When Bernie and Red perform at Fraser River Heritage Park on Friday, July 29 from 7 to 8 p.m., they’re sure to make audiences laugh.
No stranger to the Envision Twilight Concert Series, Bernie and Red are a mixture of Burns and Allen, The Smothers Brothers and Bette Midler, with a touch of Carol Burnett. Their humour is based on husband and wife situations and the joys and challenges of family life. Bernie plays the straight man who sometimes lets fly with his own one-liners, but Red is the one who holds centre stage most of the time.
Red’s musical numbers are integral to the entertainment mixture that this duo presents. Many an audience has been set back on its heels when, after 10 minutes of tomfoolery, Red will then burst forth with a great rendition of Memory from Cats, or Don’t Cry for me Argentina.
Bernie and Red’s performance is sponsored by Cedarbrooke Chateau.
The Art in the Park program features Aboriginal artist Nancy Arcand, body wellness with Gina Esche, inspirational art of Pam Ellis, and Elsie Chatwin’s glass works.
Then on Wednesday, Aug. 3 from 7 to 8 p.m., the Envision Twilight Series welcomes Tom Landa and the Starbirds for their first visit to Fraser River Heritage Park.
The Starbirds are a roots trio who play a mix of folk, Celtic, gospel and Latin music. All are members of Vancouver’s Paperboys. With time and gigs under their belt, the band has evolved into its own with a new sound centred around the award-winning songwriting of Tom Landa and the unique instrumentation of trombone, jarana and fiddle.
Joining Tom is Nick La Riviere, whose trombone playing has been praised by Wynton Marsalis among others.
He is in demand as a trombonist and bassist and has played with jazz pianist Michael Kaeshammer, as well as heading his own septet. The band’s third member is the award winning Kalissa Hernandez who has won the BC Provincial Fiddle Championship, represented BC at the Canadian Grand Masters and has toured and taught worldwide for four years.
At the core of the group is the vocal blend of Tom and Kalissa. Both posses strong and unique voices and sing in English and Spanish, representing their Latin and Celtic backgrounds. Tom was born and raised in Mexico and Kalissa is of Chilean heritage.
The Art in the Park program features Betty Sandmark’s beaded jewelry and a craft workshop with Salt Lane Studio.
Bring a lawn chair or blanket and join us at the park. The Log Cabin Café and the Blackberry Kitchen are open. Admission is free but donations are encouraged. Your support along with the generous contributions of sponsors will ensure that theseries continues. For more information call 604-826-0277.
