1.26.2011

Scott Cook

Sunday, January 30th
8pm No Cover


f you listen well, lifelong traveler and musical hobo Scott Cook's new album may remind you just how rare a commodity honesty is in today's music scene. There's an awful lot of talk about it, but very few songwriters really wear their hearts on their sleeve, and even fewer do it with such lyrical craftsmanship and raw feeling as you'll hear on this record.

It has been two years and a lot of roads traveled since Scott Cook traded in his job teaching kindergarten in Taiwan for a full-time living as a musician on the road in North America, and while he's certainly experienced his share of hardships and struggle along the way, he isn't thinking of quitting. His self-published 2007 debut, Long Way to Wander, made the national folk top ten on college and community radio, and kept him on the road for the better part of two years, living in his van, playing constantly, picking up stories and passing them on. His newest "love letter to the world" is a fitting follow-up, and his best work to date. Entitled This One's on the House, it's a collection of road stories, existential ramblings, and musings on love, loss, and the courage to love again.

The musical palate is even broader this time, with nods to folk, roots, country, and soul, and the capable help of some of Edmonton's finest players: Jesse Dee on electric guitar, Bill Bourne on guitar and vocals, Doug Organ on piano and hammond organ, Thom Golub and Moses Gregg on upright bass, Dwayne Hrynkiw and Pascal Lecours on drums, Darrek Anderson on pedal steel, Cam Neufeld on fiddle, Jason Kodie on accordion, Mike Sadava on mandolin, and Lynett McKell, Jacquie B, Megan Kemshead, Haley Myrol and Dana Wylie on vocals, as well as Matthew Ord and Jez Hellard from England, playing guitars and harmonica respectively. Engineer Doug Organ at Edmontone Studios and mixer Brad Smith worked together with Scott to produce a spacious, lushly textured album that will surprise Cook's longtime fans and undoubtedly introduce many more to the work of this prairie balladeer.

A wearer of many hats, Cook also builds websites, writes poetry, fiction and non-fiction, and co-organizes Taiwan's Peace Festival, a non-profit music and arts festival that raises money for peace work and charitable work on Taiwan and worldwide.

Scott has toured extensively in North America and Taiwan, including appearances at Taiwan's Spring Scream Festival (7 times) and Peace Festival (4 times), Canada's North Country Fair (4 times), South Country Fair (2 times), Fred Eaglesmith's Southern Picnic (2 times), Pembina River Nights, Sasquatch Festival (4 times), Edge of the World Music Festival, Waynefest, Sonic Orchard and Come Together Music Festivals, and America's Earthworks Harvest Gathering and the Hoot on the Hudson with Pete Seeger, as well as legendary venues like the Sidetrack Cafe in Edmonton, the Railway Club in Vancouver and the Free Times Cafe in Toronto. Long Way to Wander spent a month in the top ten on Earshot's national campus & community radio charts and the follow-up, This One's on the House, is currently getting airplay across Canada.

1.21.2011

Left Coast Country

Sunday, January 23rd
8pm No Cover


Left Coast Country is a temporarily four piece string band based out of Portland, Oregon that delivers to you a variety of high octane traditional, bluegrass, country along with an entourage of contemporary originals.

1.13.2011

Professor Gall 1/16

'A Tincture of Junkyard Folk and Steampunk Jazz'.

Professor Gall seeks to uncover the contradictions of an ambiguous and native-less society, 'dreaming the existentialists' dream', while at the same time pleading for individualism, peace, and more fun at funerals.

The Portland, Oregon conglomerate starts with Drew Norman on vocals, guitar, percussion stomp box, and banjo, who brings his theatrical experience to the musical stage and is responsible for the initial musical and lyrical embellishments. Drew’s recent side roles include the ‘Husband’ in the stage and movie version of Sally Tomato’s TOY ROOM (Severe Enterprises), a rock opera that won awards from The Heart of England Film Festival, among others. He is also commissioned by other musical luminaries on stage and in the studio from Chris Robley’s Fear of Heights Orchestra (Cutthroat Pop Records) to Jeff Hanson (Kill Rock Stars Records). Scott Johnston heads up the first chair position for the horn section, arranging charts and providing his saxophone alchemy. Rounding out the ensemble is Monte Skillings on trombone, Todd Burba on clarinet and accordion, Sean Hudson on stand-up bass, Jake Pegg on tuba, and Andrew Clarinet on the.…ahem…clarinet.

1.04.2011

Casey Neill

Sunday, January 9th
8pm No Cover




"A masterful songwriter" Punk Planet

Casey cut his teeth in the underground music community of the Pacific Northwest. Maintaining an international touring and recording career, his songs have garnered widespread praise from radio and critics, as well as musical luminaries Jello Biafra, Amy Ray, Pete Seeger, and Steve Earle. Casey has played stages such as New York's Town Hall, San Francisco's Great American Music Hall, and Glasgows Celtic Connections Festival.
In 1995, Casey self released his CD Riffraff - 12 folk punk songs with a political focus. Based on the success of his debut, he was signed to the Appleseed imprint of Red House Records in 1997. A track of his was featured on their Grammy nominated tribute to Pete Seeger, Where Have All the Flowers Gone, alongside interpretations of Pete's songs by Bruce Springsteen, Billy Bragg, and Ani DiFranco. Appleseed then released his self-titled CD in 1998, Skree in 1999, and a live CD Portland West in 2001.

His album Brooklyn Bridge, released in 2007, includes the sessions recorded by Johnny Cunningham and features over 25 musicians. The players include the New York incarnation of Casey's band, his acoustic Trio from the 90s, many of the current Norway Rats, and guests Chris Funk and Jenny Conlee of the Decemberists, songwriters John Wesley Harding and Erin McKeown, guitarist Eric Ambel of Steve Earle and the Dukes, and more. The result is a 12 song collection of anthemic rock, punk attitude, desolate ballads, and Poguesy punk roarers.

Brooklyn Bridge includes the sessions recorded by Johnny Cunningham and features over 25 musicians. The players include the New York incarnation of Casey's band, his acoustic Trio from the 90s, many of the current Norway Rats, and guests Chris Funk and Jenny Conlee of the Decemberists, songwriters John Wesley Harding and Erin McKeown, guitarist Eric Ambel of Steve Earle and the Dukes, and more. The result is a 12 song collection of anthemic rock, punk attitude, desolate ballads, and Poguesy punk roarers.
Casey will be playing a solo show at the Fort George Brewery on Sunday, January 9th at 8pm. There is no cove