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Early Bird Tickets on sale till
June 30th!
Its time to start making plans for the summer and the
best place to start is picking up your tickets for Vancouver Island
MusicFest (July 11-13) at the early bird price of only $119 bucks
for an adult weekend pass. This special rate for 3 amazing days
of music is only available until June the 30th!
Order tickets by calling 1-866-898-8499 or by
stopping in at Sound Advice Music Shop in Courtenay or Port Alberni,
the I-Hos Gallery or the Sid Williams Theatre in Courtenay. Campbell
River residents can stop by The Music Plant. In Victoria? Go to
Vancouver Island Brewery. Order online now clicking' buy tickets
now" in the green box to your left.
Check out just a taste of the 2008 musical line
up and check back regularly for the new names and exciting new announcements!
The Wailers with Elan!
Considered the greatest living exponents of Jamaica’s reggae
tradition, The Wailers formed in Jamaica in 1968, and have sold
over 250 million records and played to an estimated 24 million people
around the world - and this summer they're headed to the Comox Valley!
Outside of their groundbreaking work with Bob Marley, the Wailers
have also played or performed with international acts like Sting,
Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, and Alpha Blondy, as well as reggae
legends such as Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, and Burning Spear. The
current lineup features Elan and MusicFest is thrilled to welcome
him back to the Festival after a show stopping performance in 2007.
Elan was born in Los Angeles to an Israeli/Moroccan father and Jewish/Native
American mother. A chance meeting with the Wailers led the band
to be struck by the similarity between Elan's and Bob Marley's voices,
and they recruited the Los Angelean as the Wailers' lead singer.
Taj Mahal
Singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, ethnomusicologist,
two-time Grammy-winner, world-class musical collaborator, world
traveler, fisherman, and cigar aficionado - these are just some
of Taj Mahals many titles - but none completely capture the warmth,
humor, and soulfulness of Taj and his music. He has been playing
his own distinctive brand -- variously described as Afro-Caribbean
blues, folk-world-blues, hula blues, folk-funk, and a host of
other hyphenations -- for more than 40 years. Caribbean, Hawaiian,
African, Latin, and Cuban sounds and rhythms mix with folk, jazz,
zydeco,
gospel, rock, pop, soul, and R&B, all layered on top of a
solid country blues foundation.
What ties it all together is Taj's
abiding interest in musical discovery, particularly in tracing many
American musical forms back to their roots in Africa and Europe.
Following his passion, Taj has spent time in the Caribbean, West
Africa, Hawaii, Europe, the South Pacific, Australia, South America,
and all over the U.S. His music reflects his global perspective,
incorporating sounds from everywhere he's lived and traveled.
The Legendary Earl Scruggs
In
all the history of bluegrass music there are only two people, without
whom bluegrass would not exist as it does today: one is Bill Monroe,
the other is Earl Scruggs. In all the discussions of who was the most
important, John Hartford said it best, "Here's the way I feel
about it. Everybody's all worried about who invented the style and
it's obvious that three-finger banjo pickers have been around a long
time-maybe since 1840. But my feeling about it is that if it wasn't
for Earl Scruggs, you wouldn't be worried about who invented it."
The same can also be said about Monroe and perhaps others, as well.
But few will doubt the importance of Earl Scruggs and his "fancy
banjo". On February 10, 2008, Scruggs was awarded the Lifetime
Achievement Award at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Deservedly so!
Jerry Douglas
Jerry
Douglas has been described as the Jimi Hendrix and the Charlie Parker
of acoustic music. The New York Times has called him "dobro's
matchless contemporary master." He has been nominated for twenty
Grammy Awards, won nine, as well as countless other awards. Though
he got his start in bluegrass, he has made an impact in fields ranging
from rock'n'roll to jazz, from blues to Celtic, from mainstream country
to contemporary classical. Douglas' legacy includes playing in such
bands as Alison Krauss & Union Station, the Whites, J.D. Crowe
& the New South, the Country Gentlemen and Strength in Numbers.
Having played on more than 1500 albums, he has defined the sounds
of many diverse recordings including discs released by Garth Brooks,
Paul Simon, James Taylor, Reba McEntire and the late Ray Charles.
The Weakerthans
Critically hailed as one of Canada’s
top indie bands and impossible to categorize, the Weakerthans have
developed a strong and dedicated following that crosses the boundaries
of genres and fashions. Labels like Punk or Alternative or Rock
may seem appropriate, but they would hope Honest would do. "We
write the only songs we know how to write: songs that reflect the
place we come from, musically and geographically, the community
we live in, and the struggle for any one person to connect with
another in a meaningful way." The Weakerthans appeal to a broad
audience with musical influences including punk, folk, country,
show-tunes, union hymns, rock, nursery school anthems and beyond.
Lyrically, they concentrate on issues of alienation, hope, and survival
within a society riddled with injustice and a culture commodified
in every possible way.
The Sparrow Quartet with Bela Fleck and Abigail
Washburn
The ladies of Uncle Earl
all have separate side projects that keep them hopping on their time
off from being a ground-breaking old time quintet. For multi-instrumentalist
Abigail Washburn, her latest side project is called The Sparrow Quartet,
and features none other than bluegrass banjo legend Bela Fleck, as
well as Ben Sollee (cello) and Casey Driessen (fiddle). The Sparrow
Quartet toured Tibet recently, before returning home to play a set
at the Kent State Folk Festival. This gathering of superlative musicians
with adventure on their minds, leaps boundaries and busts genres like
there's no tomorrow. First assembled for several U.S. government-sponsored
tours of China and Tibet, the quartet explores a mixture of old-time,
folk, and bluegrass numbers, as well as intriguing original compositions.
A further dimension is added to the music by a recurring Chinese influence:
the country's traditional music is deftly incorporated into a number
of old-timey "Sino-American folk" tunes, including several
showstopping numbers sung in Mandarin. 
Elliot Brood
Elliot
Brood has never been an easy outfit to describe. Since forming in
late 2002 their songs have been labeled “blackgrass”,
"death country", or even “urban hill billy”,
none of which truly capture the essence or the energy of the band.
With Elliot Brood, the story telling is paramount. The band presents
tales from the dustier side of life in dimly lit rooms with half empty
bottles. Rhythmic banjo led stomps and abusive acoustic strumming
marry old time thump to paint the scenes and characters that drive
their stories. Mark Sasso’s scratchy vocal delivery seems almost
impossible at times ranging from whispered lullabies to nightmarish
screams. Their energetic and racous live performances have, and continue
to captivate audiences everywhere. 
Baka Beyond
The best of 'world fusion', these musicians from 6 countries in
the Celtic fringes of Europe and the West coast of Africa joined
together to play the most original live world fusion sound around.
Baka Beyond were originally inspired by Martin Cradick & Su
Hart's visits to the Baka Forest People in Cameroon. While there
they played music with and recorded the Baka resulting in two albums-
a mix of music written with & inspired by the Baka.
Chuck Brodsky
Chuck Brodsky is a down to earth musical storyteller. His dry, barb-witted
social commentary combined with a deep underlying compassion, affirms
that the best stories are the little things in the lives of everyday
people trying to muddle through with some grace. His gift as a writer
is to infuse these stories with humanity and humor, making them
resonate profoundly with his listeners. His spoken introductions
to his songs can be as spellbinding as his colorful lyrics, which
he brings to life with a well-travelled voice and a delivery that's
natural and conversational. "Reflects the good old U.S. of
A., warts and all... colorful tales...reminds us there's a whole
wide world outside our doors." Rolling Stone.
www.chuckbrodsky.com
The Carrivick Sisters
These 18 year old twin sisters from South
Devon, England are stellar songwriters who play a variety of bluegrass
instruments (guitar, mandolin, dobro and fiddle) with vocal harmonies.
Their varied musical interests have resulted in a variety of genres
being infused into their music. "One of the best young duos
I've heard. The girls sing and play as one and their work is characterised
by great musicality. They are not only very talented instrumentalists
and singers but they write really good songs as well." - Ralph
McTell
Dala
Everything's okay! Young people ARE making
great music. Whew. Dala. Duo. Divine. Sheila Carabine and Amanda
Walther formed Dala during the summer of 2002, making use of their
talents on guitar and piano. Amanda was born with an innate understanding
of music, and has rightfully earned her title as the "Harmony
Machine". Sheila studied piano with the Royal Conservatory
for 11 years. Combined, their vocal range spans from the darkest
depths of the scale to undiscovered, and frightening heights.
Dirk Powell
Dirk Powell has expanded on the deeply rooted sounds of his Appalachian
heritage to become one of the preeminent traditional American musicians
of his generation. He's recorded and performed with artists such
as Loretta Lynn, playing on her Grammy-winning release "Van
Lear Rose," Sting, Jack White, Levon Helm, Jewel, T-Bone Burnett,
Ralph Stanley, and Linda Ronstadt, among others. His ability to
unite the essence of his culture with modern sensibilities has led
to work with many of today's greatest film directors, including
Anthony Minghella, Spike Lee, Ang Lee, Victor Nuñez, and
Edward Burns. Dirk selected and arranged traditional Appalachian
material for Riverdance: The Show, in which he also performed on
fiddle. For the past several years, he has also enjoyed a strong
collaboration with Tim O'Brien, resulting in acclaimed recordings
such as "Songs From The Mountain," and performed with
his Cajun group Balfa Toujours.
Qristina and Quinn Bachand
This
brother and sister duo has been receiving rave reviews from audiences
all the way from Vancouver Island to Cape Breton Island! Born and
raised in Victoria, B.C. Qristina and Quinn Bachand come from a family
with a strong musical heritage that has deep roots in France &
Northern Spain. Seventeen year old Qristina is a solid & versatile
fiddler with an expressive style that rooted in tradition. Blessed
with an acute ear and an intense sense of rhythm, 11 year old Quinn
is rapidly establishing himself as a gifted guitar accompanist. They
consistently deliver a spirited performance that features their enthusiasm
and love of Celtic music. Their repertoire includes Irish, Scottish,
French, Cape Breton, Old-Time & Appalachian tunes! 
Rory Block
Heralded as “a living landmark” , “a national
treasure” , and “one of the greatest living acoustic
blues artists” , Rory Block has committed her life and her
career to preserving the Delta blues tradition and bringing it to
life for 21st century audiences around the world. A traditionalist
and an innovator at the same time, she wields a fiery and haunting
guitar and vocal style that redefines the boundaries of acoustic
blues and folk. The New York Times declared: “Her playing
is perfect, her singing otherworldly as she wrestles with ghosts,
shadows and legends.”
Maeve Mackinnon
Maeve Mackinnon is one of Scotland's foremost young Gaelic singers.
Born and bred in Glasgow, with Skye and Swedish ancestry, Maeve
spent her infancy learning to walk and talk at peace marches in
the 1980s, and remembers Dick Gaughan as being the first live singer
she ever heard. Childhood holidays on the Isle of Jura and her discovery
of the Celtic supergroup Capercaillie nurtured her interest in Gaelic
song and folk music. Maeve is fast making a name for herself with
her fresh and contemporary interpretations of traditional Gaelic
and non-Gaelic material. "An achingly beautiful voice"
Greenman Review, 2007
www.maevemackinnon.com
Matt Andersen
New Bunswick's Matt Andersen has an enigmatic
personality that is coupled with a larger than life showmanship
that has been earning him a fervent and steadfast audience wherever
he graces the stage.Matt's sprawling Blues, Roots and Rock Musical
hybrid with his sorrowing and soulful voice has sparked a phenomenal
buzz on the east coast and that grass roots word of mouth can not
be contained any longer! Matt Andersen is a Very Real, Rare,Raw
talent and career artist that is vital to our musical landscape...
Find out what we already know.
www.stubbyfingers.ca
Morgan Davis
Morgan Davis has been on the road travelling across Canada, the
United States and Europe for nearly four decades. His performances
draw from a rich tradition of country blues, as well as his own
contemporary songs infused with wit and a large dose of humour.
Originally from Detroit, Davis grew up listening to a prolific mix
of rhythm and blues. The music of Ike and Tina Turner,Chuck Berry
and Fats Domino was in the air. Over the years he has had the privilege
of opening for Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, John Hammond, and
Eric Bibb. Morgan has shared the stage with Dr. John, Colin Linden,
James Harmon, Sue Foley, Ray Bonneville and the late Dutch Mason.
Morgan's songwriting talent received international recognition when
Colin James covered his searing ballad "Why'd You Lie".
www.morgandavis.com
Eneida Marta
Eneida Marta has been described as having one of the most beautiful
female African voices of present-day artists. She mixes her spectacular
voice with rhythms like Gumbe, Morna, Singa, Tina-flamenco, Afro-beat,
etc. and sings in Mandinga, Fula, Criol, Futa-fula, and Portuguese.
Eneida Marta has always been fascinated by the traditional music
of her country, Guinea-Bissau. Its words and music take their inspiration
from everyday life. The songs celebrate the brief intense moments
of life, the traditions of solidarity between people, especially
among women the courage to live through hard times and the struggle
to stand up for love and your dreams.
www.griotsound.com/webeneida/
Enoch Kent
Scotland born and now Canada-based, this legendary interpreter and
songsmith's love of traditional music was first inspired by his
family. His father played the concertina, and popular songs, Scottish
songs and old-time favourites were often sung at home. Enoch Kent's
own songwriting craft was further developed through The Singers
Club (aka "The Critics Group") which he co-founded with
internationally renowned folksingers, Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger.
Since immigrating to Canada in the 60s, Enoch performed in many
folk clubs and festivals across the country to wide acclaim. Enoch
was recently nominated for the Canadian Folk Music Awards category
of Best Singer-Traditional. www.enochkent.ca
Pacific Curls
This high-energy female trio present an eclectic and progressive
mix of world roots music with Maori, Pacific and Celtic influences.
Pacific Curls show off their consummate musicianship with their
impressive array of instruments, including taonga puoro (Maori instruments),
ukelele, guitar, cajon (drum), tambourine, stompbox and the fiddle.
Pacific Curls is a group that will capitivate,excite and leave you
wanting more ...! ".extraordinary, spiritually uplifting yet
witty - their voices made in heaven and instrumental skills to match.
The sense of a strong and vibrant musical traditional living on
in the trio's original songs and melodies and their arrangements
was all pervasive... Worth a trip to New Zealand just to see them.."
- Wombat Magazine, Australia.
www.pacificcurls.com
Marc Atkinson Trio
Multi-instrumentalist/composer/arranger/producer Marc Atkinson is
co-founder, composer and performer in the acclaimed band, The Bills
and the leader and composer of the internationally renowned Marc
Atkinson Trio. The music of this virtuosic group is melodically
captivating, sensually charged and ferociously, technically awe-inspiring.
Embracing a lifetime of musical influences, Marc and the Trio have
just released their fourth CD, The Marc Atkinson Trio IV, praised
as the finest yet. The Trio has toured North America, England and
Europe and has received standing ovations everywhere they perform
from the Montreal Jazz Festival to the Vancouver International Folk
Festival to DjangoFest Northwest. Marc Atkinson is backed by Joey
Smith on bass and Reuben Wier or Chris Frye on rhythm guitar.
Kobo Town
Kobo Town is a Toronto-based group whose music draws its inspiration
from traditional calypso, roots reggae and dub poetry. Named after
the vibrant and turbulent neighbourhood in old Port-of-Spain where
Calypso was born, the group strives to recover the social conscience,
satirical storytelling and strong acoustic/organic rhythms that
characterized Trinidadian music in the past. "Merging calypso,
roots reggae, acoustic performance, dub studio techniques and Trinidadian/Jamaican
cultures, Kobo Town is a unique, stylistic, transnational composite
of rhythm, poetry and activist journalism."- Brent Hagerman,
Exclaim!
Juane Toujours
Like their home city of Brussels, Jaune Toujours is an explosive
mix of cultures, languages and styles of music: rock, chanson, ska,
gypsy, balkan or brassband, anything goes. The band has an excellent
live reputation in Belgium and abroad. Jaune Toujours play with
their guts and aim at the audience’s feet. Moreover, their
intelligent and poetic lyrics translate a sincere social commitment.
Led by singer Piet Maris, with his energetically-pumped small accordeon
plus a hot rhythm unit of double bass and drums and a wild and incisive
trumpets and reeds section, they have a very fully-formed, complete
sound and rhythmic approach whose components and inspiration are
difficult to pin down. Not like a fusionist thing where now you
hear this influence, now another; this is so natural that it feels
like it's always been there...
Tao Ravao and Vincent Bucher
From Madagascar beaches to Louisiana mangroves, Tao Ravao and Vincent
Bucher's songs open up freedom tracks. They roam along with the
wind, blowing harmonica melodies ; they tumble down after zebus
chase on brisk kabossy rythm ; and they indulge in delightful tropical
siesta's drowsiness. With a deep sense of humanity, those songs
carry the best seeds for love. When you listen to these guys, you
figure the soul of their ancestors flying above their afro-blues.
This exotic duo is Tao Ravao, a malagasy singer/guitarist, accompanied
by the talented Vincent Bucher on the harmonica.
Patti Lamoureux
Now a Comox Valley resident (lucky for us!), Patti is a 3-time Canadian
Grand Masters Fiddling Champion. Originally from Manitoba, Patti
as the first female and first westerner to accomplish this feat.
She has been playing fiddle since the age of 4 and recorded her
first album at the age 12. A 7-time Manitoba champion and 3-time
Grand North American Champion, Patti continues to captivate audiences
with her incredible fiddling skills.
Short Story Long
You only have to hear Shane Koyczan read once to be hooked - humane,
furious, sexy, political, tragic and so funny that you’ll
laugh through your tears. With musical accompaniment from the Short
Story Long, Shane moves from subdued, deep, sad love poetry to power
chord hip-hop meta-meter. He brings enormous vitality and virtuosity
to every performance.His warmth, wit and sincerity are a hit with
crowds of all ages. His lyricism inspires audiences and readers
alike because Shane’s poems speak directly to the heart. MusicFest
is thrilled to welcome Shane back after a memorable and moving performace
with Tonnes of Fun University (TOFU) in 2005
Mansa Sissoko & Jayme Stone
Jayme Stone is a juno award winning accomplished banjo player “bridging
jazz, bluegrass and everything in between with smart compositions,
playful jams and a great sense of purpose. It’s music that’s
difficult to describe, but easy to love”. CBC Radio. Mansa
Sissoko is one of the new generation of singer-songwriters from
Mali, West Africa. A griot by birth, Mansa weaves his music around
the sound of traditional instruments and lyrics which encourage
people in their day-to-day life. He is unique in that he sings and
accompanies himself on the kora, a 21-stringed harp.
Vancouver Island MusicFest Tickets
Vancouver Island MusicFest 2008 tickets
are on sale now through the Sid Williams Theatre and tickets outlets
across Vancouver Island.
Vendor information and application form
available here.
*PERFORMERS: Applying for Vancouver Island Musicfest
2008 (July 11-13)" We are already booked up for this coming
summers festival so are no longer accepting submissions. All the
best and thanks for your interest in our festival.
Good luck with your music!
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