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- Steve Marriner
Posts Tagged ‘songwriter circle’
The October Bluebird North Series – Where Writers Sing and Tell
The Songwriters Association of Canada presents
Live in the nation’s capital!
Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
Library and Archives Canada
395 Wellington Street, Ottawa
7:30 pm
Featuring
Miss Emily
Harrison Kennedy
David Leask
Ann Vriend
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 October 13th, Bluebird North is presenting a diverse group of Canadian songwriting talent in the nation’s capital. Ottawa is proud to present an amazing group of artists including: Miss Emily (Canadian Open National Singing Competition winner at age 17), Harrison Kennedy (three-time Juno nominee), David Leask (2009 OCFF’s “Songs From The Heart” winner), and Ann Vriend (over 12,000 album sales as an independent artist). Be sure not to miss the Ottawa performance in this intimate setting.
If that’s not enough, the OCFF will be showcasing the grand prize winners of the 16th annual Songs From the Heart songwriting competition, sponsored by Galaxie, Your Musical Universe.
The 2010 winners are Ambre McLean for “Me, My Heart, And The Moon” http://www.ambremclean.com and Louis Philippe Robillard for “Le Pommier” http://www.louisphilipperobillard.com
ABOUT THE PERFORMERS
With an ironclad backbone and a ladylike approach to life’s little obstacles, Miss Emily forges together her very own brand of vocally intense soulful tunes. She’s gone from living out of her car to playing 250 shows a year in Eastern Ontario alone. Heading out on a new venture, Miss Emily will release her debut record in 2010. Her debut
single, ‘The Sell-Out’, is a desire to venture beyond the stereotypical confines of the female singer-songwriter genre. The Prince Edward County, ON native blends the meaty, gritty, old-school soul music sound with the more aggressive attitudes associated with rock.
Original “Chairmen of the Board” member and successful solo artist Harrison Kennedy possesses a voice like dry tinder waiting to ignite. Harrison was born in Hamilton, Ontario, and relocated to Detroit in the early 1960’s where he would eventually help form and enjoy a successful career with “Chairmen of the Board”. Since his return to Canada, Harrison has been nominated for three Juno Awards and seven Maple Blues Awards. He also received the Reverend John C. Holland Arts and Culture Award in 1998. As a result of his unique sound, Harrison has built up a solid reputation as a rhythm and blues veteran.
Originally from Edinburgh, Scotland, David Leask is a powerful performing songwriter, who has built an artistic bridge between the influences of his birthplace and the fresh possibilities of his newfound Canadian home to produce three critically-acclaimed CD’s and numerous international songwriting awards. Songwriters Magazine called David, “the most consistent Canadian songwriting competition winner.” Recipient of the Mississauga Performing Artist of the Year Award and 2009 OCFF’s “Songs From The Heart” winner, David Leask’s music is a gritty blend of alt-folk and Celtic-soul.
http://www.davidleask.com
http://www.myspace.com/davidleask
Ann Vriend has spent the past three years delivering her unique brand of Soul/Americana to thrilled audiences around the world, headlining at festivals as far away from her hometown of Edmonton, Alberta, as Berlin and Australia. With her soaring vocals, impressive songwriting ability, and instrumental prowess, Vriend is truly an all in one package. Dubbed the “Aretha Franklin of Americana” Vriend connects alt-country and folk to soul and blues in a style all her own. Her natural, often humorous rapport with her audiences, combined with her stunning live show and exquisite songwriting has enabled Vriend to sell over 12,000 albums off the stage independently. She is currently finishing her next studio album, which she will tour in the 2010/2011 season.
www.annvriend.com
www.myspace.com/annvriend
SONGS FROM THE HEART WINNERS
Ambre McLean has created a sound that is entirely her own incorporating a number of her influences including jazz, country/blues folk and pop. Ambre linked up with VIA rail this summer as part of VIA’s ‘Musician on Board” program and is currently on tour in western Canada, promoting the release of her new album “Murder At The Smokehouse” (Oct 2010, Busted Flat Records)
The charismatic Louis-Philippe Robillard released his first album, Le Café des oiseaux, in January 2010 and has since been flying like a bird. His contemporary folk rock brings you deep into his picturesque universe. Going from upbeat rhythms to deep emotions, Louis-Philippe overwhelms the listener with his honesty and presence.
Tickets available at Compact Music and Ottawa Folklore Centre or at the door the night of the show.
($15/$12 for SAC members and OCFF Conference Delegates)
Bluebird North is endorsed by the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.
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
