Performers 2012

  • Albert Dumont

    (Algonquin, Kitigan Zibi, Anishinabeg)

    Albert Dumont, a Traditional Teacher, was born and raised in traditional Algonquin territory. He has been walking the “Red Road” since commencing his sobriety in 1989. He is a poet and has published 5 books of poetry. Several organizations, both native and non-native, are currently featuring his poetry in their promotions, among them are the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health and the Native Veterans Association.

    Albert has served with the Ottawa Native Concerns Committee since 1993 and also served with the Ottawa and District Injured Workers Group for 6 years.
    Albert has dedicated his life to promoting Aboriginal spirituality and healing and to protecting the rights of Aboriginal peoples particularly those as they affect the young.

    Albert Dumont is the Founder of Turtle Moons Contemplations.

    Website

  • Ana Miura

    www.anamiura.com || www.babes4breasts.com

    Ana Miura

    Ana Miura

    Ana Miura musically warms the hearts of the audiences she encounters. With three albums and international touring under her belt, her proudest music-related accomplishment is the community that has built around Babes4Breasts.

    Ana Miura’s third album The Kindness of Years marks a new chapter of musical growth for this Ottawa based singer/songwriter. Doors continue to open wide for Ana since performing alongside the likes of Bruce Cockburn, Steven Page (former Barenaked Ladies) and Joel Plaskett. She has performed internationally, singing in English and Japanese, but considers her greatest achievement the creation of Babes4Breasts, a National breast cancer benefit concert. The “Babes” tours have raised tens of thousands of dollars for a variety of breast cancer related charities. In September 2012, B4B released their second compilation album featuring 16 of the best and brightest Canadian singer/songwriters including one amazing song written by B4B with a group of cancer survivors and a music therapist called “My Now is Here”. The generosity of others never ceases to humble Ana.

    In April of 2012, Founder Ana Miura was informed she was selected to received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (www.gg.ca/diamondjubilee) in recognition of her contributions to her community through Babes4Breasts. She was presented with the medal in June of 2012 to share with all of the amazing people who have helped Babes4Breasts along the way, from those who buy tickets, to those who work behind the scenes, to sponsors and charities; to friends and family. Says Miura, “Community means many people working together to do better for the place we live and without your generosity and kindness, this would not be possible. I hope to live up to all of the other amazing recipients of this award – what an incredible country we live in.”

  • Bytown Ukulele Group


    www.bytownukulele.ca

    The Bytown Ukulele Group (BUG) is for people of all ages with an interest in singing and playing the ukulele together! All levels welcome. Beginners – don’t be shy! We have so much fun!  We bring song binders to each meeting for people to share. We also project the words and chords on two large TV screens in the room.
    Regular BUG jam is on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. It’s free!
    Ukulele Slow Jam is on the 1st Wednesday of every month at a small $5 cost, led by local music teachers/performers.
    Where:  Clocktower Brew Pub, lower level, 575 Bank Street, Ottawa
    When: 7 to 10 p.m. But come early and join us downstairs for a delicious dinner, snack, or drinks, anytime after 5:30 – meet new friends, and share ukulele tips and tricks.

    Come out to strum, sing, eat drink and be merry! We have up to 90 people participating in our sessions! Come see what all the excitement is about!
    If you’d like further information, please visit our website at www.bytownukulele.ca

     

    BUG ACTIVITIES

    BUG started in Ottawa in the fall of 2008 with about 6 members, but has grown by leaps and bounds since then! We now have over 130 members with 50 or more members showing up at each and every BUG jam session!

    As well as our monthly jam sessions, BUG participates in many other activities, such as:
    community events by request:

    • Ottawa Folk Festival – jam sessions and uke workshops
    • Music and Beyond Festival – jam sessions
    • Ottawa Farmers’ Market
    • Ottawa Folklore Centre 35th Anniversary Concert
    • Ottawa Grassroots Festival
    • In From The Cold at Parkdale United Church – annual jam sessions
    • Dundonald Park jam session for Active Places, Healthy People initiative for the Centretown Community Health Centre
    • performed on stage with the Lucky Uke band at the Just for Laughs Festival (Montreal, July 29, 2011), to break the world record for most ukuleles playing the same song together – 1288 ukuleles playing Twisted Sisters’ “We’re Not Going to Take It” for 5 minutes!
    • Ukulele FLASHMOBs in downtown Ottawa
    • Ottawa Folklore Centre 35th Anniversary Concert
    • Organized BUG workshops with Manitoba Hal and Ralph Shaw
    • led the jam session/sing-a-long after the screening of “Mighty Uke” at the Mayfair Theatre
    • Ukulele Caribbean cruises 2013 and 2014
    • road trips together to see James Hill, Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, Jake Shimabukuro

    An unofficial history of the ukulele:

    Over a hundred years ago, in 1879, a ship arrived in Hawaii from Portugal with over 400 men, women and children aboard. They brought with them small stringed instruments called machêtes. They would play their machêtes together outside in the evenings. The Hawaiian people loved the sound of the machête! The King and Queen both learned to play the machête and encouraged Hawaiians to play the traditional Hawaiian tunes with it. The machête became wildly popular in Hawaii!

    Why did the machête become known as the ukulele? Nobody knows for sure. One story is told of a British soldier who worked with the Hawaiian King and would play the machête at the King’s parties. The soldier was small and sprightly, and he played the machête very energetically, so the Hawaiians gave him the nickname of ukulele which means “jumping flea” and that nickname simply spread to the instrument he played. Another story told is that the fingers of a good player flying up and down the ukulele were like the movement of “jumping fleas”.

    In 1915, a World Fair was held in San Francisco that ran for 9 months and attracted 19 million visitors. At the Hawaiian Pavilion, a ukulele band was playing. The people visiting the fair fell in love with the wonderful sound of the ukulele! The ukulele quickly became a huge sensation all over the world. Because it had only four strings, people found it was easy to play! And with only 3 chords they could play hundreds of songs right away! You can too!

    Come be part of the ukulele revival! Join us – the more, the merrier!

  • Elage Mbaye

    www.elage.ca

    Of Senegalese diplomatic ancestry, Elage Mbaye came to Canada with his family in early 1986, away from percussions, then met two of his younger brother’s friends, the Diouf brothers, Karim and with status. A descendant of a great family of griots, music, song, dance and percussions are all part of his life. Writer-composer-performer Elage was eight years old when he started playing his country’s traditional percussion instruments called “sabaars” but was always impressed and fascinated by the “tama” (talking drum). For a long period (1980 to 1999), he stayed Elage, members of the group Les Colocs and founders of the group Fakhass Sico in 1999, in Montreal. A year later, Elage made his first appearance on the Quebec scene at Montreal’s Festival international Nuits d’Afrique, in Parc Safari, and later collaborated with the group Ballet Taafe Fanga, at the Cabaret de Montréal and in several other events.

    In 2002, he met Mighty Popo, joined his group and remains a member to this day. Together, they participate in numerous concerts and festivals across the country. Elage also took part in the recording of the group’s fourth album (Muhazu), which won the Best World Artist – Group award at the 2007 Canadian Folk Music Awards. Elage is also a member of the group Jokko and the Mo Sayk jazz band. The griot continues to take part in a number of humanitarian activities, such as the The Rwanda 10th Anniversary Memorial Project (Montreal, Quebec) and the National Anti-Racism Council of Canada (Ottawa, Ontario). He also takes part in other special events at the Canadian Museum of Civilization (Children’s Museum) in Hull, fundraisers for AMREF Canada (Toronto, Ontario), UNESCO Canada’s campaign against slavery (Ottawa, Ontario), CBC Radio 2 (Songwriter) in collaboration with Jim Bryson, Lucie Idlout and Sarah Hallman, and several others. On February 6, 2010, writer-composer-performer Elage Mbaye shared with us the legacy of his maternal grandmother Coumba Fall Léonie Diop, the inspiration of his voice in his first solo album, titled Askane. “Askane” in Wolof means “family tree”. On this album, Elage worked in collaboration with close friends Kofi Ackah and Abdou Sy, composers. Elage mixes the traditional music of his homeland Senegal with modern music, for a sensational result inspired by his African roots. WWW.elage.ca myspace.com/elagembaye email [email protected], 613-866-7024.

  • Maple Hill

    MapleHill2014Maple Hill is an award winning bluegrass band that brings energy, emotion, fun and entertainment in their show. Built on the foundation that “it’s all about the song”, Maple Hill delivers strong vocals with fresh instrumental backup rooted in a traditional sound.  Maple Hill covers the full range of bluegrass from the early hard edged blues through gospel and on to today’s great songwriters.

    Co-founders Garry Greenland and Pat Moore are joined by banjo player Sean Lundy on banjo, and Kevin Golka on mandolin. With Maple Hill the song and its story are always the focus with solos, duets, trios and quartets.

    The Bluegrass Music Association of Canada, ValleyGrass, and The Central Canadian Bluegrass Committee recently honoured Garry, for his immense contribution to bluegrass music in Canada for teaching and mentoring. The timing was perfect as he celebrates 50 years as a bluegrass road musician.

    Heart, drive, deep blues, inspiration, tight blend, and fun filled interplay between musicians are some of the things that describe a Maple Hill performance.

    www.maplehillbluegrass.com

  • Missy Burgess

    Missy with Tom Waits' picture in the background

    Photograph by Kate Morgan

    www.missyburgess.com

    Growing up in a large family where chaos was a lifestyle had its benefits. I could train myself to live in a different land even though chaos was all around me. As a young teen, I would climb into my brother’s tree house and imagine myself singing late at night in some obscure small room in New York City and walking the streets alone as I thought all musicians did. By the time I was 15 years old I had heard all my father’s jazz and big band albums over and over and had attended numerous concerts where my brother, Michael sang Gregorian chant with St. Michael’s Choir School in downtown Toronto. I loved music, and belonged to many church choirs, but it took on new meaning when my father brought home a record of Fats Waller. It introduced a sound that shook my insides and made me want to sing. But it took many years of living, which included a nursing/teaching career, marriage, a son and many dogs and cats before I would take music seriously.

    Since 1996 I have performed on main stages from The National Arts Centre in Ottawa to Boston’s Regent Theatre to The Angola Prison for Women in Louisiana. including a guest performance at the Great Canadian Theatre Company for Garnet Rogers.

    I have recorded 3 albums. Pour Me a Song features veteran folk singer Penny Lang and Michael Burgess. My second album Lemon Pie features the late Willie P. Bennett. My latest CD, Play Me Sweet features Keith Glass (6 time Juno Award Winner from Prairie Oyster (Keith also produced the album) and Lynn Miles appears courtesy of True North Records. You can find all 3 CD’s at The Ottawa Folklore Centre, CD Warehouse, and Compact CD.

    I have had the good fortune of being connected with Terry Eagan in Boston who has pioneered efforts to put gardens in hospitals all across Canada for people hospitalized with cancer. Terry produced my first album and I continue to support his efforts in any way I can. The last fundraiser was September 2011 where I performed along side Lynn Miles, Keith Glass, Ana Miura and Amanda Rheaume and Michael Burgess. Visit the website patiogardens.com for more information.

  • Mouvement :: yoga danse musique

    www.studiomouvement.com || www.elaborhythm.com

    Mouvement, Tatiana Nemchin & Joël Delaquis

    Inspired by the health, well-being, connection and freedom cultivated by movement in its many forms, Tatiana and Joël have created a space for people to gather, move, explore, share and Be in a friendly, comfortable and intimate ambiance.

    Mouvement offers over 20 classes weekly as well as workshops in a variety of styles of yoga, dance (Elaborhythm, African dance, Capoeria and Dancing for Birth) and musical exploration (Elaborhythm & RHYTHohm). Other services include life coaching, event consulting, corporate classes, workshops, retreats and special events.

  • Open Stage led by Sjef Frenken and presented by the Spirit of Rasputin’s

    Some Notes About the Spirit of Rasputin’s Open Stage

    7pm every Monday evening upstairs at Whispers Pub, 249 Richmond Road

    www.rasputins.ca

    The original Rasputin’s Folk Café opened its doors in 1981 and ran continuously at its Bronson Avenue location for 27 years, until a fire forced its closure on 8 July 2008.

    Rasputin’s was not only a place for local singers and songwriters, poets and story-tellers to test or showcase their material, it was somehow also the focal point for the entire community of folk enthusiasts in Ottawa. Its closure was a great loss.

    Perhaps the most distinctive quality about Rasputin’s Folk Café was the real Spirit of Rasputin’s – its “listening environment” – the audience showing its respect for the performers by being silent during the songs, poems and stories, something much appreciated by the many artists from all across Canada, the United States and the rest of the world who performed there, whether as guests on the Open Stage, or as headliners of concerts.

    In an interview with CBC, Rasputin’s founder and owner, Dean Verger said “I think it needs somebody with passion who has a new vision to take it forward, whether it be an individual or a community.”

    It didn’t take long for that passion to show itself. Shortly after the fire, a handful of Rasputin’s regulars began holding open-air get-togethers in the park beside the Museum of Nature on McLeod Street. With winter looming, an effort was made to find a more suitable venue for the day when wind, rain and snow made outdoor concerts impossible. Happily the Canadian Legion on Kent Street welcomed “Rasputin’s Refugees” and hosted their weekly sessions for a year until the Open Stage was moved to the Elmdale Tavern in July of 2009. In August of 2010, the Open Stage moved to the second floor room at Whispers Pub and Eatery on Richmond Road (at Tweedsmuir) where in continues to this day.

    In the meantime the various activities centered in the original Rasputin’s came together again under the umbrella of the not-for-profit organization The Spirit of Rasputin’s Arts Society that responds to Dean Verger’s call for passion and vision.

    The Spirit of Rasputin’s Open Stage runs Monday nights. The music starts at 7:00 pm, but performers are asked to get there earlier to sign up. Performers typically present two songs or literary works for a maximum of 10 minutes. There are three sets of 5 performers each. There is no cover charge, and food and drinks are available.

  • Ottawa Contra Dance

    What is contra dancing???

    www.ottawacontra.ca

    • It is a hot community dance experience!
    • Dances always feature fabulous live music and calling from the Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, the New England states, and beyond.
    • No partner necessary and beginners are welcome!

    Are there regular dances in Ottawa???

    YES!
    Where: Churchill Rec Centre (345 Richmond Road)
    When: 1st & 3rd Saturdays, 8-11pm with beginners lesson at 7:30pm
    Cost: $12, $10 for members and students, dancers 16 and under are free
    Website: www.ottawacontra.ca
    Contact info: 613-725-3709 or [email protected]

    Want to know a bit more????

    Here’s the secret… anyone can contra dance! It’s great fun as a beginner and easy to learn the basic moves – a wonderful evening from the start. However, experienced dancers love contra dancing because if you pick up little tricks and timing as well as work on connection, it gets tighter and more electrifying… so in this way, it can be whatever you put into it. That and it’s a great community of people. ?

    Here’s the dry definition… Contra is a form of community dance where you begin and finish one dance (about 10min) with the same partner, progressing up and down the hall in long lines while you dance with different sets of other couples, repeating a sequence of moves guided by the caller. Essentially it’s lots of fun AND excellent exercise.

    A bit on its history… Contra dancing originated in the New England states as a traditional form of dance combining elements of dance from England and France. In the 1960s and 1970s, it caught on big time with the college crowd and then exploded in the folk scene. There are techno contra bands, bands with swing music, and klezmer sounding bands although the main style is more Quebecois-Irish-Appalachian groove music. With regular dances, dance weekends, and festivals all over, you can dance your way across North America.

    Contra dances started in Ottawa about twenty five years ago through the Old Sod Folk Music Society and have been going strong ever since. In addition to our regular dance series, we have held dance weekends and partnered with organizations like the Ottawa Folk Festival do contra dances in other contexts. Come out and give contra dancing a try!

  • Ottawa Phoenix Playback Theatre

    Improv with heart!

    Playback tells YOUR story!

    www.freewebs.com/playbackottawa/

    Playback Theatre is a form of grassroots improvisational theatre based on the spontaneous enactment of personal stories. It invites true stories from its audience and brings these to life through the magic of drama, music, voice and movement.

    The idea of Playback Theatre is very simple, yet it can have profound implications.  When people are brought together and invited to tell personal stories to be acted out, the results can be clarifying, humorous, enlightening, moving, and/or redemptive.  We discover that our personal experiences are worthy of this kind of attention, and that others can find our story interesting, may learn from it, or be moved by it.

    Here is how it works. Actors listen while one of them interviews the audience members about important moments from their lives. After each 1-5 minute story, the interviewer says, “Let’s watch!” and the actors instantly dramatize the story, using music, movement, and dialogue that embody the heart of the story just told. By the end of the performance, you will have probably laughed, cried, had fresh insight about your life, and experienced surprising connection with your fellow audience members. The Playback experience makes visible the common humanity that unites everyone in the room.

    Ottawa Phoenix Playback Theatre is part of a playback tradition in Ottawa that began in 1999. The group is composed of seven experienced playbackers with a love for theatre as a form of social service and a commitment to artistic excellence. It gives public performances; performs at private events such as conferences, family reunions, birthday parties and memorials; and offers workshops teaching playback skills.

    Ottawa Phoenix Playback Theatre is part of an international theatrical movement that started over 35 years ago. The original Playback Theatre Company came together in 1975 in upstate New York through the efforts of Jonathan Fox and Joe Salas. The company was looking for ways of reaching out and bringing theatre closer to the everyday reality of the community, and breaking away from the scripted literary tradition of theatre. Since then, this art form has grown and taken root in many locations. An International Playback Theatre Network now links Playback companies in over 50 cities in many different languages and contexts.

    Playback Theatre thrives in a variety of settings, existing as community theatre gatherings, as well as a professional service to the business and social sectors. Performances occur in public theatres, schools, prisons, community celebrations, hospitals and corporate training rooms. Why has it spread so widely? Because Playback has the magical ability to create a deep ritual space where any story – however ordinary, extraordinary, hidden, or difficult – may be told and affirmed. A brief history of this theatrical form can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playback_Theatre

    Ottawa Phoenix Playback Theatre contacts:

    For general inquiries on the group and its activities contact:

    Jane Keeler
    Phone: 613-730-0366
    Email: [email protected]

    Or, check the Ottawa Phoenix Playback Theatre website:
    www.freewebs.com/playbackottawa/

    To book Ottawa Phoenix Playback Theatre for an event contact:

    Marlene Neufeld
    Phone: 613-594-9248
    Email: [email protected]

  • Rick Fines

    www.rickfines.com

    Based in Peterborough, Rick Fines is one of Canada’s leading blues, roots and slide guitarists. A veteran of the North American folk and blues circuits, Rick has won the Maple Blues Award as a solo artist, and has won a Juno Award and several Thomas Handy Awards for his work with the band Jackson Delta. Known for his virtuosic fingerstyle and slide guitar playing and his engaging stage presence, Rick delights audiences with soulful songs, wonderful stories and a mesmerizing musical experience.

    Rick has performed and collaborated with a wide range of musicians, including legendary blues piano player Pinetop Perkins, famed songstress Colleen Peterson and folk icon Penny Lang, as well as Willie P. Bennett, Carlos del Junco, Suzie Vinnick and many more.

    Rick has worked as a youth mentor at the Winnipeg Folk Festival and is a regular participant in Ottawa Bluesfest’s popular “Blues in the Schools” program. His obvious love of roots music is an inspiration to all. Listeners are fascinated by his playing, singing and songwriting skills, as well as his vast knowledge and love of the musical and social history of the blues.

    Rick’s acclaimed CDs include “Nothing Halfway“, “Out Of The Living Room“, “Arcadia” and “Live At The Harvest “. He has also recorded an instructional DVD to share his exceptional guitar techniques.