The Pearl Company

Kristen Bertin: Start With My Heart Album Release: Saturday, May 6. Doors: 7:30. Show: 8:00. $20/ $30 for couples. Children are free. Singer Songwriter and Country Roots artist Kristen Bertin invites you to join her for an intimate evening of stories and songs that have led to her debut album recorded at the world famous Grant Avenue Studio. Cost of admisson will include a copy of the album; proceeds that evening will go toward Rhielle Buchner’s medical fund.   https://www.facebook.com/Kristenbertin27/

Ron Palangio: Back Burner CD Release! Thursday May 4, Doors: 7:30. Show: 8:00. $20. Ron Palangio was born and raised in North Bay. He moved to Hamilton to study Jazz and Classical Guitar at Mohawk College’s Applied Music Program and worked with professional theatre productions, big bands, dance, pop, rock and country groups.  He has played with the late Bobby Washington, big band leader Harry Waller and singers Al Martino and Clint Holmes. After receiving his teaching degree, his career as a secondary school music teacher included conducting Concert and Jazz ensembles and founding the Golden Horseshoe Musicfest in 2005. Ron finished his teaching career as Head of Arts at Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School. He continues to perform regularly in clubs and private engagements and plans to focus his talents on composition and recording. Back Burner is his first solo jazz CD. Featuring Jordan Abraham-Keyboard, Steve Pelletier-Bass, Roberto Santos-Drums, Sal Rosselli-Tenor Sax and Amy King-Percussion. Opening Act featuring Hamilton Singer Songwriter Shealagh Rose.

Spanjazz: A World Beat Jazz Project: Friday, April 28. 8:00pm. $20.  A collection of musical compositions inspired by world music rhythms performed in a jazz context by the 6-piece world-beat jazz ensemble, Spanjazz.  Featuring Jordan Abraham – keyboard, Jeff Plumbley – trumpet, Aidan Sibley – trombone, James Gannett – bass, Tom Bigas – drums and Gary Santucci – guitar. All musicians in this newly-formed group are respected performers in their own fields; their different styles and approaches helps create the unique sound and experience that is Spanjazz. Gary has arranged 14 new charts from the catalogue of his original world beat group, Zarabanda (Tom and Jordan were original members).

Jonathan Byrd & The Pickup Cowboy: Friday, April 21, Doors: 7:30. Show: 8:00. Tickets $20.  Jonathan Byrd, duo Roots/Americana songwriter, is “one of the top 50 songwriters of the last 50 years,” says Rich Warren in the Chicago Tribune. Scott Alarik, Boston Globe, says, “This rootsy North Carolinian may be the most buzzed-about new songwriter in folkdom. He displays John Prine’s gift for stark little songs that tell big, complex stories, Guy Clark’s lean melodicism, Lyle Lovett’s wry mischief, and Bill Morrissey’s knack for the revealing image.”  Byrd grew up singing in the Southern Baptist church, where his father preached and his mother played piano. He started as a rock musician but it was at an old-time fiddle festival in the mountains of southwest Virginia that he began to assimilate the sounds of southern traditional music. Byrd writes new songs in the ancient style. The Pearl Company is delighted to welcome him back! Listen: Working Offshore https://youtu.be/3rLskCGrYJ0  http://www.jonathanbyrd.com

Carlos del Junco with Jimmy Bowskill: Saturday April 22, at 8pm Tickets: $25. Carlos del Junco is a harmonica virtuoso. Simultaneously sophisticated and raw, del Junco’s taken the 10-hole diatonic harmonica to another realm. He approaches the harmonica like a horn, setting him utterly apart from fellow mouth organists such as Neil Young or Bob Dylan….
Del Junco visits The Pearl every April and this time he brings Jimmy Bowskill.  We get a dose of roots, country and pop infused blues from two masters of their craft who have recently released their new CD “BLUES ETC.” together. Bowskill, of course, began performing at a ridiculously young age.  Creating a sound all his own, he first played on stage at the age of eleven (!) at Jeff Healey’s club in Toronto. The next year he recorded his first album, Old Soul. Bowskill’s second album, Soap Bars and Dog Ears, was nominated for a Juno Award when he was fourteen years of age. http://www.carlosdeljunco.com   https://www.facebook.com/pg/JimmyBowskill Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9PP3Fv4aBs

Tamar Ilana & Ventanas: Saturday, April 15. 7.30 doors, 8:00 start. Tickets $20 each. Ventanas formed in 2011 after the stunning vocalist and dancer, Tamar Ilana returned to Toronto following one of several sojourns to Spain to study flamenco song, cante and dance, baile and teamed up with violinist Mark Marczyk of the Lemon Bucket Orkestra. They began exchanging flamenco, Sephardic and Balkan tunes and in no time had put together a repertoire and formed a stellar trans-Mediterranean ensemble that included flamenco guitarist, Dennis Duffin, Middle Eastern percussionist, Jaash Singh, and Greek oud player Demetrios Petsalakis – an eclectic group of well known musicians on the Toronto music scene.  While Ilana’s remarkable voice and intricate flamenco footwork is the heart of Ventanas, together they weave Sephardic love songs from North Africa and the old Ottoman lands, quirky Bulgarian dance tunes, captivating pieces in Greek and Turkish, original songs and deep flamenco. Ilana dances and alternates with her compelling vocals.  Ventanas’ virtuoso musicians offer oud, violin, lyra, baglama, double bass, derbukka, cajo?n, and hand percussion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRTYdFy1Fl0   http://www.nerudaarts.ca/artists/ventanas-tamar-ilana

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Steel City Rovers: Join us to celebrate our 200th show! Friday, April 14, Doors: 7:30. Show: 8:00.  Advance: $15.00 / At the door: $20.00. Hamilton’s Steel City Rovers have toured their Celtic to Celtibilly musical styling’s across Nebraska to Colorado, been regulars on Festival stages in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Michigan and crossed back and forth across Ontario close to a dozen times. The group has worldwide play of their numerous releases on Celtic and Roots music programming, worked for the entertainment conglomerate, Live Nation and been nominated 3 times in various categories at the Hamilton Music Awards. “Creative, fresh, engaging, and energetic” are descriptors used over and over by those who have attended shows ,and follow the group. Join them as they celebrate their 200th show in their beloved hometown. It will be a show of some favorite past works and the launch of some brand new material!  Website : www.steelcityrovers.com   FB : https://www.facebook.com/SteelCityRovers  Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFGJlhjwHas

The Buddy Rich Project: The Jazz Connection Big Band: Saturday, April 1. Doors at 8:00, Jazz at 8:30. $20 in advance, $25 at the door. The renowned Jazz Connection Big Band is celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the birth of one of the worlds greatest musicians with a special concert. In addition to performing many of his best loved pieces they will be presenting a retrospective about his life and music through rarely seen video clips, photos, recordings and narrative (including an audience Q&A). Given that Jazz Connection shows are full capacity events, this special show will undoubtedly be SRO. Reservations are very strongly advised! The JCBB is a well-established 17-piece jazz ensemble comprised of professional musicians, performing only the best modern big band charts. www.jazzconnection.ca   Listen: http://epresskitz.com/index.php?u=2691

Colour Film with Low Country Hill: Saturday, February 25. 7.30 doors, 8:00 start. $15 / $10 students/seniors/wage-challenged. Colour Film: Music for your mind’s eye. With songs that play like home movies rich in imagery, characters, and emotions, Colour Film is the new identity of Hamilton’s Matthew de Zoete. Debut EP Super 8 blends pop and folk to set six of these cinematic songs in an atmospheric soundscape conjured with producer Les Cooper (Jill Barber, Good Lovelies). Imagine Nick Drake cheering up a bit and meeting Beck. This will be an intimate performance with an ensemble of guitar, keyboards, percussion, and harmonies. Listen online at www.colourfilm.ca
“Low Country Hill is a provocative experimentation in sound and shape…but grounded with heart and soul.” – Kent Heberling Those Who Dig (Milwaukee, WI)  Listen online at www.lowcountryhill.com

I LOVE Welcome Inn Benefit Concert! Thursday, February 23. 6.30 doors, 7:00pm start. $20 per person It’s their annual I ? Welcome Inn benefit concert. Enjoy great music, have some laughs and join in sharing the love with Welcome Inn Community Centre. This yearly event is a lot of fun and all proceeds go to fund the great works at Welcome Inn. Oh, and there will be pies for auction. PIES!  Cash bar, music, food and lots of fun. Music by local Hamilton artists – The Skiffs – who will be doing some nostalgic acoustic covers of songs from the 90s. It’s going to be a great night out!.

Click on the link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/i-3-welcome-inn-concert-tickets-31726697406  to reserve your tickets for pick up at the event on the 23rd.

For George 2017 – A Celebration of the Music of George Harrison: Saturday, February 18: Doors: 7:30. Show: 8:00. Cover: $20 suggested or Pay As You Wish. Hosted by Christopher Clause and featuring the best in Hamilton artists, FOR GEORGE 2017 is a musical celebration of the life and music of George Harrison, as well as a sharing of the original music inspired by George.
All proceeds raised from the show will go towards GRACENOTES and the Debbie Clause Recording Fund, which will help raise funds for local indendent music projects in Hamilton.
Artists that will be performing are: The Barr Band, Christopher Clause, Andy Griffiths, Andrew Hall, Bec Jamieson, Chris Jamieson, Michael Scott, TOMMYGUNN, Peter Taplay, and more!!!!

Queens of Quirk: An evening celebrating unique quirky queendoms through music, comedy and a radio musical. Sunday February 19. 1.30 doors, 2:00pm start. Tickets: Pay it Forward, and sliding scale $10-$20
The Queens:
Hanna Bech is a professor of whimsy, and a diviner of hooks, whose muse is a white ball of fluff who does back flips. Mary Clements writes songs about #adulting, and has a smile filled with so much sunshine you’ll think she walked out of a Disney film. Pamela Gardner is a velvet voiced flying songbird whose mischievous eyes can make babies laugh and grown men cry. Radha S. Menon is an interdisciplinary artist who can stand on her head and drink Scotch.
This Queens of Quirk features the debut of Mary Clements, whose folky piano tunes will remind you of musicals.
It also features an original radio musical “Circles” – a satirical RomCom set in ancient Sicily about a deserting Roman soldier, an Archimedes groupie and a singing cyclops. Book and script by Radha Menon and Music composed by Hanna Bech.
TICKETS: Online: https://www.bruha.com/event/672 Cash at door, or for e-transfer details please contact queensoquirk@gmail.com  Queens of Quirk believes art should be accessible, and because of this we offer PAY IT FORWARD tickets. Please email queensoquirk@gmail.com  if you would like to Pay it Forward, or if you would like a PIF ticket.

The Shari Vandermolen Quartet: Chocolate & Champagne: Sunday, February 12, Doors: 7:00. Start: 7:30 $20 / $15 students/ seniors/ wage-challenged. We hope that you will join Shari Vandermolen and her exceptional band for an evening of jazz, blues, and songs of love that will put you in a snuggling mood. Make us your stop for a Dessert of Chocolate with a (reasonable, cash) Champagne Bar!
Shari Vandermolen is an award-winning local performer and vocalist who imbues the best of contemporary influence into classic songs while paying homage to such legendary vocalists as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Etta James, Nina Simone and Sara Vaughan. In doing so, she makes a song her own.
The Shari V Quartet features Mohawk College Jazz program alumni Steve McRae on piano, James Gannett on bass and Michael Yates on drums.  “She takes a song and gives it emotional depth and edge.  She not only sings it magnificently she acts the heart and soul out of it…  When she tackles such hurting songs and raw pain surges from her throat, that pain finds you in the dark and makes you shiver with pleasure.”   –  The Hamilton Spectator

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Elizabeth Shepherd and Michael Occhipinti: Artists as Activists: An evening of music with a social conscience. Friday, February 17. Doors: 7:30. Show: 8:00. Cost: $20. With a combined total of 14 JUNO nominations between them, Elizabeth Shepherd and Michael Occhipinti have been combining their unique voices, as they tour together over the past 4 years. Whether drawing on jazz, soul, folk, pop or world music, their sound is soulful and fresh.
For this show, in light of recent events, they’ll be framing the evening with the theme of “Artists as Activists: Socially Conscious Musicians”. From the music of Bruce Cockburn to Stevie Wonder, and of course some of their own original material along the way, they cover songs of protest of all styles, infusing each one with their own signature sound. Never has there been a better time to get inspired by the power of music to effect change.
Both exciting singer/songwriter pianist, and souljazz innovator Elizabeth Shepherd, and Michael Occhipinti, multitalented guitarist/ composer/ arranger have been toasted world-wide for their talent and versatility. For more about these two startlingly original musicians, see the “Read More” section below. www.elizabethshepherd.com   www.michaelocchipintimusic.com  Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klhLIuALpCc 

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David Woodhead’s Confabulation: Saturday, January 21, 8:00. $20/$15. Bassist and multi-instrumentalist David Woodhead is one of the most accomplished of Canadian musicians and his genre-defying (mostly) instrumental supergroup, Confabulation, is a thrill-ride for players and audiences alike. David has played on more than 200 albums. He was the bassist for folk legend Stan Rogers. He’s played with Loreena McKennitt, Valdy, Sneezy Waters, Brent Titcomb, Scott Merritt, jazz ensemble Manteca. He regularly tours with James Keelaghan. Confabulation’s musical eclecticism features: harp-like fingerstyle ukulele picking, klezmer-like horns, a few intriguing time signatures and some unexpected chord changes. The line-up: keyboardist Doug Wilde (Leonard Cohen, Jane Siberry, Manteca), drummer Rich Greenspoon (Njacko Backo, Stewed Tomatoes, Betty and the Bobs), violinist / fiddler Anne Lindsay (Blue Rodeo, Toronto Maple Leafs) and guitarist Bob Cohen (Jesse Winchester,Tim Hardin).
The quintet combines Woodhead’s sophisticated-yet-accessible compositions with the odd dramatic interpretation of Rudyard Kipling and nod to Peter Gabriel.  Their shows merge outstanding musicianship with spontaneity, whimsy, and the musical chops to take them in whatever direction they’re moved to go. http://www.davidwoodhead.com/  The Confabulation : http://www.davidwoodhead.com/confabulation.html  Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m62zRUT9u4M