East Coulee School Museum
Located in Alberta's Stunning Badlands,
the ECSM features displays on life during the coal mining era.
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All the performers at the East Coulee Spring Festival donate their time & talents to help support the Museum.
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East Coulee Spring Festival 2006
Musicians Bios
Band-o-Coots
If you came to the festival to dance and sing, Band-o-Coots is ready to get the party started! Band-o-Coots is a popular local band with a big sound that specializes in old time R&B. The six-piece band boasts some of the best musical talent in valley including singers Sue Sommerville and Becky Neuman, sax player Cameron Wigmore, bassist Hugh Sommerville, Dave Eberth on guitar and raggedy vocals, and Mike Frolek on drums. Band-o-Coots delights in proving that you're never too old to sing and swing!
Amy Bishop
Having collaborated with Moby, opened for Farmer’s Daughter and Chris Cummings, Calgary-based singer-songwriter Amy Bishop’s intuitive musical prowess is becoming local legend. An instinctive ability to craft stories into song and deliver them with the sincerity and passion of a best friend makes Amy an undeniable Canadian talent. An evening with Amy Bishop includes fist pounding “ain’t life grand” road songs, smoky-soul train versions of love-gone- wrong ballads and folk-based acoustic numbers that reveal her naked vocal beauty.
Heather Blush & Triple S
Heather’s songwriting and vocals are most often compared to Norah Jones, Joni Mitchell, and Maria Muldaur, but her style is truly unique. With song subjects ranging from baseball to synesthesia, listeners are left guessing what will come out of her mouth next. The members of Triple S – “Captain” Steve Hazlett on percussion, “Shotgun” Stu Davies on lead guitar, and “Cannonball” Shane Sutherland on bass, each add their own “special ingredient” to the live show, which combine to produce some tasty grooves.
Kat Danser
Kat Danser is no stranger to Alberta’s music scene having played with some of the best in the business from Ruthie Foster to Harry Manx and beyond. She brings to this year’s SpringFest a blend of what she calls ‘Swamp Blues’. An eclectic sound that defies categorization but surely reflects her country blues, jazz and blues spiritual roots. Kat has recently begun recording her second CD with special guests Linda Tillery (& the Cultural Heritage Choir) and guitar maniac, Steve Dawson. With Kat this year is master fretless bass player, Jim Hepler.”
Deadman's Dog
Inspired by human stories from the highways, towns, and back roads of Alberta, Deadman's Dog offers up songs that range from quirky folk ditties and edgy rural rock to dark tales of love and death. Traditional folk themes delivered from a current perspective and occasionally with a socio-political conscience and some good old outlaw attitude.
Alison Demeter & Friends
Calgary based singer/songwriter Alison Demeter loves to tell stories through her original folk songs that may contain a dash of country, a sprinkling of Celtic, or a pinch of pop. Add Elizabeth Derksen, Kayla James, and Jeremy Derksen to the recipe and you are served up an interesting glimpse of the people and experiences that have touched Alison’s life.
Joe Fournier
Joe’s musical education came from stealing songs and stories from the many road-worn acts that, week after week, rolled through the local beer joint his family ran in northern Ontario. Every night he'd fall asleep to the sound of country music filtering up through the floorboards and every morning a new Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash or Creedence Clearwater Revival tune would be stuck in his head. It's bound to have an effect on a kid.
" This is raw, no frills, home made music, with none of that over production nonsense to distract the listener. Accompanying himself on acoustic, electric, and bass guitars, and some makeshift percussion, Fournier gives it straight, with little adornment or over fussy arrangements. The style is gutsy country / soul with more than a hint of self deprecating humour, delivered in a voice made up of equal parts Don Henley and John Fogerty. The overall effect is impressive..."
- AmericanaUK
" Fournier writes about the darker side of life but with humour. A winning tunesmith that in this stripped-down version is fully enjoyable."
- MI Magazine, Stockholm
" This guy's quite the piece of work, and he's the real thing. This brilliant ragged roots rock is stuff that very few people do anymore. As with the best authentic roots rockers, you get a little country, roots, rock, and some intelligent, and hilarious lyrics all rolled up into a nice little package."
- BT Cat, Amazon.com
Prairie Girl
Prairie Girl - three local musicians, Carol, Holly and Laurie, deliver up an eclectic mix of roots-based music. No strangers to Spring Fest, these gals can often be found in local establishments just pickin' and a'grinnin. Their claim to fame - heavenly bodies, celestial harmonies - you be the judge.
Jim Hepler
Jim Hepler is a fine guitarist and writer who performs songs rooted in North American folk traditions.
Highwater Jug Band
The Highwater Jug Band surfaces on the scene as somewhat of a Calgary and southern Alberta super group. The foot stompin’, old time groove is created by a collaboration of five busy and accomplished musicians. Collectively; Dan Tapanila, Suitcase James, Mark Sadlier Brown, Tim Williams, and John Rutherford have been involved with countless projects, recorded hundreds of sessions and worked with a who’s who of roots and blues music.
The spark for the project was born of a love for the music and the joy of performing together. Individually they have busy careers and touring schedules but when they can find the time they get together to celebrate old time sounds and long time friendships.
The group’s instrumentation is as vast as its repertoire and musical influences. The various players in the band share a myriad of instruments including washboard, banjo, harmonica, guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, banjo/ukulele, kazoo, drums, woodblock, tambourine, musical saw, the muck bucket (a washtub bass contraption) and of course jug. The band’s song list is compiled of old time standards from the world of blues and hokum as well as original compositions that pay tribute to tradition while writing a new chapter in jug band history. HJB have been performing an ambitious series of dates in Calgary and the southern Alberta area as they hone in on material for a debut recording release. The Highwater Jug Band will enter into the studio to record its first CD this spring.
Terry Morrison & John Gorham
Two of Edmonton's finest musicians have joined forces to form the powerhouse duo of Terry Morrison and John Gorham. Distinct voices in their own right, both in timbre and songwriting, the blend of the two form a unique sound. They are partners in life as well as in music and each brings a wealth of musical experience to the combo.
Jim Munro
Jim is a performing songwriter from our own backyard… Raised in Calgary, he has begun to make a name for himself in the Calgary Songwriting community. Starting with his song “Something Priceless” being named “runner-up” in the 2000 National Songwriting Contest, Jim has built a dedicated following of fans who love his catchy melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and “oh! that voice”. Combining entertaining stories, jokes and audience rapport with a catalogue of over sixty original songs; Jim brings an energetic and thought provoking variety of music to audiences of all ages. He has appeared on television, and has been featured in Alberta Songwriter Showcases both on radio and live in theatres. His songs have received radio airplay across the prairies. He has performed at various venues and festivals around Calgary and Southern Alberta, including the 2005 Calgary Exhibition and Stampede Western Showcase. Within the last year, he has completed his first tours, and celebrated the release of two independently produced CD’s.
Judith Pinto Coy
A classically trained singer, Judith has been a lifelong lover of jazz, or, what she had always thought of as "oldies". Over the past five years, in an attempt to merge her love for this music with her love for singing, she studied with Canadian jazz vocal artists Vivian Cardinal & Cheryl Fisher. Judith’s repertoire, drawn primarily from the American Songbook, is delivered with the warmth of one who loves this enduring music.
Rhythm Boyz
Comprised of two members, utilizing only acoustic instruments, guitar and upright bass.
Reaching back to the early 50’s and 60’s rockabilly music and classic country, The Boyz image and style projects that of a dying era.
Rhythm Boyz are proud to host the East Coulee Hotel Venue.
Sadlier-Brown Family Band
Mark Sadlier-Brown has been a fixture on the Alberta music scene for many years. He was a member of the Alien Rebels and has recorded with the CBC. He won the Alberta category of the Calgary Folk Festival songwriters contest (2005) for his song "In the Devonian". People around the Drumheller region will appreciate that the song is about geology. Recently he has been playing music with a loosly knit crew that he calls his family.
His son Dylan of the "Sure Fires", "Matt Masters Band" and the "Swell Fellas"is fast becoming a legendary upright bass player. Dylan sings writes and uses a 1942 aluminum upright bass that was made for the United States Navy. He is a passionate player who likes to front and harmonize with his dad.
Beverly is Marks wife she supplies a spark for the band playing her snare drum and grooving to the music.
Cousin Dan Tapanila is one of the most skillful guitar players in western Canada. Dan adds a healthy dose of finess, technical expertise and his own brand of humour to the sound of the band. Dan also plays with Mark, Suitcase James, John Rutherford and Tim williams in the "Highwater Jug Band".
On rare occasions cousin Charlie Chaisson comes to the Sadlier-Brown kitchen to add some of that Cape Breton fiddle flavour to the band.
This band is a group of people who are bonded by family ties and a love of music. It shows in their unique sound. This is the sound of original tunes and old roots music done on vintage instruments in a vintage style. Their chunky sound will get you up dancing.
Christie Simmons & Bill Humby
Bill Humby and Christie Simmons bring together a swath of rich vocal harmonies with skillful, evenly applied instrumentation. This guitar/whistle/mandolin/vocal duo explores the haunting and driving melodies of the Celtic tradition while embracing the vocal finesse of bluegrass and other traditions. Sharing musical backgrounds that extend from bagpipes to trumpet, these two musicians weave a program that is soulful, engaging and radiates an obvious delight in music!
Rob Smith
Rob Smith is a superb singer songwriter who has long been a favourite of Spring Fest audiences. Rob mixes passionate vocals, solid fingerpicked guitar, and smooth harmonica in a thoroughly enjoyable style.
Soultree
Soultree is a Calgary based bluegrass/country band composed of 5 accomplished Canadian musicians. All veterans of stage and studio, the members are each accomplished performers, making their livings recording, teaching, performing and just playing music.
This talented quintet sets an authentic country tone using a dynamic range of musical instruments including banjo, mandolin, accordion, harmonica, guitar, stand-up bass, and even a washboard!
As a group, and as individuals, they have received rave reviews in both local and national media, with numerous print, radio, and TV appearances.
Cam Stiles Trio
Cam Stiles - Bass and Vocals
Darren Brown - Guitar
Jay Wright - Drums
Formed in 2003 as side project, the Cam Stiles Trio tries to blend hard rock with blues, jazz, and even a bit of country. The result is a versatile live set that explores different musical styles paying tribute to many great Power Trios that include Cream, Rush, The Police, Primus, ZZ Top, and many more.
(403) 350-5985 or (403) 309-3152
email: camsterpub@msn.com
Bill Werthmann
Promoter, manager, drummer, singer/songwriter……
Living and working out of Edmonton Alberta, Bill’s work in the folk/roots music community has been recognized and appreciated by many. His eastern Canadian roots are evident in his performance whether playing one of his own compositions or a song by one of his favorite writers from around the globe. His delivery is passionate, his words meaningful and his voice and his message strong. Bill usually plays solo but has been known to team up with other players along the way.
Phyllis Wheaton
Phyllis sings Canadiana, a modern folk style of music. She has published The Stones of Signal Hill, and The First Song, and is working on a third CD for the end of 2006. She is headed to Scotland Sept 2006 to perform for the descendants of David Argo, the real life WW1 soldier in one of her songs.
Widow Maker
Calgary's Widow Maker cranks out potent original music rooted deep in old-school bluegrass.
Craig Korth drives the band hard on guitar, settin' the woods on fire with picking that Bluegrass Now magazine called "impressive". Native Virginian Will White delivers straight-ahead banjo, sharp-edged original songs, and vigorous soulful singing that is the real deal. Byron Myhre is a renowned championship fiddler whose playing is ferocious, tasteful and smooth. Dale Ulan hops the band up with his energetic, rockabilly-heavy bass, and Julie Kerr is an inspired and accomplished singer/songwriter whose enticing voice ranges from high and plaintive to low and sultry.
A show not to miss!
Amber-Lynn & Ed Yourk
Kids Folk Song Workshop
Gayle Sacuta with Jim Hepler
Come on a musical journey with Gayle (fiddle) and Jim (guitar) as we explore what makes up a song. We will sing, dance, play musical games and maybe even write our own folk songs.
East Coulee School Museum
PO Box 539, East Coulee, Alberta, T0J 1B0
403-822-3970 phone 403-822-2111 fax
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