All shows take place at the Dawson Creek Art Gallery.
Showtime is 7:30 pm. Tickets are $22.50 each through Tickets in the Peace (price includes all fees).
Follow this link to purchase single tickets:
For those wanting to purchase season tickets, ,please follow this link for special pricing: https://ev3.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetPackageInfo?packageCode=GS%3AREGIONAL%3A%3AHR%3A&linkID=regional&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=
Saturday, Oct 20, 2018 – Ken Tizzard (ON)
Genre: Folk
Bio: Very few Canadian musicians have had as fascinatingly diverse a career as Ken Tizzard. In over two decades as a professional musician, he has gone from plying his trade as the charismatic bassist in top Canadian rock bands The Watchmen and Thornley (he is featured on six gold and platinum records received numerous Juno nominations and MuchMusic Awards, and licensed songs to such TV shows as CSI and Fashion Television) to then emerging as an eloquent roots-based singer/songwriter and guitarist with a prolific solo career.
Wearing his rock ‘n roll hat, Ken has toured internationally, appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and played such major venues as The Air Canada Centre. When he puts on his cowboy hat, Tizzard can be spotted performing his original material, solo or with a band, for a loyal and growing audience in pubs, clubs and concert halls across Canada.
There is a soul-baring lyrical honesty to the material on No Dark No Light. The majority of the songs are focused upon his own emotions and experiences or those of close friends, but, in true folk music tradition, he also creates characters and stories. He takes those songs just as seriously, striving to imbue them with real authenticity. “I see those songs as research pieces,” says Ken. “Rather like a method actor working on a role, I really immerse myself in those themes, searching to find the real story.”
“Tizzard is a born storyteller… a little Townes Van Zandt can be heard as he performs a descriptive and hugely impressive folk blues number that speaks of how the devil lives in St Johns Newfoundland… his vocal style has more to do with John Hartford than anyone other than himself for presentation, warmed with a hint or two of James McMurtry.” – Maurice Hope – Americana UK
Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018 – Woody Holler (MB)
Genre: country: western/swing
Bio: Woody Holler grew up on the Canadian prairie hearing the songs of the cowboy. Although he was later trained in opera, a sense of nostalgia held him close to those western roots. In 2009, Woody teamed up with some of Winnipeg’s finest jazz musicians and began purveying his own brand of Western Swing that Woody defines as “jazz from the saddle”. The show is reminiscent of a 1940s radio show with a sound that is nostalgic yet thrilling. The music involves clever arrangements rich with virtuosity and style. The repertoire is eclectic, fun and fascinating, featuring finger-snapping swing beats, honey-slowed love croons, a dash of opera, and show stopping “extreme” yodeling.
Since 2010 the band has showcased very successfully across Western Canada, which has led to several tours from across the prairies to the Atlantic and many tours of the Pacific. They have enjoyed a tour of the Northwest Territories and past the arctic circle. In 2016, the band spent three weeks touring England on behalf of the Northern England arts network.
Their first album, “Western Skies” was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award in 2010. Woody and the boys have just completed their second album, “Jazz from The Saddle”. It’s filled with all the things that make Woody Holler and his Orchestra so entertaining.
Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019 – Pierre Schryer & Adam Dobres (BC)
Genre: Celtic, Acoustic, Folk, French-Canadian, Irish, Traditional, Fiddle, Guitar
Bio’s:
Pierre Schryer is one of Canada’s leading traditional fiddlers. A recipient of numerous titles and awards including Canadian Open Fiddle Champion Grand Masters Champion Violoneux Championnat and North American Irish Fiddle Champion Pierre truly captivates an audience with his energy and genuine warmth. His ability knows no bounds covering styles from Irish Scottish Québecois and Cape Breton to Canadian Old Time American Swing and more. As leader of his self-titled group Pierre Schryer Band built an international reputation as one of Canada’s most well-respected traditional music ensembles by touring throughout Canada the USA Ireland Europe and the UK since the mid-90’s. Pierre has shared the stage with dozens of internationally renowned colleagues in the traditional music scene and has performed with numerous orchestras across Canada with his acclaimed Symphony Pops show. Of his six recordings released on his own label New Canadian Records “Blue Drag” was nominated at the 2004 JUNO Awards for best Roots and Traditional (Group) Album of the Year “Mélange” at the 2008 Canadian Folk Music Awards for Instrumental Solo Album of the Year and “2 Worlds United” a brilliant duo album with top Irish button accordionist Dermot Byrne was distributed by Claddagh Records. Pierre’s talents extend beyond his musical abilities. An accomplished luthier and artist he currently performs on one of his own violins and creates the cover art and design for his recordings. Pierre is the creator and artistic director of “Canadian Celtic Celebration” a three-day June festival presented in Thunder Bay Ontario for 16 years.
Adam Dobres is a highly accomplished guitarist with a natural ability to embody any style of music. He is equally at home with Bluegrass Celtic Jazz Gypsy Country Folk Old Time Rock Blues and more. His love of the electric and acoustic guitar has taken him around the globe performing throughout North America Europe Australia and New Zealand. With a taste for experimenting with personal style and a love of touring Adam has embarked on living his dream. From playing Celtic music with some of Canada’s finest fiddle players including Daniel Lapp and Pierre Schryer Adam has branched out to Pop Rock with Grammy Nominee Toni Childs (including an Australian tour where they opened for the legendary Jackson Brown) performed with renowned musicians playing exotic instruments such as the Sitar Turkish Lira and African Kora and toured North America with Old Time string band Outlaw Social. Adam was part of The Dustin Bentall outfit when they performed at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics and supported Blue Rodeo on their 2010 Canadian tour. In 2011 Adam joined the Ruth Moody Band and along with this dynamic folk vocalist and her all-star band has toured Europe Canada and the US and has released several albums. Adam recently released his self-titled first solo album – an eclectic mix of his own compositions revealing his many influences and his absolute grace and superb versatility on the guitar.
Wednesday, March 6, 2019 – Little Miss Higgins (MB)
Genre: blues country musician
Bio: From the Great Northern Plains of Western Canada, Little Miss Higgins struts and serenades her way, guitar in hand, lips blazoned red, onto any stage. As if she just drove in off the back-road of another time with gravel dust and a sunset trailing behind her, this pocket-sized powerhouse plays music brewed up in old-time country blues sprinkled with a little jazz and maybe a hint of folk. Whetherit’s songs about passion or songs about panties, she writes about real things in a rooted and poetic way. This is all too true on her most recent award-winning album, Across the Plains (2010).
Little Miss Higgins (aka Jolene Higgins) was born in Brooks, Alberta, and raised in Independence, Kansas. Music entered her life early.
“When I was about four my dad bought this old piano at a local bar,” she recalls. “It was a mini grand piano. He brought it home and told me it was mine. I carved my name in the side and started taking piano lessons.”
Growing up playing piano, Higgins now uses guitar and voice as her main instruments as well as her theatre background to bring a “refreshing sound and story to the stage.” She spent a number of years after studying theatre at a college in Alberta, roaming Western Canada, acting in plays, frequenting blues clubs and playing her guitar. Higgins finally settled down in Saskatchewan and that’s when music took the driver’s seat.
Her stage name, Little Miss Higgins suits the undeniably inflammatory mix of her blues and country music repertoire but the moniker was largely accidental. “When I moved to Saskatchewan in 2002 I started hanging out with this Greek guy,” she recalls “He started calling me Little Miss Higgins so I used it on poster for a gig I was doing and it just stuck.”
Thursday, April 4, 2019 – Ryan McNally (YT)
Genre: Jazz, Old Time
Bio: Whether he’s playing solo or with his band, you’re likely to find Ryan McNally performing on a Canadian stage near you in 2018!
While he’s known best for his interpretative playing of traditional acoustic blues, jazz and old time music, audiences can’t help but notice the influence that Northern living has had on his music. For the past 10 years McNally as called Whitehorse, YK his home.
His first album Down Home (2012), was recorded live by CBC North and received a feature on the popular radio show Saturday Night Blues, hosted by Holgar Peterson.
Originally from rural Quebec, Ryan first discovered jazz and blues by uncovering a huge collection of ‘78 records that belonged to his grandfather. Then, as a teen, his curiosity for the sound and history anchored his love for the genres and it’s only grown stronger since.
So much so, that Ryan headed south for a winter in 2015 to New Orleans, LA to write his second album Steppin’ Down South. The album captures the sound of hillbilly blues and jug band jazz. This album is saturated with the sounds and rhythm of New Orleans streets. Bob Hamilton at Old Crow Studios in Whitehorse, Yukon, recorded it live off the floor in 2016.
In 2017 Steppin’ Down South was nominated for Blues Artist of The Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards (WCMA). That year Ryan also had the privilege and opportunity to perform for Prince William and Princess Kate during their visit to the Yukon.
McNally has become known for his diversity as a multi-instrumentalist. He plays guitar, harmonica, mandolin, violin and banjo. Whether solo or with his band, he performs on all these instruments effortlessly and in his own signature style.
Ryan is currently in the studio writing and recording his third full-length album, due out in late Summer 2018.
When he’s not touring or recording McNally is experimenting with scoring music to film as well as musical direction for theater.
