Holidays on hold for music
We are on the verge of December and there’s barely any snow on the ground. How strange is that? My family celebrates Christmas in December and it always feels wrong if there isn’t any snow. It’s only happened once that I can remember after living in Saskatchewan for 20 years, but maybe I’m off on my count. Snow or no snow, there’s a good hit of local concerts coming along this week, and some spectacular touring shows, as well. Christmas and the holidays can wait.
ELIZABETH SHEPHERD
When: Saturday
Where: The Bassment What: Elizabeth Shepherd is the only musician I can think of off the top of my head who I would describe as a “soul-jazz singerpianist,” which is probably a good thing because that’s a bit of a mouthful. A four-time Juno nominee, Shepherd has a soft and smooth quality to her voice that adds a smoky depth to her jazz singing. Whether it’s a cover or an original, the silky vocals of Shepherd make her a true delight to listen to. I can’t get enough of the excellent jazz that travels to (and lives in) the city.
CLOSE TALKER
When: Friday
Where: Amigos Cantina What: An indie/alternative-rock trio based out of Saskatoon, Close Talker, brings a lovely gentleness to the genre. They’re very reflective of today’s alt-rock bands in their esthetic ( just check out their black-and-white music videos on Youtube), but they have a unique sound. The backing band has a driving and almost hypnotic quality to it that accompanies the light and dreamlike vocals well. This is not a head-banging band, nor should they be, but their music has a level of power and emotion in it that even the most in-your-face bands would have trouble matching.
BEARS IN HAZENMORE
When: Saturday
Where: Capitol Music Club What: The Regina-based band describes themselves as ambient rock in their online profile, but some of their stuff toes the line of rock and pop-rockstyled music to go along with the more ambient tunes. As someone with some vocal training I might be a little biased, but the singing from this group really impresses me. The multi-part harmonies add a great depth, but the lead vocals of Brady Frank are absolutely spellbinding. There are plenty of bands that can play instruments well and produce acceptable music, there aren’t a lot like Bears in Hazenmore that can take that musicality to the next level.