Steve's Blog
Friday March 20, 2009

Hi everyone

In Concert: Romi Mayes from Winnipeg, TONIGHT! Friday March 20th 8pm at St. James Hall, 3214 West 10th Avenue

We are delighted to present a very fine songwriter from the Prairies, Romi Mayes (pronounced Raw-me Maze) She has just released a superb CD, "Achin In Yer Bones", produced by Austin's revered musician / producer Gurf Morlix. It's definitely a contender for a Juno Award in 2010, and gets my vote for Canadian Album of 2009 so far. The sort of album Lucinda Williams would love to have made, but she doesn't have the chops, nor the turn of phrase exhibited by Romi Mayes. Come along and hear her for yourselves. She is amazing, and her band is incredible. The pianist and the bassist are extremely animated and you can really see just how much they "feel" the music! www.romimayes.com

There will be an opening set from North Vancouver songwriter Dustin Bentall (son of Barney Bentall, a stalwart member of the local music scene for over 2 decades) Dustin is a good friend and long time collaborator with Romi, so expect a few duets too.

In Concert: Vin Garbutt from England, Saturday March 21st 8pm at St. James Hall, 3214 West 10th Ave

The following night, English songwriter Vin Garbutt returns to the Rogue, in his 40th year as a touring musician! Steeped in traditional music from Ireland and England, Vin is a wonderful whistle player and guitarist with a powerful, passionate voice. His songs are memorable accounts of life in these troubled times. OK, many of them are sad, but there is in Vin Garbutt a heart of gold and an indomitable spirit and hope for the future. He is also a celebrated entertainer. A raconteur with a sharp wit and some of the zaniest stories you've ever heard. The perfect blend of humour and pathos. www.vingarbutt.com

We continue to showcase some very exciting emerging Canadian talent this weekend, with Victoria fiddler Kalissa Hernandez opening for Vin.

In Concert: Beppe Gambetta from Italy, Thursday March 26th 8pm at St. James Hall, 3214 W 10th Ave

"He's an almost unnaturally gifted flatpicker and fingerstylist, and he's personable to a fault - a charmer who has even the most reticent audience in the palm of his hand in short order." - Taylor Guitars

Beppe Gambetta is a virtuosic guitar player and an emotional singer who manages to effortlessly bridge bluegrass, Eastern European folk music, Celtic rhythms and the music of his native Italy. He is a remarkable musician who has almost singlehandedly popularized flatpicking throughout Europe, while forging his own unique approach to the guitar along the way. A native of Genova, Beppe has become one of Europe's foremost guitarists in American idioms. When he was eleven, he heard a guitar strummed by some amateur singers on a train and immediately wanted to devote his life to that beautiful sound. He began by playing in a classical orchestra for plectrum instruments, and when he heard the music of Doc Watson on an LP that a friend brought to Genoa, he decided that flatpicking was the most beautiful way of playing the acoustic guitar. Since then he's released some marvellous solo CDs as well as collaborations with Dan Crary and The Men Of Steel. His latest CD, Rendez-Vous, came out a couple of months ago. www.beppegambetta.com

Opening for Beppe, with a nod to his Italian origins, his devotion to old-time music, and our determination to provide a stage for burgeoning local talent, we present Vancouver quartet Plough, featuring Linda Bull (host of the Italian music show Give "Em The Boot on CiTR 101.9 fm every Tuesday,) Karla Mundy (of the No Shit Shirleys), Patrick Metzger (of Headwater), and James Scholl. They starred at the legendary Whiskey Hollow Bound shows, and their performance at last summer's Mission Folk Festival was recorded for CBC Canada Live. They are working on a debut CD.

In Concert: Habib Koite & Bamada from Mali, Saturday March 28th 8pm at Capilano Performing Arts Theatre, 2055 Purcell Way, North Vancouver

Malian guitar virtuoso Habib Koité has grown to become one of the leading figures in contemporary world music. With more than a quarter-of-a-million albums sold around the globe, Koité is one of Africa's most beloved and popular musicians. After a six-year absence from the recording studio, Koité and his band Bamada returned last fall with a stunning new album, Afriki. Koité draws on styles from the different regions of Mali while incorporating Western traditions without watering down his cherished African roots. He has long been one of my favourite African artists, but I've only seen him once before - at Edmonton a few years ago. His song, Cigarette Abana, is a massive-selling anti-smoking anthem in Africa. He sings a memorable duet with Bonnie Raitt on the Putumayo CD Blues Around The World, and remains one of the most melodic and accessible artists to emerge from Mali. www.contrejour.com/artists/habibkoite

In Concert: Dougie MacLean from Scotland, Monday March 30th 8pm at St. James Hall, 3214 West 10th

For many years Dougie MacLean has led the development of Scottish music and song. He returns to The Rogue this month as one of Scotland's most successful, respected and popular musicians. A magical performer, he is also a fine guitarist, fiddle player and storyteller. He's a former member of The Tannahill Weavers and Silly Wizard, and his concerts here are usually sold out.

From his home base in Butterstone near Dunkeld in the beautiful Tay Valley in Perthshire Scotland, Dougie tours the world with his unique blend of lyrical, 'roots based' songwriting and instrumental composition. His moving song Caledonia and melody The Gael (used in The Last of the Mohicans) have been recorded by hundreds of artists and enjoyed by millions worldwide. Recently Caledonia was launched as the main star in the Homecoming Scotland 2009 TV advertising campaign. 2009 is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, and the campaign celebrates some of Scotland's greatest contributions to the world: whisky, golf, soccer managers, and music! First Minister Alex Salmond said: "Caledonia is a song that resonates with Scots the world over. For those far away it is a reminder of strong bonds, full of the promise of return. That is what makes it the perfect anthem for our Year of Homecoming."

Let Dougie MacLean share a wee bit of Scotland or take you home at the Rogue. www.dougiemaclean.com

The Edge On Folk, Saturday 8am to noon, CiTR fm 101.9 www.citr.ca

On this week's show you can hear music by all the above performers, plus an interview with Vin Garbutt (I hope!), and some new releases and old favourites, including the 67 year old American hobo / bluesman Seasick Steve, a new CD by Irish singer Luka Bloom (who is coming to the Rogue in May!), Mariza from Portugal, Duoud from France, Sometymes Why, Missie Raines, Jeb Loy Nichols, Bela Fleck, Diana Jones, Justin Townes Earle, a look ahead to our 3rd annual celebration of the musical legacy of Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli (April In Paris - April 25 & 26) and many more. Please join me for 4 hours of the very best in Roots, World, and Folk Music on CiTR fm 101.9 in Vancouver, streamed live on www.citr.ca, and available later as podcasts on the same website.

Have a great weekend everyone!
See you at The Rogue.
Steve