Faye Blais at the Packing House
The Packing House in Spences Bridge presents another great night of music and food. Faye Blais will be coming to town on Wednesday, Sept. 11 and sharing her impressive jazzy-bluesy folk style.
A full-time singer-songwriter, Blais is at home playing both the acoustic and electric guitars, keys and on vocals. Her influences stem from the indie music scene, starting with early 90s artists such as Jewel, Sarah McLachlan, Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, and Ani DiFranco, and later moving onto Feist and Metric. Initially identifying herself more with folk music, she broadened her horizons over the years and gravitated towards other genres.
“I don’t want to give it any kind of focused label because I wanna have the freedom to sort of create without boundaries I suppose,” she said. Blais’ latest album, On the Bright Side, was released in May of 2012 and consists of a collection of songs she has written over the years of her travels living in Taiwan, Australia and Canada over the last five years. Recorded at her family’s cottage in northern Ontario, the album served introspectively as a way for her to come out of a darker period of her life and find her groove.
Reserve your candlelit table and enjoy the fresh picked offerings of Secret Gardens farm featured in your dinner and dessert. Dinner starting from 5:30 pm with music starting at 7 pm. Call for reservations at (250) 458-2256.
Clinton Arts & Artisan Show
The 8th Annual Clinton Arts & Artisan Show runs Friday, Oct. 4 to Sunday, Oct. 6. Opening night is Oct. 4, from 6-9 pm. The Show continues Saturday and Sunday, 1-6 pm in Clinton’s Memorial Hall, 306 Lebourdais St.
As well as all the fabulous art displayed on the walls there will be artisans selling crafts at tables. Musicians and dancers will be performing intermittently throughout the show.
Call Sandy Reed at 250-457-9560 to reserve space. If interested in performing just come out.
House Concert with Sophia Danai
Creative Cow House Concerts presents Sophia Danai appearing at a special location House Concert on Saturday, Sept. 21. Do yourself a favour and see this up and coming superstar, Sophia Danai. This show will be held at a lovely location called the Eagles Nest Retreat at 2315 Hwy 97C - just 4 km from Ashcroft. Call today for directions (250) 453-9100 and to reserve your comfy chair.
What do you get when you take a woman from Langley British Columbia, of French and Greek descent, whose early exposure to music came by the way of Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Portishead? Sophia Danai, a singer/songwriter described by ION Magazine as “a multi-faceted artist” with music that is both cinematic and soulful.
Enter Chin Injeti, two time Grammy Award winning producer for artists such as Pink and Eminem. One day, on Facebook, Chin sees a charming video of Sophia playing her Electone organ in her parents basement. He is blown away. The songs, the voice, the look, it all made sense. Immediately he was in touch and history is soon to be made. Many songs later, including collaborations with DJ Khalil, THC (Kendrick Lamar), Talib Kweli, and Shad K, to name a few, Sophia Danai is now ready to launch her debut EP “Wishing Well.
On the release of her debut EP, ‘Wishing Well’, Sophia brings a sound that is classic through timeless and thought provoking lyrics, with melodies that are haunting but always heartwarming.
The show starts at 7:30 pm - call (250) 453-9100 to reserve your seat. Hope to some new faces at this very enjoyable community event - coffee, tea and sweets provided. Sure to be a great show!
WRAP Society unwraps their Fall & Spring Musical Season
A Fall and Spring line up for the 2013/14 season is starting to take shape as Winding Rivers Arts & Performance Society begins it’s 4th season of concerts at St Albans in downtown Ashcroft. You can look forward to six Dessert Concerts this season. Plus - an opportunity to buy all six shows as a package for some great cost savings. This offer is only available via phone - so call today at (250) 453-9100 to get all six shows for a great musical deal!
The first show of the Season is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 4 with Vancouver’s Don Alder, who’s percussive wall-of-sound compositional approach has helped him win major competitions around the world. He plays acoustic fingerstyle guitar with a passion that has quickly earned him a reputation as Vancouver’s “best kept little secret”. Don is a world-class fingerstyle guitarist with a “wow factor” that has let to multiple endorsement deals with major manufacturers and collaboration with Greenfield guitars to produce a signature acoustic guitar- the “Don Alder G4” model.
Don currently resides in Vancouver. His unique style of playing incorporates fingerpicking with simultaneous percussion on the soundboard to create a wall of sound. He is often referred to as sounding like a four piece band. Don’s music is his own unique weave of deeply textured melody and story. Lyrical and compelling, his original songs are notes of exploration - some passionate and haunting, some hard-driven, others light and teasing. In quiet pieces or pushing right to the edge, Don’s phenomenal fingerstyle playing and rich voice captivate - not to be missed!
On Nov. 8 you can look forward to Miss Quincy and the Showdown. Just recently here in August to these parts and knocking the socks off everyone who attended Desert Daze in Spences Bridge, Miss Quincy will be bringing her all-girl rock n’ roll band to Ashcroft. You won’t find them singing pretty pages out of their diaries. Instead, you’ll find them starting a party everywhere they play by getting down and rocking out with raunchy roots and blues and straight up rock n’ roll.
On Valentines weekend, we will feature a very unique Sunday Matinee show. Take your sweetie, mom, or the whole family to ‘Paws & Tales ensemble’ on Sunday, Feb. 16. ‘Paws and Tales’ is a quartet of classical musicians from Kamloops.
This ensemble also includes Catharine Dochst on Flute, Sally Arai on Clarinet, Dimiter Terziev on Piano and Opera Singer, Carlene Wiebe on Vocals.
Coming on Friday, March 14 will be The Moonshiners. Known for their powerful three part harmonies, danceable grooves and wild instrumental excursions The Moonshiners are an Urban West Coast take on Bluegrass, folk, early Country and Blues.
Based in Victoria, the band is comprised of some of Vancouver Island’s best acoustic musicians: Chris Herbst (Dobro, vocals), Cluny Macpherson (Bass, vocals), Miriam Sonstenes (Fiddle, Vocals), Mike Brooks (Mandolin) and Tad Ruszel (Guitar, vocals).
On Apr. 6 a special Sunday Matinee gospel style with the fabulous Ken Whiteley. Ken Whiteley is a Canadian roots music legend. His musical journey has taken him from jug band, folk and swing to blues, gospel and children’s music. Among numerous accolades, he has been awarded a Canadian Folk Music Award, Genie Award for Best Original Song in a Canadian film, Lifetime Achievement recognition from the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals and Mariposa Folk Festival.
Whether leading his own group, solo or collaborating with peers at blues, folk, children’s festivals and concerts of all sizes, his “...deep knowledge and infectious passion” guarantee good times for all. As a producer of over 125 recording projects, Ken’s productions have garnered 10 Canadian Gold and Platinum records, four American Gold records, 22 Juno and two Grammy nominations, and sold over eight million copies.
Closing out the Season will be First Nations Artist, Sandy Scofield on Friday, May 9. Scofield is a multi-award winning composer, musician and singer. She has studied classical, jazz, African, Indonesian gamelan and electro-acoustic music.
A Métis from the Saulteaux and Cree Nations, she hails from four generations of fiddlers, singers and musicians. Among her four recordings to date, she has won five Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, a Canadian Folk Music Award, an Indian Summer Music Award (U.S.A.), a Western Canadian Music Award and received three consecutive Juno nominations.
Over the years, she has mentored innumerable First Nations singers and songwriters in the way of rudimentary music theory, vocal techniques, songwriting craft and music-industry protocol. She has toured to festivals on four continents, and in 2011, performed at the International Rainforest World Music Festival in Borneo making this the fifth continent where she has performed. She has composed for dance, film, television and theatre, with the Aboriginal Welcoming Song for the 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremonies, the highlight to date.
Look for a full 2013/14 season line up, videos, show dates and bios of all performers on WRAP’s website – www.windingriversarts.ca
Family Movie Night features Epic
The Village of Cache Creek presents another fun Family Movie at the Cache Creek Community Hall. The feature movie this month is the fabulous animated kids movie - EPIC. Bring the whole family to see this funny fantasy-adventure comedy-drama movie on Saturday, Sept. 28. Admission at the door. Doors open at 6:30 pm with the Movie starting at 7 pm.
There will be popcorn and goodies available for purchase at the concession supporting Cache Creek Elementary School’s Parent Advisory Council. No outside food or drinks, please. Children must be supervised and remain seated and quiet during the movie please.
In EPIC, a teenager finds herself transported to a deep forest setting where a battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil is taking place. She bands together with a rag-tag group characters in order to save their world - and ours.
Desert Bells looking for new member
Desert Bells Handbell Choir, an intergenerational group that rehearses on Thursday evenings in Cache Creek Elementary School, is seeking a new ringer.
If you are interested please call Carmen Ranta for more information at 250-457-9119. Experience not required. Age 10 to senior.
Nadine Davenport