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Calgary Folk Club
Newsletter




Highlights in this edition:
■ Our Next Shows: March
■ Give the gift of music!
■ Volunteers Needed: Casino, 50/50, and our Greeters Team!
■ CFC Board Members Report from Kansas City's Folk Alliance Conference 2017
■ Backstage with Jeffery Straker
■ A Message of Thanks from the Bow Valley Music Club

Give the gift of music!

Above all, the Calgary Folk Club is a community - a place for people to come together, united by a singular passion. It's not the sort of thing that gets shouted from a billboard or blinks up on your web browser. We depend on the oldest and best form of advertising: word of mouth. And what better way to spread that word than treating a friend or loved one to a night out with us? As always, tickets for every show can be found on our website. We look forward to seeing more of you, and to meeting the people that you'd love to introduce to us!

Any family you talk to will have somebody who plays music, and now the kids are taking it up and playing and taking it in a little different direction - like Mumford & Sons and that kind of style. But they are still learning in the same tradition as their mom and dad and grandparents learned.
~Scott Freeman

Our Next Shows:


Coming on   March 10:
Note: This Show is Sold Out!

The Leahys
The Leahy sisters began singing in the choir at church. At the same time, a love of traditional, Celtic instrumental music and step-dancing was instilled in them in the Irish, Scottish, French-Canadian, and Cape Breton traditions. The Leahys features five of the seven Leahy sisters, along with one of four brothers. Songs, song-writing, and the gorgeous vocal blend of harmonies that come when siblings sing together maintain the distinctive sound of the family's Celtic, traditional, and instrumental music roots.



First up: Big Little Lions
The 2015 CFMA Ensemble of the Year,  Big Little Lions  is comprised of JUNO-winning Helen Austin and Paul Otten. Popmatters.com calls their album  A Little Frayed, A Little Torn "a jubilant collection of folk-pop songcraft," and the Examiner says that "the duo's sound mixes the new school folk of Mumford and Sons with a dance rhythm that keeps the music sounding light and upbeat." Both members are hugely prolific songwriters, and are often featured on CBC radio shows including The Vinyl Cafe.



And on March 24:


No strangers as individuals to Canadian festival and folk club stages (including the CFC), PEI's own Catherine MacLellan, Ashley Condon and Meaghan Blanchard are touring together as the Eastern Belles while they simultaneously pursue their flourishing solo careers. Three fine solo performers with distinct, stunning voices that can stand alone powerfully and then combine to create some of the sweetest harmonies you could wish to hear, TheEASTERN BELLES  share their love for old country, folk and Americana in the heavenly gift of their musical collaboration.



And our last show of the season, on April 7:

Trent Severn
Unabashed boosters of all things Canadiana, Trent Severn: Emm Gryner (bass), Dayna Manning (guitar/banjo) and Lindsay Schindler (fiddle) encourages you to wear plaid or flannel to their shows, be kind to each other, and enjoy a beer at the end of the day. Tight harmonies, stories about the people and the land they love and know so well, devotion to their craft and a passion to add to the great Canadian songbook are the hallmarks of this rising star in the musical firmament.   



First up: Ken Stead
Born and raised in Edmonton, Ken Stead started to show an interest in music when it was cool to listen and appreciate rap and metal in the locker room. But he has his mother to thank for his now burgeon­ing career as a folk musician. After being sent to the Edmonton Folk Festival by his mom as a punishment, Stead never looked back. Stead has spent the last two years playing over 200 shows, including such festivals as the Canmore Folk Festival, North Country Fair, Come By The Hills, and the one that started it all, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival.
 



Volunteers Needed: Casino, 50/50, and our Greeters Team!
We're looking for a few folks we can "count" on.

By now, many of you know that casino revenues contribute significantly to the Calgary Folk Club's operating budget, and ensure that we can keep the lights (and sound system!) on, while keeping ticket prices reasonable. These revenues also allow us to continue supporting live music at one of Canada's foremost folk venues. This year's casino nights will be Monday June 12 and Tuesday June 13, 2017. We're looking for people to fill the roles of Cash Cage attendants, Count Room attendants, and Chip Runners, for both day and night shifts.

At the moment, we are also looking for volunteers to help sell tickets for our 50/50 drawings on club nights, and for people to help out with our Greeters Team during the 2017-2018 season!
 
As always, your help and enthusiasm is greatly appreciated. If you're able to contribute to any of the above endeavours, or you'd simply like more information about what's involved in these roles, please send an email to manager@calgaryfolkclub.com .


CFC Board Members Report from Kansas City's Folk Alliance Conference 2017
A successful expedition - for the board, and our Alberta artists!

This past February, our intrepid board members Jan Boydol, Suze Casey, Paul Bazinet, and John Robertson headed to Kansas City to attend the Folk Alliance International Conference. Their purpose: to scout new and exciting musical talent for the Calgary Folk Club stage in upcoming seasons. In addition to this labour of love, they also helped run the  Alberta Room, featuring the host of Alberta Artists that you have been supporting with your contributions to our 50/50 draw for the duration of this season.

Recently, we received a note of thanks from the board of the Folk Alliance, and we'd like to pass it along. After all, our role in this couldn't have happened without your enthusiasm and support.
 
 

Sincerest thanks from our entire Board and staff for being part of a tremendously successful, meaningful, and inspirational 29th annual conference. This year's event was our most well-attended and engaging gathering to date, and we were thrilled with the level of participation. The prevailing sentiment we have heard from attendees (in addition to increased levels of business activity) is that there was strength and comfort in coming together as well as depth in the type of connections made and conversations held. We are proud of our leadership role and prouder still of the incredible creativity, diversity, idealism, and entrepreneurial spirit of our community and industry. 
 
Our 30th-anniversary conference will take place on Feb 14-18, 2018 in Kansas City.

Thank you once again,





Aengus Finnan
Executive Director, on behalf of the Board and staff

(Aengus Finnan is a Canadian folk musician and arts organizer, born in Dublin and raised in Ontario. In 2003, he was awarded the Queen's Golden Jubilee Commemorative Medal for his humanitarian and cultural work in Canada.) 


Backstage with Jeffery Straker
This charmer has nothing but good things to say about his time here.

Calgary Folk Club: This is your second time at the CFC - what's the experience of playing the club like for you?

Jeffery Straker: I loved it! This was different because last time I was here I played the opening spot, and that was a night where people didn't know who I was. ... And it went over quite well. And tonight the response was really nice too. Tonight - more songs, and a break.. it was like a full concert. But I really love the audience. It's a very intimate setting, and they really hang on lyrics, and what you've written, and I don't get the feeling at all like it was glossing over. It was literally going out into the audience and sinking in.

CFC: That does seem to be something that artists who play this venue tend to notice.

JS: And you do shows like that sometimes, but not quite like this. This is a big room of people to be so attentive. It's this curated thing - the Calgary Folk Club is a bunch of people who love music of some variant of folk nature, which generally has an element of story. So they're here for that. And if you're interested in story, you're interested in words.

CFC: Some kind of a narrative. 

JS: Yeah! So overall, those specifics aside, just a lovely experience.

CFC: Do you feel a bit more free to spin out the storytelling portion of the show, between songs, in an environment like this?

JS: Yeah! I love folk fests, folk clubs, those types of things. And all credit to Suze, she was one of those people, in western Canada, for me, who started listening to my music years ago. She was one of the early people. And even though some of my stuff has a poppy overtone - though they're still folk at heart, because it's a story - she heard through it all. And she said, "folk clubs would love what you do," and I actually wasn't aware. You don't know what you don't know. 

CFC: Any final thoughts?

JS: Overall? Love the experience. It's one of those places where you're kind of like, "Ahh, I wish more could be like this." But they can't, because if they were, this one wouldn't seem like this. 


A Message of Thanks from the Bow Valley Music Club
Our friends and partners at this year's Folk Alliance have a message for this year's artist, attendees, and supporters.

Well. the 5th, 6th & 7th floors of the Westin Hotel are quiet now - but did we make some noise, eh?  From the angelic voice of Erin Kay to Rebecca Lappa folk-rappin' about Mr. Hyde, the Alberta Room made some beautiful noise for four days. You like harmony? Travelling, Mabels, The Wardens, or Over The Moon will take care of that; in spades, and send shivers down your spine in the process. Like a little folk-angst? Step up, Tom Olsen. Weave a little history in among the murders? Thank you Ruth Purves Smith.
 
What can you say about Sydney Mae, the youngest Alberta Room performer in our six years? How about "wow"? And "wow" again to Maddison Krebs, a poised and engaging artist climbing out of emerging right into export ready, and accompanying herself on guitar like a pro.
 
Ken Stead, your thoughtful songs give our room class. Scott Cook - "Pass It Along" just destroys me. Thank you for your tunes and your hope. Mariel Buckley - all I can say to you is....Motorhome - always. Although that trucker tune is my new fav. Oops, sorry Doll Sisters - your Celtic Rock anthem which always rocks my socks is also my fav. You wowed KC - what's next?
 
Maria Dunn - our only Alberta Official Showcase artist and Juno-nominee - you are a beacon for us all; your dedication and talent inspire us, simple as that. Jenny Allen - the 'Food Mama' - slices up a mess of veggies and then goes out and serves up another great original song. You are not a beautiful mess, my dear, but you are a beauty. Scott Duncan - a thousand thank-yous, which is pretty much the number of people you played with. Forget the acting career, you know where you belong.
 
Orit Shimoni, loved what you brought to the room. You are now part of the family, like it or not. That's just how this thing works.  Oh, and Kimberley MacGregor - I have a bill here from the Westin for all the doors you blew out.
 
So 2017 FAI ends and we look ahead. Will there be an Alberta Room at FAI in 2018, the last year in KC?  Sadly, can't say for sure right now. There  are financial pressures on all of the supporting organizations, but you know that those of us most involved, especially the Bow Valley Music Club and the Calgary Folk Club, are going to push like crazy. Stay tuned!
 
In the meantime, a great big thanks to Alberta Music; CKUA radio; The Edmonton Folk Music Festival; Gallery House Concerts; The Nickelodeon Music Club; The Calgary Folk Music Festival; Stage North, Slave Lake; The Almanac in Edmonton and the Ironwood Stage & Grill in Calgary as well as Steve Derpack, Executive Director, of the Arts Touring Alliance of Alberta, for their support in bringing Alberta music to the world.
 
"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible, is music." 
 
Good luck to all, wherever your road leads.
 
Larry Taylor
Artistic Director, Bow Valley Music Club
Chair, KC 2017 Committee
President, Arts Touring Alliance of Alberta
on behalf of the KC 2017 committee (Stewart Chyz, Jenny Allen, Paul Bazinet, John Robertson, Tom Coxworth)


Connect with Us!
Tune in to Alberta's vibrant folk music scene!

For concert videos, interviews with your favourite artists, and a wealth of information about your favourite Calgary Folk Club alumni and upcoming performers, come join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube
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Contact
403-286-5651