The Pearl Company

Roxanne Potvin with Kim Wempe: Saturday, February 4: 8:00 pm $15 / $10 students/artists: With her new album “Play”, Potvin has achieved something that few artists ever succeed in doing – she’s expanded her style and grown as an artist while still keeping the grit and authenticity that is so appealing about her music. All blues and no play made for an unfulfilled Roxanne Potvin. Her smart and sassy new album Play, finds the Montreal-based artist pushing new buttons and continuing her evolution from a stylish, bluesy guitar slinger to a more tuneful pop-orientated performer, free-spirited and varied.  Steve Dawson who runs the Black Hen label out of Vancouver encouraged her in her decision to shift direction and helped her keep the songs on “Play” ambitious, while never losing the loose limbed joyful feeling that inspired them.  She says about her aggressive, energy-driven hooks of Play, “I had been listening to all different types of music and learning to approach writing as a discipline. I found myself going back to the Beatles and Beck.” Clearly Roxanne can rock with the best of them when she wants to. www.roxannepotvin.com Kim Wempe’s beautiful voice is haunting and smokey; some insist she is the child of Janis Joplin and sister of Adele but Wempe is out to blaze her own trail and leave a slew of dropped jaws in her wake. This may be because she is far from the fragile and sensitive singer songwriter; when she sings, her vibe is strong woman with the urge to move mountains! She has won both an East Coast Music Award and Music Nova Scotia Award  http://kimwempe.com

Kaleidoscope Brown: featuring BROWNMAN AKOUSTIC TRIO: (NYC style modern swing) Saturday, January 28. $15 door. $10 artists/students. With: Brownman Ali – trumpet: Soren Nissen – acoustic bass: Eric West – drums. Brownman has a frenetic international tour schedule (with musicians such as Paul Simon) and for January’s installment of KALEIDOSCOPE BROWN, the Toronto based Trinidadian-born multi-award winning jazz trumpeter brings the BROWNMAN AKOUSTIC TRIO to Pearl Company.  The trio serves up a night of 50’s & 60’s jazz a la Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, and more from the American jazz songbook.  Brownman is flanked by two of the most called upon young bassists and drummers in the Toronto jazz scene right now – both under 25 years old!  Be ready for fresh-faced and exciting new takes on the classic jazz lineage.
“Award winning Trinidadian born, New York schooled jazz trumpet player Brownman Ali leads this modern jazz trio through inspired arrangements of standards and choice originals.  The new generation of jazz.” – Jazzonline.com “Performing organic jazz in the classic trio or quartet setting, this unit strives to embody the jazz improvising spirit of the 60’s – communication.  Playing selections of standards linked together in one organic mish-mash of sonic goodness, this unit brings classic jazz themes and powerful Brownman compositions into the new millennium” – Jazz Journey, CHRY radio http://bat.brownman.com

Jonathan Byrd / Raghu Lokanathan / Corin Raymond: Friday, January 27. 7:30pm doors/8pm show, $20/$10 artists and students. Jonathan Byrd’s Cackalack is his first release since joining Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Joni Mitchell on the Chicago Tribune’s list of the 50 most significant singer-songwriters of the last 50 years! “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.” — Scott Alarik, Boston Globe  “Sly, subversive and able to say more in two words than most other people can say in a novel….” Midwest Record. “Jonathan Byrd doesn’t sing songs; he sings truth.” – Performing Songwriter.  www.jonathanbyrd.com Raghu Lokanathan’s latest album, ‘Blue Girl’, takes bold risks and vividly spins the stories of characters that are as likable and warped and dignified and unlikely as the grinning man himself; clever, sympathetic songs that showed a dark, and darkly humorous, edge.  These are brilliant songs, grittier than before, with radical experiments in song structure and point-of-view that always sounded natural, even inevitable.  “He writes songs like they used to a long time ago.” Utah Phillips.  http://www.raghumusic.com Corin Raymond is the Toronto-based troubadour who is also half of the Undesirables and whose band, The Sundowners blew us all away when they played here last May; John Prine comparisons often come his way. Corin is a Pearl favourite; a wonderful, warm human being who specializes in bringing the best singer/songwriters he can find to wonderful, warm, welcoming places like The Pearl.  His own songwriting talent is impressive and if you have heard him live, you will know that his personality and performance charm, captivate, and thoroughly entertain.  He is also the guy whose play “Bookworm” was the audience favourite at last summer’s Hamilton Fringe Festival and the guy who is paying for his next two albums with Canadian Tire money!  See his (going viral) YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9lVyhraw-A And Corin’s music:  https://www.facebook.com/CorinRaymondMusic

Joanna Chapman-Smith: Thursday, January 26, 8:00pm. $15 door/$10 artists/students: (No, she is not Hamilton’s infamous Joanna of Chapman Books!) She is, however, the winner of the 2010 Independent Music Award for best acoustic song, and has played to strong reviews in concerts and festivals from Australia to Denmark.  Her critically acclaimed release CONTRARIES has received airplay in more than fifteen countries. A well-nurtured thirst for new cultural experiences is unmistakable in Joanna’s music; in addition to jazz, folk and classical, her songs also show the influence of many other musical forms, from klezmer and Balkan choral music to tango and flamenco.  She is a skilled guitarist, pianist, and clarinetist, but her live shows also feature other, less conventional instruments, many of her own creation. These elements all help distinguish Joanna from other talented young singer-songwriters, but what truly sets her apart is the voice.  It’s an extraordinary instrument, crystalline and strong, which Joanna guides effortlessly through a nearly four-octave range. “The slinky-voiced Canadian whose arch acoustic musings and fondness for the accordion come laced with a hint of Parisian cafes and East European Klezmer music.” – Q MAGAZINE “Her voice exudes a warmth, charm and occasional vulnerability that easily brings you under her spell.” – BLUESBUNNY, “Chapman-Smith has a supple and finely-nuanced voice and writes with the ear of a poet.” – GEORGIA STRAIGHT  www.joannacs.com

Jacam Manricks Trio: Sunday, January 22. 8:00. $20 at the door. Jazz saxophonist/composer Jacam Manricks and his ensemble of internationally renowned Jazz artists are touring Canada in promotion of Jacam’s current album release ‘Trigonometry’ (Positone Records).  The tour will feature Jacam’s highly acclaimed compositions performed by a world-class ensemble including Canadian drummer Ernesto Cervini (Joe Lovano, Clark Terry & Benny Golson), Jim Vivian on bass (Dave Liebman, Kenny Wheeler & John Abercrombie) and Manricks on saxophone. As a saxophonist and woodwind player, Jacam has performed and/or recorded with some of the most prestigious international artists of our time, including Ray Charles, Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts, and the Queensland Symphony. He is a popular figure on the New York contemporary jazz scene and has released two highly acclaimed albums receiving outstanding reviews from international music magazines and newspapers. “(Manricks) does for jazz what author Walt Whitman did for existentialism, he gives the genre meaning that people can relate to and apply to their own lives.” –Jazz Times  “(Manricks is) A composer beyond the confines of genre perception…mellifluous…meditative…beautifully contoured…An impressive collection of pieces” – DownBeat Magazine  ‘Superb saxophone work, intellectually stimulating writing and ingeniously dovetailed rhythmic lines are the three sides that form the musical shape on ‘Trigonometry.’ – All About Jazz-New York   www.jacammanricks.com

Gary Santucci Solo & Pearl Review Re-View: Saturday, January 21, 8:00pm. $15 door/$10 artists/students – For Concert and Reception: (free Pearl Review as part of package.) Response was so good that if you missed The Pearl Review kick-off last week, we’re doing it again this Saturday with a concert thrown in. Come on by! We’ll start the evening with an intimate evening of guitar music: Classical guitar, World Music, and original compositions from Gary Santucci. (Trained in Spain [and Canada] and playing his unique brand of flamenco and world music for over 30 years, he has become a consummate musician whose repertoire spans numerous genres.  Among his awards is Best Classical Musician 1982 [Hamilton Wentworth Council of the Arts],  The City of Hamilton Arts Award for Music 2004, and together with Barbara Milne, The City of Hamilton Arts Award 2008 for Lifetime Achievement.)
After the concert: 10:00pm. No charge; except you have to buy a newspaper….  We’ll adjourn to the loft to celebrate The Pearl Review Quarterly: This packed first issue of 76 pages for $2.95 is filled with compelling, inquiring, diverse opinions, photo essays and stories.  Come join the party; purchase a copy; become a Patron subscriber.  Special patron subscriber packages include Art Bus Certificates, discounts on Pearl Company events and Pearl District products, and a free Gary Santucci CD. We will have Food and Refreshments available.

BEETLEBARROW Books Presents: A Japanese Bookbinding Workshop: Saturday, January 14: 9:00a.m. – 4:00p.m. $60. Want to meet fellow bookbinders? Looking for a great way to spend a Saturday? Join local artists Chandra Rice and Lindsay Slavin and learn how to bind your own books using ancient Japanese techniques and modern tricks of the trade.  Go home with a beautiful hardcover book you’ve made from start to finish. You’ll be making a large, hardcover, Japanese Stab book.  For $60, Lindsay and Chandra will provide all the materials and tools.  They will even feed you a delicious home-made lunch.  All skill levels are welcome and make to look good. Sign up with a friend, or come and make new friends! Workshops will be happening monthly: January 14, February 18, March 17, and May 12.
Chandra Rice is a maker; most herself when making something with her hands.  She’s been a teacher, a researcher and a Jill-of-many-trades.  Lindsay Slavin’s studio is ready to make books, photographs, paintings, quilts, drawings which all play very nicely together.  To register or for information email makers@beetlebarrow.ca www.beetlebarrow.ca

Pearl Review Launch: Saturday, January 14. Open House! The Pearl Review Quarterly Lifts off from the Loft on Saturday beginning @ 8:00pm.  A packed first issue of 76 pages for $2.95.  Compelling, inquiring diverse opinions, Photo Essays and Stories.  Join the party; purchase a copy; become a Patron subscriber.  Special patron subscriber packages include Art Bus Certificates, discounts on Pearl Company events and Pearl District products, and a free Gary Santucci CD. (If you are already a subscriber, come by and get your copy and your package!)  Food and refreshments available.

The Art Bus is Sponsored by Judy Marsales Real Estate Brokerage:

First 2 Fridays of every month! (Except January when it is only the second Friday…) Check out an art scene which changes every single month and which will leave you breathless!
Seats available for upcoming buses.  Next dates: February 3 & 10.

January 13: We will start with a stroll down Ottawa Street – Earls Court Gallery, Under the Moon, Allsorts Gallery, and Sketch Gallery .  We will then head to the James North Art Crawl with its blocks and blocks of studios, galleries, eclectic shops, music  & more… Finishing up at the inimitable Tiger Group Studio Gallery; more great art and refreshments!

Andy White: Thursday, January 12. 8:00pm. $15 door/$10 artists/students: White has earned a global following for blending folk and pop stylings with a poet’s sensibility. Working with the great names of Irish music – Sinead O’Connor, Van Morrison – and writing with the likes of Peter Gabriel and Neil and Tim Finn, Andy has won Ireland’s top songwriting awards and toured the world many times over. This singer-songwriter carries a 12-string guitar under his arm and wears his particular brand of Irish charm on his sleeve. With the political edge of Billy Bragg, the romance of David Gray and the Celtic lyricism of the Waterboys, Andy is a fully paid up ‘21st Century Troubadour’ (and that’s also the title of his first book, recently published in Ireland to rave reviews).
Belfast born and raised, Andy’s latest release ‘Songwriter’ is his tenth studio album. Released on Floating World in Europe and slated for release by Judy Collins’ Wildflower Records in North America later in 2011, it was recorded in Vancouver with members of the Be Good Tanyas, Neko Case’s band, and features special guests Allison Russell from Po’ Girl on vocals and Radoslav Lorkovic on piano.
As well as touring ‘Songwriter’ and his second book ‘21st Century Troubadour’ (Lagan Press), Andy is preparing for the release of the eponymous debut album from Fearing & White, his collaboration with Canadian singer-songwriter Stephen Fearing.  www.andywhite.com

Ryan Van Sickle: January 7; 8:00pm. $15 at the door: Born and raised in Dundas, now living in New York,Van Sickle comes home to rock The Pearl! Writing songs of character and integrity that resound the timeless and universal, Ryan Van Sickle uniquely translates the themes of love, war, life and death and the epic and mundane struggles within. Following in the steps of the masters from his native Canada, Ryan draws on the influences of Neil Young, Daniel Lanois, and Leonard Cohen alongside American greats Bruce Springsteen and Emmylou Harris. With the release of his latest album Ghosts Of The Brokenhearted, Ryan emerges as a powerful singer songwriter; asserting prowess in building a lyrical highway with a strong voice to carry his listeners on the journey. http://www.reverbnation.com/ryanvansickle

Valdy: Friday January 6. 8:00pm. $20 advance/$25 at the door:  Born Valdemar Horsdal in Ottawa, Valdy has been part of the fabric of Canadian pop and folk music for over 34 years. A man with a thousand friends, from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island to Texas to New Zealand, he’s a singer, guitarist and songwriter who catches the small but telling moments that make up life. Valdy has sold almost half a million copies of his 13 albums, has two Juno Awards (Folk Singer of the Year and Folk Entertainer of the Year) with a total of seven Juno nominations and four Gold albums to his credit.
Valdy has taken his music to a dozen different countries, from Denmark to Australia and been an often-invited performer at the prestigious Kerrville Festival in Texas. His recent television appearances include Canada AM and Open Mike with Mike Bullard. Valdy has also been a panelist on Front Page Challenge, and played a lead role in an episode of The Beachcombers original series.
Today, he is based on Salt Spring Island, where he lives with his wife Kathleen, three dogs and a large cat. All three children are grown, flown and doing famously living in or near Vancouver, or Colorado.  www.valdy.com Read the rest of this entry »

Martha’s Trouble: Friday December 30, at 8 pm. $15 at the door. The Pearl Company is delighted to present an evening of music with this talented duo.  Jen, originally from Ancaster, and Rob Slocumb, from Nashville, are Martha’s Trouble, a critically acclaimed Americana folk/pop duo. Music-charting giant, Billboard asks, “How does an indie folk band expand its fanbase in 2011? Catchy hooks, hard work and a unique tour. Plus, a little help from Starship.”  Martha’s Trouble have just made Billboard’s top ten list of ‘Best Tempo-Halting Remakes’ with their version of Starship’s “Nothing’s Going to Stop Us Now”.   Their latest album, ‘Anchor Tattoo,’ is a fresh, honest, and uplifting. Again from Billboard Magazine: “With its 10th album, ‘Anchor Tattoo’, the Alabama-based husband-and-wife duo, Martha’s Trouble continues to intensify the mystery as to why it remains a hidden gem ”
The album, released in early 2011, takes the duo back to their roots, bringing back their signature sound that made them touch so many when they first came to the music scene 12 years ago. Some of the most influential and well-respected music critics of our time have paid tribute to the duo. They have been listed and featured in Billboard Magazine, USA Today and Performing Songwriter. Their songs have received awards and have been featured in a number of movies. www.marthastrouble.com

Charly Chiarelli and the Sunamabeaches: Sunday, December 18: 7:30pm. $15 door. $10 artists/students.Charly comes to The Pearl with his close friends Venesio – aka Dennis – De Salvo (a manager at Hamilton’s Canadian Mental Health Association, on guitar) Ron Weihs (co-proprietor of Artword Artbar, on fiddle) and Gary Santucci (Pearl Company, on very classy guitar).  Charly has become internationally recognized as one of the world’s most accomplished storytellers – widely known for his two earlier one-person plays, Cu’Fu and Mangiacake, and now the new hit Sunamabeach, to complete the trilogy. Charly is also a songwriter and virtuoso harmonica player, so, it is no wonder that this collection of four notorious Hamiltonians went on to form a band called the Sunamabeaches! Charly takes on the role of lead singer, harmonica player and at times will tell a story or two… However, any one of the other musician’s may step up to the plate with a story. But make no mistake about it, the focus is on music. And the Sunamabeaches will regale you with unique interpretations of jazz, blues, rock and Sicilian folk tunes – including Charly’s original tunes from his plays (and beyond). Just in case you do not know this, Charly has been inducted into the McMaster University Alumni Hall of Fame, along with inductee notables like Martin Short, Dave Thomas and Eugene Levy!  There you have it, Hamilton’s own SUNAMABEACHES, a must see!

Jazz Konnekt: Saturday, December 17. $15 door. $10 artists/students. 8:00pm start.  A “band within a band”, this jazz quintet is comprised of members of the highly acclaimed Jazz Connection Big Band playing mainstream, bop, post-bop material with a relaxed vibe.  Performers include top instrumentalists,  Steve Wilson on drums, Chris Bruder on piano, Kilian Bamberg on bass, Paul Taylor on guitar and Simon Wheeldon on tenor sax, plus special guest players who will join the fun. These guys bring an energy that will make you laugh, make you listen, and make sure you relax and enjoy! There will be a bit of Christmas thrown in….