The Deep Cove Folk Club has invited Kristina Olsen and Bill Coon to perform this Friday.
California-born Olsen is a multi-instrumentalist (acoustic guitar, steel-body slide guitar, saxophone, concertina, banjo, mandolin and piano) as well as an award-winning songwriter with a big, bluesy voice. Her songs range from sassy bottleneck blues to lilting ballads to swing jazz and more.
Olsen will be joined by Coon who is a Juno nominated guitarist, composer and arranger. The Vancouver-based musician has been performing professionally for over 30 years and is one of Canada’s most highly respected musicians who won “Guitarist of the Year” at the 2009 National Jazz Awards.
Bob de Wolff, Deep Cove Folk Club director, says ever since he met Olsen at the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop in 1991 he has wanted to bring her to Canada.
“Finally I’ve got the chance to present her in a special concert for the Deep Cove Folk Club,” de Wolff says. “And it gets better. Kristina has collaborated with Vancouver jazz guitar wizard Bill Coon, and they’ve decided to perform together for us.”
Olsen is a touring, professional musician who seems to split the majority of her time between Australia, California and Europe. Olsen will be making more stops in Canada in the near future, de Wolff says he suspects, but in the meantime he is thrilled about the upcoming concert.
“What people can expect is a very, very warm, engaging performance highlighting excellent musicianship,” de Wolff says.
Last weekend members of the Deep Cove Folk Club busked outside of Tanner’s Books on Beacon Avenue to promote Friday’s concert. All donations – around $80 – were given to the Sidney Lions Food Bank.
Doors open at 7 p.m. with the concert beginning at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Church, 2410 Malaview Ave., Sidney. Tickets are $20 and are available at Tanner’s Books in Sidney, Lyle’s Place in Victoria or online at kristina.bpt.me. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $25.
