Africville Stories Cast Announcement

 

We are excited to announce that acclaimed Canadian jazz singer and award-winning actress, Jackie Richarson, will be providing the vocals for Joe Sealy's Africville Stories at Horizon Stage on Saturday, February 8, 2014. Ms Richardson is best known for her screen roles in The Gospel According to the Blues, The Doodlebops, and Sins of the Father. She is also a noted stage performer, winning a Dora Award in 2004 for the musical Cookin' at the Cookery.The musical Big Mama! The Willie Mae Thornton Story was conceived of and written by Audrei-Kairen Kotaska for Jackie who starred in the first production in 1999 and then again in 2012. Bassist Paul Novotny will also be performing.

Give The Gift of Entertainment

Are you looking for a unique present for the person on your holiday shopping list who has everything? Give them the gift of high quality entertainment. Our gift certificates are valid for any Horizon Stage season performance and are perfect for any occasion. They are available in any denomination and can be purchased in person at the City Hall Ticket Centre.

Chris Gibbs’ Humour and Wit Will Leave Audiences Wracked With Laughter

Don’t Miss The Return of His Hit Show Like Father, Like Son? Sorry. at Horizon Stage on November 22

Described by The National Post as “one of the funniest guys around,” comedian Chris Gibbs explores the anxieties of first-time parenthood in his hit one man show Like Father, Like Son? Sorry. Terrified about his new responsibilities and skeptical about his ability to be a good dad, Gibb’s self-deprecating humour leaves audiences wracked with laughter and howling in their seats. Whether you are a parent, you know a parent, you have a parent, or you just like a mixture of British wit and Canadian comedy you don’t want to miss Chris Gibbs in Like Father, Like Son? Sorry. at Horizon Stage on Friday, November 22.

British-born Gibbs has been a professional comedian since 1991, when he began performing comedy shows on the street in London’s Covent Garden. For the next 11 years he toured full-time, performing at comedy, theatre and street-theatre festivals throughout Europe, as well as in New Zealand, Australia and Canada.  Since moving to Canada permanently in 2002 he has taken the Fringe Festival tour circuit by storm with five hit shows that have all received stellar reviews, played to full houses, and left fans wanting more.

Like Father, Like Son? Sorry. won patrons pick at the 2009 Toronto Fringe and was a sell-out hit at the 2010 Winnipeg and Edmonton Fringe Festivals. This fresh, funny, and fast paced comedy explores the anxiety Chris feels about becoming a new father while managing to also touch on the Superman myth, pop heroes in general, the perils of being overweight, the complexities of marriage, and other garden variety issues.

Called “the Steve Jobs of Fringe comedy” by the Toronto Star for “always coming up with something new that manages to be good as well” Chris’ self-effacing stories, jokes, and observations are both cheeky and honest. Tickets to Like Father, Like Son? Sorry. at Horizon Stage on Friday, November 22 at 7:30 p.m. are $35 for adults and $30 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave) and by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090. Tickets can also be purchased online through Ticketpro.

  “Gibbs’ showmanship is always entertaining and this performance does not disappoint. Equally impressive is the show’s broad appeal: parents (especially new ones) will enjoy it for an empathetic voice, while others will appreciate the perspective it provides on one’s own childhood experiences.” 

««««« - Mel Priestley, Vue Weekly

“…an endearingly hapless quester, constantly reassessing his personal experience, having second thoughts and going off on hilarious tangents. Not to be missed” 

««««½ - Liz Nichols, Edmonton Journal

“…one of the funniest comics on the Fringe circuit… there is always a cleverness and intelligence about his shows. Gibbs has the ability to tell a joke, generate a laugh and then continue only to return later and top the same joke. You have to see it to believe it.” 

««««½   - Colin McLean, Edmonton Sun

Spice Up Your Sunday Night with an Energetic West Coast Kitchen Party

The Bills will set Horizon Stage ablaze with their fiery folk tunes on November 17 

From the beautiful west coast of Canada comes an extraordinary quintet. Renowned for their instrumental virtuosity, lush vocal arrangements, exuberant live performances, evocative songwriting, and refreshing sound, The Bills truly are a Canadian acoustic music super-group. Last seen at Horizon Stage in 2002 when they were still performing as The Bill Hilly Band, The Bills are thrilled to be returning to Spruce Grove on Sunday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Melding together rock, maritime fiddle, bluegrass, Cajun, Romany, and other genres, The Bills’ unique sonic approach transcends musical boundaries and defies simple categorization. Their original songs coax sublime beauty, energy, and rhythm out of their instruments and feature stunning layers of vocal harmonies. Listen and you’ll hear influences of global roots and rock alongside hints of Chopin, Stan Rogers, and Django Reinhardt. But you’ll ultimately hear The Bills, doing the magical thing that they do.

A Bills’ live show is a legendary experience. Since forming in 1996, the band has delighted theatre and festival audiences from Copenhagen to California, thrilling fans with their breathtaking musical explorations and their unscripted onstage wit and charm. In 2006 they were voted Western Canadian Entertainer of the Year, edging out fellow nominees Michael Buble and Jann Arden. Their albums, Let Em Run and All Day Every Day, each garnered JUNO nominations and All Day Every Day won a Western Canadian Music Awards for Roots Album of the Year in 2002. Their latest release, Yes Please, features some of their finest songwriting to date.

Whether entertaining an intimate theatre audience or rocking a festival crowd of 10,000, these five gifted multi-instrumentalists are masters at leaving listeners breathless and revitalized all at once. Marc Atkinson, Richard Moody (last seen at Horizon Stage with Woody Holler in October), Adrian Dolan, Scott White, and Chris Frye each sport world-class credentials in folk/roots, jazz, classical, and world music.

Called “the biggest blast of fresh air to come out of Canada since The Band” by the Glasgow Herald, The Bills mix a little bit of holler with a whole lot of harmony. Tickets to see them Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage on November 17 are $35 for adults and $30 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave) and by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090. Online tickets can be purchased at Ticketpro.


This concert is proudly sponsored by CKUA, Seal & Bedard Accountants, Travelodge Inn & Suites, Canadian Heritage, and The Alberta Foundation for the Arts.            

Quality Entertainment That Will Make Your Whole Family Giggle

Horizon Stage’s Family Matinee Series Opens November 16 with an Improvised Cinderella

Are you looking for something fun and warm to do on a chilly November weekend afternoon? Do you seek quality, family-friendly, live entertainment to take your children, grandchildren, or nieces and nephews to? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions Horizon Stage invites you to the first show in their 2013/2014 Family Matinee Series, DuffleBag Theatre’s Cinderella, on Saturday, November 16 at 2 p.m. 

 Since 1992, the “Nearly World Famous” DuffleBag Theatre has been making people laugh at festivals and schools across Canada. Their improvised retellings of original adaptations of fairy tales and Shakespearean classics are full of charm, wit, and humour. Just when the audience becomes enthralled by the story - an unexpected twist happens! Before their very eyes, children, and maybe a parent or two, will be asked to come on stage and join in the fun! DuffleBag Theatre’s unpredictable performances are a hilarious and truly unique interactive theatrical experience where the dream of living a fairy tale really can come true!

Tickets for DuffleBag Theatre’s Cinderella at Horizon Stage on November 16 are just $20 for adults and $16 for children and seniors. Free pre-show activities in the lobby start at 1 p.m. and will include games, hula-hooping, crafts, and colouring.  But wait… there’s more…

Because Cinderella is the first show in Horizon Stage’s Family Matinee Series that means that Family Matinee Packages are still available. So, for just $45 for adults and $39 for children and seniors you can secure THREE Saturday afternoons of giggle-inducing, family-friendly, entertainment! Family Matinee Packages include 1 ticket to DuffleBag Theatre’s Cinderella, 1 ticket to the percussive comedy show, BAM!Percussion, on Jan 25 at 4 p.m., and 1 ticket to Juno Award-winning children’s artist, Norman Foote, on March 15 at 2 p.m.  That works out to $15 per show if you’re an adult or $13 per show if you’re under 17 or over 65!

So plan to spend one, two, or three laughter-filled afternoons at Horizon Stage this winter – you won’t be disappointed. Call 780-962-8995, visit the City Hall Ticket Centre in-person at 315 Jesperson Ave, or visit Ticketpro to purchase tickets online.

Trying to plan a perfect kid’s birthday party or, a Guiding, Scouting, or other group activity?  Discounts and packages for parties (minimum 6 kids) and groups of 10+ are available and meet the artist opportunities and informational talk-backs with theatre staff can be arranged. We’re going to have so much fun at Horizon Stage this season, and we want to create a wonderful experience for you and the young people in your life too!

Stunning Fiddle Lines, Lively Mandolin Melodies, and Clear, Crisp Vocals

Catch Alberta’s 2013 Country Music Group of the Year, PEAR, at Horizon Stage on November 2.

Born under blue Alberta skies, PEAR knows there’s nothing quite like driving down an old dirt road and chasing your dreams. Husband and wife team Lynae and Denis Dufresne’s individual careers have been peppered by numerous accolades and multiple award nominations.  In 2006 they joined forces to create PEAR and seven busy years later they had the distinction of being named 2013 Group of the Year by the Alberta Association of Country Music. This fall you can catch this charming country duo as they tour Alberta, making a much anticipated stop at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Saturday, November 2 at 7:30 p.m.

In 1997, Lynae and Denis began their touring careers as cast members in the successful fiddle show Barrage. Their production of 'Barrage: The World on Stage' was broadcast across the United States on PBS. The CD of the same name rose to the Top 5 on the Billboard World Music chart. They toured extensively with Barrage in Canada, USA, Scandinavia, England, Scotland and China and gave command performances for The Prince of Wales, the Saudi Royal Family, and the Prime Minister of Canada.

After finishing with Barrage in 2003, the Dufresne’s lent their individual fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and vocal abilities to a host of top country, folk, and rock music acts, quickly becoming two of the most sought after live and session players in Canada. Lynae and Denis settled in Calgary but quickly became restless. Realizing that they wanted to work together again, they created PEAR. The fledgling duo was awarded a New Artist Showcase at the 2006 Canadian Country Music Awards and their performance so impressed CMT Canada that they were asked to be part of ‘Plucked’, a documentary-style television show the network was filming.

In 2011 PEAR’s single, “Take Me With You”, hit #43 on the Canadian country chart and Denis won the Canadian Country Music Association’s Fiddle Player of the Year award.  Their 2012 single “This Ain't a Love Song”, won the International Songwriting Competition in the country music genre and was included in the Alberta Music Industry Association’s Music Sampler, Volume 3. Stunningly, Denis and Lynae were both nominated for the CCMA’s 2012 Fiddle Player of the Year Award —marking the first time that spouses were nominated against each other. The win went to Denis who also won CCMA Mandolin Player of the Year, a distinction that he proceeded to win again in 2013.

Lynae and Denis have opened for a truly diverse group of performers including Alanis Morrisette, Alan Jackson, Moby, Barenaked Ladies, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Tammy Wynette, Paul Brandt and Counting Crows. They have built their fan-base at numerous festivals in the US, UK, and Canada, including Country Music Week, the Merritt Mountain Music Festival, and Big Valley Jamboree.

PEAR plays the kind of music that wins your heart and leaves you in love. Laced with Denis’ stunning fiddle lines and lively mandolin melodies, and carried by Lynae’s clear, crisp vocals, PEAR is a sweet treat with a fresh sound bound for country music stardom. Tickets to see them Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage on November 2 are $35 for adults and $30 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at Ticketpro. 

Enjoy an Afternoon Filled With Old Fashioned “Jazz from the Saddle”

Don’t Miss Woody Holler and his Western Swing Orchestra at Horizon Stage on October 27

Winnipeg based singer Woody Holler has been yodeling since he was a little shaver. Influenced by the crooning styles of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, as well as the rustic blue yodeling of Jimmy Rodgers and danceable swing of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, Woody Holler plays dusty, down-home cowboy music. With a smooth, pitch-perfect voice that rises and falls like that big prairie moon and a lyrical yodel that dances around the jingle-jangle of that old guitar, Holler feels a real sense of nostalgia for the Western genre. Holler's orchestra consists of Manitoba's finest folk/jazz musicians and together they create a western swing style that Woody defines as "jazz from the saddle.”

 

Woody Holler grew up hearing the songs of the cowboy. Although he was later trained in opera, a sense of belonging and nostalgia held him close to the early Western genre. In 2009 he hooked up with Richard Mood (violin), Greg Lowe (guitar) and Daniel Koulack (double bass) and the rest, as they say, is history. Woody Holler and his Western Swing Orchestra is not your average country western band. Their clever arrangements are rich with virtuosity and style and their repertoire is eclectic, fun, and fascinating. Their concerts feature everything from finger-snapping  swing beats, to honey-slowed love croons, to show-stopping "extreme" yodeling. 

 

Nominated for a 2010 Canadian Folk Music Award, an afternoon with Holler and his orchestra will have you longing for a simpler time. Tickets to see them Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage on Sunday, October 27 at 2 p.m. are $35 for adults and $30 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at Ticketpro.

Serious Spiritual Sounds will ‘Shake the Rafters’ at Horizon Stage

Juno Nominated Gospel Trio, The Sojourners, to perform in Spruce Grove on October 12. 

Vancouver based gospel group, The Sojourners, summon a power and passion at their performances that rises up and shakes the rafters. Recognized for their strength and spirit, this trio spices up cool vocal harmonies with flourishes of doo-wop, R&B, country, and blues, to create a stirring sound that celebrates the soul. Horizon Stage is thrilled to be presenting these incredible artists on Saturday, October 12 at 7:30 p.m.

When Canadian blues icon Jim Byrnes called Marcus Mosely in 2006, and asked him to round up a couple of friends to record back-up vocals for House of Refuge, no one could have guessed what would happen next. From the moment Mosely and his pals stepped up to the microphone and began to sing, they realized that they had found something very special. When Byrnes dubbed the trio The Sojourners the name stuck and – as they say – the rest is history.

Hot on the tail of their session with Byrnes, the Sojourners went into the studio with roots music whiz Steve Dawson and recorded Hold On in 2007. The song ‘Eyes on the Prize’ from that CD was then included on Let Freedom Sing, a Time-Life compilation box set honouring the music of the American civil rights era. The Sojourners recorded their self-titled sophomore CD in 2010, which promptly earned them a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for Traditional Album of the Year and a Juno nomination for Blues Album of the Year. Their third CD, Sing and Never Get Tired, is scheduled for release on October 15 and they are looking forward to performing selections from it at their Spruce Grove concert.

After spending their formative years singing in their hometown churches, The Sojourners have an authentic sound with an edge that only comes from experience. Their gospel is real gospel - blessed with a soul that can’t be faked. Mosely, Will Sanders, and newest trio member Khari McClelland’s, songs reflect on the world that we all live in. They don't sing about some removed perfect place or distant plains of glory. Their music expresses the old adage that God does his best work on the streets and in the gutters, not in the houses of power or the mansions of the rich. According to Mosely, "[Our new] album is grittier and has more of an edge than anything we've done before. These new songs have a groove to them. We're doing dance music, and if you come to see us, you should come ready to have a good time."

The Sojourners raise their collective voices to offer new hope for people living in desperate times. Their songs of faith, struggle, and the promise of redemption, have the power to soothe the hurts brought by modern life. Theirs is a gospel that can take a punch and remain standing, and the guys feel just as at home in a roadhouse bar as they do in a revival tent. They have also performed at numerous folk music festivals, including Edmonton’s. The Sojourners are rock solid; proof positive that faith can move mountains. But that shouldn’t scare anyone away. Sinner or saved, true believer or lover of great roots music, wherever you stand on your own personal journey you should see The Sojourners perform. You’ll feel better for it.


Let The Sojourners soothe your soul and shake-up your Saturday night. Tickets to see them Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage on October 12 are $35 for adults and $30 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at Ticketpro.  

American Rock and Country Legend Coming to Horizon Stage

Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen Will Revisit Their Contributions to Music History on September 19.

Horizon Stage is excited to start its 2013/2014 season with an American musical legend. Chris Hillman is a Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee, a 4-time Grammy Award nominee, and a pioneer of the country-rock genre. Joined onstage by legendary vocalist and all-star multi-instrumentalist Herb Pedersen, Hillman will take his audience on a tour through 50 years of music history in a single evening—history that he helped make!  Country and rock music fans are invited to get Up Close and Personal with Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen at Horizon Stage Performing Arts Centre in Spruce Grove on Thursday, September 19, at 7:30 p.m.

 With a background in bluegrass, Chris Hillman put down his mandolin in the summer of 1964 when he was recruited to play electric bass for a new band called The Byrds. Through hits like “Mr. Tambourine Man”, “So You Want to be a Rock & Roll Star”, and “Turn! Turn! Turn!”, The Byrds quickly became a cornerstone of the 1960s cultural and musical movement. In 1967, Chris established himself as a songwriter with “Time Between” which was noted by many as being the first country-rock song. After his tenure with The Byrds he and Gram Parsons formed The Flying Burrito Brothers, a band that is considered to have been forerunners of the alternative country-rock style.

Herb Pedersen was the number one session singer and instrumentalist in the Los Angeles area for decades, performing on many notable artists’ albums and collaborating with the likes of Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, John Prine, John Denver, and Kris Kristofferson. He is the front man for The Laurel Canyon Ramblers and has worked on soundtracks or television (The Rockford Files, The Simpsons) and motion pictures (Smokey and The Bandit, Maverick) since the 1970s.

Chris and Herb’s musical friendship has spanned over forty five years since their initial meeting in Los Angeles during the early folk and bluegrass movement.  In 1980s they joined with John Jorgenson to form the critically acclaimed DesertRose Band. That group enjoyed numerous number one country singles including “One Step Forward”, “Summer Wind”, and “He’s Back and I’m Blue”. By the mid-nineties, Hillman and Pedersen began performing as an acoustic duo and have since recorded several successful albums together. Their latest release, “At Edward’s Barn,” continues their long-running love for the music they embraced so passionately years ago.

 

Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen’s concert playlist shines with the strength of Chris’ writing, bluegrass, roots, country and, of course, some classic rock ‘n’ roll. Tickets to see them perform live at Horizon Stage on Thursday, September 19 are $40 for adults, and $35 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketpro.ca.  

                                                

Country Music Star George Canyon to Perform Twice in Spruce Grove

After Selling Out his September 28 Concert Horizon Stage Adds a Second Show on September 29

It only took two weeks for all 300 seats at George Canyon’s Horizon Stage concert on Saturday, September 28 to sell. Now the theatre is pleased to announce that the popular and personable country music singer has agreed to add a second show for eager fans. Tickets are now on sale for his Spruce Grove concert on Sunday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m.

With a voice as rich and robust as a strong cup of coffee, George Canyon is a Canadian country music treasure. Though he can melt hearts with just a tip of his hat, Canyon sings with the kind of integrity and dedication that makes him a hero to his fans on and off the stage. So much so, that he was recognized for his philanthropic work in support of the Canadian troops in 2008 by being appointed Honorary Colonel for the Canadian Air Force at 14 Wing Greenwood in Nova Scotia. He is also a tireless advocate for juvenile diabetes awareness and research and  most recently he has been working hard both on the ground in High River, and on stage, cleaning up and raising funds for southern Alberta flood relief.

 In addition to his singing career, Canyon has performed as an actor in movies and television where he had re-occurring roles on both the Trailer Park Boys and Heartland. But it’s his amazing ability to pen both poignant ballads and night-on-the-town tunes that has won him countless Junos, East Coast Music Awards, and Canadian Country Music Awards. With hits like “Just Like You”, “In Your Arms Again”, “My Name”, and “I Believe In Angels”, it’s easy to see why he was recently recognized as the most played Canadian artist on Canadian country radio. George is currently in the running for the CCMA Fan’s Choice of the Year Award and was recently added to their awards night artist performance list.

 When George Canyon is performing onstage, he is most at home. He has the entire audience in the palm of his hand and you just can’t help but want to be a part of his unique family. He is respected, well-loved and one of the most successful entertainers in Canada today. So shine up your boots and get ready to enjoy country music at its finest!

 Tickets for George Canyon at Horizon Stage on Sunday, September 29 are $45 for adults, and $40 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketpro.ca.  To find out more about Mr. Canyon visit  www.georgecanyon.com and join his fan club.

Horizon Stage 2013/2014 Season Artists

Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen - Thurs, Sept 19 - www.chrishillman.com & www.herbpedersen.com
George Canyon - Sat, Sept. 28 - www.georgecanyon.com
The Sojourners - Sat, Oct. 12 – www.thesojourners.ca
Woody Holler & his Western Swing Orchestra - Sun, Oct. 27 @ 2pm -  www.woodyholler.ca
PEAR - Sat, Nov 2 –  www.pearband.com
DuffleBag Theatre: Cinderella - Sat, Nov.  16 @ 2 pm - www.dufflebag.com
The Bills - Sun, Nov. 17 - thebills.ca
Chris Gibbs: Like Father, Like Son? Sorry - Fri, Nov. 22 - www.chrisgibbs.ca
Jimmy Rankin - Sat, Dec. 14 - jimmyrankin.com
The McDades - Sat, Dec 21 – themcdades.com
Hotel California:  The Original Eagles Tribute Band - Thurs, Jan. 9 – www.hotelcalifornia.ca
Ian Tyson - Fri, Jan. 17 &   Sat, Jan. 18 - www.iantyson.com
BAM! Percussion - Sat, Jan. 25@ 4 p.m. - www.bampercussion.com          
Munchkin Matinee: Artist  TBD - Tues, Jan. 28 @ 11 a.m.                  
The Rodeo Riders - Wed, Jan. 29 @ 2 p.m. - www.therodeoriders.ca
Sarah Hagen: Classical Piano - Thurs, Jan 30 @10:30 a.m. -  www.sarahhagen.com
Joe Sealy: Africville Stories -  Sat. Feb 8 - www.joesealy.com
Feelin’ Groovy – Starring Jim Witter - Fri, March 7- 7:30 p.m. - thepianomen.net
The Long and Winding Road  – Staring Jim Witter - Sat, March 8 – thepianomen.net
Evalyn Parry’s SPIN - Sun, March 9 – www.evalynparry.com
Norman Foote - Sat, March 15@ 2 p.m.  -  www.normanfoote.com
Good Lovelies w/Beth Portman  - Sat, April 26 – www.goodlovelies.com  & bethportman.com

* Performances are the 7:30 pm unless otherwise marked.

2013 Summer Drama Programs

2013 Artstrek Scholarship Poster

Experience an Entertaining, Out of the Ordinary, Musical Adventure with Sagapool!

Are you looking to discover something new and fun in the world of music? Search no further than the Sagapool concert at Horizon Stage on Friday, April 5 at 7:30 p.m. The winners of a 2012 Canadian Folk Music Award for ‘Pushing the Boundaries’ this Francophone/Gypsy klezmer band mixes good-natured shenanigans with striking musical skill for a concert-going experience that is truly one-of-a-kind.

With members who origins can be traced to Hungary and Italy and links to Quebec’s remote, stunning Magdalen Islands and the culturally vibrant northern reaches of the St. Lawrence River, Sagapool knows exactly how to capture the sparse outlines and rich textures of frost-bound places and people. Each of their songs has evolved into a little story of its own. Their wild and swirling songs tell tales from the cosmopolitan hub of Montreal to the outer edges of northeastern Canada, while their calmer, gentler pieces reflect on Quebec’s remote and windswept reaches and quiet winter mornings.

Sagapool’s main instrument lineup consists of an accordion, clarinet, piano, violin, acoustic guitar, bass and drums, but they also use banjo, alto sax, mandolin, electric piano, sandpaper, and more. Their musical style is obviously influenced by the gypsy genre but they also touch on classical, jazz and various folk styles. The band has recorded four CDs and won both a Canadian Folk Music Award and a Felix (Association québécoise de l'industrie du disque, du spectacle et de la vidéo) for Best Instrumental Album. Band members Guillaume Bourque, Zoé Dumais, Luzio Altobelli, Alexis Dumais, Marton Madersparch and Dany Nicolas call Montreal their home. They are a gang of good friends, and relatives, sharing long, winding stories, but with stunning musical chops.

Sagapool are bringing their tales of raucous romps and wintry meditations to life during their North American tour this March and April. Their only stop in Alberta will be at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on April 5. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors, and $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca.  Don’t miss the opportunity to experience an energetic live performance by Sagapool and let your musical taste buds be seasoned by stately, skipping klezmer lines, zesty tomfoolery, deliciously-quirky humour and bittersweet grooves.

www.sagapool.com

Take Your Family on an Enchanting Tour of a Magical Artist’s Studio with Bouge de là at Horizon Stage

Onstage is an artist’s studio, a space for invention and creativity that is full of surprises. Watch, and allow yourself to be charmed, as four dancers treat this fantastical space as a magical treasure chest, playing with everything they find: fabric, frames, paintings and props of all sorts. Inventive and curious, the dancers alter, reshape and transform the objects at hand in a game where there is only one rule – to have fun!  Even the paintings spring to life, becoming enchanting dances that ebb and flow, driven by the whims of the performers. Revealing the creative spirit that lies in each of us, Bouge de là’s The Studio explores colour, line and movement to take audience members on a magical voyage into their own imaginations. Join Bouge de là on an amazing journey as they delight dance and visual arts lovers alike, at Horizon Stage on Saturday, March 16, at 2 p.m.

Bouge de là is one of the rare professional dance companies in Canada that is entirely dedicated to creating work for children and their families. Founded in 2000, this contemporary dance company choreographs performances that draw upon a variety of elements, including video, theatre, and shadow play, to produce varied and playful performances that appeal to children’s curiosity and emotions, and stimulate their imaginations. The company’s newest touring production, The Studio, is a flamboyant encounter between the visual and performing arts. It features four energetic, curious dancers who plunge feet first into the act of creating art. As they play onstage their bodies move like painters brushes on canvas. Each movement is a line, a dab of paint, a shape, a colour and then presto, a painting takes shape before our eyes, cheerfully leading us down paths where art is accessible to one and all.

 

Conceived as an artistic “blind date”, choreographer Hélène Langevin envisioned The Studio as a dialogue between two forms of artistic expression - engaging their differences and similarities. Sensitive to the lines, rhythm and space in painting and sculpture, she plunged into the art of the 20th century, its major themes, and the leading artists of the time. She was attracted to the work of Jean Dubuffet, Sonia Delaunay, Jackson Pollock and René Magritte, as well as Expressionism and Pop Art, and all served as a point of departure for the choreography and sets that were created for this production.

 

The Studio is the third show in Horizon Stage’s 2013 Family Matinee Series. Horizon Stage is pleased to bring back this innovative and inspiring Canadian dance company after presenting their adventurous production, Like the 5 fingers on your hand, in 2008. Bring your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews to see Bouge de là at Horizon Stage and let them discover new ideas, let their imaginations soar, their creativity be stimulated, and their appreciation for the world of art and all that it holds blossom.

Tickets for The Studio at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Saturday, March 16 are just $18 for adults, $15 for children and seniors. Curtain is at 2 p.m. and there are free craft and colouring pre-show activities in the lobby starting at 1 p.m.  Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. Find out more about Bouge de là online at www.bougedela.org. 

Two-Time Canadian Country Music Award ‘Group of the Year’ Hey Romeo Coming to Horizon Stage

Since forming in 2002, and cutting their teeth in Alberta’s highly competitive country music scene, Edmonton band Hey Romeo has grown from a hard-touring regional success to a national sensation whose popularity continues to skyrocket.  Their energetic blend of modern and traditional country, vintage folk, and rock and roll has been called a “soundtrack for day-to-day life” and has earned them a wide and diversified fan base.  Now, after ten years in the industry together and multiple CCMA (Canadian Country Music Award) wins, band members Stacie Roper, Rob Shapiro, and Darren Gusnowsky remain as tight on stage as they do off. Their deep personal connection and friendship is evident in their recorded music and when they perform together live. Horizon Stage is excited to present Hey Romeo, Alberta’s fastest rising country music act, Up Close and Personal on Saturday, March 2^nd at 7:30 p.m.

Lead vocalist Stacie Roper is a woman who sings from the heart and shoots from the hip. Stacie draws her inspiration from the harmonies of the Statler Brothers, the feel of The Mavericks, the vocals of Alison Krauss, and the strength of Martina McBride while also taking cues from eighties ladies like Cyndi Lauper and Debbie Harry when making a connection with her audience.

2012 CCMA keyboard player of the year, Rob Shapiro, has one foot in neo-traditional country music and the other in really good rock and roll.  Anyone who has had the opportunity to converse with Rob, a graduate of Grant MacEwan College’s jazz program, understands that this piano-playing singer-songwriter adheres to the Duke Ellington philosophy that “there are only two kinds of music, good and bad.”

Another musician who is in it “for the long run”, guitarist, singer, and tunesmith Darren Gusnowsky loves the country-honk of the Exile On Mainstreet-era Rolling Stones, and the seamless harmonies of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young in their prime. But it was his mother turning him on to Ricky Skaggs that convinced him he should pay more attention to hardcore country sounds.

No strangers to crossing the CCMA stage, Hey Romeo’s 2008 self-titled debut CD garnered them a Top New Talent of the Year – Group or Duo award. Their follow-up, 2010′s That’s What I Am, yielded five singles and a 2011 CCMA for Group or Duo of the Year. Demonstrating the drive and determination that’s been a hallmark of their career from day one, Hey Romeo immediately went back into the studio and recorded their third album, Twist of Fate, which landed the band their second CCMA for Group of the Year in 2012.

Over time, Hey Romeo has shared the stage with big name artists such as The Kentucky Headhunters, Marty Stuart, Sugarland, Darius Rucker, Gord Bamford and Johnny Reid. They have become regular fixtures on stage at Las Vegas’ annual National Finals Rodeo and are currently sailing through the Western Caribbean, performing for fans aboard the Norwegian Star Cruise ship. Together they have earned a reputation as not just Canada’s hardest working country act, but as one of the hardest working bands in the country, period.

Characterized by tight harmonies, the signature interplay between Rob’s keyboards, Darren’s guitar, and Stacie’s powerhouse vocals, Hey Romeo’s sound is a mixture of classic country phrasing and slick, upbeat, urban bounce. Catch them in Spruce Grove at Horizon Stage on Saturday, March 2^nd at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 for adults, $30 for students and seniors, and $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca.

           

Hey Romeo on March 2nd

The Wolak Donnelly Duo on February 16

Big Sky Media Board Ads for This Week's Concerts

A Remarkable Blend of Classical and Jazz That Fans of Both Genres Will Love!

See the Wolak-Donnelly Duo at Horizon Stage on Saturday, February 16

Armed with a clarinet, a piano, and their personable stage presence, Kornel Wolak and ChrisDonnelly present a remarkable blend of classical and jazz music rarely heard in live performance. From revered classical pieces such as Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A Major, to Gershwin’s famous Rhapsody in Blue, and Oscar Peterson’s classic Hymn to Freedom, Chris and Kornel captivate audiences with virtuosity, familiar melodies and a profound passion for music and performing. Horizon Stage is excited to present the The Wolak-Donnelly Duo on Saturday, February 16^th at 7:30 p.m.

Born in Bialystok, Poland, clarinetist Kornel Wolak earned a Master of Music degree from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. Highly praised on not just one but two continents for his glorious tone, precise technical control and musical imagination, he is well on his way to a major career as a soloist and chamber musician in both classical and cross-over repertoire. As a member of the renowned Quartetto Gelato from 2007 to 2009 Kornel performed on their 2009 recording, Musica Latina. As a soloist he has performed with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Sinfonietta, Poland’s Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra, the Polish Radio Chamber Orchestra, and Charleston (North Carolina) Symphony Orchestra and, as a chamber musician, he has appeared with the Wieniawski String Quartet, the Glenn Gould String Quartet, the Tokai Quartet and the Lodos Wind Quintet.

 Chris Donnelly represents a new generation of jazz pianists, composers and improvisers dedicated to creating programs that are engaging, entertaining and educating. He is continually praised for his virtuosic performances, musicality, versatility and ability to captivate audiences. In 2008, Chris released his Juno-nominated, debut album Solo, which featured a blend of original material and jazz standard arrangements. Solo also earned him 2009 National Jazz Awards nominations for Best Recording of the Year and Best Keyboardist of the Year. In March 2011, Chris released an album of original music inspired by the works of graphic artist M.C. Escher entitled Metamorphosis. Chris Donnelly holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the University of Toronto and he is currently a working as professor at his alma mater.

The Wolak-Donnelly Duo is touring western Canada this winter and you can catch them at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Saturday, February 16^th. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors, and $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at Ticketmaster. Whether you’re a classical music fan or jazz enthusiast you’ll be sure to enjoy this unique and highly entertaining concert event! 

 

“Control and a smooth, elegant expressivity are what make Wolak shine.” - The Toronto Star

“…this guy [Chris Donnelly] sure knows his way around the piano. And his virtuoso playing blows the mind…

In a way he resembles a young Duke Ellington…” - World Music Centre

“It’s a pleasure to hear an impressive new artist [Chris Donnelly] creating something fresh and different, very accessible and entertaining.” – Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal

Seeking local actors for walk on rolls in Ballet Jorgen Canada's Swan Lake

Ragtime and Mountain Music That Will Take You Back To a Simpler Time

Enjoy Sheesham & Lotus’ Family Matinee at Horizon Stage on Saturday, February 9

What if you only had one fiddle or mouth organ for a whole family or party? You would make do with what you had -- hands, feet, voices, spoons, sticks, washboards, old string or wire, whatever you could rustle up around the place! In that tradition, Sheesham & Lotus (Teilhard Frost and Sam Allison) play “olde-tyme” music from the Appalachian Mountain-region. Looking like they just stepped off Huckleberry Finn’s raft, Sheesham & Lotus play jaw harps, ham-bone percussion and home-made bass harmonicas in the ragtime and mountain style. Let them take you back to a time when families entertained themselves with dance, song, and music created fresh each day.  See Sheesham & Lotus in Spruce Grove on Saturday, February 9^th at 2 p.m. as the second performance in Horizon Stage’s 2013 Family Matinee Series.

Sheesham & Lotus came together in 1998 playing as the rhythm section in a fiddle band called Flapjack. Together for the next seven years they were on the road throughout Canada and the United States playing dances, concerts and workshops. It was during this time that they took a keen interest in the folk traditions of North America, particularly the American South. Both became enthusiastic historians of old-time fiddle and banjo music, learning from the old masters across the regions south of the Mason-Dixon line. Through personal instruction, perseverance and osmosis they learned harmonica, jaw-harp, flatfoot, and song.

Sheesham & Lotus play fiddle and banjo respectively, with an additional array of home-made curiosities of noise-makery. Sheesham makes gourd banjos and fiddles, and Lotus plays an invention called the contra-bass harmoniphoneum, which is a self-contained bass-harmonica and euphonium horn that can be used while plucking a banjo. Sheesham & Lotus use horns for singing, harmonicas, jaw-harps and more. Their sound can be described as American roots music but they also love to play fiddle tunes, hokum blues songs and ragtime string music. “The sounds of the south are near and dear to our hearts,” says Lotus, “from the old fiddlers to the Memphis jug-bands... there is so much to hear and learn.”

Let Sheesham & Lotus take you, and your family, back to simpler time when music was made orally, physically, with the cutlery or anything else that could be found. Tickets are just $18 for adults, $15 for children and seniors. Curtain is at 2 p.m. and there are free craft and colouring pre-show activities in the lobby for kids starting at 1 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. Electronically you can visit www.sheeshamandlotus.com or like and follow them on facebook.

“Sam Allison and Teilhard Frost performing as Sheesham and Lotus (are) a real shot of joy… they perform old time music as if born into it… These guys are so in love with old time stringband music that the excitement jumps in the room… You have no choice, ya have to dance.” Penguin Eggs Magazine

Denis Chang Master Class

Experience the Sizzle and Feel the Heat of the Gypsy Jazz Guitar

See the Denis Chang Manouche Quartet at Horizon Stage on Thursday, February 7

 

It has been said that guitar virtuoso Denis Chang’s fingers “fly faster than his shadow”. Called the “Godfather of the Montréal gypsy jazz scene”, Denis is equally at ease with bebop and other jazz styles but it is when performing in the manouche style that he truly finds his passion. Horizon Stage is excited to present the Denis Chang Manouche Quartet, as a part of its 30^th anniversary season, on Thursday, February 7^th at 7:30 p.m.

Denis Chang’s family origins are Taiwanese but he grew up in Montreal and spent his formative years alongside some of the greatest manouche jazz guitarists, including Fapy Lafertin, Ritary Gaguenetti, Paulus Schäfer, Rindo Winterstein and Emmanuel Kassimo. As a young performer, Denis quickly developed his own style, influenced mostly by the music of the legendary Romani jazz guitarist and composer, Django Reinhardt, with some Bach, Chopin, George Benson, and Michael Jackson thrown in. Also an up-and-coming composer, he has been including a smattering of his own compositions in his concert play-lists since 2012.

In 2008, Denis had the honour of being invited to perform with the legendary Les Paul at the Iridium in New York. Other highlights of his career include performing at the 2009 Montreal International Jazz Festival and winning an Entrée and Scène Award from Loto-Quebec.

A highly sought-after guitar teacher and master-class instructor, practically every performing gypsy jazz musician in Quebec has benefited from Denis’ teaching. He has attracted private students from as far as California, Vermont, the UK and South Africa, and his manouche guitar instructional DVDs have been very successful. Denis’ student list includes the legendary guitarist of the Shadows, Hank Marvin, and guitar virtuoso Adrian Vandenberg of Whistesnake fame.

While in Spruce Grove he will teach a Django Reinhardt Style Guitar Master Class at Horizon Stage on Wednesday, February 6^th at 7 p.m. Priced at only $25, master class participants will also receive a free ticket to Denis’ concert on Thursday. Anyone interested in participating in the master class should call 780-962-8995.

The Denis Chang Manouche Quartet are touring Alberta for their first time in February 2013. See them Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Thursday, February 7^th. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors, and $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. Come, see Denis Chang’s amazing fingers for yourself, and feel the heat of his gypsy jazz guitar!

“The audience was mesmerized by the musical wizardry of Chang and his back up musicians.”

LDNews, BC, Canada