Steve's Blog
Wednesday June 16, 2010

We are busy working on plans for summer concerts at CBC Studio 700 and Shorefest 2010, the fireworks concerts we debuted so successfully last year - with Shore fm. We're also booking an exciting Fall Season. Stay tuned for details as they become available....

Meanwhile, we have two concerts coming up at St. James Hall, then it's the Jazz Festival and then Folk Festivals burst upon the music scene across BC and Alberta! These are exciting times.

1. The Sojourners, Friday June 18th 8pm, St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue)

The CD launch concert for The Sojourners' sophomore album takes place at St. James Hall this Friday, and it promises to be a very memorable concert. The Gospel / R&B trio that first came together to sing backup for Jim Byrnes has made great strides ever since. Jim named them The Sojourners, and not only did the name stick, it gave rise to a stunning debut CD, Hold On, and now this eponymous follow-up album. Not only that, the group has been invited to perform at some of Canada's most prestigious folk festivals this Summer (Winnipeg, Canmore) in their own right. Will Sanders and Marcus Mosely will be joined this Summer by Khari McClelland while Ron Small continues to recover from recent surgery. They will be backed by the Black Hen Studio Band, featuring Steve Dawson on guitars, Keith Lowe on bass, Geoff Hicks on drums, and Bob Murphy on Hammond B3 organ. There will also be guest appearances, including powerhouse Gospel singer Candus Churchill. Don't be surprised if Jim Byrnes comes along too. The evening will start with an entrance by the New Orleans-style marching band, The Homecoming Brass Band. Then it's going to be an uplifting extravaganza showcasing powerful vocal harmonies and brilliant musicianship. Tickets are selling fast. Don't miss out on this spectacular event! You can buy tickets online or in-person at Highlife Records on Commercial Drive or Rufus' Guitar Shop at 10th & Alma. Or you can reserve a space by calling our Hotline on 604-736-3022. Doors open at 7pm, and showtime is 8pm. Prompt. More information www.thesojourners.ca

2. Plough, Wednesday June 23rd 8pm, St. James Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue)

Vancouver old-time / bluegrass / folk quartet Plough features Karla Mundy on vocals and banjo, Linda Bull on vocals and fiddle, James Scholl on vocals and bass, and Patrick Metzger on vocals and guitar. Their CD launch concert takes place next Wednesday, and it will also be a very special occasion, with the band expanded to a sextet by the addition of Tim Tweedale on dobro and Martin Fisk on percussion. They call their music "new-fangled old-time and original roots", and the material on the CD reflects this with some outstanding self-penned songs like Rainforest Blues, New Shoes, and the compelling instrumental Two Banjo Minimum, which was also featured on the highly successful Whiskey Hollow Bound CD. (Plough was one of six local bands who staged three memorable ensemble concerts a couple of years ago - two of them at The Rogue.) Plough made such an impressive debut at the Mission Folk Music Festival two years ago that CBC Canada Live recorded the set and it was available for download on the CBC website right up until a month or so ago. They made their Rogue debut at the Phil Thomas Celebration concert in November 2007, and stole the show. Karla Mundy is a show-stealer by trade, and has graced The Rogue stage with The No Shit Shirleys, Cleia, David Francey, and Mad Pudding as well as Plough. Patrick Metzger has played here a few times with Headwater, and Linda Bull has played here with The Maenads as well. (James Scholl's bass was last seen here at the Wake The Dead show!) More information on Plough can be found at www.myspace.com/ploughtheband

Leah Abramson (of The Abramson Sngers, Crooked Jades, Dyad, etc.) will open for Plough. She has just released her Abramson Singers CD to great critical acclaim - most recently in the renowned and highly-influential UK music magazine fRoots - where she multi-tracked her vocals to great effect. She spent the winter crossing Canada from coast to coast and back singing Canadian songs in the bar car on Via Rail trains! This amazing singer will get things off to a cracking start on this night. For more information visit www.myspace.com/leahabramson

3. The Edge On Folk, Saturday 8am to noon, on CiTR fm 1019 and www.citr.ca

On this week's show I'll have new releases by a bonny bunch of English singers Seth Lakeman, Emily Portman, Megson, Chumbawamba, Coope Boyes & Simpson, Capercaillie's Mancunian piper Michael McGoldrick, and a great young instrumental band, the Urban Folk Quartet. There will also be new music from Africa with Ny Malagasy Orkestra, Foune Diarra Trio (with Breton fiddler Jacky Molard and his quartet), and more from the Putumayo South Africa collection. Plus a new live CD by Jackson Browne & David Lindley recorded in Spain, Ruth (Wailin Jennys) Moody's solo debut CD, The Garden, and lots more. Plus festival and concert previews. Please join me for 4 hours of the very best in Roots Music, Saturday from 8am to noon. You can also download podcasts of the show on www.citr.ca Playlists are archived on the website.

4. Shore fm Broadcasts Rogue shows

This Sunday, June 13th at 9pm, tune in to Shore fm 104.3 to hear Matt Andersen recorded live at The Rogue in April. It was an incredible performance, and this is a unique opportunity to hear it again. www.shore104.com

5. House Of Doc at CBC, Saturday June 19th

You Are Invited -- and it's free! CBC Television's "All Access" and Radio 2 Presents "House of Doc" In ConcertThis Saturday, June 19th, come to CBC Vancouver's Broadcast Centre for a concert and television taping of cutting edge roots band House of Doc.

In 2003 House of Doc began with superb 4-part vocals. When they added dazzling instrumental sounds covering everything from drums to piccolo, with detours along the way for bass recorder & bassoon, it was quickly apparent that House of Doc was so much more than a singing group. Now they are moving on, taking the next steps into a new musical incarnation.

Starting at 7 p.m., audiences in CBC Vancouver's Studio 40 will see and hear the whole continually evolving, vibrating thing that is House of Doc.

Location: CBC Studio 40, 700 Hamilton St., VancouverTime: Saturday, June 19th, 2010, 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.Get on the guest list! Send your name and seat requests to RSVP.Vancouver at cbc.ca. www.houseofdoc.com