Category Archives: Music

The 2008 Vancouver Folk Music Festival


2008 VANCOUVER FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL


Well, the 31st annual Vancouver Folk Music Festival oughta be interesting.
With longtime Festival programmer and 12-year artistic director, Dugg Simpson, out, and Salmon Arms Roots and Blues Festival creator, Linda Tanaka, in (particularly given Ms. Tanaka’s recent messy leave-taking from the Shuswap festival), Vancouver lovers of the folk music scene are in for what looks to be a “provocative” folk music fest in its 31st iteration.
For all the shenanigans surrounding Fest management, the line-up of the 31st annual Vancouver Folk Music Festival still appears mighty fine.
On the bill this year: headliners Aimee Mann, Eliza Gilkyson, Ferron (returning to Vancouver after a too-long absence), Jason Collett, John Reischman and the Jaybirds, and Ozomatli, among a raft of others.
In the days to come, we’ll highlight the various artists who’ll be appearing on the main and artist / musician stage(s) on the Festival site, and seek to provide, as well, an historical perspective on the events and perambulations which have lead up to the 31st annual Folk Music Festival.
In the interim, once again this year the Little Folks Village and stage may be found due north of the 4th Avenue entrance, with arts market vendors galore situated nearby (due south of the area where the food vendors may be found). We’ll see you there (here’s the ticket info you’ll need to know)

In A World of Change, Some Things Are Constant


CHRISETTE MICHELE

If you haven’t heard the music of Chrisette Michele, there’s no time like the present to rectify that oversight. Presenting a funk-driven, old school-flavoured R&B, Michele‘s fusion of the sounds of Philadelphia and Detroit re-invents urban contemporary talkin’ blues in such an engagingly satisfying manner that you’re bound to come away dancin’, smiling all the while, upon your first listen. At which point, you’ll want to rush out and buy her début CD, I Am.
Here’s a streaming, four song introduction to Chrisette Michele.

If I Can’t Dance, It’s Not My Revolution!


DjNameless Something They Feel

No one has ever said that VanRamblings’ taste in music isn’t electic. We love country and jazz, ambient and progressive house, as well as folk and old-timey bluegrass, straight-ahead pop and melancholy female vocalists (think Cat Power, Jenny Lewis, Imogen Heap, and our favourite sad chanteuse of all, Gemma Hayes).
But most of all, VanRamblings’ loves Jude — who, apart from being our son, is also a dj (DjNameless to be precise), a producer, a recording engineer, an old schooler — and an ESL teacher in Japan.
Today VanRamblings wants you to get up off the sofa and move your feet to the beat. And what specific beat might that be? Yep, you guessed it.
VanRamblings is pleased to present “Something They Feel” by DjNameless, and encourages you to download the sweetest mix of funky progressive old school house music you’re ever gonna hear — 43 minutes and 32 seconds of pure aural bliss. Thank you Jude for a terrific aural treat! Everyone enjoy!