The Pearl Company

Big Johnny Blue: Concert for Charlene: Saturday, November 30.  Tickets: Suggested $20 or Pay What You Can. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. When Big Johnny (aka John Crawford) lost his wife of 39 years, the charming and highly sociable Charlene, he and his band wanted to do a concert focused on honouring her. If you’ve been to a Big Johnny concert you will have seen Charlene’s warm and welcoming smile. She rarely missed a concert and her unwavering support of John and his band members was a valued addition to every show.
Big Johnny’s a Hamilton guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter and founding member of The Hamilton Blues Society. No matter the venue, Big Johnny captures his audience with the winning sounds of what he has coined “Hammer Blues”. Guitar: Jon Newton, Bassist: Dano, Blues Harmonica: Rod McTaggart, Drummer: Scott Gardner.
Come; revive your soul with great music! And say a special goodbye to Charlene. We will all miss her amiable and loving presence.

Gary Santucci’s SPANJAZZ! A World Beat Jazz Project: Friday, November 29. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00pm. Tickets: $20 /$15 students/seniors/ un(der)waged.  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, Simon Wheeldon – saxophone, Aidan Sibley – trombone, James Gannett – bass, Rob Santos – drums and Gary Santucci – guitar. All musicians are highly respected performers in their own fields; the juxtaposition of their different styles and approaches creates the unique sound and experience that is SPANJAZZ!

Hanna Bech Presents “Mirroring”: A Concert and Art Show Where Musicians and Artists Pay Homage to Each Other. Saturday, November 23. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20 / $10 students/seniors/un(der)waged/Artists. Featuring: Robyn Lightwalker & Hanna Bech; Anthony Haley & Wax Mannequin; Petra Matar & Nick Zyla; Carolina Gama & Rachel Nolan. Hanna Bech has done it again…. “You are invited to an evening celebrating creative collaboration among Hamilton artists.  The night features four artists, and four musicians pairing up, exchanging pieces, and creating a new work inspired by the piece they receive.  We think this sounds like fun, and hope you can come enjoy the night with us.”
Tickets at:  https://www.bruha.com/event/5164
Check out the bios of this diverse and exciting group! (more…)

The David Brideau Quartet ft. Darcy Hepner: Friday, November 22. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20 / $10 students. Jazz guitarist, composer, and teacher David Brideau, is excited to announce his upcoming gig at the Pearl Company. The Quartet is being joined by special guest artist Darcy Hepner. A native of Hamilton, saxophonist Hepner has performed with a multitude of legendary performers including BB King, Aretha Franklin, and Sergio Mendes and toured internationally with Blood Sweat and Tears, Buster Poindexter and Artie Shaw. The David Brideau Quartet is excited to be featuring Darcy as well as debuting some new tunes along with favourites from the recently released Winter Dream album. Brideau has covered a lot of styles in his musical journey; he thrives upon the motivation of finding something new. This will be an exciting and satisfying evening. Make sure to get your tickets in advance!

Pamela Blackwood Marques Sings; Gary Santucci Plays: Saturday, November 16. Doors: 6:30pm. Show: 7:00. Tickets: $20/ Seniors: $15/ Students $10/ Under 10 Free. Presenting an Evening of Culture, Comedy, and Courage, Pamela Blackwood Marques Sings Opera with a Fado Flair and Fado with an Operatic Twist.  Favourites such as: O Mio Bambino Caro, La Habenero, Sodade, Besame Mucho, Jeux Interdits. Enjoy opera arias that will engage the senses with partially staged performances, and with the addition of costumes! Hear classical done with a contemporary twist. In honour of Carmina Marques you will hear Fado as never before. Pamela Blackwood Marques is not only a multi-talented performer; she is also a talented costume designer.  Her designs have appeared on the stages of Hamilton Place, and Stratford. She has designed, co-designed and assisted for many local theatre and high school productions and is now dabbling in film! (It was Pamela who did the fabulous costumes for Hamlet at The Pearl.) Gary Santucci’s unique arrangements on guitar, done especially for Pamela, are designed to excite and engage. https://www.facebook.com/pamela.blackwoodmarques.7

KENNEDY ROAD with GRAVEN: Friday, November 15. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20. Kennedy Road is a Toronto-based Americana duo, comprised of Sheila Carabine and Brian MacMillan. He’s the tall one. Their seamless vocal blend and electric on-stage chemistry is perfectly matched by their intense and poignant songs. Sheila comes by collaboration honestly, having spent the last 16 years in the Juno-nominated folk duo Dala. Brian is a much beloved singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who has released three solo albums. He has performed with Barenaked Ladies, Wailin’ Jennys, Garth Hudson, John McDermott and more. With velvety vocals and dreamy guitars, Kennedy Road conjures dusk and memory, grit and grace. This is music from the heart, for the heart. Music Links: KENNEDY – https://youtu.be/b5ec69fWl4Q  – https://youtu.be/hTJv-DyXReU Website: https://www.kennedyroadmusic.com/
GRAVEN: Graven is an alt-folk singer from the Ottawa area who illuminates feelings of honesty, hurt and hope. He has released 11 albums to date and has shared stages with the kooky mister Steve Poltz, The Wooden Sky and many more. His most recent single Hymnal was produced by Jim Bryson (sideman for The Tragically Hip, The Weakerthans) and he has played numerous festivals Graven is currently working on a new album produced by Jim Bryson. Listen: GRAVEN – https://youtu.be/x_rAeUS6zCU  Websites:   https://gravencanada.wordpress.com/

The Jazz Connection Big Band: Saturday, November 9. Doors: 7:30pm. Show: 8:00. Tickets: $20 / $15 students/seniors/wage-challenged. (Tix @ Bruha.ca) Part of the Steel City Jazz Festival! Catch the powerful sound of this fabulous big band in our relaxed, atmospheric venue. They’re a well-established 17-piece jazz ensemble comprised of professional and semi-professional musicians, performing only the best modern big band charts from the books of Goodwin, Martin, Menza, Rich, Basie, and many other great contemporary composers. Jazz Connection delivers high energy, uncompromising, straight ahead jazz, funk, and Latin, combining the highest level of musicianship and great charts in an entertaining show that engages both the jazz enthusiast and the casual listener. The excellent acoustics at The Pearl easily accommodate their very cool (or hot!) surround-sound. “This is one of the most exciting, entertaining and musically interesting jazz ensembles to come along in many years – the musicianship, the repertoire and the energy are all of the highest level!” Nick Deutsch – Mohawk College, Faculty of Music.  www.jazzconnection.ca   Listen: http://epresskitz.com/index.php?u=2691

Erin Costelo with Clive MacNutt! Friday, November 8. 8:00pm. $20/$15 students/ seniors/ wage-challenged. Drawing comparisons to such icons as Nina Simone and Carole King, superb pianist/songwriter, Erin Costelo soars even as her songs dive deep. Erin is a throwback; a songwriter that brings to mind the ‘golden age’ of music. Although she wears many influences on her sleeve, Costelo is unquestionably herself, a singular artist of maturity and importance; a maverick, unfettered by trend, fashion or industry ‘pathway.’She has shared the stage with such notable artists as Mavis Staples, Dr. John, Boz Scaggs, and recently performed with Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble Band. She will perform as a duo with guitarist and long-time collaborator, Clive MacNutt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4S5lTn9aNc&feature=youtu.be  https://www.erincostelo.com “…Erin Costelo seems destined to establish herself alongside the top tier of today’s most expressive soulful singers.” – PASTE Magazine  Erin’s newest single “”All in Your Head, rolls cinematic blasts of brass and a killer, keyboard-propelled groove into a funk-soul freakout.” – Rolling Stone