One Billion Rising, Dancing and Celebrating for Justice
Women and their male supporters are DANCING on Feb. 14 all over the world to affirm their value and to stop violence against women everywhere. This event is a call to all women, Aboriginal and Non Aboriginal, to gather in Spences Bridge on Friday, Feb. 14 at 2 pm to perform the choreographed dance, flash mob style at our historic Bridge. Wear pink and red colours, bring drums or regalia, or just show up! Overnight accommodation is available at cost and some billeting also offered for out of town participants.
A fundraising event for Local Elders is also happening the same day, same place, and you are invited to attend at noon. This event is organized by the Wisdom Keepers of Cooks Ferry Indian Band Elders. Location is Cooks Ferry Band Hall, on Deer Lane, off Bridge Street, off Hwy 1. Meet up there to support the Elders and prepare for the Dance. At 2 pm those in attendance will be the dancing in the gym and they travel outside to the “bridge”.
One Billion Rising for Justice is a global call to women survivors of violence and those who love them to gather safely in community outside places where they are entitled to justice – courthouses, police stations, government offices, school administration buildings, work places, sites of environmental injustice, military courts, embassies, places of worship, homes, or simply public gathering places where women deserve to feel safe but too often do not. It is a call to survivors to break the silence and release their stories – politically, spiritually, outrageously – through art, dance, marches, ritual, song, spoken word, testimonies and whatever way feels right.
Classical Valentines weekend Matinee Feb 16
On Valentines weekend they will feature a very unique Sunday Matinee show. Take your sweetie, mom, or the whole family to Paws & Tales ensemble on Sunday, Feb. 16. Paws and Tales is a quartet of classical musicians from Kamloops. Headed up by our favourite Ashcroft Choir pianist – Dimiter Terziev, Paws & Tales presents a concert programme which focuses on art music pieces either related to the animal theme or having a narrative story behind them. The range of music styles in the concert is enormous – it includes works from, 18th century (Scarlatti, Daquin, Mozart), 19th Century (Grieg, Debussy), and contemporaries (Clifford Crawley, Catherine McMichael). The soprano Carlene Wiebe, the clarinetist Sally Arai, the flutist Catharine Dochstader, and the pianist Dimiter Terziev perform in various combinations ranging from a single instrument to a full quartet.
Tickets are now available in Ashcroft at The Ashcroft Bakery and Natures Gifts, and at The Jade Shoppe in Cache Creek. You can also help out as a Volunteer to get a discounted ticket..well worth it for just a few hours work! For more info call (250) 453-9100 or email windingriversarts@gmail.com
Winter/Spring concerts
Coming on Friday, March 14 will be The Moonshiners. Known for their powerful three part harmonies, danceable grooves and wild instrumental excursions The Moonshiners are an Urban West Coast take on Bluegrass, folk, early Country and Blues. Based in Victoria BC the Band is comprised of some of Vancouver Islands best acoustic musicians: Chris Herbst (Dobro, vocals), Cluny Macpherson (Bass, vocals), Miriam Sonstenes (Fiddle, Vocals), Mike Brooks (Mandolin) and Tad Ruszel (Guitar, vocals).
On April 6 a special Sunday Matinee gospel style with the fabulous Ken Whiteley, a Canadian roots music legend. His musical journey has taken him from jug band, folk and swing to blues, gospel and children’s music. Among numerous accolades, he has been awarded a Canadian Folk Music Award, Genie Award for Best Original Song in a Canadian film, Lifetime Achievement recognition from the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals and Mariposa Folk Festival.
Closing out the Season will be First Nations Artist, Sandy Scofield on Friday, May 9. Scofield is a multi-award winning composer, musician and singer. She has studied classical, jazz, African, Indonesian gamelan and electro-acoustic music.
A Métis from the Saulteaux and Cree Nations, she hails from four generations of fiddlers, singers and musicians. Among her four recordings to date, she has won five Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, a Canadian Folk Music Award, an Indian Summer Music Award (U.S.A.), a Western Canadian Music Award and received three consecutive Juno nominations.
Over the years, she has mentored innumerable First Nations singers and songwriters in the way of rudimentary music theory, vocal techniques, songwriting craft and music-industry protocol. She has toured to festivals on four continents, and in 2011, performed at the International Rainforest World Music Festival in Borneo making this the fifth continent where she has performed. She has composed for dance, film, television and theatre, with the Aboriginal Welcoming Song for the 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremonies, the highlight to date.
House Concert with beat poet CR Avery Feb. 28
Creative Cow House Concerts presents a House Concert with slam-poet, beat-box, multi-instrumentalist, CR Avery. Join them for to the Ashcroft area for a House Concert on Friday, Feb. 28 at the FarmHouse at Barnes Lake (just 12 minutes from downtown Ashcroft).The show starts at 7:30 pm and the house location is at 3820 Barnes Lake Rd, just past IG Machine.
There are many words to describe CR Avery – Outlaw Hip-Hop Harmonica Player, Beatbox Poet, Punk Piano Player, String Quartet Raconteur, Rock & Roll Matador & Playwright. Whether performing to thousands at the Royal Albert Hall or the lucky few who made it inside the packed past capacity speakeasy, C.R. Avery is a unique, raw and dynamic performer. His genius lies in many genres – blues, hip-hop, spoken word and rock & roll.
He is a one-man band, but one for this generation; with the rare ability to sing poetic verse while beatboxing simultaneously while pounding the piano and adding harmonica like a plot twist. A multi-talented front man for his Legal Tender String Quartet; a crazed lead singer/harp player for his rock & roll band The Special Interest Group; a lyrical dynamo and the musical backbone of the spoken word trio Tons of Fun University.
From musical beginnings in his late teens, C.R. Avery has recorded over 15 albums as well as writing and directing six hip-hop operas, which were mounted and performed from New York’s Bowery to L.A.’s South Central. He has toured throughout Canada (including almost every major folk festival) the USA and Europe (headlining or opening for Billy Bragg, Buck 65, and Sage Francis) and garnered the attention of music peers the likes of Tom Waits (“…he’s blowin’ my mind”); blues harp trail blazer Charlie Musselwhite (“…no one plays harmonica like him… no one…”); and folk legend Utah Phillips (“…raw talent”).
His incredible live performances have been described as Bob Dylan in the body of Iggy Pop; colliding with Little Walter, the Beastie Boys and Allen Ginsberg. Every show is all or nothing and his fearless approach to all genres of music both on stage and in the studio proves the longevity of this talented, astonishing creator has so much more to come. Call Nadine or Andrea at (250) 453-9100 to reserve your seat. Hope to some new faces at this very enjoyable community event – coffee, tea and sweets provided. Sure to be a great show !
6th Annual Women’s Celebration in Walhachin Mar 8
Plans are looking good for this year’s Women’s Celebration in Walhachin. Come and enjoy a day of music, dance and workshops. See an array of creative women sharing skills and stories. The 6th Annual Celebration will be held on Saturday, March 8 at the Museum Hall from 11 am – 4 pm.
There will be Booths, Demos, Music, Dance and a Mandela workshop (extra cost). Music & Dance line up details coming soon! It’s a Potluck!! – so please bring Snacks and Goodies for shared Potluck (veggie and meat). Admission and food by donation to go towards event costs.
Our creativity as women is one of our greatest gifts. It’s that very important and a magical part of ourselves that is the expression of our divine feminine. For more information or to register for booth space please call; Nadine at (250) 453-9100. Encouraging men most welcome.
Switching Principals on March 13-17
Switching Principals is the next Community theatrical production presented by the fine folks of Winding Rivers Arts and Performance Society. There was a great turnout for Auditions a few weeks back and the cast and crew are already busy memorizing lines and making plans for sets and costumes.
The play is a fast-paced farce set at Marvin Gardens High School, which is stuck in a rut. School spirit has never been lower, and everyone hopes that the new principal will be a breath of fresh air. What they get, however, is a pair of fast-talking con artists who sneak into the school to hide out from the police. When one of them is mistaken for the new principal, he decides to play along.
But how long can he keep everyone fooled? Can he and his partner dodge the FBI agent on their tail? And what happens when the real principal finally shows up? The farcical fun never stops in this wacky comedy!
Rehearsals will continue through January to early March, with the production scheduled to take place from March 13-17 at the Ashcroft Community Hall. It is directed by Mavourneen Varcoe-Ryan. Stay tuned for more information and look for posters around town.
Spring Choral Concert March 29 St Albans Hall
The Sage Sound Singers and The Desert Bells Bell Choir have begun their Spring sessions in preparation for another beautiful celebration of harmonies which will be co-presented again with Winding Rivers Arts & Performance Society on March 29 at St Albans Hall. This will be an evening performance and is by donation. Stayed tuned for more information and look for posters around town.
Nadine Davenport
