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

Experience the Music of Les Misérable and Phantom of the Opera Up Close & Personal

Celebrate Horizon Stage’s Pearl Anniversary with Michael Burgess & Rebecca Caine: The Dream Concert

Celebrate Horizon Stage’s 30^th anniversary with two of Canada’s most luminous vocalists. Best known for their stellar performances in Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera, Michael Burgess and Rebecca Caine are performing together in The Dream Concert and local audiences are being given two opportunities to see this amazing musical theatre vocal-collaboration in Spruce Grove on Tuesday, January 29^th and Wednesday, January 30^th.
 

Soprano Rebecca Caine created the role of Cosette in the original Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of ‘Les Miz’. After a successful West End run, she joined the original cast of Phantom of the Opera to play Christine opposite Michael Crawford. She then returned to Toronto to repeat the role in the Canadian premiere of ‘Phantom’. Uniquely, Ms Caine’s career has been divided between musical theatre and opera. Her roles with the Canadian Opera Company include Vixen, Pamina, Despina, and Micaëla and at other theatres she has played Pamina (Glimmerglass), Musetta, Susanna (English National Opera), and Adina (New Zealand Opera).
 

Tenor Michael Burgess performed the lead role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables over one thousand times at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre and in the Canadian touring production. Whether starring in a major musical, performing in concert, or appearing at world events for patrons like Queen Elizabeth II, Burgess touches the hearts and minds of his listeners.
 

Fresh from an appearance with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Michael Burgess and Rebecca Caine will take their Horizon Stage audiences on a dazzling journey through the music of classic and contemporary Broadway during this once-in-a-lifetime musical theatre experience. The Dream Concert opens with solo sets and closes with Michael and Rebecca singing iconic duets from ‘Phantom’ and ‘Les Miz’. Hearing these two incredible voices play off each other will be an unforgettable treat for anyone who loves musicals.
 

Les Misérables has been seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries in 21 languages and is still breaking box-office records. It has been running in London’s West End since 1985. Phantom of the Opera is the West End’s second longest-running musical and Broadway’s longest-running musical (over 10,000 shows in New York and counting) and is also still in production around the globe.  Michael Burgess and Rebecca Caine are touring The Dream Concert to selected venues in western Canada this winter and these two nights in Spruce Grove are their only performances scheduled in the Edmonton area.
 

Tickets to see Michael Burgess and Rebecca Caine Up Close and Personal in The Dream Concert at Horizon Stage on January 29^th and 30^th are $40 for adults, $35 for students and seniors, and $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Both concerts start at 7:30 p.m. but the Tuesday night show includes a 30^th anniversary gala reception in the lobby at 6:30 p.m., with a commemorative ceremony and speeches in the theatre at 7:15 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. Horizon Stage is 30 minutes from Edmonton. Burgess and Caine are out of this world!

Seeking Talented and Enthusiastic Young Actors for Jack and the Beanstalk

Audition Notice                                                
Date: Monday, January 14, 2013
Ages:  Kindergarten to Grade 12
Location: Horizon Stage (1001 Calahoo Road)
Time: 4 – 6 p.m., followed by the first rehearsal block 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

All MissoulaChildren’s Theatre (MCT) tour shows are designed for students in Kindergarten through Grade 12. There are roles suited for all ages and experience levels. No advance preparation or appointment is necessary, but a smile never hurts at an audition! Students should wear clothing that is easy to move in. Please remember that everyone must stay the entire two hours of the audition. (Parents may stay and watch.) Approximately 50-60 students will be cast in the show, but sadly, there is no guarantee that everyone who auditions will be cast. Due to time constraints, anyone missing the initial audition will not be considered in the casting of the show.

During the audition, two to four Assistant Directors (ADs), ages ten and older, will be selected to help teach and direct the show as well as take on technical responsibilities at performance time. Their logistical help and creative ideas are a vital part of the process, and the experience of the ADs can be just as valuable as that of any cast member.

Please note: Rehearsals for those cast will begin immediately after the auditions on Monday, January 14 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., so bringing a bag lunch for those chosen would be a great idea. Rehearsals will then run Tuesday, January 15 to Friday, January 18 from 4 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, January 19 from 10 a.m. – noon. Not all children in the cast will be called for all rehearsals. The rehearsal schedule will be announced after the show is cast on Monday.

Jack and the Beanstalk is the first performance in Horizon Stage’s 2012/2013 Family Matinee Series.

Public Performances will be held on Saturday, January 19 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tickets are $18 Adults & $15 Children & Seniors

Tickets for the entire Family Matinee Series (3 shows) are $40 per person regardless of age.

Visit Horizon Stage's website for more information or call the City Hall Ticket Centre at 780-962-8995.

This Holiday Season - Give the Gift of Entertainment!

Legendary Hearts Front Man Locally Launches New Solo CD at Horizon Stage

Barney Bentall tours to Spruce Grove on Friday, November 16, at 7:30 p.m.

 

Barney Bentall was born in Toronto, grew up in Calgary, and moved to Vancouver in 1978 to follow his musical dream. In 1988 he formed the rock/pop band Barney Bentall and The Legendary Hearts, whose self-titled debut album won a Juno, sold over 100,000 copies, and spawned three hit singles. Subsequent albums by the band also reached gold or platinum status. Barney released his first solo album in 2007 and, during the past decade, he has transformed both personally and musically to emerge as one of Canada’s most prolific country/folk/roots singer-songwriters. Now, local audiences have the opportunity to enjoy both classic and brand-new Barney Bentall compositions at the intimate 318-seat Horizon Stage on Friday, November 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Bentall doesn't tour as extensively as he once did but he keeps fans happy with select engagements. His last concert at Horizon Stage was almost exactly ten years ago (October 2002) but he was in Edmonton this past summer at the Rock Music Festival.  In concert Barney performs both his solo material and the Legendary Hearts hits. Fans will enjoy humming along to old favourites like “Something to Live For”, “Do Ya” and “Crime Against Love”. Music from his first solo album, Gift Horse, has been described as “reflective and pensive soft rock influenced by western and mountain folk traditions and covert country flavours”. Songs from his 2009 release, Inside Passage, are a combination of roots, country, rock, and folk with a ballad thrown in for good-measure. No matter what musical source he is tapping, Barney Bentall is a charming performer whose catchy lyrics resonate with audiences.

Barney will be introducing his audience on November 16 to music from his latest CD, Flesh & Bone, which is being released on November 13, just 3 days before his Spruce Grove concert.  Recorded at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, Flesh & Bone is a collection of eleven songs produced by Bentall himself. Influenced by an array of genres from folk to roots, blues-­rock to pop, and even a hint of Celtic, the album reflects Canada from coast to coast. Flesh & Bone is haunting yet beautiful with pure, truthful and emotional vocals, lyrics, and melodies that marry well together and are woven with a storytelling quality that transcends generations. Fans will be able to pick up their own copy of Flesh & Bone, hot off the presses, at the Horizon Stage product sales table!  

Tickets to see the legendary Barney Bentall, Up Close & Personal at Horizon Stage on Friday, November 16 at 7:30 p.m. are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors, and $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Tickets can be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca.

“Legendary Canadian singer songwriter Barney Bentall’s passion and unmatched talent really shine on The Inside Passage… If you're a fan of artists like Bruce Springsteen, Fred Eaglesmith, Bruce Cockburn and Steve Dawson this is a must have in your collection.”

Andre Skinner – IndieCan

Vance Gilbert & Barney Bentall Flyer

Vance Gilbert’s Masterful Guitar Work, Rich Vocals, and Sharp Wit Create an Unforgettable Concert Experience

Talented American Singer/Songwriter returns to Horizon Stage November 9, at 7:30 p.m.

 
Vance Gilbert burst onto Boston’s singer/songwriter scene in the early 90s. Buzz spread quickly through folk clubs about this “ex-multicultural arts teacher who was knocking them dead at open mics”. The Philadelphia-area born and raised performer caught the attention of Shawn Colvin who invited him to be a special guest on her 1992 Fat City tour. Gilbert took audiences across North America by storm. "With the voice of an angel, the wit of a devil, and the guitar playing of a god, it was enough to earn him that rarity: an encore for an opener" wrote the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Ten successful albums later, Vance still gets standing ovations wherever he performs. He is looking forward to stopping at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Friday, November 9, at 7:30 p.m.
Whether performing classic, original songs or ageless interpretations of covers, Vance Gilbert’s music is steeped in humanism and bravery, stunning artistry and soul, and contagious, unbridled joy. Called a musical poet, his catchy, pop friendly melodies support keenly crafted, hard-hitting lyrics. His guitar work is supple and his tenor voice is smooth, warm, and gentle. Vance’s subject matter ranges from the wrenching separation suffered by single parents, to the tug of love’s desire, to the bitterness of being non-white in a Eurocentric culture. His albums are all considered essential additions to any American singer-songwriter collection.
Since working with Shawn Colvin, Vance has toured both on his own and with Arlo Guthrie, Anita Baker, and the late George Carlin. He last performed at Horizon Stage in 2004, where he received enthusiastic reviews.  A brilliant musician, Vance is also a personable performer, a gifted storyteller, and a witty comedian who enjoys tossing unexpected elements into his performances. His November 9 concert is guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience for all who attend.
Opening for Vance Gilbert will be Edmonton singer-songwriter and step-dancer, Lizzy Hoyt. Lizzy combines energetic and rhythmic fiddling from the Atlantic provinces with country-folk songs from the west. She is a gifted vocalist and musician who has been recognized both nationally and internationally. A 2011 Canadian Folk Music Award Nominee for Traditional Singer of the Year, Lizzy was a finalist in both the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and the USA Songwriting Competition. A multi-instrumentalist with a pure, clear voice and an aptitude for audience interaction, she is truly one of Canada’s foremost up and coming artists.
Tickets to see Vance Gilbert, with opening act Lizzy Hoyt, Up Close & Personal at Horizon Stage on Friday, November 9 at 7:30 p.m. are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors, and $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Tickets can be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca.  

“He is that rare performer for whom people lean forward in their seats

as eagerly between songs and they do during them.”

The Boston Globe

Powerful Singer-Songwriter and Storyteller to Grace Horizon Stage

James Keelaghan scheduled to perform in Spruce Grove on Sunday, November 4, at 7:30 p.m.

James Keelaghan is one of our nation’s finest singer-songwriters. For almost a quarter of a century, this poet laureate of the folk and roots music world has gone about his work with passion, curiosity, and intensity. Possessed of an insatiable appetite for finding the next unique story-line, along with a beautiful and expressive tenor voice, James forges his lyrics with brilliant craftsmanship and artistic vision, making him one of the most distinctive and readily-identifiable voices on the Canadian singer-songwriter scene. Now, Edmonton and area music lovers can enjoy the James Keelaghan experience at Horizon Stage on Sunday, November 4 at 7:30 p.m.

 Alberta-born Keelaghan’s masterful storytelling has, over the course of eleven CDs, been the bedrock of his success. It has earned him multiple nominations and awards - including a Juno - and acclaim from Australia to Scandinavia. His musical  journey has attracted fans of literate and layered songwriting to join him on his artistic expeditions, some of which weave their way through marvelously etched historical stories with underlying universal themes, others of which mine the depths of the soul and the emotional trials of human relations.

A disciplined visionary, Keelaghan loves language and history, a subject in which he earned a degree.  He is a skilled thespian, which explains his ability to make an immediate connection with a live audience; and he has an ear for memorable melodies and harmonies that make those melodies glisten. "I’ve always had the urge to write," says the Calgary native who has been calling Winnipeg home for the past few years. "Some things weren’t being said in the way I wanted to say them, some things were not being written about at all. That's why I started to write the historical material. That led me to writing my own personal narratives as well.” His catalogue of timeless originals includes the haunting pieces “Kiri's Piano”, “Cold Missouri Waters” and “Hillcrest Mine”.

Never shying away from collaboration in his live and recorded performances, James has toured or laid tracks with Steven Fearing, Oliver Schroer, Oscar Lopez, David Francey, and Hugh McMillan (Spirit of the West). "If you work with people who are better than you, you become better," he observes. “The sparks of collaboration and the batting of melodies back and forth have produced some wonderful results”. Other artists, including Garnet Rogers, have lovingly covered James’ material and he, on occasion, has interpreted his fellow musicians’ work including a gripping take on the epic “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” on the Gordon Lightfoot tribute disc, Beautiful.

James Keelaghan finds a balance between examining the lighter and heavier sides of life and ties everything together with his powerful vocal delivery and a commanding stage presence. He has performed everywhere from large festivals and concert halls to intimate folk club venues and sometimes invites the audience for a beer after the show. Tickets to see him Up Close & Personal at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors and, $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Tickets can be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. To learn more about James Keelaghan visit www.keelaghan.com.

“James Keelaghan is a voice in contemporary Canadian songwriting that has helped us define who we are as a people. He writes with great humanity and honesty, with an eye to the past and a vision of the future. He has chronicled his times with powerful and abiding songs, with heart and eyes wide open.”

David Francey, Juno Award-Winning Musician

 “A brilliant tunesmith who has become one of the most engaging performers of our time. You always know the journey with James is going to be great, you just never know what all the destinations are.”

Terry Wickham, Producer of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival

“Canada’s finest songwriter.”

Dave Marsh, award-winning American music critic and historian

Back By Popular Demand - Live the Laughter in Spruce Grove

Horizon Stage presents Hypnotist Wayne Lee on Saturday, November 3, at 8 p.m.

After selling out in January, Horizon Stage is pleased to be presenting an encore performance by powerful and engaging hypnotist Wayne Lee on Saturday, November 3^rd at 8 p.m. (Special Time!). Named ‘Entertainer of the Year’ by the Canadian Events Industry, Lee’s Live the Laughter stage show is never the same twice. Audience members can either sit back and enjoy themselves or play a pivotal role onstage as they leave their fears and inhibitions behind, access their subconscious, and act out improbable and side-splittingly hilarious scenes.

More than just a hypnotist, Wayne Lee is a potent and charming performer and motivational speaker. The messages of empowerment that he shares linger long after the laughter fades way.  Members of his audience will be invited to explore their creativity by dancing outrageously, acting out their dreams, or impersonating celebrities! They will also re-discover their deepest passions, experience new-found confidence, learn visualization techniques to reduce stress, and leave feeling energized, inspired, and empowered.

 If there’s one thing peak performance experts like Wayne Lee agree on, it’s that the mind is capable of leading us anywhere.  Wayne’s own journey to excellence was fueled by an unrelenting passion for entertaining and empowering people. From a childhood fascination with magic and visualization, his gift for seeing and acting on what’s possible has grown to international proportions. As one of Canada’s premier corporate presenters, a veteran of thousands of successful shows, a published author, and a peak performance coach to professionals in all walks of life, he is constantly in demand both in the Edmonton area (his home town) and across North America.

So if you would like to be hypnotized, or if you would rather watch and have fun, plan to attend Wayne Lee: Live the Laughter at Horizon Stage on Saturday, November 3^rd, at 8 p.m. (Special Time!). Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors and, $5 for high school students through the eyeGO program. Horizon Stage tickets can be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. To learn more about Wayne Lee visit www.waynelee.com.

 

Spruce Grove Director of Cultural Services Wins Prestigious Provincial Award

Lawrie Seligman presented with the Arts Touring Alliance’s Rhoda Taylor Award

 
Rhoda Taylor was a founding member of the Arts Touring Alliance of Alberta (ATAA), an organization that offers programs and services that promote arts touring, and provides networking opportunities and professional development for artists and arts presenters. Ms. Taylor passed away in 1997 and since 1999 the ATTA has presented an annual award, in her name, to an individual who has made a significant contribution to arts touring in our province. The 2012 Rhoda Taylor Award was presented to Spruce Grove’s own Director of Cultural Services, Lawrie Seligman, on Friday, October 12.

 Lawrie has had an active and varied career in the field of the performing arts. As a stage director, he has worked at theatres in Edmonton and across Canada including the Citadel, the Mayfield Dinner Theatre, Manitoba Theatre Centre, the Stratford Festival and the Banff Centre for the Arts. He has produced radio arts at CBC Edmonton and television arts and drama at CBC Calgary. After graduating from the Arts Administration course at Grant MacEwan, Lawrie worked for three years as Artistic Director of Sunshine Theatre in Kelowna, before coming to Spruce Grove in 2000.

 Under Lawrie’s capable guidance and leadership the City of Spruce Grove has built a solid cultural foundation both within its boundaries and the surrounding areas.  A man with vision, Lawrie spearheaded the journey that took Horizon Stage from being a small, isolated theatre to a significant regional presenter in the Edmonton-area performing arts scene.

 The quality of entertainers that pass through the doors of Horizon Stage is second to none, and artists and audiences truly appreciate the “Up Close and Personal” experience. Lawrie’s commitment to presenting a variety of genres to promote cultural diversity at Horizon Stage is a part of why he is so highly regarded and respected.  His vast knowledge of the arts, and his willingness to share and mentor, has fellow presenters from Morinville to Leduc and Fort Saskatchewan singing his praises. To say that he is loved, respected, and greatly appreciated by all those who work with him is an understatement.  Many members of the City’s Cultural Services team and Horizon Stage volunteers were thrilled to be on hand to see him receive this award.
 

“Lawrie’s depth of commitment to his community, the arts, and all that it encompasses,

is an example to us all.”

Lynne Bailey, Executive Director of Prairie Debut

 

“This is truly a great achievement from one who has done so much to advance the arts in our great city. 

He is a leader and a pioneer in his field, and his achievements are appreciated.  Lawrie has truly added to the quality of life of our residents and should be applauded.”   

Tim Duhamel, Community & Protective Services General Manager

Blues/Roots Duo Peter Karp & Sue Foley are Going to Heat up Horizon Stage

Join them for a night of high-voltage, plank-spankin’, blues-rockin’ fun on Friday, October 19^th

Spruce Grove, AB—Sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In the case of blues/roots duo Peter Karp & Sue Foley, two great solo artists have come together to create something incredible. Working together since 2009, Peter and Sue have released two critically-acclaimed, and artistically-daring, CDs, He Said - She Said and Beyond the Crossroads. Now touring Canada and the United States, they will bring their “high voltage, plank spankin’, piano boogyin’, slide guitar stompin’, blues-rockin’” show to Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Friday, October 19^th at 7:30 p.m.

Peter Karp is a gifted singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist and American troubadour with a knack for spinning true-to-life emotions, humor, and candor into his music. Critics compare his songwriting to John Hiatt and John Prine, with impressive guitar and slide licks infused by his love of Freddie King and Elmore James. With an upbringing that was equal parts southern Alabama and the swamps of New Jersey, Peter’s music is fueled by the Yankee-Rebel juxtaposition. He first caught national attention as a solo artist with help from former Rolling Stone guitarist, Mick Taylor, who recorded and toured with him on his first label-release, The Turning Point, in 2004. He then further established himself with the release of Shadows and Cracks in 2006. Peter Karp personifies the Americana sound, seamlessly blending blues and roots music with a high sense of entertainment.

Sue Foley is considered to be one of the finest Canadian blues and roots artists working today. Born to a working-class family, she spent her early childhood moving from town to town with her mother. At sixteen, Sue embarked on her professional career and by twenty-one she was living in Austin Texas and recording for the legendary blues label, Antone’s Records. Her first release, Young Girl Blues, quickly established her unique talents as a blues guitarist and songwriter. Throughout the 90s, Sue took to the road with her paisley Telecaster guitar and honed her craft, working and sharing the stage with such artists as BB King, Buddy Guy, Lucinda Williams and Tom Petty.  Now back in Canada, she has released a total of 13 solo CDs, won 17 Maple Blues Awards and a Juno.

Peter and Sue’s partnership came together from out of the blue; a rushed and forgotten meeting at the 2006 Ottawa Blues festival, a phone call from his manager to her, a haphazard recording session that they both sang horribly at but that made them laugh, and then two years of email correspondence during a dark time in Peter’s life, turned into a CD, a tour, an entirely new concept and show, the reinvention of two careers, and a whole new approach to making music.

Don’t miss Peter Karp & Sue Foley Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage on Friday, October 19^th at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors and $5 for high school student. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre at 315 Jespersen Ave, by phone at 780-962-8995 or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. To learn more about Peter and Sue visit www.karpfoley.com.

Horizon Stage Celebrates its Pearl Anniversary

Proudly presenting artists Up Close and Personal for 30 years.

Horizon Stage’s 2012/2013 Season has been on sale since early July and already some performances are starting to fill up. The 318 soft-seat venue, just 20 minutes west of Edmonton, is known for presenting a diverse line-up of artists and genres and this year is no exception. As the theatre celebrates 30 years of arts and culture its staff are dusting off their pearls in eager anticipation.

As a thank-you to its many wonderful patrons, Horizon Stage is giving back to the community with two free concerts during Alberta Culture Days at the end of September. But, if you don’t already have your tickets to Hot Jazz/Cool Jazz: The Sandy Foster Quartet & Jesse Peters Trio (September 29) or Kent Sangster’s Obsessions Octet (September 30), you’re out of luck as both performances are sold out.

Horizon Stage kicks off its regular concert series on October 6 with a solo performance by former Barenaked Ladies front-man Steven Page, followed by a night of blues and roots with award winning musicians Peter Karp and Sue Foley on October 19. Fans of hypnosis and comedy are happily heralding the return of Wayne Lee’s Live The Laughter on November 3, a show that was enjoyed by a sold out audience at Horizon Stage last January. One of the most distinctive voices on the Canadian folk singer-songwriter scene, James Keelaghan, is scheduled to perform on November 4, and contemporary American singer-songwriter Vance Gilbert will be joined by Alberta fiddle and country-folk sensation Lizzy Hoyt on November 9.  Former Legendary Hearts front-man, roots-country troubadour Barney Bentall, returns to Spruce Grove on November 16. And if you would like to celebrate Christmas at Horizon Stage with Lunch at Allen’s on December 15 or A Big Band Christmas on December 22 you’d better get your tickets ASAP as both concerts are close to selling out.     

Start January 2013 off right with the pop/rock music of Elton John and Billy Joel in Jim Witter’s multimedia concert The Piano Men.  Then, celebrate Horizon Stage’s pearl anniversary in style with not one but two performances by musical theatre super-stars Michael Burgess (Les-Miz’s Jean Valjean) and Rebecca Caine (Phantom’s Christine) in The Dream Concert on January 29 and 30.  Guitar enthusiasts will love gypsy jazz guitarist Denis Chang’s Manouche Quartet on February 7 and fans of classical and jazz will find something special with The Wolak-Donnelly Duo (clarinet/piano) on February 16. Eastern Canadian celtic/folk band The Navigators will set the stage on fire with their heart-pounding rhythms on February 22 and Alberta country music band Hey Romeo will keep the party atmosphere going on March 2. Ballet Jörgen Canada returns to Horizon Stage on February 24 with an exciting full-scale production of the classic Swan Lake and francophone-gypsy-klezmer band Sagapool round out the season on April 5.

Presenting something for everyone, Horizon Stage’s 2012/2013 Family Matinee Series will be tons of fun for children aged 4 and up, and the grownups who accompany them. School aged children (k-12) who want to try their hand on-stage or backstage should plan to attend Missoula Children’s Theatre’s open-auditions (no appointment required) on January 14 from 4 - 6 pm. Approximately 50 lucky young actors will be cast in Jack and the Beanstalk which will have two public performances on January 19.  Rounding out the Family Matinee Series are old-time musicians Sheesham & Lotus on February 9, and Montreal dance troupe Bouge de là’s performance of The Studio (L’Atelier) on March 16. 

Ticket prices for Horizon Stage’s 2012/2013 season range from $5 (if you’re a high school student) to $40. Patrons are encouraged to build their own performance packages and will receive discounts based on the number of shows they purchase before October 6^th (3-4 shows = 10% off, 5-6 shows = 15% off, 7+ shows = 20% off).  Student/senior prices and group rates are also available. The Horizon Players two productions, Disney’s Aladdin Jr. (Nov 28-Dec 1) and The Sound of Music (May 2-5 & May 9-11) may also be included in the build your own performance packages.  Family Matinee 3-show Series Packages are priced at $40.

2012/2013 Season tickets and packages are available through the City Hall Ticket Centre, which can be visited in-person at 315 Jespersen Ave or reached by telephone at 780-962-8995. Tickets for individual performances are also available through Ticketmaster and online at www.ticketmaster.ca. Don’t miss out - get yours soon; then plan to wear your pearl necklaces and cuff-links too as we celebrate Horizon Stage’s 30^th Anniversary!