Here is the concert schedule for our 32nd season
October 1
Mae Moore (British Columbia) http://www.maemoore.com/
First Nick Headline, with Lester Quitzau, Feb. ’05
Her songs carry the same crafted tradition as some of Canada’s
finest: Bruce Cockburn, the McGarrigles, Joni Mitchell but strongly bear the
imprint of her own making. – Ben Mink, musician and producer (k.d. lang, Feist).
Warm honey – that is the flow of a Mae Moore song. Her poetics provide the dynamic, and her voice is the sweet mellow stuff. Mae’s songwriting skills led to her debut recording Oceanview Motel. This success was followed by her album Bohemia, an international hit in 1992, and Dragonfly in 1995. Mae has begun to fulfill a contract with herself to bring her love of Canada, its history and its deep, authentic stories to
life through the abundance of her songwriting and musical virtuosity.
Folklore, her newest CD, is rich in colour and texture and substance, that harkens back to a time when an album was listened to, not for its ‘singles’, but as a concept in its wholeness. Folklore explores the decisions one makes in life and how these decisions form one’s own folklore. Mae’s soulful blend of folk, jazz and roots is uniquely and
potently her own.
Opener: Andrew & Zachari Smith (British Columbia)
http://andrewandzacharismith.com/
A Nickleodeon Debut
Andrew and Zachari Smith are a folk, alt-country and tap-style guitar, father son duo. Andrew Smith was a winner of the 2006 Kerrville Newfolk Songwriting Competition. They are multi-instrumentalists; combining guitar, baritone, dobro, mandolin and banjo with pitch perfect harmonies. Andrew Smith “plays like Don Ross and sounds like James Taylor”. Zachari’s songwriting is a sweet blend of original folk and alt-country. His political subject matter harkens back to early Dylan coupled with Beatlesque sensibilities. Their voices meld, like only families can, and they perform in relaxed synchronicity. Andrew and Zachari released their first duo CD called Travelling in 2011.
October 15
Lennie Gallant (Nova Scotia) http://www.lenniegallant.com/
First Nick Headline Mar. ’98
“Our northern neighbor has given us some of the best songwriters living today. You can add Lennie Gallant to that list.” The Performing Songwriter
Recognized by his peers as one of Canada’s best performing songwriters, Lennie Gallant has recorded nine albums (seven in English and two in French), which have won him a host of awards and nominations from the JUNO’s, East Coast Music Awards and the Canadian Folk Music Awards. His 2009 CD, If We Had A Fire Won the 2010 Roots Recording of the Year at the East Coast Music Awards. Lennie was inducted into the Order of Canada where it was said, “Gallant has garnered much respect for his hard hitting songs chronicling the lives of people dealing with tremendous adversity and serious issues. Songs like Peter’s Dream, Island Clay, Man of Steel and The Hope for Next Year, articulate the feelings of many caught up in desperate situations beyond their control, and at the same time celebrate the beauty of lifestyle and landscape with their strong poetry and stirring narratives.”
Opener: Mark Perry (British Columbia) http://www.markperry.bc.ca/
First Nick Opener, Oct. ’02
A hockey game on a frozen lake, towns being born, a railroaders’ last trip, characters, painters, laughs and tragedies are brought to life in Mark’s songs. Growing up in Smithers B.C. meant finding things to do. Hockey and guitars? Opposites perhaps, but a love of both makes for an interesting life. In 1990 he worked on the first of his two albums with Roy Forbes. Dreams of the Highway earned a nomination for roots traditional album at the West coast music awards. Mark is touring with Scott Atchison, on guitar and mandolin, to support the release of his 8th album West.
October 29
Colin Linden (Ontario) http://www.colinlinden.com/
A Nickelodeon Debut!
Close to a masterpiece, “From The Water” is a stunning statement from a supremely gifted man who seems to have music flowing through his veins. Very highly recommended! – Blogcritics
Colin Linden is a singer and songwriter of great skill and his career has featured his playing on over 300 albums, with 70 albums bearing the ‘Produced by Colin Linden’ credit. For the past decade, he’s been a member of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. His well-stocked trophy case includes seven Junos and multiple Maple Blues Awards, and he was nominated for a Grammy for A Tribute To Howlin’ Wolf. Linden has a well-deserved reputation as a slide guitar virtuoso of real originality. 2007′s Easin’ Back To Tennessee served as an homage to the acoustic country blues. His 11th solo CD, From The Water, is a collection of, in Colin’s words, “some of the grooviest, funkiest and most soulful songs I could have written and recorded”; highlighting Linden’s gritty and emotionally eloquent vocals, typically fluent and resonant guitar work, and songs saturated with gravitas, grace, and heart-rending soul.
Opener: Jim McLennan (Alberta) http://www.mclennanflyfishing.com/
First Nick Opener Jan. ’81
Jim McLennan was active as a solo performer in the western Canadian acoustic music scene through the late ’70s and early ’80s. He developed a strong reputation as a finger-style guitarist, specializing in coaxing piano and big band music out of a single acoustic guitar. Arrangements of his music have been featured in Guitar Player magazine. Though he took a 20-year hiatus from performing, his passion for the guitar remained. This year Jim released his first solo CD, Six-String Gumbo, a diverse plateful of solo instrumental guitar pieces, running from original compositions to arrangments of swing, ragtime, pop and blues.
November 12
Ruth Moody (Manitoba) http://www.ruthmoody.com/
First Nick Headline, with The Wailin’ Jennys Oct. ’04
First Nick opener with The Wailin’ Jennys Nov. ’02
The Canadian chanteuse is a multi-instrumentalist, superb songwriter, and just has one of those voices - bold and brassy one minute, whispery and haunting the next. – Duluth News Tribune
Ruth Moody is a former lead singer with Scruj MacDuhk (The Duhks) and a founding member of The Wailin’ Jennys, whose CD 40 Days won a Juno Award for best roots and traditional album of 2004. Ruth was recognized by the International Songwriting Competition for her song One Voice, which has become a signature song for The Wailin’ Jennys. In 2010, Ruth released her new solo CD, The Garden which was nominated for a Juno Award and was the most played Canadian CD on international folk radio shows. Ruth is an artist of exceptional depth and grace, with ethereal vocals, impressive multi-instrumentalism and is a songwriter with a maturity and wisdom that belies her age. Her songs are timeless, universal, and exceptionally well-crafted, all sung with an intimacy and honesty that is unmistakably her own. Ruth will be accompanied at the Nick by her brother Richard Moody on violin and Gilles Fournier on bass.
Opener: The Doll Sisters (Alberta) http://www.dollsisters.com/fr_home.cfm
A Nickleodeon Debut!
The Doll Sisters started out singing harmonies in the little log church near their family’s farm. Jenna and Shelby cover the genres they love, folk, Celtic, bluegrass, Appalachian, and cowboy. Members of U-22 Productions, founded to mentor outstanding young songwriters under the age of 22 years, they won Red Deer’s Central Music Festival 2010 Talent Search and were finalists in that years’ Calgary Stampede Talent Search. Performing on fiddle, guitar, banjo and bodhran, with wonderful sibling harmonies, their originals are unmistakably thought provoking and unique. They are currently recording their first CD, an acoustic roots album entitled The Road.
November 26
The Good Lovelies (Ontario) http://www.goodlovelies.com/
A Nickelodeon Debut!
In a day when the too-hip-to-be-happy alt-country crowd churns out verse after verse of dark, bar-fly banalities, (The Good Lovelies) opt for a sound that is like a sonic sunshower. – Peter North Edmonton Journal
Funny and upbeat, the Good Lovelies’ three-part harmonies, constant instrument swapping, and witty on-stage banter, have enlivened the folk music landscape since Caroline Brooks, Kerri Ough and Sue Passmore joined forces in 2006. They have played the Mariposa Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival and gone on tour with Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Cafe. Their holiday album, Under the Mistletoe, showcases old and new seasonal tunes and the Good Lovelies’ self-titled CD proved their blithe brand of folk music has year-round appeal. With that recording, the Good Lovelies won the New Emerging Artist Award at the Canadian Folk Music Awards. In 2010, the same album received a Juno Award for Roots/Traditional Album of the Year. Let the Rain Fall, their third full-length album, is an ode to camaraderie. With equal parts city and country, highway and home, wistfulness and sass, the Good Lovelies’ good humour and self-assurance shines through.
Opener: Lowry Olafson (British Columbia) http://www.lowryolafson.com/
First Nick opener Feb. ’97
Lowry Olafson’s intricate fingerstyle guitar playing provides a compelling backdrop for his rich and uniquely soothing voice. His original songs, engaging anecdotes, and inspired violin instrumentals invite listeners of all ages into a world that celebrates the poetry of life. His repertoire covers a wide range of musical styles and moves easily from his trademark love songs, to songs that inspire and get you thinking or tickle your funny-bone, to songs of loss and longing that take you deeper into who you are. His ninth CD, Borderland is ripe with imagery, and bursting with catchy melodies and soft grooves.
Winter 2012 Season
January 14
Dala (Ontario) http://dalagirls.com/
A Nickelodeon Debut!
“Dala can sing! What beautiful flights of melody and harmony, reminiscent of the Everly Brothers, the Louvin Brothers, Emmylou Harris and associates; though Dala can trade a melody line and leave one wondering who is taking the lead and simply leave one behind when the harmonies kick in. – Peterborough Examiner
Amanda Walther and Sheila Carabine met in their high school music class and wrote their first song together in 2002. Since then they have released five albums and toured extensively across North America. Dala’s album Everyone Is Someone earned them their fifth Canadian Folk Music Award nomination and a Toronto Independent Music Award for Best Folk Group. The live CD and DVD for their PBS broadcast special, Girls From The North Country earned Dala the 2010 Canadian Folk Music Award for Vocal Group of the Year and the live album was nominated for a 2011 Juno Award for Roots and Traditional Album of the Year: Group. Dala write songs that are both catchy and insightful. Amanda’s ethereal soprano voice blends seamlessly with Sheila’s velvety alto, creating the lush harmonies that have become their trademark. The sheer joy with which they perform is infectious, turning first-time listeners into instant fans.
Opener: Ann Vriend (Alberta) http://www.annvriend.com/
A Nickelodeon Debut!
Ann Vriend’s unique style brings together elements of soul, pop, country, jazz, blues and gospel and so, as many critics agree, it sounds both familiar and strange at the same time. Vriend’s vulnerable yet exquisite voice is often the first thing that turns heads, while her story-like but often enigmatic lyrics reveal her lauded literary depth. Her fifth CD Love & Other Messes defies narrow genres, veering effortlessly between straight-ahead, quiet country, to soul-wrenching blues, to folk-inspired storytelling. She is fantastic in concert, a very, very, funny woman that tends to belt out her songs in between her most entertaining comedic intervals.
January 28
Chic Gamine (Manitoba/Quebec) http://www.myspace.com/chicgamine
First Nickelodeon Headline, Ariane, Andrina and Annick with Madrigaia Jan. ’04. Chic Gamine Oct. ’07
You absolutely have to see and hear these world class vocalists! A groovin’ powerhouse of harmonic brilliance and beauty!! Don Benedictson, Producer, Composer, Musician
Gospel, soul, R&B, ’50′s doo-wop, Brazilian forro and French chanson are infused into the voices and rhythms of these five effervescent songmakers, combining for a sound that is uniquely Chic Gamine. Their self titled debut CD won a 2009 Juno Award for Best Roots-Traditional Album of the Year. Their second CD, City, City was nominated for the same award. This stylish and endearingly playful vocal quintet features singers Ariane Jean, Andrina Turenne, Alexa Dirks and Annick Bremault, with drummer and percussionist Sacha Daoud. Chic Gamine use their voices as instruments, effortlessly launching into intricate string arrangements, bass-heavy rhythm sections and lush harmonies. Add a soul/pop/folk groove and these multifariously talented songwriters create a sound that resonates with soul, passion, sparse instrumentation, cute dresses, boots, and an unabashedly random and sometimes downright peculiar brand of humour that reels audiences in and leaves them begging for more.
Opener: Dani-Lynn (Alberta) http://www.dani-lynn.com/
A Nickelodeon Debut!
Growing up in Central Alberta, Dani-Lynn has always had a love for singing and performing. She’s got a big voice for such a small, petite frame, and the talent to make it as one of Country/Pop’s biggest stars. The country genre has won Dani-Lynn’s heart, because each song tells a story and the artist can reach out to others through her music. Dani-Lynn has learned from some of the best. She’s back in the studio in Nashville with Lisa Brokop and Paul Jefferson, co-writing and putting together her next album and she’ll join them onstage at the famous Bluebird Cafe.
February 11
Valdy (British Columbia) http://www.valdy.com/
First Nickelodeon Headline, Mar. ’88
Few performers are capable of achieving the kind of energy he generates on stage. – Globe and Mail
Valdy, born Valdemar Horsdal in Ottawa, is one of Canada’s most influential songwriters, and has been part of the fabric of Canadian pop and folk music for over 34 years. Remembered for Play Me a Rock and Roll Song, his bitter-sweet memory of finding himself, a relaxed and amiable story-teller, facing a rambunctious audience at the Aldergrove Rock Festival circa 1968, Valdy has sold almost half a million copies of his 13 albums, has two Juno Awards, a total of seven Juno nominations and four Gold albums to his credit. Valdy’s recent CDs include Contenders, a collaboration with friend and fellow singer/songwriter, Gary Fjellgaard, and a solo release, Viva Valdy: Live at Last. Valdy has taken his music from Denmark to Australia and been an often-invited performer at the Kerrville Festival in Texas. He’s a singer, guitarist and songwriter who catches the small but telling moments that make up life.
Opener: Tom Lewis (British Columbia) http://www.tomlewis.net/
A Nickelodeon Debut!
With a background of 24 years in the Royal Navy in diesel submarines, Tom accompanies himself on button accordion and ukulele. His Celtic heritage is obvious in his clear, strong voice, evoking quiet sorrow for a fisherman lost to the sea just as honestly as it powers out a shanty “to be heard above the gales.” His songs cover life on board H.M. ships, through the loneliness and lure of the sea, to traditional shanties and classic nautical poetry, set to his own, and others’ melodies. Tom is “widely acknowledged as North America’s finest exponent of contemporary nautical songs”.
February 25
The Breakmen (British Columbia/Ontario) http://www.thebreakmen.com/
A Nickelodeon Debut!
Meticulous craftsmanship of the songwriting, the strength of the lead vocals, and the tightness of the harmonies distinguish the quartet from other Canadian outfits mining a similar vein… – Penguin Eggs
What started out as an adventurous bluegrass quartet has become a sharply focused roots music outfit that owes as much to The Band and Blue Rodeo as it does to John Hartford and Bill Monroe. With a strikingly original repertoire, and a lively on-stage show, the band made a strong name for itself at festivals and clubs across the country. Last year they earned two nominations at the Canadian Folk Music Awards, for Emerging Artist of the Year and for Vocal Ensemble of the Year. They won the Vox Pop Award for Americana Album of the Year at the Independent Music Awards. With Heartwood, their third CD, the band’s signature sound remains, but Matthew Lawson, Archie Pateman, Ben Rogalsky and Lee Watson are moving in a new, exciting direction with touches of soul, classic R&B, a bit of old country and a solid taste of roots rock and roll.
Opener: Painting With Ella (Alberta) http://www.facebook.com/paintingwithella
A Nickelodeon Debut!
Painting With Ella is an Edmonton-based acoustic folk group made up of Emily Guthrie, Robyn Newman-Wilson and Jaclyn Turville. Their signature style is an emphasis on vocal harmonies and less-is-more musicality. Their close friendship, which developed during their years “as choral kids with instruments” while attending Edmonton’s Victoria School of the Arts, has allowed them an intimacy as musicians that has resulted in their group’s unique sound. They performed at the Calgary Folk Music Festival after winning first place in the songwriting contest for their song Daughters, and they recorded their first full-length studio album, One Lost Kite in 2011.
March 10
Lorne Elliott (Quebec) http://www.lorne-elliott.com/
First Nickelodeon Headline Mar. ’99
A genuine and talented nut-case…quick-witted and relevant – Tom Reagan – Halifax Daily News
I was born so far back I can hardly remember and grew up normally, I think. I started going on stage at a time when hair like mine was fashionable, and I hung a guitar around my neck to complete the look. Somewhere around that time people started laughing at me, and I saw no reason why I shouldn’t join them. Lorne started as a folk musician in East Coast Canada. He kept writing fiction as well as songs, monologues and one-liners. The outcome is a special show of comedy and music, totally original, entertaining, up-lifting and foolish enough to make everybody laugh. Madly Off In All Directions, Lorne’s CBC Radio Comedy Series, aired in January 1996 and ran for 11 seasons. With his unique and wacky performance style, it is the timelessness of his material, joined with keen observations of today’s trends that make Lorne Elliott’s work so special.
Opener: Brent Tyler (Alberta) http://www.brentyler.com/fr_home.cfm
A Nickelodeon Debut!
Big Acoustic Love describes Brent Tyler’s music and live performance. An aggressive acoustic style combined with lungs befit of his seven foot stature. Brent released his 2nd Album In Rhythm in the summer of 2010. He balances the soft subtlety of honest and introspective folk music with catchy and powerful pop hooks and melodies born of his childhood influences and contemporary crushes. Tyler’s giant sound has evolved into his own unique style, inspiring him to set his path for receptive audiences of music lovers, craving what he has to say. Honesty and Love. Sarcasm and Humour. Heartbreak and Forgiveness.
March 24
The Once (Newfoundland) http://theonce.ca/site/
A Nickelodeon Debut!
The Once are gifted with strong voices that tremble with richness and vitality…Their arrangements of Newfoundland and British Isles folk music are imaginative and newly minted with particularly fine a capella trio versions. The Chronicle Herald, Halifax
A self-titled debut album earned The Once two Canadian Folk Music Awards, four Music Newfoundland and Labrador awards, an East Coast Music Award, and a Galaxie Rising Star Award. Their sounds do not come from the noisy pubs and dockside taverns that fuel so much of the Island’s energy. Instead, their music comes from a quieter and more thoughtful place. Hope and tragedy are intertwined in their music, whether they are singing an old lament from World War I, original songs that speak of love defeated, or tasteful songs from the artists whose music inspires them. Lead singer Geraldine Hollett, has an instrument of rare power; she is a singer who can still a noisy room. Accompanied by Phil Churchill and Andrew Dale on guitar, mandolin, fiddle and bouzouki, they create a perfect blend of voice and melody. The Once have just released Row Upon Row of the People They Know.
Opener: 100 mile house (Alberta) http://www.100milehouse.co.uk/
A Nickelodeon Debut!
100 mile house is the rootsy husband and wife duo of Peter Stone and Denise MacKay along with multi-instrumentalist Scott Zubot. After releasing their 2009 debut album from fall to fall,100 mile house performed at the Vancouver Olympics, the Canmore Folk Festival and were winners of the Calgary Folk Music Festival’s ‘Pro’s and Prose’ Songwriting Contest. In 2010 they released hollow ponds. The album carries the theme of both escape from, and back ,to the places they knew when they were young, but also brings with it the hope that comes with finding a new place to call home.
April 14
Whitehorse (Ontario) (Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland)
http://whitehorsemusic.ca/
http://www.lukedoucet.com/
http://www.melissamcclelland.com/
First Nickelodeon Headline, Jan. ’08
Whitehorse is raw throughout, leaving the edges sharp and letting the notes cut deep. – Vue Weekly
Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet tie the musical knot with the debut of their new band, Whitehorse, marrying their talent and chemistry on stage as a smoldering duo. Gutsy and resolute in their pursuits of sound and substance, Luke and Melissa’s fusion of the personal and professional brings to mind the road-tested romance of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. Individually, Luke and Melissa have toured as members of Sarah McLauchlan’s band and their CDs have been recognized with awards and nominations from the Junos, the Canadian Folk Music Awards, the Hamilton Music Awards, the Independent Music Awards and the Polaris Prize. Melissa’s classic, ageless, brazenly genre-flouting voice, enraptures, and together, Luke and Melissa create music that cascades forth, rushing like currents fluid and electric. More than the sum of considerable talents, Whitehorse showcases the rarity of true give and take in partnership, uniting falcon with songbird to dramatic effort.
Opener: Al Brant (Alberta) http://www.albrant.ca/
A Nickelodeon Debut!
Since the conception of The Christmas Carol Project a decade ago, Edmonton songwriter Al Brant has performed annually in this musical version of the classic Dickens tale. Al released his first solo album, Let It Fly, in 1991 and has continued to write and record with The Stone Merchants and with Tacoy Ryde. The music Al writes is soulful, reflective, and life-affirming. His pieces are uncluttered, create images, and draw feelings from his listeners. Of Al’s 2010 CD Wide Open CKUA’s Tom Coxworth wrote …Al Brandt has hit the mark with this roots flavored album – certainly one of this year’s best.