Performers

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Music Theatre Dance Spoken Word Storytelling

 
Chinook Songcatchers: The Chinook SongCatchers are pleased to provide a cultural presentation of songs and dances.  We will share songs from the Squamish and Nisga’a nations. The Squamish people are the local tribe and we welcome you to traditional Coast Salish territory. My wife is Nisga’a and is the Northwest coast of BC. We have been presenting cultural performances for over ten years.
Vazzy: With the traditional music, ballads and melodies from Acadia and Quebec, Vazzy takes their audience on a musical journey from Old France to New France. vazzymusik@hotmail.com


The Soul Stirrers: The Soul Stirrers is a group born from the idea that spirit and soul don't have to necessitate religiosity, but can be represented through sincere expression - specifically through song. The tradition of hymns and spirituals is at the root of our attempt to bring spirit and soul to today's audience. The group consists of Khari, Frazey, Matt, Ora, and Sasha; all of whom have diverse musical experience.

Innovative Bliss: Innovative Bliss is a new breed of sound which uses stringed instruments in eclectic, unconventional ways. Born and bred from the buskering streets of Vancouver, comes a dynamic duo of siblings Marissa Deans (violin) and Bryan Deans (cello). They are joined by drummer and percussionist, Brad Pyke. The trio has grown together to form a unique sound with everybody being in the right place at the right time with the right ideas. Feel free to enjoy an exciting string rock groove.

Kytami Music: Kytami is a Vancouver-based electric violinist who has been playing and performing since she was 4 years old. One of the most versatile and sought-after musicians in her field, she has recorded with established artists in reggae, hip hop and drum and bass as well as in punk and metal. She is a member of groups Third Eye Tribe, Lownote and Blackie LeBlanc. 2002 saw the release of Kytami’s first album titled “Conflation”, a fusion between her live violin and downtempo/hip hop flavored beats. Her music has also appeared on snowboarding and skateboarding videos such as Treetop Films and The Under Attack Show. Kytami has performed at events such as Slam City Jam, The Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival, Fashion Rocks!, Vancouver and Seattle Hemp Festivals, Shambhala, The Edge of the World Festival, The Vancouver Celtic Festival and The Vancouver Folk Festival.

Ryan Trigg: After warping his guitar by dropping it into a river in Laos, Ryan quickly discovered that the only way he could continue to make music with it was by turning it into a slide guitar. He began to incorporate the didjeridoo while street performing in Australia eventually moving on to entertaining unsuspecting pedestrians on the streets of Canada and the US. He has just recently begun taking his electronically stylized accoustic sounds to Vancouver stages.
Kathara: Kathara Cultural Theater began through an artistic exchange with the Philippines in 2003 Kathara Dance Theatre Collective. Now in their  3rd year, Kathara's colorful and rhythmic performance features the indigenous dances of Southern Philippines and historical martial dances influenced by Indonesia and China but more powerfully the Martial art of Kali trained by the members of Kathara. Kathara aims to continue the preservation of their culture here by going back to the roots to study with tribes of Philippines at the end of 2006.  Kathara defines the diversity of the Philippine culture in indigenous dance, martial art and music.
Inject: Inject is Amrit Basi on electronic and acoustic drums; Jamie Lubiner on guitar, guitar-to-MIDI converter, and software synths; and Peter 'Fish' Fisera on synthesizers. They play highly improvised music focusing on jazzbient, trip-hop, breaks, drum and bass, trance, house, and previously unnamed and undiscovered flavors of electronic music. Usually dance-oriented and always experimental, Inject have packed dance floors and totally freaked out the jaded "I've seen it all" music fans around Vancouver, Nelson and the Sunshine Coast.

     

iDeogRam: iDeogRam was formed in the start of 2005 by teenagers as a means to create largely improvised jazz-funk music while retaining an accessible quality that can be appreciated by all. Colourful, funky, and constantly morphing, the music invites to listen to nuances, get lost in the atmospheric nature of the performance, or simply get their groove on! In the past year and a half iDeogRam has played numerous times at Cafe deux soleil, The International Children's Festival, The Addidas International Marathon expo as well as many fundraisers and private parties.
Members: Adam Basanta: Guitar (21), Cole Birney-Stewart: Bass (17), Kai Basanta: Drums (14), Plus additional horns:
Brian Davies: Trumpet, Jigggy: Sax
Gamelan Alligator Joy: Gamelan Alligator Joy: Unique Vancouver percussion ensemble specializing in the performance of traditional & contemporary music, using the sonorous sounds of the Javanese Gamelan, comprised of many bronze metallophones, gongs, drums, strings, flutes & singing with Margaret Gallagher, Ann Hepper, Michael O'Neill, Mark Parlett, Ben Rogalsky, Gary McFarlane, Tony Reif, Sam Salmon, Andrew Czink, David Drucker, Deanna Peluso, Alvin Lau and Joanna Chapman-Smith.
Kocassalé Dioubaté : Kocassale Dioubate is a Guinean of the Mandingo tribe of West Africa. A descendant of the tribe's "Griots" - traditional storytellers, musicians and dancers - Koca has been dancing, playing and making music since he was old enough to walk. Career highlights to date include playing as Head Drummer for Ballet Kaloum Lolé in Guinea, soloist for Ballet Bougarabou in Senegal, recording with renowned drummer Moussa M’Boum in the Gambia and playing with Senegalese superstar Youssou N’Dour. He has also won awards from the Minister of Culture in Guinea for Dance in 2005 and was named Best Male Artist in 2001. Since arriving in Canada in May of 2005, he has joined three-time Juno winner Alpha Yaya Diallo’s band Bafing, playing shows all over Canada. He has performed solo at the Filberg Festival in Courtenay, the Vancouver Diversity Festival and Vancouver’s Afrikadey Festival. Under the name BéréSanké Percussion, he and his wife import and manufacture traditional West African percussion instruments and coordinate African drumming and dance workshops all over BC.

Caitlan Read: I was born in Vancouver and started taking lessons when I was 4 years old off a cardboard violin (got a real one when I was six) I grew up learning both fiddle and classical styles simultaneously. I played with the youth group called the Sizzlers for 6 years, and when I was 13 joined the group I play with now, called the Coquitlam Celtic ensemble. I don't have a favourite style or type of music, I play the violin because I love the pure sound of it. I've studied with a variety of teachers over the years, and enjoy all types of music, everywhere!
Adama Ensemble: "An Original blend of classical music, jazz and various genres of world music, from flamenco to Indian music, with a particular focus on Middle Eastern traditions..." (The Globe & Mail). The music of Adama is exploring the boundaries of classical, contemporary jazz and world music. Adama is creating an exciting and original material, rich with Middle-Eastern and Flamenco sounds, unusual melodies and complex rhythms. Recent performances of the group were at the Capilano College Theatre, Vancouver Community College Theatre, and other venues.Itamar Erez & the Adama Ensemble have just recently released a new CD called 'Desert Song'. The members of Adama are: Itamar Erez - Guitar/Composition, Tony Nickels- Reeds, Laurence Mollerup- Bass, Stefan Cihelka- Tabla
Rayhan: Unique instruments, such as the Nay (Arabian Flute), the Oud (Arabic Lute), Flamenco guitars, fretless Bass percussion and voice, played together to create an adventures in listening, a fusion of expression of the old and the new. The Group has been performing regularly at various local venues in Vancouver such as the Rime, la Zuppa, El Cocal, and has appeared at many festivals in the past four years such as Mondo Music, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Harmony Art Festival, and the Showcase 2003 of Global Discoveries at the Roundhouse Community Centre. The Trio creates a sensitive mix - a glimpse into different cultures through the sounds of their instruments and the flow of melodies, songs, and rhythms.
Yvette Narlock: Yvette has played on many stages for intimate crowds to festival crowds of 10,000 people. On stage, she is a storyteller, a seductress, a siren with a big lush voice, and a guitar style that's accomplished, ranging from intricate finger picking to ripping rhythms. Her songs are diverse and emotionally evocative, dealing with social and political commentary, sexuality, introspection, and, of course, love.
Kate Reid: “Fabulously funny and downright passionate!” That’s how vibrant singer-songwriter, Kate Reid describes her music. As she sings her gutsy, heartfelt and often humourous songs, Kate captures her audience with incisive lyrics and a gift for singing and performing that shines throughout every performance. In her songs, Kate speaks about her experience as a woman in this world. Her lyrics weave feminist and environmental themes into the stories of her life. Her songs pulse with imagery, emotion, insight and politics and she speaks to what is real in each of us.
push3: Push3 weaves voice and cello through layers of acoustic guitar, groove bass, and world beat percussion. Folk and classical roots are eclipsed by world, pop, groove, and soundscape influences. Here, Melanie Sereda's electric and acoustic cellos replace the traditional lead guitar and wind around Kathryn Sutherland's lush vocals. Cello and voice are used in unexpected ways with percussive words and whispers and ghostly cello harmonics and slides. push3’s music has been to the New York Film Festival, the gallery D-e R-u-i-m-t-e in Amsterdam and featured in film, theatre, dance and folk festivals through out British Columbia, Canada.
Ridley Bent: Ridley Bent is an entertainer, a crooner, a gee-tar player and a songwriter with a knack for detail. He’s hell on wheels with a microphone whether he’s fronting a band or on stage all by his lonesome. He has mastered the art of telling a story. Love and murder, dope and glory, politics and pop culture – this is Ridley’s addiction. Throw in some break beats, phat bass, sweet country and a melody and you’ve got yourself an earful of ‘Hick Hop’. A new sound that’s already made more than a few jaws drop.
Kia Kadiri: In the last 5 years, Kia Kadiri has become a west coast phenomenon. Drawing on hip hop, jazz, funk and soul to create a sound that is truly universal, she has emerged as a stand out artist from a scene that has produced some of this country’s most exciting urban artists. “It’s clear as soon as she opens her mouth that this woman-blessed with a smoky voice, palpable intelligence and heaps of charisma-has something interesting to say. When Kadiri launches into a spoken word piece about the history of rap music, people listen…even people who didn’t think they could ever enjoy rap.  Her rhymes are eye-opening, her rhythms compelling and her delivery perfect, but a large part of Kadiri’s appeal is having mastered an engaging stage presence even when the music stops.  Her favorite part of her job is teaching and mentoring, and she is high demand as a workshop facilitator.  At summer camps, seminars and youth centers, she helps kids (and adults) learn to rap and perform, often as part of a larger violence-prevention strategy.  Kadiri often incorporates music theory into her classes, since it was a fondness for numbers and patterns that got her interested in jazz in the first place.”
Brigee. K: From Hip hop to Soul Brigee K is a powerhouse MC who decorates the mic with her rhyming quickness and soulful vocal flows. Brigee's party rockin vibe mixed with conscious thought evoking lyrics makes for a show not to be missed.
Ndidi Cascade: Ndidi Cascade has shared the same stage as talents such as Femi Kuti, De La Soul, Abstract Rude, Michael Franti, Kelis, K-OS & Michie Mee, and has performed at numerous events such as the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Canadian Music Week, the Vancouver and Victoria Folk Festivals & Honey Jam.  Ndidi Cascade, a woman of Nigerian, Italian and Irish descent, has been captivating audiences across Canada with her lyrical insight and tight flow as both a solo artist alongside her talented singing partner Deanna, and as part of the Third Eye Tribe collective. Ndidi Cascade also facilitates workshops using hip-hop as a medium to encourage self-expression, looking at community and social issues for inspiration. Contact: ndidicascade@hotmail.com


Emotionz: A founding member of Vancouver heavyweight rap trio Fourth World, Emotionz began his prolific recording career at the age of eight. One of the most versatile MCs representing the west coast, Emotionz' vocal range and stylings are considerable. He remains undefeated as a battle rhymer and beatboxer, and will drop an acapella or spoken word piece just to raise the bar. His poems concern themselves with everything from west coast life to left-sided political leanings, girls, weed and government. A dynamic live performer, Emotionz has toured Europe, parts of the U.S. and most of Canada in the last few years.
Deanna Teeple: After graduating from Gastown Actors Studio in 2000, Deanna began her singing career and was soon mesmerizing Vancouver audiences with her power-infused vocals. In 2001, her trademark voice helped to shape the sound of female hip hop and soul group Triple 3. Named Battle Royal 2003 singing champion and voted 2004 best female R&B/Soul singer in Vancouver by the Georgia Straight, Deanna has since joined funk group 1LUV and currently performs alongside rapper Ndidi Cascade. Her voice can be heard on albums from Vancouver artists, The Front, Langdon Auger, GreenTaRA and Ndidi Cascade. Contact Deanna at: goatsinthemist@gmail.com
The Phonograff: The Phonograff is Mike Jones (real name folks!). The Phonograff has been DJing for over a decade. The name ‘The Phonograff’ was given to Mr.Jones by Canadian Hiphop Legend and BSM crew mate Moka Only for the graffiti Phono used to hit up on trains. In 1999, Phonograff released a critically acclaimed mixtape called ‘Train of Thought’, selling more then 500 copies hand to hand with no distribution. That mixtape featured tracks from local cats, underground legends and the first journey’s into his own musical production. In 2006 Phono has finally achieved a sound all his own: “it's hiphop, roots reggae, dub, Latin jazz, electronic music fused into huge hiphop beats with heavy bass, warm elements, all the while keeping the turntablism and scratching in the mix.” Whoa. ‘From the Bottom Up’, is The Phonograff’s debut full length album. Featuring 19 tracks wholly produced by Phono, with 16 guest emcee’s and vocalists filling in the voids where his production let sit. The guests include such Canadian Hiphop heavyweights as Moka Only, Kia Kadiri, JC Subliminal to US Living Legend Luckyiam.PSC. This album also features some of the west coasts sickest underground cats from Edge 1 to Just B to singer songwriter Coco Love Alcorn. Not to be outdone by his musical productions, The Phonograff can hold his own behind the turntables and has opened and/or played with these artists: 50 Cent, Blackalicious, Digable Planets,  Kia Kadiri, Living Legends, Kirby Dominant, Maestro Fresh Wes, Sixtoo, Mr.Dibbs, Swollen Members plus countless others.
Demoe One: Demoe One speaks the Truth. He has been in this music game for a couple years now.. slowly building a sound and following that is all his own. Born in Toronto, grew up in Victoria, and currently setting  
his team up for Vancouver's Urban Domination. Lines are being drawn,   You're either with us or Against us. Bet.
The Pacific International Piano Trio: This trio has seen its members recently performing in Shanghai, Taiwan, and Canada. Gene Ramsbottom, the CBC Radio Orchestra's principal clarinetist, teams up with Shanghai cellist Bo Peng and Korean pianist Jeeyoun Han to present a tour-de-force performance of the great clarinet trios of Brahms and Beethoven.
Infinitus String Quartet: Consists of award-winning young musicians from Canada and the US. They have been broadcast on radio station CO-OP 102.7 FM and CBC Radio Two, and in 2004 played for the Dalai Lama while he was in Vancouver. They perform outreach concerts on a regular basis, and have regular performance appearances with the SOnic Boom Festival and the Vancovuer Chamber Players. They will be performing String Quartets by Turina and other composers.
  Off the Drive: Consists of Sue and Charlie Seaton and their daughter Gwen. Sue has been a member of the French Horn Section of the Canadian Opera Orchestra and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. Charlie has played French Horn for over 30 years with the Capilano Brass Quintet of North Vancouver. He performs regularly with Sunday at Five, a woodwind quintet. Gwen has been Principal Bassoon in the Vancouver Opera Orchestra as well and has performed regularly with the Vancouver Symphony. They will be performing Beethoven and Reicha wind trios.
The Pussy Willows: The Pussy Willows are Courtenay Dobbie and Ajineen Sagal. They started hitting the Vancouver theatre and music scene in the spring of 2000. They have played in various variety shows around town such as the busTin ouT festival for Full Figure Theatre Company, Outrageous Women’s Cabaret for The Shadbolt Centre For the Arts, and Here Be Monsters: A Carnival of the Arts, for Monster Theatre. They have also played in such venues as Crush Lounge, Video Monster, many house parties, and a really bad film party. In the fall of 2004 they wrote, directed, and performed in Plentiful, a play about polygamist colonies at the Vancouver International Fringe Festival. This summer they travel to Enderby B.C, to write and perform in their new show The Showdown of the Whiskey Girls.

www.littlewoo.org
www.burlesqueyoga.com
Little Woo: Little Woo is an artist and healer in Vancouver, BC. She offers inspiration and activation as a performer in music and dance, a spiritual counselor and a workshop facilitator (with a program called "spiritual alchemy" and a movement-based program called burlesque yoga).
The Juleps: The Juleps bring together a passion for homespun, heartaching melodies and a love affair with the accordian as they foray into the music of Tom Waits and Bob Dylan. Karma Sohn - piano/accordian/voice, Ben Rogalsky- guitar/tenor banjo, Russell Sholberg- stand-up bass


 

Music Theatre Dance Spoken Word Storytelling