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- Steve Marriner
Posts Tagged ‘Kelly Prescott’
PETS WITH PERSONALITIES: Exclusive!
The “Pets With Personlities 2012-2013 Calendar” presents:
A SPECIAL PREVIEW HERE ON OTTAWA TONITE!
The word is out. A very special launch party is happening for a great community project to raise funds for the Ottawa Humane Society.
Sunday, November 13th, 2011
D’Arcy McGees Pub
44 Sparks St, Ottawa
1 – 5pm
An afternoon of laughter, music, fundraising and prizes is planned with some of Ottawa’s well-known ‘personalities’ on hand performing and celebrating!
Join us, to help celebrate a great community project called “Pets With Personalities” and pick up your very own copy of this 2012-13 calendar before it SELLS OUT!
Calendars will be available at the door. ($25) A silent auction with some incredible items to bid on, will be setup. (all proceeds to benefit the OHS)
Here is a sneak-peek at some of the beautiful images captured by photographer Sean Sisk
Save animals – get this Calendar!!
Ottawa photographer Sean Sisk has worked for months to put together a gorgeous 18-month calendar called ‘Pets with Personalities’! For just $25.00, this calendar will make a great Christmas gift- and it will benefit the lost and abandoned animals in our community!
Here in Ottawa, we love our pets! And the ‘Pets with Personalities’ calendar highlights pet-lovin’ personalities and their best four legged friends. And there’s no better way to kick off a brand new calendar – than with a big bash! Join us next Sunday at D’Arcy McGee’s on Sparks Street, from 1 to 5!
There will be music, prizes, lots of laughs and of course the ‘Pets with Personalities’ calendar will be available for sale. I am thrilled to be the emcee for the afternoon, and I hope to see you!
Details here on the PWP Facebook page.
CD Review – Kelly Prescott’s I Leave You Dreaming
Kelly Prescott must write and perform with some major expectations. Grandparents Joe Brown and Irwin Prescott are Canadian music legends. Parents Tracey Brown and Randall Prescott are well known Canadian country stars. And she has gained plenty of praise playing and performing as Emmylou Harris – yes, you read right, Emmylou Harris – along side Anders Drerup, who plays Gram Parsons in Michael Bates’ Grievous Angel – The Legend Of Gram Parsons (a musical tribute to the late musical genius).
With all that going on, I couldn’t imagine the pressure she might just have faced recording her debut solo record, I Leave You Dreaming. When I got the CD, I was fully prepared for some good time country songwriting. But Prescott has largely eschewed her family’s musical heritage, and jumped straight into some blues/soul numbers which will have you either quietly grooving or stepping out onto the closest dance-floor.
The heart and soul of this record is Prescott’s smoky, rich voice – an instrument in itself, and a treat to hear. I am immediately reminded of Holly Williams (Hank Williams’ granddaughter, which invokes the same musical family heritage influence), though Prescott’s voice is deeper and well suited to the blues sound which permeates the record. These are great songs if you are into female vocal leads on traditional blues sounds (together with some awesome musical support: the Brothers Chaffey, Adam Puddington, Steve Marriner and more).
Though Prescott embraces the blues, the record is not monotone – the styles here are varied and taken on with vigour and passion: ”Pulling On Your Line” is classic Chicago blues, “Jonesin’” invokes the spirit and style of Bo Diddley (with Prescott’s voice being stretched out to great effect), and “Horseshoes” is a heavier blues number with hard solos, a melodic refrain and a deep, funky groove.
But Prescott also expands beyond these traditional styles, and it’s here where the record is most interesting. The lead off track, ”Thicker Skin”, features lovely organ and a light strumming guitar beat – sunny 70s soul supporting a plea for being stronger. ”Busy Line” invokes Carribean rhythms (and I’d love to see Prescott perform this track with Danny Michel!). “Bottle of Wine” is as country as Prescott gets, with nice mellow guitar lines and a subject which is at the heart of many country tunes. “Coming Home to You” is a pretty love song which has Prescott using her voice in a subtle, gorgeous manner (made me want to dance with my sweetheart). Title track “I Leave You Dreaming” is definitely a standout, a classic R and B song which finds its roots in Motown but was clearly born in the Ottawa Valley.
Lyrically, I Leave You Dreaming tours the jagged streets of love in life, and reflects many of the entanglements that we all have experienced. Many of the songs feature co-writing credits from Prescott’s husband, Adam Puddington, and the formula works. Prescott’s debut CD is a fine collection of mostly blues based songs which reflect good songwriting and strong musical support. Fortunately for music fans, Prescott has a wonderful musical tradition to mine and, as a young performer, a long musical life ahead. Great things await.
If you’re interested in checking out Kelly Prescott live, there’s plenty of opportunity here in the Ottawa area:
APR 8 Ottawa Opry
APR 29 Wilno Tavern – Grievous Angel
MAY 7 Elmdale House Tavern – Grievous Angel
JUN 4 Black Sheep Inn – Grievous Angel
JUL 23 Palmer Rapids Twin Music Fest with The Prescott Brown Family
SEP 4 Heirloom Cafe with Anders Drerup (Almonte)
SEP 23 NAC – 4th Stage – Grievous Angel
SEP 24 NAC – 4th Stage – Grievous Angel
4th Annual “Ottawa Opry” Brings Another Stellar Line-Up to the Stage!
4th Annual “Ottawa Opry” Brings Another Stellar Line-Up to the Stage!
Friday, April 8, 2011, 8:00 p.m.
Don’t miss this “Grand ‘Ole” evening at the National Library and Archives Auditorium in support of Amnesty International
Spring is in the air, and so it’s time for the 4th Annual Ottawa Opry! You don’t have to be a country music lover to love this show! If you love great musicianship, theatre, comedy, enjoy an evening of fun, or just want to support Amnesty International, head on down to the 4th Annual Ottawa Opry, at the National Library and Archives Auditorium, 395 Wellington at Bay on Friday, April 8, 2011, at 8:00 p.m!
This year, Anders Drerup and Kelly Prescott are taking time out from the road-show “The Legend of Gram Parsons”, with the Grievous Angel Band, and from the release of each of their solo albums, to join the Ottawa Opry stage. The show also features four-time Master Fiddle Champion Louis Schryer (back by popular demand), Ray Harris, and the return of Maple Hill Bluegrass! The evening is hosted by Pat Moore & The Vinyl Frontier, featuring Al Bragg on steel, Pat McLaughlin on guitar, Ann Downey on bass, and Alistair Dennett on drums. Again this year, Garry Greenland will MC this stellar evening of entertainment.
In true community spirit, the event is brought to you by sponsor Tracy Arnett Realty Ltd., and supported by CKCU FM 93.1, Nutshell Music & Event Management, Cedar Lane Studio, The Ottawa Folk Festival Hospitality Crew, and Barbuzz Printing.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Pat Moore
visit: www.patmoore.net http://www.myspace.com/kellyprescottmusic http://www.myspace.com/andersdrerup www.ckcufm.com http://www.myspace.com/justrayharris www.amnesty.ca
The February Bluebird North Series – Artists sharing stories and songs
It’s commonly said that the sad songs are the best and I doubt you would have found any argument at the NAC’s fourth stage during Ottawa’s February Bluebird North show. This being my first Bluebird concert I didn’t know really what to expect.
Matthew de Zoete, Kelly Prescott, Steve Marriner
Played in by new host and local songstress Amanda Rheaume, folk and blues artists Lynne Hanson, Kelly Prescott, Matt De Zoete and Steve Marriner took to the stage and gave the crowd a wonderful acoustic set of their work.
Amanda Rheaume, all photos by Bryson Masse
The musicians performed one after another, each taking time to say a few words about the song and its inspiration. As in all good folk stories, the topics meandered from tragic to hilarious and often the two overlapped. The evening was put on by the Songwriter’s Association of Canada, so there was an emphasis on the “talky parts”. But, since I like that kind of stuff, it never took away from the show. Each of the musicians explained how they found motivation in their travels and relationships.
Of the idea behind her song More of the Same, Hanson told the story of her adopted grandfather and the loss of his wife to Alzheimer’s disease. The amazing raw imagery in the lyrics really grabbed me.
De Zoete looked to the past and his Dutch heritage, Prescott wrote about her relationships and Marriner even fit in an amusingly scathing song about a woman so bad he didn’t even have to date her. The take away message was clearly that if you want to keep a clean reputation, don’t piss off a musician.
I really dug the informal format. The full stage allowed the performers to converse and share jokes. While the theme of the music that night seemed to border more on the depressing, the laughs didn’t stop. It didn’t have the rehearsed feeling stage banter often has when you’re watching a group that you know has done this fifty times before.
If I could ask for more, all I would need would be more of the artists playing with each other’s songs. As when it happened, it was fantastic.
The night was special and unique and this is what will bring me back to future Bluebird North performances.
Kelly Prescott
Matt De Zoete
Lynne Hanson
Special thanks to Jennifer Covert & Marie-Chantale Labbe from the NAC
Bluebird North – Where Writers Sing and Tell
The Songwriters Association of Canada presents
BLUEBIRD NORTH
Where Writers Sing and Tell
Live in the nation’s capital!
Wednesday February 3, 2010
The National Arts Centre, Fourth Stage
(Northeast corner of Queen and Elgin Streets)
7:30 pm
Tickets available at the NAC Box Office ($15/$12 for SAC members)
http://www.nac-cna.ca/en/boxoffice/tickets.cfm
Featuring:
Lynne Hanson
Steve Marriner
Kelly Prescott
Matthew de Zoete
Bluebird North is an intimate, interactive musical showcase that brings together some of Canada’s most inspiring songwriters to share their songs and stories. On February 3rd, 2010, Bluebird North is presenting a diverse group of Canadian song writing talent in the nation’s capital. Ottawa is proud to present host Amanda Rheaume along with star-studded cast including: Lynne Hanson (winner of 2006 Blues Award for the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals “Songs from the Heart” contest), Steve Marriner (2010 Maple Blues Award for Male Vocalist of The Year), Kelly Prescott (regular airplay on CBC 2 Morning and Radio 2 Drive as well as the U.S. syndicated radio show, “Altville”) and Matthew de Zoete (a sweet tenor as piercingly pleasant as Mississippi John Hurt or the young Alex Chilton). Be sure not to miss the Ottawa performance in this intimate setting.
Bluebird North: Where Writers Sing and Tell is produced by Amanda Rheaume for the Songwriters Association of Canada. For more information on the S.A.C.’s mandate, activities and membership programs please visit www.songwriters.ca
Bluebird North is endorsed by the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.
For media interviews, accreditation or any other information please contact:
Will Cook, (819) 776-1996 or william.cook@videotron.ca
ABOUT THE PERFORMERS
Ottawa-born Lynne Hanson has been attracting critical praise since the release of her debut CD Things I Miss in late 2006. The song “River By My Side” from that disc won the 2006 Blues Award for the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals “Songs from the Heart” contest, while the title track was chosen as one of the best songs of 2006 by the Indie Acoustic Music Project. Some call it country, some call it roots-and-blues, others call it rough around-the-edges folk. Lynne Hanson calls her musical style by her own name: porch music with a little Texas red dirt. It’s a sound that’s been receiving rabid applause from enamoured critics and devoted fans in Canada, the US Southwest, Europe and Australia. Accompanied by fine instrumentation and blessed with a soulful voice that’s been compared to Gillian Welch, Lucinda Williams and Mary Chapin Carpenter, Hanson is one of the most captivating female singer-songwriters on the Americana scene today. www.lynnehanson.com
Steve Marriner is a multi-instrumentalist, widely recognized as one of Canada’s premier harmonica players. He has toured, recorded and performed internationally with artists like Harry Manx, Sue Foley and MonkeyJunk. In addition to his 2007 debut, Going Up, Steve has appeared on a number of artists’ recordings including Harry Manx, David Gogo, Trevor Alguire, and Steve Dawson. In January 2009 Steve was honoured with 2008 Maple Blues Award for “Harmonica Player of The Year.” This year Steve has received two more Maple Blues Award nominations: (has WON!) Harmonica Player of The Year and Male Vocalist of The Year. www.stevemarriner.com
Kelly Prescott possesses a rich, bluesy voice well beyond her years. Being raised in a musical household has given Kelly the confidence and ease to pursue her own musical goals. She is a third generation performer, from both sides of the family, and this has given Kelly the roots and foundation to follow her heart into music. In April, 2009 she and brother, Kaylen recorded their debut album under the name of “Prescott”. The CD has garnered great reviews as well as performances at Ottawa Bluesfest, along with shows from Vancouver to Montreal. The duo has had regular airplay on CBC 2 Morning with Tom Allen and Radio 2 Drive with Rich Terfry, play on Bob Harris and Karen Millers BBC 2 shows in the UK, and the U.S. syndicated radio show, “Altville”.
http://www.myspace.com/kellyprescottmusic
Combining elements of pop, rock, and folk music, Matthew de Zoete writes songs built on strong melodies and honest lyrics. The 27-year-old from Hamilton, Ontario, approaches his craft much like an Old World artisan, applying a loving hand to songs whose melodic invention and attention to detail consistently catch the listener off guard. Extensive touring throughout North America and Europe have earned the Hamilton musician a reputation for intelligent songwriting and dynamic performances, as well as comparisons to Nick Drake and Elliott Smith. Matthew has released two albums: Across the Sea (2006) and Bottom of the World (2008). www.matthewdezoete.com
Ottawa Tonite will be covering this fantastic event at the NAC on February 3rd, and will be sharing the experience with you!
You can look forward to interviews and clips and a first-hand account of the “Bluebird North” experience!
