alex.browne@peacearchnews.com
Bergmanns’ concert
The Bergmann Piano Duo (partners in music and life Elizabeth and Marcel Bergmann) continue as performers and hosts for Surrey Civic Theatres’ ongoing series of daytime Classical Coffee Concerts at Surrey Arts Centre.
The intimate, casual concerts take place in centre’s Studio Theatre after a social hour (with refreshments) in the lobby.
This week’s concert, Three’s A Crowd…Not!, in which the duo is joined by noted Canadian pianist Sarah Hagen, will be this Thursday (March 23) at 11 a.m.
Critically acclaimed for her “outstandingly inventive” performances, Hagen, first prize winner in the 2013 Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition is an ideal compliment to the Bergmanns’ eclectic razzle-dazzle style, and the concert promises to be an amazing display of acrobatic piano skills, with up to six hands on one keyboard at one time.
Next concert in the series, L’histoire du Tango, will be presented April 23 at 3:30 p.m.
Coffee Concerts tickets are $30 per concert.
To book tickets, or for further information on all concerts, call the Arts Centre box office at 604-501-5566, email surreycivictheatres@surrey.ca or visit tickets.surrey.ca
Live at Club 240
The name may be Incognito, but the band, featuring the fiery guitar work of Rob Montgomery and the singing of soul specialist Nadine States, is well known among music fans for stirring things up on the dance floor – and that’s what they’ll be doing this Friday (March 24) at Crescent Legion Branch 240, starting at 8 p.m.
Rounding out the sound will be the masterful piano and Hammond B3 work of Steve Webicki and the driving rhythm of bassist David Barton and drummer Darrell Mayes (formerly with Colin James).
The show is part of the ongoing Semiahmoo Musical Consortium series – strengthening the branch’s ‘Club 240’ brand as a dance-oriented venue for multiple genres of music – which presents live bands for dancing every Friday at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.), except for special legion events and holidays.
Club 240 is located at 2643 128 St. Doors open each dance night at 7 p.m., with the music starting at 8 p.m.
Tickets ($20) are available at the door, at the legion box office (604-535-1043) from 3 to 9 p.m. daily, or online at www.brownpapertickets.ca
Great Canadian Songbook
White Rock’s Blue Frog Studios continues its quest to bring world-class performers, both local and international, to the intimate venue.
Canada’s maple leaf is to the fore Saturday, March 25 when Blue Frog presents The Great Canadian Songbook.
The show bringing together Surrey-based folk specialists Tiller’s Folly (Laurence Knight, Bruce Coughlan, Nolan Murray) classical tenor/pop singer Ken Lavigne, and aboriginal/multicultural singer-songwriter Diyet to provide a broad and ambitious stylistic overview of Canada’s greatest hits to celebrate the 150th birthday of the nation.
Covering a wide array of music and genres these eminently capable performers promise to bring new life to classic Canadiana by the likes of Leonard Cohen, Stan Rogers, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Buffy St. Marie, Anne Murray and Stompin’ Tom Connors.
The first show at 7 p.m. is already sold out, but a second show at 9:15 p.m. has been added by popular demand.
The venue is located at 1328 Johnston Rd.; tickets are available at 604-542-3055, or to check showtimes or book seats online – or find information on other Blue Frog concerts – visit www.bluefrogstudios.ca
Kit N’ Kaboodle
It’ll be a lively ‘nouveau-fusion’ jazz and dance party when the music of Kit N’ Kaboodle comes to Club 240 (Crescent Legion, 2643 128 St.) on Saturday, March 25, 8-11 p.m.
The band features the jazz vocal stylings of Crescent Beach salon/gallery Seventh Heaven’s Chloe Scarf, with such well-known band members as multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Fanny Starchild, guitarist/vocalist Vegari Cendar, bassist ‘Sunny Jim’ Hewett and drummer Mickey Hovan.
Tickets are $15 each in advance (or a special offer of three for $35, before March 20) or $20 at the door.
For information or tickets, call Seventh Heaven at 778-292-0687 or the Legion at 604-535-1043
Trad Jazz
The White Rock Traditional Jazz Society’s season of regular Sunday afternoon dances continues this week (March 26), 2-5 p.m., at Club 240 (the Royal Canadian Legion Crescent Branch) at 2643 128 St.
Featured performers are the Square Pegs Jazzy Band.
Next up on the schedule are reed ace Gerry Green‘s Crescent City Jazzers (April 2) and Seattle’s Uptown Lowdown (April 9).
Admission is $10 for WRTJS members, $12 for everybody else; tickets are available from 604-591-7275.
For more information, visit the society’s newly-updated website at www.whiterockjazz.ca
Pop Up Town Gallery
Shards and Gems, current show of paintings and sculpture by Elizabeth Hollick and Linda Pearce, continues until March 25 at the Pop Up Town Gallery at 1459B Johnston Rd.
A feast of arresting, vivid work, the show combines Pearce’s studies of the intricacies of colour and design of costume jewellery with Hollick’s adventurous de-construction and reconstruction of pottery pieces as both sculpture and – at various stages of the process – as subject matter for her canvases.
During the course of the show Pearce will conduct spoken word and literary evenings on Tuesdays, featuring local writer Joseph Onodi; Hollick will lead drawing workshops from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays; both Pearce and Hollick will paint still lifes throughout Thursdays and on Saturdays, guitarist Stewart Revill and vocalist Mary Revill will provide music from noon to 2 p.m.
The gallery is open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Kane & Potvin
Key members of two Canadian bands responsible for some of the catchiest and most heartfelt hits of the 1980 and early 90s – The Grapes of Wrath and The Northern Pikes – have joined forces for the duo Kane & Potvin, coming to Blue Frog Studios Friday March 31 at 8 p.m.
When Bryan Potvin (The Northern Pikes) and former White Rock resident Kevin Kane (The Grapes of Wrath) found themselves living a few blocks away from each other in Toronto some 20 years after the bands’ heyday, it was almost inevitable that they’d get together with a couple of guitars for a few casual jams.
But when they liked the sound of the music they produced informally, it was only a matter of time before they took the pared-down act on the road – sensing the potential of presenting songs from the Pikes and the Grapes, as well as their own solo material, in a way that listeners would find both fresh and familiar.
The venue is located at 1328 Johnston Rd.; tickets ($38.50) are available at 604-542-3055, or to check showtimes or book seats online – or find information on other Blue Frog concerts – visit www.bluefrogstudios.ca
Chamber Music
White Rock Chamber Music – which features noted musicians in the community, while fostering young and emerging talents – returns to Crescent Gardens Retirement Community, 1222 King George Blvd., at 7:30 p.m. on April 1.
Last scheduled concert for this season is May 6.
Admission is a suggested donation of $5 towards the Peninsula Arts Foundation’s fund to help developing musical artists on the peninsula.
1920s dance party
It’ll be a ‘Throwback Thursday’ Roaring Twenties-style when Alexander Browne and his Boulevardiers play for dancing at the Crescent Legion Branch’s Club 240 on Thursday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Using authentic original orchestrations from the ‘vo-do-de-o-do’ era of flappers and bootleg gin, the tuxedo-clad, eight-piece band – featuring Browne on megaphone vocal refrains – will evoke the period of Downton Abbey, The Great Gatsby and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and such dance crazes as the Charleston, the Varsity Drag, the Lindy Hop, with a few romantic waltzes and latin novelties thrown in for good measure.
The venue is located at 2643 128 St.; doors are at 7 p.m. and admission is $20 at the door.
The dress-to-impress event is also all-ages, with $10 admission for students 18 and under (provided they remain on the dance floor side of the premises).
Mud Bay Blues
Iconic Semiahmoo Peninsula music makers The Mud Bay Blues Band, whose most recent album, Colebrook Road, continues to get radio and internet air-time and positive mentions from DJs, are gearing up to celebrate 40 decades of playing with new tunes and a forthcoming album.
In the interim, fans of the “Legendary Kings of Saturday Night” can enjoy their home-cooking blues style Saturday, April 8 at 8 p.m. at Club 240, 2643 128 St.
Tickets are $20 at the door; for more information call 604-535-1080.
Latin Friday night
The Latin Night dance party is featured the second Friday of each month at the White Rock Elks Club, 1469 George St.
The dress-to-impress event (returning April 14) is designed to give Peninsula fans of Salsa and Latin music – and those who’d like to learn more about it – a chance to get out on the dance floor.
Hosts and instructors Alberto Gonzalez and Teresa of Hot Salsa Dance Zone feature a free beginners’ lesson in such dances as the Salsa, Merengue, Cha-cha-cha and Bachata as part of each monthly session.
The dance runs from 7 to 11 p.m. and admission is $10 at the door.
For more information visit www.HotSalsaDanceZone.com
Julio Moreno
New work by Peruvian-Canadian artist Julio Moreno will be on display at Semiahmoo Public Library for the month of April.
Just Pastels, his second solo show at the library, uses the subtlety of the medium to show new perspectives on old masterpieces as well as originals of his own.
Moreno, who emigrated to Canada some 45 years ago, first began creating art in 2010 after retiring from a career in electrical engineering and security work.
The artist will donate 40 per cent of the proceeds of his sales to the Canadian Cancer Society.
The show runs to Feb. 29 at the library, 1815 152 St. (for opening hours call 604-592-6900).
Singers sought
Pacific Showtime Men’s Chorus, based in Ocean Park, rehearses Monday nights at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s Church, 12953 20 Ave.
The small community chorus of experienced singers is currently seeking new members for all vocal ranges: lead, tenor, baritone and bass.
Offering a big sound in a variety of musical styles, Pacific Showtime has been featured at a many different Lower Mainland events, including show productions, concerts and private functions.
The repertoire is designed to include songs and a singing style that appeal to a wide variety of music preferences, with emphasis on entertainment value, and chance to develop singing skills while having fun and enjoying camaraderie.
Male singers are invited to attend rehearsals to check out the group and, hopefully, join in.
For more information, call 604-536-5292 or email leighand@shaw.ca
Band musicians wanted
The South Fraser Community Band is looking for musicians who play wind, brass and percussion instruments.
The concert band, which has been in the White Rock/South Surrey area for over 25 years, is conducted by Steve Ho.
Rehearsals are every Thursday from 7:45-9:45 p.m. at Elgin Park Secondary School at 13484-24th Ave. Surrey.
Contact president Bob Butula at rbutula@telus.net or visit southfrasercommunityband.ca for more information.
Orchestral recruits
The more than four decades–old White Rock Community Orchestra – now led by conductor Paula DeWit, co-founder of the Chilliwack Symphony – welcomes new musicians of all experience levels, and is currently seeking violin, viola, oboe, bassoon and saxophone players.
For details, call president Don Miller at 604-807-0560 or email papadon1812@hotmail.com, or visit http://whiterockcommunityorchestra.org
Call for symphonists
Now celebrating its 30th concert season, the Fraser Valley Symphony is seeking new members in the violin, viola, and percussion sections, but also welcomes inquiries from other interested professional-calibre musicians.
Performing alongside world class instrumental and vocal soloists, the orchestra provides an opportunity for auditioned musicians to present a variety of music to audiences throughout the region.
Rehearsals are held on Monday evenings, in Abbotsford.
Contact info@fraservalleysymphony.org or call 604-859-3877.
Sunshine at night
There’s something special about open mic evenings – not only are you likely to hear a variety of music that most venue programmers can’t present, but you might just catch an early performance by a rising star, or a surprise appearance by an established performer trying some new material.
Semiahmoo Peninsula open mic king Dennis Peterson – a man with a good eye for White Rock and South Surrey’s growing pool of experienced and developing talents – is offering a regular show, 6-9 p.m. most Saturdays at The Good Day Sunshine Cafe, #100-2950 King George Hwy.
With dinner, drinks and dessert also on the menu, it’s a good venue to settle in for an evening of unexpected musical treats, and there’s no restriction on taking pictures of the performers (although Peterson asks that anyone wanting to video record a performance seek advance permission of the artist).
Morrison Music Nights
Morrison Cafe’s Morrison Music Nights, is a regular monthly dinner/concert series in Ocean Park, offering a three-course fine-dining-with-music experience in the licensed venue.
On music nights, dinner is served from 5 p.m., followed by the concert, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Tickets for the monthly presentations ($40) are available at the cafe, at 12855-16th Ave.
The series is being coordinated by well-known musician Randy Schultz (Swamp City), who said it fits in with his long-standing objective of developing local venues capable of providing viable showcases for chronically under-valued professional musicians, rather than simply offering the more usual ‘open mic’ opportunities.
For more information, call 604-531-3636 or 604-721-0872.
Vaudevillians
A non-profit seniors’ entertainment troupe is looking for new members in a variety of roles and positions within the organization.
The Vaudevillians have been performing throughout the Lower Mainland since 2002.
The group is currently restructuring and looking for personnel, including a new artistic director to write and cast the annual benefit show for performing arts students at Douglas College for 2017.
The Vaudevillians are also looking for an M.C. – someone who’s comfortable on stage, able to relate to and connect with the audience, introduce numbers and tell some jokes.
New members are also needed to fill the following positions: sound tech, backstage manager, and as performers (singers, dancers, comedians).
Except for the position of artistic director, who is eligible for an annual honorarium, these are all volunteer positions.
For further information, visit thevaudevillians.com or contact entertainment@thevaudevillians.com.
