December
8, 2009
The
‘Woodside Wintertime Revue’ at the NSCC Waterfront
Campus
The NSCC Music Business Students present a Christmas Charity
Concert
The
First Annual Woodside Wintertime Revue, a star-studded Christmas
charity concert, will take place on Thursday December 10th
in the NSCC’s Waterfront Theatre.
The
intimate, ‘unplugged’ show will feature performances
by from local artists Andrew Sisk, Charlie A’Court,
Christina Martin, Dan Ledwell, Steven MacDougall, Tanya
Davis, Ian Sherwood and Anna Denova,. The show will also
showcase current and former NSCC students Danny MacNeil,
Jenny MacDonald, Jon Allen and Pat Walsh, Rose Folks, Sam
Lee and The Wild.
The
Waterfront Theatre is located on the college’s Waterfront
campus in the Woodside neighbourhood of Dartmouth. All proceeds
from the ticket sales will go to the Music Therapy Department
of the Capital District Health Authority.
The
show is open to all ages, with a licensed area. The Revue
is a production of the students of the Music Business program.
Tickets
are $15 in advance, available at any Ticketpro outlet at
noon on Monday, November 30th or online atwww.ticketpro.ca.
Tickets will also be available for $20 at the door. Doors
are open at 6:30pm, with the show starting at 7:30pm.
More
information is available at the NSCC Music website, www.facebook.com/nsccmusic
LINKS
FOR MORE INFO:
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=212002436083&index=1
Myspace:
http://music.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music.showDetails&friendid=506587307&Band_Show_ID=13392
Lastfm:
http://www.last.fm/event/1322317+1st+Annual+Woodside+Wintertime+Revue
Ticketpro:
http://ww3.ticketpro.ca/event.php?event_id=1017
November
23, 2009
‘Crank
and wail,’ says A’Court
PETER HECKBERT
The Truro Daily News
TRURO
- ‘Crank and wail.’
Alone, the two key words in that phrase have many meanings
but when used in a musical context, you should be well-advised
the tunes are going to pulsate with life, volume and emotion.
And that is especially true when award-winning musician
Charlie A’Court tells you that will be the case when
he and Little Derek and the Haemo Blues Band hit the stage
this Friday night at the Engine Room.
“It’s going to be electric and it’s going
to be loud,” A’Court said with a laugh during
a recent interview. “No one’s going home until
they’re full of sweat,” he added.
“We’re going to crank and wail.”
Of late, A’Court has been touring on his own, promoting
his latest CD, Live at the Marigold, which featured the
soul-filled performer backing himself with just an acoustic
guitar. Friday night’s show at The Engine Room, however,
will be with the backing of a tight band that was put together
in 2004 with a special purpose in mind.
Since the inception of Little Derek and Haemo Blues Band
in that year, the group has helped raise more than $110,000
for leukemia patients at the QEII Hospital in Halifax.
Derek Caine, the Little Derek of the band, was diagnosed
in 2004 with leukemia.
“So about five-and-a-half years ago I was diagnosed
with leukemia and after the seemingly mandatory period of
feeling sorry for myself, I snapped out of the doom and
gloom and just started to enjoy every minute of every day
and will do so for the rest of my life,” Caine explained
during a recent interview.
“Then I put a lot of things into motion, one being
the decision to work towards retirement and enjoy my family
and also to do those things I had always wanted to do and
for whatever reason had never done.
“So then I turned to music. I had never studied or
played any form of music and just loved the blues, especially
the wailing blues harmonica, so I started to play and found
a release in music that helped me in many ways both coping
with a terminal disease and healing. I was lucky and had
made some friends in the music scene that played blues and
I guess with what I was facing they made me welcome to sit
in and play and learn with them.”
From playing and learning, it was suggested to Caine by
Ed Levick of Life-Line Entertainment Group that he do a
CD, “to do it for you” and to help give something
back, particularly to leukemia patients. Levick put A’Court
and Caine together and the rest is history.
A’Court called some of his musically-inclined buddies,
Danny Sutherland on bass, Dave Skinner on drums and Ross
Billard on guitar, and the wheels started to turn.
The first CD, Little Derek and the Haemo Blues Band, raised
$20,000 for the cause, something Caine said he was quite
proud of. The second CD, the Red and White album, did much
better in terms of sales and won the Jazz/Blues Recording
of the Year at the 2006 Music Nova Scotia awards.
In addition to the proceeds from the CD sales, Caine has
followed up with a lot of door-knocking and work to help
make the fundraising effort as successful as it is. He
takes on the challenge with a passion in his heart because
he knows what leukemia patients are faced with as they come
to terms with their diagnoses and the aftermath that follows.
The monies raised are not for medical expenses, explained
Caine. The fund is available to help patients and their
families pay the extraneous expenses that invariably are
part of such a life-altering illness.
While there is much work involved in the effort, Caine feels
he takes much more from the experience than he puts out.
Music “is my medicine. I go somewhere else when I’m
playing, it’s as if my health problems don’t
exist.”
That, “and there’s something magical happening
when I’m with Charlie and the band. It’s an
integral part of my whole ability to fight this disease.”
Caine is feeling great now but in the past there have been
nights he didn’t. “One night I was out but I
was feeling just awful. I got ready to leave but they called
me up to play and with the first note, I snapped right out
of it. It really was amazing.”
Little Derek and the band will be hitting the Engine Room
stage at 10 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $20 each and are available
at MacQuarries Pharmasave on the Esplanade or at The Engine
Room.
heckbert@trurodaily.com
November
18, 2009
A’Court
to play Truro, Annapolis Valley and announces Halifax date
After
being named Nova Scotia’s top entertainer at the Music
Nova Scotia Awards in Yarmouth earlierthis month, Charlie
A’Court will be returning to his home town of Truro
for a one-night-only performance.
A’Court is bringing his powerhouse electric show to
The Engine Room in Truro on Friday, November 27. Tickets
are $20 and are on sale at The Engine Room and at MacQuarries
Pharmasave on the Esplanade or by phoning 902-895-1681.
Proceeds from the concert are going to QE II Health Sciences
Foundation in support of their Leukemia Patient Trust Fund.
Show time is 10 PM.
On Saturday, November 28, A’Court will perform solo
acoustic at the Evergreen Theatre in Margaretsville in support
of his latest recording, Live At The Marigold. Tickets are
$20 and can be purchased by calling 902-825-6834 or online
at www.evergreentheatre.ca.
Show time is 8 PM.
Stayner’s Wharf Pub & Grill in Halifax will set
the stage for A’Court on Wednesday, January 27 at
8 PM. Tickets are $25 plus HST and go on sale, Friday, November
20. They can be purchased at Stayner’s Wharf (across
from the Halifax ferry terminal) or by phoning 902-492-1800.
September
4, 2009
“Busking
4 Bucks” raises donations
to help prevent homelessness
Roots and blues musician Charlie A'Court presented Halifax
Housing Help with a donation of $4,029.17, representing
the funds he collected during last week’s “Busking
4 Bucks” event. A’Court spent five days busking
in three locations—on the Halifax-Dartmouth Ferry,
at Grand Parade and in front of the Spring Garden Road Library--in
support of the local agency, which has hit a major funding
shortfall.
“Busking 4 Bucks was a very heartening experience,”
said A’Court. “During those performances I was
connected to all walks of life who would come up and donate
to HHH. The response was tremendous and it shows in the
final tally of donations. I'm extremely proud to call Halifax
home and I'm particularly proud of those who live here that
came and supported the cause.”
Darcy Harvey, Project Coordinator with Halifax Housing Help
was on hand to accept the donation on behalf of the organization.
“We are so thankful to Charlie and Dawn Sloane for
their commitment to this initiative and their recognition
of the important work being accomplished at the community
level for individuals who face tremendous barriers and are
among the most vulnerable to homelessness,” said Harvey.
“Busking for Bucks brought issues of homelessness
and housing to the public's attention, who were very receptive
and generous to the cause and showed how we can come together
as a community to address real issues and needs.”
Charlie also donated $5 from every sale of his latest recording,
"Live At The Marigold.” The performance was recorded
at the Marigold Cultural Centre in Truro and is released
as a digital download keychain.
About Halifax Housing Help:
Halifax Housing Help (HHH) is an innovative project that
provides unique support and trustee services to disadvantaged
populations, aiding to prevent eviction and homelessness.
The Metro Non-Profit Housing Association, in collaboration
with Direction 180 have worked together to develop and implement
services aimed at preventing the situations that lead to
cyclical homelessness among the most vulnerable populations
in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
August 14, 2009
A'Court
busks for deserving Halifax Housing Help
Halifax,
NS--Atlantic Canada's roots & blues troubadour Charlie
A'Court will be taking his music to the streets from August
24th to the 28th to help a grassroots non-profit organization,
which supports individuals looking for secure housing.
A'Court
will be going back to his roots of busking in 3 designated
spots in the downtown Halifax where he will perform one-hour
acoustic sets in support of Halifax Housing Help (HHH).
With all the money raised from A'Court's busking going to
the project, Charlie wants to raise awareness of HHH and
aid them with their outstanding community work.
"When
I first moved to Halifax in 2000, the only thing I could
do was busk. I lived for months off the kindness of strangers
when no one knew who I was," said A’Court. "Now,
I want to go back to those days to help HHH give the help
to those who deserve it."
Charlie
is also donating $5 from every sale of his latest recording,
"Live At The Marigold.” The performance was recorded
at the Marigold Cultural Centre in Truro and is released
as a digital download keychain.
HRM Councillor Dawn Sloane believes HHH has had a deep,
positive impact on the very diverse community it serves.
"HHH is a service that supports those individuals who
may need guidance and a helping hand to secure a place to
call home," she said.
A'Court
will be busking Monday, August 24 to Friday, August 28 at
the following times:
-
8 a.m. on the Halifax/Dartmouth Ferry.
-
12 p.m. in front of the Halifax Library at Spring Garden
Road and Grafton St.
-
5 p.m. in Parade Square.
About
Halifax Housing Help:
Halifax Housing Help (HHH) is an innovative project that
provides unique support and trustee services to disadvantaged
populations, aiding to prevent eviction and homelessness.
The Metro Non-Profit Housing Association, in collaboration
with Direction 180 have worked together to develop and implement
services aimed at preventing the situations that lead to
cyclical homelessness among the most vulnerable populations
in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
July
17, 2009
Festival’s
a 'hidden gem'
A'Court
among great lineup for weekend event at Kempt Shore
By
STEPHEN COOKE Entertainment Reporter - Halifax Herald
NOBODY
SAID making a living out of making music was easy, but singer-songwriter
Charlie A’Court says when he performs at the Acoustic
Maritime Music Festival at Peterson’s Festival Campground
in Kempt Shore, it’s about as far from work as you
can get.
It’s
the Truro area native’s fourth year at the event,
taking place tonight through Sunday at the site on the Minas
Basin at the mouth of the Avon River, also the home of the
Kempt Shore Bluegrass and Oldtime Music Festival, Aug. 14
to 16. He’s part of a terrific lineup that includes
Valdy and Gary Fjellgaard, Ron Hynes and J.P. Cormier as
well as emerging talents like Coco Love Alcorn, Christina
Martin and Steven Bowers.
"It
really is a hidden gem. It’s a family-run campground
and there’s no pretentiousness," says A’Court.
"Artists are there as headliners, but they’re
also there as fans. Everyone is buddy-buddy, and you don’t
feel like you have to keep anyone at arm’s length;
I’ve never been to that festival and felt uncomfortable
just hanging out.
"I’m
going down with my dad, my wife Emily, and a bunch of family,
with an RV site right on site and camp together with everyone
else. There’s something magical about the whole weekend,
maybe because it hasn’t really exploded the way other
events have, it’s just been bubbling under the surface.
It’s very grassroots, it’s very down home, and
the Petersons are true music lovers."
After
a busy spring spent touring across Canada for two months
and a trip to the famed Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas
last month, the blues-roots singer/guitarist is looking
forward to reconnecting with fans at home; he’s also
playing a free instalment of Bruce Guthro’s Songwriters
Circle at Antigonish’s Columbus Field July 29 and
New Glasgow’s Riverfront Jubilee August 1. A’Court’s
also keen to spread the word about his new recording Live
at the Marigold, taped in concert at Truro’s Marigold
Cultural Centre. It’s only available via download
from his website, either by buying a keychain with a download
code on it at a show or purchasing it directly from www.charlieacourt.com
A’Court
admits it’s an experimental approach for him, but
says it benefits both the listener by providing music at
a lower cost, and the artist, by cutting down on packaging
and the number of boxes you have to lug around from show
to show. If listeners want a physical CD, they can burn
a disc and print off the booklet at home.
"I
don’t know if I would have jumped at the idea for
a studio release, but I wanted to try it for the live album
to see how people responded to it," he says.
"Judging
by the response so far, I could see how an artist could
do their whole back catalogue in the same fashion, and have
the CD graphics incorporated into the download, or sell
a CD combined with the keychain. There are a lot of options
out there that independent artists can go for that are a
lot more cost effective with the same results, or even better
results because people are visiting your website to get
the album."
Fans
have been asking A’Court for a live recording for
some time, saying the raw, unvarnished quality of his performances
on stage have a different texture than the polished sound
of his studio CDs like Colour Me Gone and Bring on the Storm.
The act of performing brings out a daredevil quality in
his powerhouse singing and guitar playing, which Live at
the Marigold captures admirably.
"That
is the biggest thing I get from fans and people in the industry,
that the Charlie they see on stage is a different version
than what they hear in a studio setting," he says.
"So it’s nice to show that altered reality of
who I am and what I do.
"The
recording itself … I’m really happy with it.
I think Miles Gallagher, Chris Coote and Brad Stevens from
Fortress Studio did a phenomenal job of catching the nuances
and dynamics of the show. We had to do very little to the
original mix of the show, what you hear is what was naturally
recorded in the venue, which speaks well of the Marigold
as well as Fortress."
While
A’Court continues working on songs for another studio
project, the next major event is a fall tour of house concerts
in B.C. and Alberta, part of a series called Home Roots
organized by Winnipeg Folk Festival founder Mitch Podolak.
"They’re
just such a cool thing to do," says A’Court,
who’s also a fan of playing these intimate showcases
in homes around Nova Scotia. "It’s a win-win
situation for everybody when you get the right host and
the right musician at a house concert. There’s always
something a little extra that happens.
"Everyone’s
there for the purpose of music, so it’s a very direct
and open conversation in music between the artist and the
audience. Because it’s such a personal experience,
the audience wants to take part of it home with them, and
you end up selling more CDs than you would at a venue or
a festival."
(
scooke@herald.ca)
June
24, 2009
A'Court
returns with digital release and casino show
When
it comes to living in a greener world, we all hold the key.
Why not have a snazzy looking keychain to go with it? That's
the concept behind ECMA winner, Charlie A'Court's new, live
recording.
"Live At The Marigold" is an
intimate look into the heart of this soulful troubadour.
Recorded at the beautiful Marigold Cultural Centre in Truro,
Nova Scotia, the release of this live album is being done
in an exciting new way. In an effort to be in a "greener"
frame of mind, “Live At The Marigold” is being
released exclusively as a digital download keychain.
To
help cut down on the costly manufacturing and bulky packaging
of traditional CDs, the Charlie A'Court keychains are a
more compact and physical means of distributing digital
music. Every keychain has a unique PIN code on the back.
Fans will be able to purchase the keychain at live shows
or at Charlie's official web site.
When
fans go to www.charlieacourt.com, they can type in their
PIN code for a one-time download of the entire live album
as well as the bonus content including material on the Marigold
Cultural Centre, lyric sheets, and printable artwork for
CD cases (in case you burn the album to CD).
The performance itself is a moving, solo concert that contains
acoustic versions of tracks from A'Court's earlier albums
as well as two new tracks, I Hope I Get To Heaven and The
World Around Me.
To
celebrate the release of “Live At The Marigold”,
Q104 will present Charlie A’Court in a special, intimate
concert at the Compass Showroom at Casino Nova Scotia in
Halifax on Wednesday, July 8 at 8 PM. Tickets are $25.00
including HST and service charges or 759 Player's Club Points.
Tickets can be purchased through Ticket Atlantic or at the
Casino Box Office, or charge by phone (902) 451-1221. Tickets
are also at all participating Atlantic Superstores and on
line at www.ticketatlantic.com.
Major credit cards are accepted, and service charges apply.
April
18, 2009
Playing
at a house near you: A'Court spreading his gift through
intimate shows
PETER HECKBERT
The Truro Daily News
TRURO – The lights dim as the pre-show chatter of
the audience stills to a quiet murmur of anticipation. Everyone
settles in for an intimate evening of music as the first
chords are struck and a voice full of soul and life beyond
its years fills the house.
And to make the night complete, Boots your favourite cat
curls up on your knee to share the experience of sharing
your home with your friends and recording artist Charlie
A’Court.
No, the award-winning musician hasn’t dropped by to
jam with you in your kitchen. He’s set up to provide
you and your friends with a night of entertainment that
will elevate your hosting status to beyond the stars.
The house concert is a concept that has been around for
decades but over the past five years, A’Court has
added the intimate shows as another means “to keep
gas in the tank and food in the belly.”
The 30-year-old performer said during a recent interview
that he has played a couple of dozen concerts at private
homes over the past two years and aside from enjoying every
aspect of the shows, they’ve “become a vital
way for independent musicians to come home from the road
with any money in their pocket. Because of the economy it’s
a brave new world out there for musicians. If I had to rely
on the metropolises of Canada for all of my income I would
be in the hole before I left home.”
While keeping gas in the tank can be driving force enough
to keep a musician performing, A’Court’s love
for his career choice is evident when he talks about how
much he enjoys doing house concerts.
“They are a way for me to connect the dots from rural
community to rural community across this country. You have
people putting on a private function in their home so it’s
stripped down to a more basic evening that opens up the
intimacy of the whole experience.
“There’s a different sort of energy that happens
at a house concert. More personality comes through because
things are so intimate, so much so they can even pass me
my guitar,” he said with a laugh.
Turns out that’s what happened at a concert in Petite
Riviere. With 50 people gathered for the evening, it was
one of the larger house concerts he’s played but the
hostess has set up a couch near where A’Court was
sitting. Four lucky people had tickets to the VIP section,
with the added bonus of being quasi-roadies for the night.
“You have to be comfortable as an artist with that
kind of intimacy. You’re the only distraction in the
room, the focus of attention for the next 90 minutes or
more.”
The show that A’Court performs in the comfort of a
person’s home is the same as that one would enjoy
in a larger, soft seat venue or a bar. Unlike a bar show,
the audience at a house concert is there to listen to every
song and every story behind the music.
”It’s a breath of fresh air to be able to experiment
with your nuances and dynamics in a way that can’t
be done in a club where you may reach 50 per cent of the
crowd. At a house concert, you are reaching 100 per cent
of the audience.”
A’Court never ceases to be amazed at how creative
some of the hosts can be. “It can have all the elements
of a really nice dinner party at someone’s home with
the added structure of a professional show. What better
way to expand your fan base?”
The evening doesn’t end when the sound system is turned
off and the instruments packed away. It’s during the
wind down after the concert that A’Court gets the
opportunity to socialize and meet the people he’s
performed for. “I love that. I’ve made so many
new friends who’ve made me feel like we’ve known
each other forever. I’ve run into people at festivals
and other venues whom I’ve met at house concerts and
it’s like old home week. It’s a level of intimacy
that you don’t reach in a club or concert hall.”
A’Court will be adding to his buddy list over the
next seven weeks as he drives across Canada and back to
perform at more than 20 shows and house concerts. He’s
been from one end of the country to the other several times
but he has always flown. “I’m really excited
about the whole trip but I have to be back in Halifax by
the first of June because a contingent of us from the East
Coast are heading to Kerrville, Texas to play the folk festival
there.” Joining A’Court will be Ron Hynes, Amelia
Curran, Dave Gunning and Rose Cousins.
The festival in Texas carries additional significance because
the late Stan Rogers played his last show there before perishing
in a plane fire on his way back home to Canada in June 1983.
While on the road, A’Court continues to work on his
next CD, Live At The Marigold, which he hopes to release
in the near future. “The tracks are all done so now
we’re working on developing the bonus content we want
to include on the CD.”
The disc is from a show he performed last December at the
Marigold Cultural Centre in Truro. It includes songs from
his previous releases, Color Me Gone and Bring on the Storm,
as well as a couple of covers and a couple of new tunes.
“It turned out to be a real hot performance and the
audience was really responsive so I can’t wait to
get the CD wrapped up and released.”
April
18, 2008
Charlie
A’Court Sets Out On Maritime Tour
Soul/roots
troubadour, Charlie A’Court will be touring the region
this spring with concert dates across the Maritimes. The
Truro native has scheduled a two-week tour in May supporting
his current release, Bring On The Storm, which won Pop Recording
of the Year at the 2007 East Coast Music Awards and Blues
Recording of the Year at the 2007 Music Nova Scotia Awards.
Concert
dates include May 1 at Session’s Café, Rothesay,
NB; May 2 at the deCoste Centre, Pictou, NS; May 4 at King’s
Playhouse, Georgetown, PEI; May 8 at Chester Playhouse,
Chester, NS; May 9 at King’s Theatre, Annapolis Royal,
NS; May 10 at the Dragon Fly Café, Antigonish, NS;
May 13 at Stayner’s Wharf, Halifax, NS; May 15 at
the Marigold Cultural Centre, Truro, NS.
Since
the release of Bring On The Storm, A’Court has enjoyed
a steady touring schedule that has seem him open for Kenny
Wayne Shepherd, Dan Aykroyd and most recently, Grammy winning
ensemble, The Blind Boys of Alabama.
Opening
the upcoming Charlie A’Court shows will be Winnipeg’s
Lindsay Jane, who made her east coast debut at the Stan
Rogers Folk Festival in 2006.
For
ticket information please visit the tour
dates page.
February
7, 2008
Charlie
A'Court goes on record
We get an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the recording
process with an ECMA winner
DEAN
LISK
The Daily News
Charlie A'Court gets ready to record at The Echo Chamber.
(Daily News/Mike Dembeck)
He's
been in the studio numerous times before - even won a few
ECMAs for his work - but the process still intimidates Charlie
A'Court.
"It
is like you are under a microscope," he says. "Live
shows are often more forgiving because you are in-the-moment
and it is a little more raw. I seem to have this mental
wall about bringing rawness into the studio.
"I
feel it needs to be bang on."
Putting
his anxiety aside, A'Court books a studio to record a demo
album, and invites HFX to join him for a behind-the-scene
look at the process.
"I
have these internal battles with myself, and at the same
time putting up this front that I am comfortable in the
studio and I feel fine with I am doing," says A'Court.
"I try to deal with those battles because you can get
too wrapped up in it and lose the sparkle of a tune."
We're
at Charles Austin's The Echo Chamber on Kempt Road to record
three songs - Won't Let It Slip Away, Home Is Just a House
Now and I Hope I Get to Heaven - for a CD A'Court can shop
around the ECMAs in Fredericton this weekend. He wants to
secure support for a new record.
A'Court
and sound engineer Dave Ewenson listen to an acoustic-guitar
track of Won't Let It Slip Away made the night before. The
song was recorded for his last album, the ECMA-winning Bring
On the Storm, but it didn't make it on the release. He decides
to try something new with it.
"I'm
still getting that sound on the guitar," A'Court says.
"Yeah,
that ring," Ewenson replies.
"Would
it be any different if we recorded in the other room?"
A'Court asks. The two decide to give it a try.
"I
am making sure the artist feels comfortable, and getting
across what they want," says Ewenson as he sets up
the digital recording system on his computer. "I want
them to feel like they can do what they do natural, and
not feel a need to alter it because it is a studio environment.
"You
also get good takes out of people, which is the main thing."
Sitting
in the recording studio, A'Court wears headphones that play
a rhythmic computer click - it helps him keep the beat -
and the bed track recorded the previous evening.
The
bed track is the foundation of a song: The drum, bass and
maybe a bit of guitar. While those musicians performed in
one space, A'Court was in a separate room singing and playing
his guitar.
"One
bleeds into the other," A'Court said. "On the
vocal track you will hear guitar, and on the guitar track
you will hear the voice."
It
was made as a scratch track, so the essence and energy of
the song - that live feeling - would be felt by the other
musicians as the recorded in a separate room.
The
scratch tracks are later erased, and A'Court will record
new - and separate - voice and guitar tracks that can be
edited later.
"You
do the bare essentials that you need to start with, then
you go into a phase where it's the details, the finishing
touches," says A'Court. "It's the interior decorating
of a song, the overdubs and adding other instruments or
background vocals."
As
A'Court strums and sings, Ewenson works at his computer,
attacking his digital soundboard with a mouse. He adjusts
levels and keeps an ear open. Occasionally, he wheels over
to the soundboard and isolates A'Court's performance from
the rest of the previously recorded material.
'Fussy
process'
"You
want to make sure the acoustic (guitar) sounds good on it's
own and you don't get any noise or anything like that."
Ewenson says. "You have to make sure each track sounds
clean. Those sort of things add up, and in the end you are
asking, 'Why does that sound muddy, why doesn't it sound
crisp?'"
"It
is totally a fussy process," A'Court says. "I
am my own worst critic, and everyone is their own worst
critic. I hate listening to myself in playback, but it is
a necessary evil if I am going to determine whether it was
a decent enough performance that could be used for the rest
of the world to listen to."
At
the same time, he knows this is a demo he's recording. Only
a select few will hear the finished product - a small, influential
group of people.
"It's
a slippery slope," he said. "You don't want to
invest too much time in demos, but you don't want it to
sound like you sat around a kitchen table with a cassette
tape."
He
goes back in the studio and closes the door behind him to
record another take of Won't Let It Slip Away. You soon
hear his count - "Two, one" - and the music starts
again.
Jason
Mingo, a Halifax session musician who attended Nova Scotia
Community College with A'Court, listens in. He's one of
three musicians - there's drummer Keith Mullins and bassist
Kevin Corbett - A'Court brings into the studio to work on
the demos.
"We
are cutting it really close. It's kind of using gorilla
tactics attacking this project," A'Court says, knowing
he has less than a week to get the CDs ready.
"I
have been really lucky in that all the guys I have been
using are close friends, and they have a fairly flexible
schedule and were able to juggle some things."
He
says he's not being one of those musicians who spends a
lot of time on pre-production work and rehearsals. He prefers
getting musicians in the studio and let them work through
the material - and let their individuality come through.
"Let
them suss it out and find the common ground where musicians
meld," he says.
While
Ewenson isolates the different sounds and makes some adjustments,
Mingo plays silently along on his guitar, but a soft note
occasionally escapes from his strings as he listens to A'Court's
strumming.
Being
a session musician, he says, is almost like working in a
service industry. You go in, do what the artist wants, and
try to make it the best you can; make it better by adding
your own personality to it.
"In
some cases, you craft the songs, or in the other 90 per
cent of the cases the song is all there and I am only adding
touched here and there," says Mingo, who also plays
live around Halifax. "I just try to make the songs
better, as good as possible, and add stuff to them.
"It's
fun, creative, different all the time. That's for sure.
It is great making music, and it is really great hearing
it back once the finish product is done."
Finishing
his take, A'Court leaves the sound booth. He's concerned
that he might have heard a voice through the headphones
as he was playing. It stumped him and he wasn't sure whether
it was Ewenson telling him to stop.
Ewenson
calls up the track and they listen to the Won't Let It Slip
Away recording.
"I'm
liking this a lot better than when I did this on the last
album," says A'Court. "There is a je ne sais quoi,"
he says about deciding what track to use on the final song.
"You listen to the technical, the quality of the chords,
the cleanliness of the notes, and the tempo of the drums.
"Then,
you listen to the overall vibe. Does this sound like the
right instruments coming together for this tune, and are
they representing the music the way you hear it in your
head?"
Mingo
decides he wants to try something different and gets ready
to go back into the room and record.
"Everyone
needs to be happy with their performance, and at the same
time happy with everyone else's performance," A'Court
says.
"It
is not just my work being represented, it's the individuality
of the other musicians helping me build these tracks."
January
6, 2008
Canadian
talent rocks at Ontario Contact
October 2007, Mississauga, Ontario Each year, Community
Cultural Impresarios Centre for Social Innovation (CCI)
hosts Ontario Contact which showcases over fifty performing
artists from across Canada. And to put it simply, the talent
is amazing. Featured below are what I think what the top
five performers from Ontario Contact 07 held in Mississauga
at the Mississauga Living Arts Centre.
- Charlie
A’Court
- Kelly
Lee Evans
- The
Shuffle Demons
- David
Francey
- Garnet
Rogers
Number
1
Charlie
A’Court
Wow, what a powerhouse and such a stage presence. This Dartmouth
native from Nova Scotia is winner of the East Coast Music
Awards, 2007 Pop Recording of the Year for his new album
Bring On The Storm and 2003 Best Blues Artist for his debut
album Colour Me Gone. Charlie A’Court’s performance
is something you do not forget. He sings soul and blues
like it was made for him and I just have figured why we
have not heard more about him. You can listen to him at
www.myspace.com/charlieacourt
From:
www.mymusiccities.com
November
11, 2007
Charlie
A'Court wins Music Nova Scotia Award!
Charlie
picked up Blues/R & B Artist/Recording of the Year at
the Music Nova Scotia Awards in Liverpool, Nova Scotia on
November 11, 2007.
For
more information on Music Nova Scotia, please visit www.musicnovascotia.ca
October
22, 2007
A'Court
wins TEMAs, tours Alberta
Toronto
- Winner of the 2007 ECMA for Pop Recording of the Year
and nominated for three 2007 Nova Scotia Music Awards, Charlie
A'Court can add two more awards to his growing list of accolades.
Last week A'Court took home Best Provincial Adult Contemporary
CD (Bring On The Storm) and Best Provincial Adult Contemporary
Male Artist at the first annual Toronto Exclusive Magazine
Awards
(www.torontoexclusive.com).
Toronto Exclusive is a print and online magazine that focuses
on indie fashion and music in Toronto and across the country.
Currently,
A'Court is on tour showcasing at music conferences Ontartio
Contact and OSAC (Saskatchewan). While out west Charlie
will be performing three intimate shows in Alberta with
Albertan songwriter, Dave Simpson (www.davesimpsonmusic.com).
A'Court and Simpson will be at The Slice in Lethbridge on
Thursday, October 25; Prairie Sky Co-Housing for a house
concert in Calgary on Sunday, October 28; and at the Ironwood
Stage in Calgary on Monday, October 29.
For
ticket info on any of the above shows, please call:
The
Slice
314 8th Street South
Lethbridge, AB, Canada
(403) 320-0117
Prairie
Sky Co-Housing
402 30th Ave
Calgary, AB, Canada
(403) 999-3292
Ironwood
Stage & Grill
1429 9th Ave SE
Calgary, AB, Canada
(403) 269-5581
October
16, 2007
A'Court
to showcase in Colorado, open for Marshall Tucker Band
Three
time Nova Scotia Music Award nominee, Charlie A'Court has
been selected to showcase at the Colorado Music Summit in
Denver, CO, next month. CMS is a comprehensive music conference
offering workshops, seminars, networking opportunities and
music showcases. CMS will feature over 50 musical acts from
around the globe on five stages, plus café’s
and restaurants in downtown Denver. The conference takes
place from Nov 8 -11. www.coloradomusicsummit.com
After his Denver showcase, A'Court then flies to North Carolina
on November 10 where he'll be opening for original southern
rockers, The Marshall Tucker Band. Best known for their
seminal rock song, "Can't You See", MTB has continued
to tour the festival and club circuit averaging over 200
shows a year. "Can't You See" is the very song
that has propelled Matt Minglewood's long standing career,
having adapted it into what has become known as the Cape
Breton anthem.
Sept
27, 2007
A'Court
sure can pack them in
JAMIE
PATTERSON
The Daily News
With
summer now officially over, your humble Buzz servant found
himself a little down and in need of a night (or two!) on
the town. A little blues for my blues was in order, and
who better to provide it than Charlie A'Court, who returned
to his old stomping grounds Wednesday night.
Stayners
Wharf was packed with longtime fans needing their fix before
Charlie swings through Antigonish, Mabou and North Carolina
next month. I also became an instant fan of Rob Szabo, the
opening act from Toronto.
Sept
25, 2007
Charlie
A'Court nominated for 3 Music Nova Scotia Awards!
Music
Nova Scotia announced the music and industry
nominations for the 11th annual Nova Scotia Music
Awards at the Alexander Keith's Beer Institute
in Halifax today. Charlie A'Court received 3 nominations
- Blues/R & B
Artist/Recording of the Year (Bring On The
Storm), Male Artist/Recording
of the Year (Bring On The Storm) and Entertainer
of the Year!
Also
up for a nomination is One Night in January: Songs
for the IWK in the Folk/Roots Artist/Recording
of the Year. Charlie performed "The
World Around Me" at the live concert and this
is included on the nominated CD! For more information -
click here
For
the second year in a row, Nova Scotia Music Week will take
place in Liverpool. The White Point Beach resort will host
the conference, industry brunch, registration and a slew
of late night performances throughout the three-day event.
The majority of the awards will be given out at the Industry
Awards Brunch on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 11:30 a.m., with the
remaining eight being handed out that evening at the Music
Awards Show at the Astor Theatre at 8 p.m.
Conference
passes are available now by contacting Music Nova Scotia,
by phone (902) 423-6271 and online at www.musicnovascotia.ca.
Sept
18, 2007
Bring
on the Storm CD Review from Ultimate-Guitar.Com
Sound:
This is an awesome band and I never would have known that
if I hadn't of actually met Charlie. Before that I had never
heard of him but it is really good music it’s on the
blues side of things. If you like bluesy stuff get this
album, if you like rock do not get this. This is a cross
between light rock and blues. There are some cool and unexpected
guitar riffs on this CD. The only other thing I have to
say I about the sound of this album is when I play blues
why can't I get a tone like that?
Lyrics:
i can see why this lyrics are so amazing. when i met Charlie
he was teaching a lyric composing class that i happend to
be in. One of the reason that these lyrics are so great
is how deep they are to Charlie. Each of his songs in some
way comes back to something in life. Charlie A'Court is
just a great singer on the first track there is a little
vocal solo it is defenitly worth checking trust me on this
one.
Impression:
This album does not compare to any other album I have ever
bought it the past. Probably because I have never bought
an album this bluesy in my life I probably won’t again.
This album is great if someone stole it I would kill them
because it’s almost irreplaceable it’s autographed
and everything but I would buy it again but it wouldn’t
be the same. The most impressive song on this album is Big
Dark Canyon I think it’s his best hit of all time.
August
22, 2007
Charlie
A'Court: The most soulful Canadian Artist ... EVER!!!!!!
Amie
Street newcomer Charlie
A'Court is here to inject your soul with some sweet
rock n' roll! An East Coast Music Award Winner, A'Court
has toured extensively throughout Canada and abroad headlining
performances at the Stan Rogers Folk Fest, Harvest Jazz
& Blues Festival, Kerrville Folk Fest, and the Ottawa
Blues Fest. He has also opened for high profile artists
including John Reischman & the Jaybirds, The Fabulous
Thunderbirds, Harry Manx, Colin James, Mick Taylor, and
Blues Brother Dan Aykroyd. Bring
On The Storm is A'court's second studio album and
features powerful blues inflected folk-rock with a soulful
undercurrent. Truly an Amie Street gem!
Key
Tracks:
Every
track is a must-have, but if you must be hand fed a few
then check what some of these users recommended:
> Bring On The Storm (54¢)
"I'll
have to buy more recs in order to rec all Charlie's songs....each
one impresses whether it's a quiet ballad or one that
includes his back up singers. You can't go wrong buying
his whole album!!" [rec by dorsey]
> Seeing You Around (54¢)
"There's
always a point in any good collection where a song jumps
out of your earbuds and screams THIS IS GREAT STUFF!!!
and compels the "Buy all" button. Here it is.
There will be great before it, and others after, but always
the memory that this song was it. Gold." [rec
by CraigH]
Buy
the album Bring On The Storm for $5.40
This
was taken from http://amiestreet.com
June
28, 2007
A'Court
to perform Canada Day with Andy Stochansky and Ron Sexsmith
2007 ECMA winner, Charlie A'Court will be heading to the
University of Waterloo in Ontario to perform with the widely
popular, Andy Stochansky and internationally acclaimed,
Juno winner, Ron Sexsmith this Canada Day.
"This is huge for me because Ron is hands down an absolutely
amazing songwriter. I can't wait to just watch his show
and learn."
Details for the free outdoor concert can be found at www.canadaday.uwaterloo.ca/schedule.htm.
A'Court has been pouring on the steam with his latest album,
Bring On The Storm, which won Best Pop Recording at the
East Coast Music Awards in Halifax earlier this year. The
album's first single, "Big Dark Canyon"
was picked up throughout Atlantic Canada and the national
release of his second single, "Seeing You Around",
is the perfect summer song.
A'Court will be at several major festivals this summer season
including Privateer Days in Liverpool, The Dutch Mason Blues
Festival, and the New Glasgow Riverfront Jubilee.
Jul-07-07 Liverpool NS CAN - Privateer Days
Jul-11-07 Antigonish NS CAN - Music on Main
Jul-12-07 Saint John NB CAN - Salty Jam
Jul-13-07 Troy OH US - City Square
Jul-15-07 Ashland OH US - Myers Memorial Bandshell
Jul-17-07 Cleveland Heights OH US - Cain Park
Aug-04-07 New Glasgow NS CAN - New Glasgow Jubilee
Aug-10-07 Truro NS CAN - The Dutch Mason Blues Festival
Aug-17-07 Mount Stewart PE CAN - Trailside Cafe & Inn
Aug-18-07 Mount Stewart PE CAN - Trailside Cafe & Inn
Color Me Gone and Bring On The Storm are
both available at iTunes.
June
22, 2007
Charlie
A'Court on CBC Radio 2 "Canada Live"
Sunday,
June 24 - CBC Radio 2 "Canada Live" - 8:00 pm
(8:30 NL) - one hour "live" segment of the 2007
ECMA Songwriter Circle with Charlie A'Court, Ron Hynes,
Rose Cousins, Steven Bowers and special guest Jully Black.
"Canada
Live" airs 8 - 10pm (8:30 - 10:30pm NL) on CBC Radio
Two.
Find
your channel and frequency: www.cbc.ca/frequency
Listen
online at: www.cbc.ca/radio2/mediaPlayer.html
May
24, 2007
Nova
Scotia’s Top Artists Anchor in Northern Ireland Aboard
“Operation Musician Ship”
All amps on deck! In a bid to promote the wealth of Nova
Scotia music and culture abroad, the some of the province’s
top musical artists have been called to service across the
pond to play in Belfast, Northern Ireland aboard the multi-role
frigate, the HMCS St. John’s.
The
shows, produced by Music Nova Scotia and funded by the Nova
Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, will
use the ship as a backdrop to the event, which is intended
to build cultural relations between Nova Scotia and Northern
Ireland. Featured on the bill are 3-time ECMA winners In-Flight
Safety, two time ECMA award winner Charlie A’Court
and Music Nova Scotia’s Best New Artist award
winner Jenn Grant.
“Music
Nova Scotia is very exited about this initiative. We have
a chance to showcase some of our great Nova Scotia talent
to Northern Ireland and to promote Nova Scotia as a cultural
tourism destination just in time for the introduction of
Zoom Airlines new direct flight between Belfast and Halifax,”
says Gordon Lapp, Executive Director, Music Nova Scotia.
Sponsoring
participants of the show include: Music Nova Scotia, Nova
Scotia Department of Tourism Culture and Heritage, Zoom
Airlines, and of course the HMCS St John’s.
“Operation
Musician Ship” anchors on the following dates:
Fri
June 1st The Lime Light, Belfast N. Ireland
Sat June 2nd Aboard the HMCS St John’s
Sun June 3rd Aboard the HMCS St John’s
April
14, 2007
Halifax Herald
By
ANDREA NEMETZ Entertainment Reporter
A'Court,
Grant help Bring It Home
Bluesman
Charlie A'Court, above, and folk singer David Myles play
the Astor Theatre in Liverpool tonight at 7:30 p.m. as part
of Music Nova Scotia?s Bringin? It Home tour. Tickets are
$18.
Charlie
A'Court and David Myles share the stage tonight at Liverpool?s
Astor Theatre as part of the opening weekend of Music Nova
Scotia?s Bringin' It Home tour.
The
concert is being taped by CBC Radio One's weekly program
Atlantic Airwaves for future broadcast.
Bluesman
A'Court, of MacCallum Settlement is a two-time East Coast
Music Award winner whose recordings include Bring On The
Storm and Color Me Gone.
Singer-songwriter
Myles was a recent winner of the prestigious International
Songwriting Competition in the folk singer-songwriter category.
His latest album is Things Have Changed.
For
reviews and photos, click here!
April
3, 2007
Charlie
A’Court will be BRINGIN’ IT HOME
Music
Nova Scotia, in partnership with the Department of Tourism,
Culture and Heritage, is showcasing 16 of Nova Scotia’s
top artists in 18 community venues across. Charlie A'Court
teams up with David Myles and will perform at the Evergreen
Theatre in Margaretsville, The Dominion Building in Amherst
and the Astor Theatre in Liverpool. Check the tour
dates page for more information!
Click
the posters to enlarge for full details
Evergreen
Theatre, Margaretsville | The Dominion Building, Amherst
| Astor Theatre, Liverpool
March
1, 2007
Canadian
Charlie A’Court Comes to Hayes Center March 10
Award-Winning Musician Combines Blues, Soul & Songwriting
Story
by David Brewer
On
Saturday, March 10, Blowing Rock’s Hayes Performing
Arts Center will welcome award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter
and guitarist Charlie A’Court for a solo acoustic
performance.
A
resident of Halifax, Nova Scotia, A’Court began developing
his musical pedigree with classical guitar lessons before
digging into his father’s blues-and-r&b-rich record
collection. A’Court succumbed to the power of the
blues, practicing for hours to hone his chops. (full
story)
February
26, 2007
Canadian
musician/singer pleases crowd at PHCC
Charlie
A'Court belts out the blues
Charlie
A'Court delighted the audience with his music, and his wit.
Monday, February 26, 2007
By
HOLLY KOZELSKY - Bulletin Staff Writer - Martinsville Bulletin.
There
was more laughing than crying during the contemporary blues
concert of Canadian musician Charlie A’Court Saturday
night at the Walker Fine Arts Center at Patrick Henry Community
College.
The Canadian singer and guitar player kept the audience
of about 200 people chuckling between songs with anecdotes
and one-liners. (full story)
February
20, 2007
Charlie
A'Court's new album wins ECMA Award
Photo Credit: Grant Martin
At
the 2007 East Coast Music Awards held in Halifax, Charlie
A'Court's new CD, Bring on the Storm was
named Pop Recording of the Year. Charlie
also performed on the show during the ECMA tribute to Dutch
Mason.
"I
have to send a special thank you to Charlie A'Court who
willing played for me at the songwriters circle not to mention
performed the HELL outta his own songs. I'm now a Rose Cousins
GROUPIE! That woman has one of the best voices I've heard
EVER and her songs made me cry. What an inspiration. Steven
Bowers gave a killer performance even though he was fighting
flu and he is CUTE ladies. Last but not least Mr. Ron Hynes...This
living legend gave me chills. His writing and performance
moved me and being in his presence was magical. Below is
a list of the "Dream Team" I performed with."
- Jully Black
Ron
Hynes (Host), Charlie A'Court, Rose Cousins, Jully Black
(SOCAN), Steven Bowers
February
6 , 2007
CHARLIE
A'COURT WILL PERFORM ON 2007 EAST COAST MUSIC AWARDS GALA
The
2007 EAST COAST MUSIC AWARDS GALA roster
keeps getting bigger and better! A Canadian Idol, tributes
to a Canadian rock and roll icon, and a Canadian blues legend
have all been added to this year’s lineup of performers.
The
2007 Awards Gala broadcast, hosted by the Trailer Park Boys
- Julian, Ricky and Bubbles, will feature some top East
Coast performers, including Joel Plaskett Emergency,
In-Flight Safety, Classified, Jill Barber, Ron Hynes, George
Belliveau, The Divorcees, and Measha Brueggergosman.
Additional
performers will now include multi-ECMA and Juno winner George
Canyon, joined on stage by Dave Gunning
and Doris Mason to perform a very special
tribute to rock and roll legend Denny
Doherty. Doherty was the amazing tenor of
the 60’s group The Mamas and the Papas,
and later in life became the beloved Harbour Master for
CBC Television’s Theodore Tugboat.
Rex
Goudie has just released his second solo album
and will perform his new single live on the ECMA stage.
Fiona
MacGillivray of The Cottars joins JP Cormier,
Ashley MacIsaac, The Barra MacNeils, Shaye,
and Stuart Cameron in their tribute
to the Godfather of Celtic Music – John
Allan Cameron.
Nova
Scotia’s best-known bluesman Dutch
Mason will be honoured in song by sensational
blues guitarists JP LeBlanc and
Charlie A’Court, accompanied by Angelo
Spinazzola on blues harp.
Banjo
songster Old Man Luedecke, who sings his
songs accompanied by his loving five strings, foot stomps
and the occasional yodel, brings uniqueness to centre stage
as he performs alongside contemporary singer-songwriters
Rose Cousins (NS), David Myles
(NB), and Catherine MacLellan (PEI).
The
2007 EAST COAST MUSIC AWARDS gala will be broadcast
live from the Metro Centre in Halifax, NS, on CBC Television
Monday, February 18 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) in all time zones.
www.cbc.ca/ecma
January
29, 2007
Charlie
can feel the blues within
By
JEREMY LOOME, EDMONTON SUN
This is not an unfamiliar story.
It
goes something like this: kid from middle of nowhere picks
up guitar. He takes lessons in the traditional ways, but
eventually hears a man playing the blues. He moves to the
big city, finds he plays those same blues sweetly, and success
quickly follows, albeit with limitations.
Charlie
A'Court's roots are a long way from the Mississippi Delta;
but his home might be the Canadian equivalent. The pride
of MacCallum Settlement, Nova Scotia ("population about
50," he notes) has been working out of the much larger
musical hotbed of Halifax for several years now, putting
out three acclaimed discs and touring Europe to acclaim
and a solid new fan base.
For
one, the 24-year-old A'Court, who plays the Arden Theatre
in St. Albert tonight, doesn't really know why he has the
blues - he hasn't sharecropped, been put down by the man
or hustled for a buck. But he still manages to infuse his
blend of modern soul and traditional electric blues with
hard times.
"When
you get down to it, the one thing that all of these original
styles have in common - whether it's blues, country, celtic,
folk or whatever - is the emotion that lies behind the music,"
says A'Court. "And although I can't say I've ever had
to live under racism in the south, my family has a long
history of dealing with mental illness and depression. I
don't mind talking about that."
Artistic
passion can be found in any number of personal trials, A'Court
notes. "I can talk about some of the things people
here deal with now. I can talk about coming from a broken
home, and I can talk about the difficulty of dealing with
those emotional issues."
But
he's adamant about one thing: as much as blues is his first
love, and the music he always returns to, he has enough
other influences to guarantee he never fills a disc with
shuffles and slow grinders.
"I
have a fairly broad palette of interests and I'll draw from
that palette. If the music is about expressing the way you
think and feel, it doesn't make sense to me not to do that
.
"I'm
not going to worry about whether people think I'm not traditional
enough or anything like that. I'll always love the blues
because it's a part of me and how I express myself. But
the music is about putting something honest out there, so
that's what I have to do."
A'Court's
refined-yet-gritty vocal delivery and stinging guitar licks
are offset by his acoustic sets, where he can get downright
smooth and soulful. The latter recently won him second place
at the annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis.
He's
thinking of verging off again at some point and blending
blues and the traditional Celtic music of Nova Scotia. He's
won an East Coast Music Award for his efforts, and opened
up for the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Colin James.
But
he's still a small-town Canadian boy. "We have Truro
not far away but it's a pretty tiny place, yeah," he
laughs.
GIG:
East-coast soul and blues guitar with Charlie A'Court, the
pride of MacCallum Settlement, Nova Scotia; also playing
is New Brunswick blues and roots man Matt Andersen.
VENUE:
The Arden Theatre in St. Albert, 5 St. Anne St., just north
of Birch Drive. Capacity is 529.
FACTOID:
Charlie A'Court's last name is a contraction of the French
community Agincourt, as in the famous "battle of."
His family emigrated to Britain centuries ago and changed
it.
January
22, 2007
Click
on image for full story
December
12, 2006
Charlie
A'Court nominated for Three 2007 East Coast Music Awards
(Halifax, NS) ---The East Coast Music Association announced
the 2007 East Coast Music Award nominees today in Halifax.
Charlie
A'Court received nominations in the following categories,
FACTOR Recording of the Year, Male Solo Recording
of the Year and Pop Recording of the Year
for his new release Bring On The Storm.
Award
nominees are chosen by juries of industry professionals
from all five regions of the East Coast Music Association:
P.E.I., New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, mainland
Nova Scotia and Cape Breton.
Tickets for the ECMA 2007 Gala Awards Show and the opening
night FashionEASTa extravaganza at the World Trade and Convention
Centre - are now on sale and can be purchased through the
Ticket Atlantic box office at the Halifax Metro Centre,
Atlantic Superstore outlets, by phone at (902) 451.1221
or on-line at www.ticketatlantic.com
The
2007 ECMAs will take place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from
February 15 to18 and will culminate in the ECMA Gala Awards
Show, broadcast on CBC Television, Sunday, February 18,
starting at 8 p.m. in all time zones (8:30 NT).
For more information on the ECMAs, please visit www.ecma.com
Nova
Scotians top ECMA nods
Cormier, Canyon have five apiece; Barber, Hynes, In-Flight
Safety claim four each
By ANDREA NEMETZ Entertainment Reporter
IT’S
AN understatement to say Halifax singer-songwriter Jill
Barber had a good day on Tuesday.
She
was sitting down in Toronto chatting with Blue Rodeo’s
Jim Cuddy about his appearance in her video for Don’t
Go Easy when her manager tapped her on the shoulder to let
her know she’d been nominated for four East Coast
Music Association awards.
"I’m
in a great mood," she said by cell phone from the St.
Lawrence Market where she and Cuddy began filming at 7:30
a.m.
Barber
was nominated for FACTOR recording of the year, female recording
of the year, SOCAN songwriter of the year and folk recording
of the year. She was one of three artists along with Halifax
band In-Flight Safety and Newfoundland singer-songwriter
Ron Hynes who were quadruple nominees when the East Coast
Music Association announced 149 nominees for this year’s
awards at a news conference at the Marquee Club.
George
Canyon and J.P. Cormier will be vying for the most hardware
when the 19th East Coast Music Awards are held in Halifax
Feb. 15 to 18. Each claimed five nominations.
Pictou
County cowboy Canyon, who now divides his time between his
ranch in Alberta and his home in Nashville, was nominated
for recording of the year, male solo recording of the year,
entertainer of the year, video of the year and country recording
of the year.
Cape
Breton’s Cormier received nods for male solo recording,
bluegrass recording, DVD, instrumental recording and folk
recording.
Charlie
A’Court, the Chucky Danger Band, the Joel
Plaskett Emergency, Sloan and The Trews each received three
nods.
In-Flight
Safety performed the title track from their album The Coast
Is Clear to open Tuesday’s festivities, and later
learned they’d claimed four nominations.
"We
didn’t expect as many nods. It was very welcome news,"
lead singer John Mullane said of the nominations for CBC
Galaxie rising star recording of the year, video of the
year for Surround, alternative recording and group recording
of the year for The Coast Is Clear, which was released in
January.
It’s
been a break-through year for the alternative pop quartet.
"I
think the main thing is we finally put out a full-length
record and it snowballed from there. To have a video alongside
Nelly Furtado and Eminem is a real highlight. We watched
Much Music as kids growing up," says Mullane, who also
plays guitar.
"We
also toured in the U.K. and played in Ireland this year
and we were pretty happy about our success at the Nova Scotia
Music Awards." In-Flight Safety took home trophies
for group of the year, album and alternative album at last
month’s awards in Liverpool.
Barber,
who was nominated two years ago for ECMAs for folk recording
and female recording of the year, joked she’s doubled
her nominations this year. The one that means the most to
her is the songwriting nomination for Don’t Go Easy,
which appears on her disc For All Time.
"It
brings the most satisfaction when you feel your talents
as a songwriter are recognized. That’s where the art
comes in. And it’s fairly safe to say it’s a
category that tends to be fairly male-dominated."
Other
songwriting nominees are Bruce Guthro for Holy Road, Joel
Plaskett for Nowhere With You performed by the Joel Plaskett
Emergency, Hynes for Dry and Rose Cousins for Good Enough.
Cousins,
who was also nominated for the rising star award, was among
the announcers Tuesday. Among the others were members of
the Halifax Mooseheads hockey team, politicians Len Goucher
and Dawn Sloane, actor Kelly Peck and Fred MacGillivray,
CEO of the World Trade Centre where much of the action for
the ECMAs will take place, including the gala awards broadcast
from the Halifax Metro Centre on Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. on CBC.
MacCallum
Settlement’s Charlie A’Court said he was like
a kid in the candy shop after learning he’d been nominated
for FACTOR recording of the year, male solo recording of
the year and pop recording of the year for Bring on the
Storm.
"The
male solo artist is a heavy category. I’m competing
against Bruce Guthro (Beautiful Life), George Canyon (Somebody
Wrote Love), J.P. Cormier (Looking Back Vol. 2 – The
Songs) and Ron Hynes (Ron Hynes). To have the association
view me with the same regard they do these artists, artists
I’ve grown up listening to, to know they house us
all on the same playing field is a bit of a shock."
A’Court,
who was previously nominated for three ECMAs for his debut
album Color Me Gone and won blues artist, says the fact
the ECMAs draw delegates from around the world is helping
artists’ careers.
"I
showcased the last time the ECMAs were in Halifax in 2003
and delegates saw that showcase and told me they could build
me in the European market, facilitating my tours there."
Enfield-raised
rapper Classified, who was nominated Tuesday for video of
the year and rap/hip-hop single track of the year, says
it’s been a very good year. The winner of hip-hop
recording of the year at last month’s Music Nova Scotia
awards says success has been a long time coming. He put
out his first album in 1995.
He
has just returned from a 28-date, month-long tour featuring
top Canadian hip hop artists and is working on a video for
the single All About You, which he expects to drop in January.
"People
have been saying it’s very Jack Johnson-ish. It hits
a different market," he said, noting he’s also
busy producing a CD for local artist Jordan Croucher that
will be a mix of R and B, soul and rock.
The
first round of ECMA showcase artists was also announced
Tuesday including the Mainstage Showcase featuring double
nominees Catherine MacLellan and JP LeBlanc, as well as
nominees hey rosetta! and Old Man Luedecke, among others.
The
Roots Room Showcase at the Schooner Room in the Casino will
feature double nominee Amelia Curran and nominees Duane
Andrews, Elmer Deagle, Lennie Gallant, Madviolet and The
Divorcees, among others.
And
the Max Trax Rock Showcase at the Marquee Club will feature
nominees Chris Colepaugh and the Cosmic Crew, Jon Epworth
and the Improvements, On Vinyl and Two Hours Traffic, among
others.
More
showcase performers, industry nominees and participants
in the 72-hour jam are expected to be announced in mid-January.
(
anemetz@herald.ca)
The Toast of the Coast
Canyon,
Cormier lead the pack with five nominations each
By Dean Lisk
The Daily News
It
was a great way for In-Flight Safety to top off an all ready
impressive year.
There
were tours of Canada and the United Kingdom, videos in heavy
rotation on Much Music, three Nova Scotia Music Awards,
and now four East Coast Music Award nominations.
"Everything
that has happened the last four months has been unexpected,"
lead singer John Mullane said yesterday at the news conference
announcing the 2007 award nominees.
His
band, with members from all three Maritime provinces, are
up for awards in the rising star, video, alternative, and
group-recording categories.
'Tipped
off'
"We
were tipped off when they asked us to play the press conference
that we would be nominated for one award, but I didn't think
we would get nominated for four."
A
crowd of nearly 100 at gathered at the Marquee Club yesterday
to hear who would be up for awards at the ceremony, which
takes place at the Halifax Metro Centre on Sunday, Feb.
18.
"Thanks
for joining us for the most important day of the entire
year," said Stephen Antle, chairman of the ECMA 2007
committee, at the announcement.
Leading
the pack with five ECMA nominations are George Canyon and
J.P. Cormier. They are followed with four nominations each
by Halifax's Jill Barber, Newfoundland folksinger Ron Hynes,
and In-Flight Safety.
"We
are just hoping we can win one award," said Mullane,
who didn't want to set any expectations. "Any time
we had expectations in the past, it has been disastrous.
So, we are excited just to go.
"We
have never been nominated before."
Also
receiving multiple nods are The Chucky Danger Band, Joel
Plaskett Emergency, Sloan, The Trews and Charlie A'Court.
They're each up for three awards.
Especially
honoured
A'Court,
who was nominated in the recording of the year and pop categories,
was especially honoured with a nod as male solo recording
of the year.
"It
is a super heavy category," said A'Court, who is up
against Bruce Guthro, Canyon, Cormier and Ron Hynes. "If
the ECMA association thinks that I have got what it takes
to be in that category, then it is very humbling.
"All
I can do is hope that it translates into exposure, and fans
of those guys will want to find out what Charlie A'Court
is all about. You always cross your fingers."
dlisk@hfxnews.ca
The
Coast - Halifax, NS, Dec. 7/06
By Johnston Farrow
The
Charlie A’Court of today is a much different person
than the Charlie A’Court of four years ago. At that
time, A’Court was a talented blues-influenced guitarist
who had chosen to pursue music rather than following the
conventional university route of his peers. He spent many
afternoons busking on the Halifax waterfront, until someone
suggested he head down to open mic night at the now-defunct
Tickle Trunk.
“Someone
told me to go down and check out Dale Letcher,” the
now 28-year-old A’Court says. “I went in there,
sang a couple of tunes and Dale was like, ‘Hey, we
need someone to do a couple of Wednesday nights here.’
That was my education.”
Since
then, A’Court has recorded and appeared on several
albums, picked up awards for 2002’s Colour Me Gone
and toured in North America and Europe. He’s about
to take his career a step further with his newest disc,
Bring on the Storm.
Recorded
over six months with producer Danny Greenspoon in Toronto,
Bring on the Storm showcases the new A’Court. Once
a fresh-faced, long-haired guitar wizard, the A’Court
on this record is a clean-cut, seasoned veteran. He still
retains a measure of the blues influences he’s known
for, but now A’Court flexes his muscles as a singer-songwriter,
detailing his thoughts on love, loss and life as a touring
artist.
It’s
a long way from his days singing for free at open mic nights,
and A’Court says he has no plans on stopping any time
soon, despite the success he’s had so far.
“A
little over six years from moving to Halifax, this is my
second studio album, and I have a little over five albums
in total under my belt,” he says. “I have a
lot of guest work done, touring different parts of the world.
That says a lot, but at the same time you never want to
rest on your laurels.”
—Johnston
Farrow
CHARLIE
A'COURT
Worldview Blues - by Carsten Knox, for www.infomonkey.net
12.7.06
How
did your classical guitar studies inform the way you play
your music today?
It
instilled the necessity for discipline. That’s not
a form of music that you can approach lightly. It’s
not the kind of music you can just sit around and jam to.
It’s very structured. The couple of years I took classical
guitar it really hit home that when you pay this much attention
to music, if you take that same idea to whatever form of
music that you write and perform, it could have the same
impact, the same weight.
Read
the full interview - click here!
November
28, 2006
Bringing
it home
Local blues musician Charlie A'Court 'stoked' about December
performance at Marigold Cultural Centretre
By
Harry Sullivan
The Truro Daily News
TRURO
– Charlie A’Court is coming home with itchy
fingers.
After
strutting his stuff across European stages in recent months,
the McCallum Settlement native, who is quickly strumming
his way to blues icon status, is all fired up about playing
for a local audience.
“I’ve
been really stoked for this show,” he said, of his
upcoming performance at the Marigold Cultural Centre.
“We’re
pumped, excited to be coming back to showcase the material
with a full band and to be able to show the Truro audience
what I do internationally, what it is I do to represent
myself as a Nova Scotia musician.”
A’Court
was home for a brief stint in September during the Marigold’s
official opening but said that pales in comparison to being
able to put on a full performance for a local audience.
Fans
can anticipate hearing songs from his latest CD offering
– Bring On The Storm – an album he described
as an attempt to pick up where he left off on his previous
release.
“The
theme of the album is all about transitions,” he said
recently during a telephone interview from his Dartmouth
home. “A lot of things happened to me in the last
four years, some good, some bad, and I needed to sing about
that on this album.”
Bring
On The Storm was recorded in Toronto and produced by Danny
Greenspoon, who has also collaborated with the likes of
such renowned bands as Spirit Of The West and Great Big
Sea.
“A
lot of it is about being on the road,” A’Court
continued of the CD’s content. “Trying to do
your thing and trying to be out in front of the audience,
having to live your life on the stage, basically.”
In
late September and early October, A’Court spent three
weeks touring Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg where
his CD was released a month earlier than in Canada.
“It
was fantastic,” he said. “That was awesome because
that was the tour for the new album.”
Bring
On The Storm features 11 songs including the lead single,
Big Dark Canyon, which A’Court co-wrote with JP Cormier
and which he said has been “just snatched up”
by radio stations in Atlantic Canada.
Other
co-written songs include Broken Man, which was penned with
well-known guitarist Jamie Robinson and Yes You Are, the
10th track on the CD, which was written with country music
songstress Rylee Madison.
hsullivan@trurodaily.com
November
28, 2006
Click
to read the article
November
20, 2006
Charlie
A’Court Ready To “Bring On The Storm”
With CD Release Concerts:
Dec. 5 - Marigold Cultural Centre, Truro, NS
Dec. 7 - The Guild, Charlottetown, PE
Dec. 8 – The Seahorse Tavern, Halifax, NS
Charlie A’Court, ECMA winning guitarist,
singer, songwriter and entertainer extraordinaire will celebrate
the release of his new CD “Bring On The Storm”,
with concerts in Truro, NS (Dec. 5), Charlottetown, PE (Dec.
7) and Halifax, NS (Dec. 8). Tickets are on sale now at
the venues and local ticket outlets. (Details below).
Bring On The Storm was recorded
at Canterbury Studios in Toronto with renowned producer
Danny Greenspoon (Spirit Of The West, Great
Big Sea, Susan Crowe, Suzie Vinnick). Bring On The Storm
features eleven songs including the smokin’ lead single
“Big Dark Canyon”,
a tune that A’Court wrote with JP Cormier,
currently burning up the radio charts throughout Atlantic
Canada and beyond. Other co-writes include “Broken
Man”, written with well-known guitarist
Jamie Robinson and “Yes
You Are”, penned with country music
songstress Rylee Madison. A’Court
pays tribute to a couple of his musical heroes with covers
of Willie Nelson’s “Heartaches Of A Fool”
and Otis Redding’s “Dreams To Remember.”
The balance of the songs on Bring On The Storm are self-penned
works clearly demonstrating Charlie A’Court’s
phenomenal growth as a contemporary, blues-rock influenced
songwriter.
Recently returned from headline shows in Germany, the USA
and western Canada, Charlie A’Court’s rise from
rural MacCallum Settlement, Nova Scotia to the world stage
has been a remarkable journey. He started playing guitar
when he was 12 years old, spent a couple of years devoted
to the study of classical guitar, then discovered his father’s
record collection. The impressionable, young musician was
introduced to the masterful sounds of B.B. King, Bad Company,
Eric Clapton, Long John Baldry and a new world of music.
The rest is history.
Charlie A’Court’s history includes his 2002
debut disc “Color Me Gone”,
which earned him MusicNS awards for Galaxie Best
New Artist, Album, Male Artist, Blues Artist and
Entertainer Of The Year; along with the
ECMA for Blues Artist of The Year,
presented during his national television debut on the 2003
East Coast Music Awards show. He’s since released
Color Me Gone and Bring On The Storm in Europe. A’Court’s
history also includes appearances at Stan Rogers Folk Festival,
Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival, Ottawa Blues Fest, Kerrville
Folk Festival and non-stop international touring. He's shared
the stage with high profile artists such as John
Reischman & The Jaybirds, The Fabulous Thunderbirds,
Harry Manx, Colin James, Mick Taylor, Dave Hole, Sugar Blue,
Procol Harum and most recently, Blues Brothers
film-star, Dan Aykroyd.
An emotionally charged, soul-touching artist, fueled by
fierce passion, the desire and talent to deliver powerful
music, and a hot new CD, Charlie A'Court is ready to Bring
On The Storm! CD In Stores Now!
Join Charlie A’Court and friends for his “Bring
On The Storm” CD Release concerts at The Marigold
Cultural Centre, Truro, NS, on Dec. 5th; The Guild in Charlottetown,
PE on Dec. 7th; and The Seahorse in Halifax, NS on Dec.
8th.
Charlie A'Court CD Release Concerts:
Tuesday, Dec. 5 - Truro, NS - Marigold Cultural
Centre
Tickets: $20.50 Advance; $25 at the door
On sale now at MacQuarrie's Pharmasave, 179 Esplanade St.,
Truro
Call: 902.895.1681
Doors: 7pm
Thursday, Dec. 7 - Charlottetown, PE - The Guild
Tickets: $20 Advance; $25 at the door
On sale now at The Guild, 115 Richmond St., Call: (902)
620-3333 &
CD Plus in Confederation Court Mall, Call: (902) 566-9980
Doors: 7pm
Friday, Dec. 8 - Halifax, NS - The Seahorse Tavern
Tickets $12 Advance; $15 at the door
On sale now at CD Plus Barrington St., CD Plus Halifax Shopping
Centre & Musicstop, Bedford
Doors: 10pm
A PnuWave Entertainment production.
Charlie A'Court * Bring On The Storm * In stores now!
Distributed by Distribution Fusion III www.fusion3.com
Vote for Big Dark Canyon at www.eastcoastcountdown.com
November
10, 2006 - Chronicle Herald, Halifax, NS
Transition
strengthens A’Court
Singer-songwriter has been on the move, physically, spiritually
By STEPHEN COOKE Entertainment Reporter
There’s
a storm brewing, but Charlie A’Court doesn’t
mind.
The
Halifax-based singer-songwriter is prepared for a whirlwind
of activity in the wake of the release of his second CD
Bring On the Storm, including a trip this weekend to Liverpool
where he’s nominated for entertainer of the year at
the Music Nova Scotia Awards, which will be handed out on
Sunday night at the Astor Theatre as part of Nova Scotia
Music Week.
A’Court
is also performing a solo showcase on Saturday night at
the Mersey and with his band on Sunday at the awards show
afterparty.
On
top of all that, he’s putting in an appearance at
the Marquee Club tonight,as part of the Dan Aykroyd &
the Horsepower Blues Band benefit for the Halifax Military
Family Resource Centre. And in December, he’ll be
heading out on a Maritime mini-tour that includes a show
at Halifax’s Seahorse Tavern on Dec. 8.
Considering
he recently got back from a three-week European tour with
fellow MNS Award nominee Jenn Grant, it’s no surprise
that many of the songs on Bring on the Storm are about transition.
Whether it’s moving from one place to another in the
physical sense, or the spiritual.
"The
past three years have been that way," says the Colchester
County native over a club soda at the Economy Shoe Shop.
"Definitely a state of transition on a career level
and a personal level. Certainly Bring on the Storm is about
digging in your heels and saying, ‘I’m on the
road, but I can handle it!’
"It’s
about being a musician and being on the road and going place
to place and reaching for the moon. You want to take on
the good and the bad, knowing you can handle it."
The
experience has taught A’Court to think on his feet,
like making the most of a "happy accident" that
occurred while recording Bring on the Storm’s title
track.
Not
even sure if the song would make the record, the boyish
singer with the big voice noticed the drummer’s headphones
were a split second off while recording in Toronto, giving
his playing an unusual rhythm.
"It’s
almost as if his cans kicked in later, so he was playing
a completely different groove than the rest of us, but one
listen and we knew that’s what we wanted," A’Court
recalls. "And it wound up being the title track for
the album."
He
cites that incident as an example of the relaxed, cooperative
atmosphere created in the studio by producer Danny Greenspoon,
initially known as a guitar player with artists like the
McGarrigle Sisters and Ian Tyson, and lately as a producer
for a roster of performers including Great Big Sea and Susan
Crowe.
A’Court
liked the work Greenspan had done with Saskatoon roots musician
Susie Vinnick, and already had him in mind for a more expansive,
soulful sound before he even knew the producer was a friend
of manager Doug Kirby.
"His
mindset was ‘Follow your instincts.’ He’d
tell me not to try and fill every moment of space with something,
to let some air pass through the passages," says A’Court.
"Don’t overplay. That’s why we brought
in Kevin Breit as the second guitar player. Certain songs
had a more natural calling for something he’d play,
while others were more suited to my style of playing.
"As
a guitarist who’s worked with singer-songwriters,
Danny brings a certain ease to the songs, and the way they
flow from start to finish."
A’Court’s
ease in performing is countered by the intensely personal
nature of the songs, like Broken Man, written following
the deaths of friends and fellow musicians Rick Jeffery
and Carlo Spinazzola, or Give It All to You, inspired by
his father’s struggle with chronic back pain and the
depression it caused.
Even
a stirring cover of Otis Redding’s Dreams to Remember
is a tribute to his dad and his influence, harking back
to when he took a teenage A’Court to hear Frank MacKay
and the Lincolns perform that very song at the Truro Legion.
Even though the then-underage A’Court couldn’t
get in and had to listen to the show through an emergency
exit by the stage, it helped spark that desire to perform.
A’Court’s
interpretation also further signals his desire to move beyond
being labelled as strictly a blues artist, which he has
long said is only one part of the whole picture.
"You
could rhyme off 50 blues songs a day if you’re just
following the formula," he says. "But then I listened
to contemporary singer-songwriters and wondered why I couldn’t
do both. Give the music a rhythm and blues kind of groove,
but make the lyrics contemporary sounding, and marry the
two. That’s really what I tried to do with this album.
"The
listener can peg it whichever way they want. I’m trying
not to do it, and let the industry do that, because everyone’s
going to have their own opinion. Basically, it comes down
to creating good music, drawn from many sources."
November
2006
Toronto
Blues Society Magazine
John's
Blues picks
Charlie A'Court Bring on the Storm 6K7/Fusion
This
is a huge step forward for this young Nova Scotian, a modern
blues-based effort, full of original songs that should appeal
to many tastes. He came here to record and with an A-list
of players: Kevin Breit, Gary Craig, Dennis Keldie and Marc
Rogers. Suzie Vinnick leads a team of backing vocalists
that includes Amoy Levy & Ciceal Levy. Danny Greenspoon
put it all together. Everyone takes care to let A'Court
and his songs shine and three of them will appeal to readers
here. "Isolation Blues" is as close to straight
ahead blues as there is, the isolation coming from growing
up unloved. Of the two others, "Big Dark Canyon"
is an essay on the gulf between youthful innocence and a
wife abuser and a derelict (with nice B.B. King-style guitar);
and this particular "Broken Man" seems to have
trouble coping with modern society. The other songs are
aimed at radio and the title song & "Seeing You
Around" might even make it. There's also a very good
rendering of Otis Redding's "Dreams To Remember".
A'Court has all the necessary tools, I hope he has a great
future. His web site is www.charlieacourt.com.
September
20, 2006
Charlie
A'Court picked up 2 Nova Scotia Music week 2006 Music Award
Nominations!!
Charlie
was nominated for "Entertainer of the Year"
And
also for "Little Derek and the Haemo Blues Band: The
Red & White Album" in the Best Blues Recording
of the Year category.
Awards
will be given out at the Astor Theatre in Liverpool on November
12th.
www.musicnovascotia.ca
Blues
Festival hard to beat
Written by Braden Blackmon
Thursday, 09 March 2006
I’m feeling older than my age. On Mar. 3 at 10:00
p.m. the Saskatoon blues festival was already a day old
and I felt like going to sleep on my couch. After a week
of teaching I was finding it hard to summon the motivation
to move. Of course I did manage to get dressed and out the
door, and boy was I rewarded for my efforts.
My first stop was the Acoustic Blues Room, formerly dubbed
The Off Broadway Theater. I had only planned to see the
virtuoso harmonica player, Carlos Del Junco (pronounced
“HUN-co”) so it was an accidental treat to experience
Rita Chiarelli and John King. I must confess that as an
avid fan of blues I am sensitive to how this music is sung.
It takes a certain kind of voice to express the emotion
of blues and Rita Chiarelli has this voice; she does not
so much sing as she wails and grunts and hollers—all
in key mind you—until you are sick to your stomach.
The only other person I heard during the blues festival
that sang so hard and well that you were moved to tears
was Charlie A’Court who was not even
mentioned on the Saskatoon Blues society website as opening
for Sue Foley. In closing I will only mention that if you
have the chance to see either of these individuals in concert
or listen to their CDs you will hear what I mean.
Carlos del Junco was true to form. I saw del Junco at Crawdaddy’s
two years ago and I really appreciated the variety of music
he played. While he is not a pure blues artist, his jazzy
licks were a musically pleasing compliment to Chiarelli’s
roots-y blues sound. As far as stage presence is concerned,
del Junco is a laid back performer who interacts sparingly
with the audience. (More entertaining on the visual side
was his guitarist who at times looks like he is about to
gyrate himself into a seizure.) Del Junco’s sound
is all over the musical map from jazz, to blues, to funk
to other mystery genres I do not have a name for. The most
pleasing thing about his performances is that you do not
know what he is going to serve up next but whatever it is
it is always original and well played.
On Saturday night my fatigue was even worse than on Friday.
This is what I mean about getting old. At one point during
Sue Foley’s performance she made the comment that
it was nice to be doing something on a Saturday night for
a change – I thought she was talking to me! Needless
to say I was again well rewarded for my outing. I have already
mentioned Foley’s opening act, Charlie A’Court
as being an excellent singer. He is also an excellent guitar
player, playing his set acoustically with two musicians
backing him up during the two songs I listened to. What
surprised and touched me about his playing was the sound
that erupted from such an ordinary looking person. If you
think I mean to judge his appearance you are mistaken because
I actually mean to comment on appearances in general. How
many people are walking around with talents and dreams that
they never put into action? I’m one, and I bet there
are plenty more out there. I am shocked and gladdened by
the simple fact that some people choose to share there talents
with the rest of us, and instead of making me jealous, it
is at these times that I want to do more myself. Charlie’s
singing and playing said to me, “Hey why do you spend
so much time wringing your hands over trivial things when
you could be actually living?”
I have listened to Foley’s music for a number of years
so when she launched into a version of I’ll Love You
Better I was attentive to whether her CD sound was as good
as her live sound. As it turns out, it was. It is hard to
count the ways of Foley, but here are some of her obvious
talents: a) She is a deadly female blues guitarist in a
world of male blues guitarists. b) She has a vibrato on
her voice, which is solely hers. c) She is fun to watch
glide around the stage. d) She plays a pink Telecaster with
her fingers instead of a pick, (although I think she has
thumb pick). Perhaps the most endearing aspect of Foley’s
music is the way it catches you smiling, which I always
take for a good sign.
The Saskatoon Blues Festival is a unique, intimate event.
It is a long way from seeing Dwight Yokam or Nickelback
at Credit Union Centre because the venues were small and
the talent was more “local.” Everyone knows
that seeing bands in smaller venues is more fun because
it is more personal and memorable. All of the acts that
I saw were fantastic and totally unlike each other. What
can I say except that this festival was well supplied with
talented musicians who were a pleasure to watch. I may be
old but experience has shown me that when the Blues Festival
comes back next year I will be anxiously waiting for the
opportunity to attend.
