Shadows and Light

Daniel Heikalo is a musician whose concert we had been anticipating with great excitement and we were in no way let down by this wonderful musician! Fundy Folk is a traditional yearly event that features various performers in ‘open mic’ spots during the night. This time there was a change in the format in that after the open mic spots, a feature musician of note, Daniel Heikalo played a set that lasted the entire second half. He also accompanied the accomplished and talented Sarah Pound during her set. For those who want to go directly to the photographs, quick link to Daniel Heikalo’s gallery with his track “One Long Wave” playing over it. and to Fundy Folk gallery with Sarah Pound, Nat Fulton and Vince O’Reilly playing a track by Sarah Pound entitled “I know a Woman, I Know a Man”.

Daniel Heikalo

Daniel Heikalo is an exceptional composer and musician and a person of great warmth, colour and light. His unique and exquisite musicianship has a precision which is combined with a passionate exhuberance and excitement that will keep an audience enthralled. My personal favourites of the night were “Madokoro”, the “Study in E Minor” composed for his students, a beautiful ballad he wrote in 1975, a Latin Jazz composition “Why Not Brazil?” and the wonderful “Gaspereau Delta Blues” which he performed on slide citern.

During the evening Daniel played an interesting little African instrument which delighted the ear and tickled the senses. (See the photo gallery to get a glimpse of this instrument.) He brought out a banjo at one point in the concert which elicited a (predictable) groan from a few audience members. However, I am sure, after having heard this banjo played as they had never heard before, they were as delighted as we were with the potential of this instrument that he revealed. As Daniel said “It’s all music, it’s all notes.”

This concert was a CD release for Daniel, of his new album with musician Hugh Blackmer “Horton Landing Improvisations Volume 1”. Thank you, Daniel, for a great night of music.

Sarah Pound

The Fundy Folk part of the night opened with Vince O’Reilly (aka Vinny, our able sound man) singing accompanying himself on the guitar. It was great to see him change roles and handle the performance side of things with such apparent relaxed ease. When he launched into the Cat Stevens classic ‘Another Saturday Night’ he had the audience ready to sing along and they did so until he finished with his cover of the Jimmy Buffett classic “Margaritaville” – we were almost there… in Margaretsville.

Vinny was followed by Nat Fulton whom I now think of as ‘being the expert in ‘North Mountain Flamenco’ a genre I was completely unaware of until that night! As always Nat was highly entertaining and instructive as I now know ‘THE’ make of washtub to be used for a washtub bass. (I now secretly think of Nat as “Manitas de la Montaña al Norte” (translated as hands of the North mountain after the famous “Manitas de Plata” I saw many years ago.) He played a variety of implements and instruments as Nat always does and as always was very popular with the audience.

Sarah Pound is a performer that I am really looking forward to seeing again. And I know I will. This accomplished singer songwriter has the rare talent of giving everything in her performance with a power and control that is impressive in one so young, while at the same time leaving you with an impression of intimacy and confiding delivery that makes you feel that she has reached into her heart and is singing just for you. A beautiful singer songwriter with beautiful material. A couple of favourites of mine that night were “Moons Loons” and “I Can’t Keep you Alive” as well as the lovely and touching “I know a Woman, I Know a Man”.

A great night of excellent music along with the spice of local Fundy Folk performers.

LInk to Daniel Heikalo’s gallery with his track “One Long Wave” playing over it. and to Fundy Folk gallery with Sarah Pound, Nat Fulton and Vince O’Reilly Playing “I Know a Woman, I know a Man” by Sarah Pound.

Ellie

Jon Brooks is a man with a message in the traditional folksinger style. It’s been some time since we have heard new work that comprises such powerful songs of love and protest, songs that are social messages and commentary. His lyrics are compelling, passionately delivered and really encourage the listener to think about these issues at the same time they entertain. (Quick link to Jon Brooks’ gallery with a track entitled “The Crying of the Times” from his CD “Rust Nor Moth”

Jon Brooks at the Evergreen Theatre

Many of his songs seem to end with a note of inquiry. They almost seem to be waiting for the listener to respond. It’s a powerful way to keep the thought going in our minds so that we are not left feeling that these issues are someone else’s concern. Jon Brooks’ goal in his folksongs is to share stories and generate empathy for others, somewhere else. He certainly achieves that, in particular with his song “If we keep what’s within us, what’s within us will kill us, but if we give what’s within us, what’s within us…” a song worth checking out the lyrics on his site www.jonbrooks.ca.

View the gallery: here

Great show, thanks, Jon!

Ellie

This concert – Thom Swift and Kim Dunn at the Evergreen Theatre – was one that we had been really looking forward to. Both of these are seasoned pros in their previous lives as, for Kim, session musician and Thom, a member of well known group Hot Toddy. Their credentials were impeccable in that respect. They both bring this impressive experience with them in their ventures as solo performers and this has translated into polished world class performances that are at the same time fresh and new. (Quick link to Kim Dunn’s gallery with a track entitled “Life’s Looking Back at Me” from his CD “Take this Hammer” and Thom Swift’s gallery with a track “El Camino” from his new CD “Blue Sky Day”.)

Kim Dunn at the Evergreen Theatre

Kim has a relaxed and comfortable style that engaged the audience as soon as he sat at his keyboard and they stayed with him through to his enthusiastic encore. His rendition of Paul McCartney’s Blackbird, requested for one of the encore pieces was absolutely beautiful and among the other pieces he played, my personal favourites were “Life’s Looking Back at Me” (playing over the photo gallery) and “Shine”, both from his CD. It was difficult to choose a track for the gallery as the CD is a great favourite of ours. Kim’s imaginative and fabulous musicianship is proved by the fact that he is always in great demand by some of the top performers in the country. We really look forward to hearing him again very soon.

Thom Swift at the Evergreen Theatre

I had not heard Thom Swift in his solo role although knew him from Hot Toddy days and so had high expectations that he reached and exceeded with comfortable ease in this also encore worthy performance – demanded by an appreciative audience. He played many pieces from his latest CD “Blue Sky Day” (which has also joined our ‘favourites’ and been playing on repeat since that night). The material he played included some very sensitive pieces some with great power and grittiness. Again, with such an excellent selection of music on the CD it was very hard to choose just one track to play over the photo gallery, but the choice of “El Camino” we hope brings a bit of the fun exhuberance of the evening to gallery viewers.

The Evergreen audience really was spoiled to have two such accomplished musicians presented in one night in that special venue and we have Music Nova Scotia and their “Bringing it Home” program to thank for this great treat, as well as the Theatre itself.

Kim’s gallery: here

Thom’s gallery: here

Thanks Kim and Thom for a great night. We really hope to see you both back at the Evergreen Theatre again! You guys are the greatest.

Ellie