Music is coming back to the Maples.
The Maples Waterfront Resort in Sorrento has been hosting house concerts for the last few years and have seen the likes of Cod Gone Wild, Songs of the Southern Belles, Greg Drummond Band, Derina Harvey Band, Three Finger Shot, the Lion the Bear the Fox and Ryan McAllister to name a few.
Susan Aylard, fiddle player for Cod Gone Wild, manages the resort, even from the road, and when she has time off from shows she enjoys bringing her fellow musicians to Sorrento.
Coming up next at the Maples: Dirt Road Opera with Barry Mathers, Rachel Matkin, Jim Ryan and Sean Bray.
Dirt Road Opera’s journey began back in 2016 when Rachel Matkin and Barry Mathers teamed up once again to make music.
The two previously worked together on three albums by the Cruzeros, a Canadian country band. Their mutual love of music by the likes of Buddy and Julie Miller, Steve Earl, John Prine, Fred Eaglesmith, Gillian Welch and many more inspired them to start writing and recording an album of their own. Musicians came and went as the band developed a distinctive sound. Dirt Road Opera solidified its core when Ryan, also a former Cruzeros member, joined the band. The fourth and newest member is Sean Bray, on electric guitar.
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Rachel and Barry’s voices have always had that special thing when they sing together, says Aylard, and Jim’s third part brings it all home.
With the additional support of some great studio players: Scotty Gamble; John Ellis; Matt Kelly; Andrew Smith and Gary Smyth, the songs on their upcoming CD, Nowheresville, have a sound that is distinctive and satisfying, says Aylard. Every track brings something new to the table. Pedal steel, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, drums and rock and roll guitars all wind their way through a diverse collection of songs, with the trio’s vocals being the common thread that ties it all together.
The show takes place on Friday, Jan. 31 at the Maples Waterfront Resort. Bring a cushion. Desserts by Sprokkets available for purchase. Tickets, $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Show starts at 7 p.m. but come early to get your favorite seat. For information, email Aylard at info@shuswapmaples.com, or call 250-803-1554 for tickets.
