes that “I feel that a big part of the reason I perform so much and tour so much around the country is not only because I love it, but to also really represent the Asian/Chinese community in the live performance setting. Growing up I rarely saw anyone that looked like me on stage, which made it hard to really imagine myself in the place that I am today.
“Even today, it is still rare to see Chinese musicians on stage in Canada. So part of my performing in front of people is to bring that awareness and inspire young Asian artists. It’s why I think it’s important for me to play so much and definitely fuels me to keep at it.”
King tells the Journal that while he does see an increasing number of Asian artists in mainstream and popular culture, from a music industry standpoint it still isn’t common.
“I look at the musicians in a season of Music in the Park and there will only be one or two Asian artists. The more I can get out there and play, the more I can inspire young Asian performers. We’re slowly heading towards that, and I’m doing my best to represent that community.”
He’ll be doing that this summer in a wide variety of venues, from outdoor settings with mountains as a backdrop to intimate indoor spaces, and says he’s looking forward to being in Ashcroft.
“I love playing all different types of venues, because there are different aspects to the engagement depending on the venue. I’m really excited to be at UniTea because of the intimacy, and I’ve heard great things about the café and the community support.
“I love connecting with audiences when they’re right there, and in a smaller space everything hits harder. I can share my stories and tell them more intimately. I’m very excited to come to Ashcroft for the first time.”
The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. on July 13 (doors open at 6:30 p.m.), with local duo The Dire Heart opening for King. You can find out more about King, and watch and listen to samples of his music, at https://bit.ly/3urlTxd. Tickets for the concert are $22 each, and can be purchased at UniTea, by calling (250) 457-1145, or by emailing uniteainashcroft@gmail.com.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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