I first interviewed Susan Crowe what seems like a lifetime ago when the MuchEast show was in its infancy in the early '90s. She seemed to me, at the time, to be a very serious - and perhaps shy - writer who was nonetheless determined to carve out a career for herself. Years down the road it's obvious that she's managed to do just that.

As probably the principal writer in the wonderful Rankin, Church & Crowe collective, her songs are the highlight of that group's performances, as evidenced by their shows at The Carleton last July.

We're very pleased to have Susan back for a show on her own to celebrate the release of her latest collection of songs, Greytown. It takes place on Sunday, March 14th at 9 PM. Tickets are $15. Dinner reservations are recommended for preferred seating.

Oh, when I apply descriptors like "serious" and "shy," don't misconstrue that. Susan will kill me if I don't point out the fact she has - as Joel Plaskett would say, "a wicked sense of humour."

This will be a great show!

Here's one for you... I got an email from Matt McKechnie about booking a band he was working with (Little Jackie Wright) in southern Ontario. They were on their way east and needed a gig in Halifax. I couldn't offer much - except maybe one of our Absolut Thursday night shows - but I offered it to them. Matt got back to me to say the band couldn't, after all, make it out during the time frame he suggested, BUT, he was interested in coming out instead. I thought he was just a booking agent!

Anyway, I checked out the tunes and thought they'd be great for the room. So that's the story and I'm sticking to it. Ought to be a good time... AND, we don't generally do live music on Friday and Saturday nights but, seeing as how they were going to be out here anyway, we decided we'd keep them on to play for the party animals that are The Brier crowd. Oh, yeah, methinks it'll be a good weekend all around, hahaha...

Here's some info Matt sent along to give you an idea of what you're in for...

Growing up, Matt McKechnie was a massive listener of J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), Stephen Malkmus (Pavement) and Led Zeppelin. Having played in garage bands since his mid-teens, he began to adapt and progress with the shifting musical terrain around him while still staying true to his idyllic influences. Graven is more about free-form, switching genres and the ‘meat’ of a song than it is about falling in line. Matt’s songs are truly different and rare and with a solid yet shifting band of ever-talented individuals (all of whom are a part of the homespun collective label ‘GravenRecords’) backing him, his music generates both interest and intensity.

With production and inspiration from folks like Charles Austin in Halifax (producer of Buck 65, Matt Mays, Joel Plaskett) and Dean Watson in Ottawa (producer of Meredith Luce, The Soiree, The Murder Plans), Graven is ready to hit the streets and rumble for the good of soul-singers everywhere.

Sometimes changing all of the players (except for Matt) depending on the sound, Graven is a sonic refuge of hope in the abyss of over-produced generic music. Crossing ranges between folk, hard rock, countrified cottage music and alternative country, Matt McKechnie’s songwriting style cannot be pinned down.

This trip to Halifax is especially significant for Matt & the Graven crew because it is where he first decided to go ahead with his own music due to the recording, production and encouragement of his friend Charles Austin in 2002. It will be Graven's first performance outside of Ontario.

Check out Graven on myspace or on the official site and home of their collectively run record label, Graven Records for new songs and soon to be posted tour and album updates.
 

We are pleased, proud and happy to report that James Keelaghan will be playing The Carleton Music Bar & Grill on Monday, March 8th. show time is 9 PM and tickets are $25...

Dave Marsh, the award-winning American music critic and historian (and feature writer for Rolling Stone Magazine) not so long ago stated that James Keelaghan is “Canada’s finest songwriter.” Those few but powerful words of praise say it all about an artist who continues to set the bar at a lofty height.

James is a native Calgarian but calls Winnipeg his home - at least for now. A songwriter with 11 albums under his belt (the newest, House of Cards, was released in October of last year), he's traveled the world plying his craft and, as a result, has become, if not Canada's finest songwriter, certainly one who's at the top of that very heady list.

Songs and stories - those are the elements of a great performance and James Keelaghan always delivers a great performance.

I famously got a phone call from Gordie Johnson in late August '09 (on a Sunday night), telling me he was coming to do a show at the Canada Games in PEI and wondering if he might be able to do a show at The Carleton that week. Well, the week he was talking about was the one almost upon us. I told him I'd get back to him the next day.

After some anxious thought about whether we could sell a show in 4 days (the prospective date was on the Thursday), I decided to give it a shot. I sent out a newsletter on the Monday and made sure we'd have an ad in The Coast for the day of show. Well... The show sold out in less than 36 hours and there were a lot of awfully surprised - and vaguely pissed off - people calling after seeing the ad in the Coast and wondering why and how the show was already gone.

The gig was, as anyone who was lucky enough to be there will attest, one of the best shows we've ever had at our place. Not only did he bring along Tim Chaisson (who's album he was producing at the time) but John Angus MacDonald from The Trews sat in for half the show. And it was epic!

So, don't be one of the snoozers. Get your tickets ASAP!

For those of you blissfully unaware, Gordie is the former front man of legendary Canadian reggaie/roots/rockers Big Sugar and currently fronts the equally powerful Grady. This is a rare chance to see the man solo. He's also a killer producer and has made albums with The Trews and the Joel Plaskett Emergency, among many others.

Guaranteed awesome by us... Tickets are $20 and are available from the club at 902-422-6335.

Molly Thomason is our featured performer at this week's Music Nova Scotia Songs & Stories Open Mic at The Carleton Music Bar & Grill.

Molly officially played The Carleton in December, opening up for Dave Bidini and his Bidiniband. She not only impressed Dave, she impressed us at the club. We're looking forward to hearing a full set of material this time around! Talented beyond her years, Molly is one to keep an eye on as she grows as a player and writer - trust me on this one...

Here's Molly's self-written bio...

I was born in Sidcup, Kent, England, on September 29th 1994 but I moved with my theatre practitioner parents (my mom’s an actor/writer/director and my dad is director/artistic director/writer) to Wolfville, Nova Scotia, when I was 18 months old. 

I’m bilingual; French immersion since I started school but now I’m in an English High School: I’m doing the IB program at Doctor John Hugh Gillis High School in Antigonish. I began teaching myself guitar when I was eleven – my first song was Iris, by the Goo Goo Dolls. I love that song…

My Mom says that I arrived singing, but I’ve been writing songs down since I was around eight. My first major public performance was when I played Jojo in Suessical the Musical, with Antigonish’s Music of the Night.  Not long after that I got to front a French band from my school – Pomquet – in the French music competition “Frogstock”, in Sydney, Cape Breton. The band (L’Épicentre) won second place and we got to record one song at a Radio Canada studio in Moncton, New Brunswick. 

In March 2008 I was fortunate to work with Scott McMillan and Brian Doyle on La Caravane, a French stage performance that travels around Cape Breton. The same year I fronted the band Kluzo at Frogstock (May 2008) and we won best original song, for “Risque”, that I wrote while working with Scott and Brian.

During the summer of 2008 I was a student at the Sherbrooke Village Songwriters Camp, and so got to play at Stanfest, as part of the Road to Stanfest.  2008 was a busy,  exciting summer for me: I also opened for Liam Titcomb at Silver Glen and The Sons of Maxwell for the Music on Main concert series in Antigonish, and in fact Valdy said I could say I opened for him – as I played right before him at Sherbrooke!

In October 2008 I opened for Scott MacMillan and Brian Doyle at the Normaway Inn, and  then for Andrea Wittgens (October 18th) at Immaculata Hall in Antigonish, and was the featured performer at the Wishing Well event, St. Andrews.

2009 started off busy and is getting busier, which is great! In January I started working with Tim Feswick on my first CD (supported by Nova Scotia Tourism and Culture’s Emerging Music Grant) and I have some amazing musicians playing on it: Dave Burton, Kris Richards, Carl and Jenn Laudadio, Anya and Kassia Gilbert from Drumlin, and Coco Love Alcorn, John Bird, Tim Feswick, Delia McPherson, and fabulous keyboard player Andre Surette. That CD is Through the Static, and is due for release… about NOW! (June 2009)

Recent concerts have included: the Woodpile in Liverpool (February), a house concert in Antigonish (Feb 6th) and loads of shows at my high school and at Friday Night Live, a regular Venue in Antigonish. Also: Lanes in Liverpool with Ryan Neilson,  the Lennon McCartney show in Antigonish (March) and  in Wolfville May 23rd;  April 5th a Green Event on the St. FX campus – Landsong;   April 24th, at the Bauer Theatre, Antigonish – the night was Molly Thomason and Friends and I had a great band:  Greg Melchin, Greg Favaro, Donald MacLennan (amazing fiddler, vocalist and mandolin player!) and my special guest Ian Sherwood. My CD launches in June (Antigonish, 10th, Halifax 11th, Liverpool 12th, and Wolfville 13th) then in July I’ll be at Stanfest and Harmony Bazaar to name a few – see the upcoming Concerts page.

Thanks so much for visiting my site, and keep coming back! I’ll hope to see you at a show!

Thanks,

Molly

Telfer returns to their semi-regular Absolut Thursday gig at The Carleton. The band always entertains with great original songs and a smattering of cool covers (like Dave Matthews Band and Allman Brothers, to give you an idea where they're coming from.

Things get underway after 10 PM and admission is FREE. We've got Absolut vodka specials and dancing has been known to break out, just so you know...

When we first opened (May '08) and were considering our initial live show, I wanted to be sure we'd make a statement about the calibre of artist we'd be presenting, and the performer at the very top of my list was my friend Joel Plaskett. Joel has been on our stage many times (with his band, The Emergency, during our Boxing Day extravaganzas and with our friend Steve Poltz) since then but not headlining a show - until now.

As a benefit for his sister Anna Plaskett's vocation - Music Therapy - Joel will be playing The Carleton on Monday, February 22nd. Show time is 9 PM and tickets are $40.

A large number of tickets have been held for Anna's supporters and conference delegates but we will have a few available to the public. You can buy yours by calling us - with credit card in hand - at 902-422-6335.

I had the priviledge of working with the Canadian Music Therapy Trust during the early part of the last decade and produced a number of compilation CDs featuring artists (including Joel) who performed at showcase stages I programmed for the ECMAs, the benefits of which went directly to the Music Therapy cause. I'll be giving copies of those CDs to anyone who buys a ticket for this event.

Here is some information on the Music Therapy conference in Halifax that this benefit coincides with as well as some general information about the practice for those of you who are unaware of the truly wonderful work Music Therapists do...

The Canadian Association for Music Therapy (CAMT), in partnership with the Atlantic Association for Music Therapy (AAMT) will be hosting its 36th Annual National Conference in Halifax, N.S., on May 12-15, 2010.  This is the first time that the national conference has been held in Atlantic Canada so it will be a historic event.  There will be delegates coming from across North America and from other international locations to discuss and experience new advancements in the field of music therapy. 

Music therapy serves people of all age groups and levels of ability as therapists strive to communicate with and facilitate growth in their clients through the use of music and its various elements.  Clinical work may focus on social skills, spirituality, emotional issues, speech, movement and quality of life in general.  Music therapists work in many settings, some of which include, rehabilitation, palliative care, long term care/nursing homes, schools and mental health facilities.  At present, there are five undergraduate training programs in Canada as well as two graduate programs.  Nova Scotia currently boasts several music therapists who are permanently employed in long-term care and palliative care.  As well, several music therapists are working in private practice, or as contract workers. 

The theme for the conference is: Music Therapy: The Harmony of our Heritage. 

One of the greatest beauties in music is its inherent ability to transcend the diversity that we celebrate in our vast country – of cultural origins, generations, languages, abilities, and preferences.  As one of the earliest forms of human expression, music integrates our auditory, visual, physical, emotional, and spiritual worlds. It allows for individual expression along with cohesive group work, and it provides a rich mosaic, which can shape our personal vision, our daydreams, and our memories.  In the Atlantic region, we have historic seaside towns and cities and highland villages; we have Aboriginal, African Canadian, English, French, German, and Gaelic cultures with rich musical roots, as well as more recent ethnic contributors to our musical heritage. Bridging the generations, we have families and communities that continue to create unbelievable music together.

Last year The Bop Ensemble famously played an open mic thing at the Seahorse Tavern - blew the room away - and then walked down Argyle Street where they bumped into me. After some great conversation, I discovered they weren't doing anything the next night (Canada Day) and offered to give them our stage if they felt like playing a show. We had no time to promote it, or sell tickets, so the band played for food and drink...

Well, the word spread around town and damn if we didn't just about fill the room! Wyckham Porteous and Bill Bourne are extremely talented and well-known players in the West Coast folk scene, who's careers span decades. Add to those two veterans the amazing young Jasmine Ohlhauser on bass and you've got a band that will make your jaw drop.

This act is the real deal, people. Take a look at this performance footage and try to tell me that this isn't completely fabulous!

They'll be at The Carleton on Sunday, February 21st. Tickets are only $15. I can barley wait...