artist Allison Brown

I take to the highway and once again drive the entire length of the 401 from Windsor to Montreal on a trip with Nancy Dutra and Willow Rutherford that takes us to Toronto, Campbellford, Perth, Ottawa and Montreal on our "Songs & Stories" Tour... 

Then I return to Toronto for a Song~Swap night with my pals Will Gillespie and Myke Mazzei at the Tranzac May 30th... I'm back to back at the Tranzac two Wednesdays at the end of May! 

Rounding out the Month, I head for Oakville and Hamilton for two shows with String Bone on May 31st and June 1st respectively...

 

And then I head right back for the south for a show at Taloola on June 2nd with Sioux Lookout's Nick Sherman!

 

Keep your eyes on July for shows in Windsor with Karyn Ellis at Taloola on July 6th, and at Mackenzie Hall with Rant Maggie Rant for a Celtic evening in the Gazebo July 13th!

 

See you out on the road!
Allison

 



 

March is easing in with a couple gigs on the calendar... March 10th I'll be playing at a special fundraiser at the Cooper's Hawk Winery in Harrow with Erin Gignac and Monique Belanger... then on Saturday, March 24th I'm back at Taloola for a show with Chris Crossroads, 9pm, PWYC...

The annual CJAM Jammy Awards are gearing up - you can vote for Border City Roots as favourite Folk/Roots show HERE... keep tuning in Monday's from 5 to 6pm on 99.1fm or the archive podcast at www.cjam.ca. April 14th I join up once again with Lonesome Lefty & The Cryin' Shames as a special guest for the annual Harrow Fair Roast Beef Dinner at the Fairgrounds... Coming up in May, I take the stage May 2nd with BC's Puzzleroot at Phog here in Windsor, and on May 3rd at the London Music Club.... Working on some spring singing across Ontario; stay tuned for more details on a tour at the end of May and early June that takes me to Montreal, Ottawa, Perth, Campbellford, Toronto, Oakville and Hamilton with Nancy Dutra and Willow Rutherford, and String Bone..! Happy singing, Happy springing! AB 

Six Nights In November! November 13th at The Artbar In Hamilton ... Fall is coming to Souwesto and the air is crisp as the apples fall from the trees... looking forward to one more round of Ontario shows before I settle in for a winter touring nap.... "Uncle" Dan and I hit the road again in the faithful Jeep Cherokee for a ramble taking us to Hamilton for a show at the Artword Artbar on Sunday, November 13th, to Toronto for two shows at Not My Dog as part of the Ladies In Waiting Series on Monday, November 14th, and on the 15th we're back at The Local with our pals A Yellow Field. We join up again with A Yellow Field and Richard Garvey the next night on November 16th for a show at Kitchener's L-Lounge, and Thursday the 17th I join Scott Wicken for his songwriters' series at the Princess Cafe. We round out the week with a show at the London Music Club with east coast songbirds Kim Wempe and Gabrielle Papillon on November 18th...! Monday, November 7th is the very special CJAM PLEDGE DRIVE EXTRAVAGANZA episode of "Border City Roots", so be sure to tune in for some radio antics with my special guest Chris Crossroads as we raise some dough for campus community radio here in Windsor/Detroit...! You can pledge online at www.cjam.ca, make sure to include "Border City Roots" as one of your favourite CJAM shows..! And, I'm still doing features every Friday morning on CBC Radio Windsor's "Early Shift", tune in at about 8:15 every Friday for my report on all the great south coast sounds... and don't forget to check in on OurWindsor.ca for my music features, interviews and reviews.

The Antiques Freakshow … a one-time only… … oldtyme goth revival … Friday, October 28th At The FM Lounge (Fish Market) Beginning at 9:30pm, Pay What You Can Exhumed from the attics of musical antiquity, a collection of long departed porch pickers and ancient warblers resurrect from their dusty old trunk this Halloween weekend for an oldtyme goth revival known as The Antiques Freakshow. An entourage of roots, country, and folk musicians that could be hell’s own house band takes to the stage at Windsor’s FM Lounge (The Fish Market) on Friday, October 28th beginning at 9:30pm. Banjo, Guitar, Accordion, Clarinet, and haunting harmonies rise through the night air telling classic country and roots music tales from beyond the grave; murder ballads, ill-fated outlaws, deathbed confessions, soul selling, phantom trains, dark dungeons, tragic bar-room brawls, and graveyard ghosts. Featuring: Allison Brown ~ Erin Gignac ~ ~ Chris Crossroads ~ Richard Dreiger ~ Tim Swaddling ~ Kate Romain and secret surprise special guests... Highly appraised by expert collector Allison Brown, it would be grave indeed to miss this “PBS meets Day Of The Dead meets Oh Brother Where Art Thou” evening of music kicking off your Halloween weekend. Wear your black lipstick, your long boots, top hats and black jackets and join us in the afterlife at the FM Lounge on October 28th…! While I'm not out on my usual haunts, I'm the new arts/music correspondent Friday mornings on CBC Radio's "Early Shift", here in Windsor on 97.5fm and 1550 am... and I'm still blogging on www.ourwindsor.ca, so be sure and stay tuned for all the great stuff happening here in the Windsor area. I'm also still filling in on Mondays from 2:30 to 4pm on CJAM 99.1fm, as a guest host on "Deliverance", but hoping to have my own show "Border City Roots" on the CJAM airwaves soon.... Fire up your broomsticks and fly on down here for Halloween weekend and the ANTIQUES FREAKSHOW!

“Uncle” Dan Henshall on the Wake The Sleeping Giant Tour From Southwestern To Northwestern Ontario Through July & August 2011 The late Souwesto sweetcorn will be only knee-high when roots songstress Allison Brown and brave accompanist “Uncle” Dan Henshall embark on their epic summer ramble from Ontario’s steamy south to its majestic northwest this July. Beginning far south of the province’s silver escarpment spine, northwest across the vast Precambrian Shield traversing the rugged north shore of Lake Superior, Allison and “Uncle” Dan will play over twenty concerts of roots music with folk, oldtyme country, bluegrass and original material enroute to Winnipeg. Highlighted by performances at the Live From The Rock Festival in Red Rock, and the Trout Forest Music Festival in Ear Falls (100kms North of Hwy#17), Allison & “Uncle” Dan visit such Ontario landmarks as the CN Tower, the Big Nickel in Sudbury, Wawa’s iconic concrete goose, among many other stops before being waved into Winnipeg by its own Golden Boy. The tour ends in August where it begins in July; in London, Ontario, for a special finale at Fanshawe Pioneer Village. Their trusty Jeep Cherokee won’t be tiptoeing past the trickster Nanabijou, the rocky giant that sleeps silently in the mighty Gitchee Gumee off the shore of Thunder Bay; they hope to raise a roots music ruckus along Highway #17 that shakes him to his stony feet to dance along…! Allison & “Uncle” Dan’s “Wake The Sleeping Giant” Tour marks the third consecutive summer Allison has traveled through Ontario’s north; in 2010 with ukulele bluesman Manitoba Hal as part of “Dr.Pinkham’s Medicine Show”, and in 2009 as part of her solo cross-Canada Greyhound Bus tour from Vancouver to Windsor. “Uncle” Dan is bringing along his fishing rod hoping to reel in audiences as well as some rainbow trout from arctic northern waters on his first trip across the Lakehead. Roots songstress Allison Brown likes her religion a little bit gritty, takes her country music with a side of syrup and keeps her folk as dusty as the ol’ cabin floor. With a hatful of broken hearts, bad weather, toils of the road and leaps of faith, Allison’s crafted originals matched with classic roots repertoire reflect the striking conviction she brings to her sweet and powerful singing. As a soloist, Allison’s lonesome warbles soar over subtle guitar framework, but can turn quickly to a feverish cyclone when joined by her spirited troupe of accompanists. Allison brings her truest self to her collection of songs and to the stage in a refreshing conversation with the audience. “a gorgeous voice that seemed way too big for one person” ~ Barbara Bruederlin, No Depression Tempted to tread the dusty highway between light and darkness, joy and sorrow, faith and doubt, sunshine and rain; Allison’s second release “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet” reveals deep explorations of gospel and roots music surrounding originals forged from the fires of folk tradition. The anticipated follow-up to 2005’s “Everything That Shined”, Allison narrowly escapes the devil’s teeth as “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet” snakes though twelve tales of heartbreak, stormy skies, fearless faith and a detour to cactus country. Like a serpent in the garden, ominous undercurrents simmer beneath the surface of “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet”, produced and recorded by mentor David Essig. This past fall, Allison immersed herself for six months in the heart Toronto’s roots music scene, performing regularly at venues such as Mitzi’s Sister, Not My Dog, The Cameron House, The Local and many more eclectic Toronto cafes and clubs. With her faithful Jeep Cherokee back on the road this spring, Allison returned to her Souwesto homestead in Windsor to spend time writing before heading out on the road north. Multi-instrumentalist and songwriter “Uncle” Dan Henshall brings an old soul’s wisdom to traditional music with a sparkling youthful energy rare among his contemporaries. “Uncle” Dan plays mandolin, banjo, upright bass, guitar and eclectic hybrid instruments such as the banjoline. A skillful accompanist, Dan regularly performs with Allison as well as The Blackwood Two, Ken Foster, The Comic Sans and with Stringbone on tour in Germany in 2009. “Uncle” Dan’s timeless originals evoke inherent passion, despair, hope and revolution with songs, stories and tunes crucial to a new era of folk tradition. Everybody’s favourite “Uncle”, Dan is working towards recording his first full-length recording. “Uncle Dan” is also a Roller Derby enthusiast and is currently in referee training.

Howdy Folks.. writing from my Garage Sale front desk here in Paquette Corners this long weekend… made about $20.00 for my tour fund so far, relaxing after a whirlwind of shows that took me across the entirety of the 401 from Windsor to Montreal… big thanks to tour pals Will Gillespie, “Uncle” Dan Henshall, Nancy Dutra and Willow Rutherford and all our special guests for some amazing adventures including a free-style breakout of West Side Story songs, champagne at 5am, two hot tubs, foot massages, a giant Toonie, some amazing Churchkey Brewery beer, and lots of wonderful friends old and new..! Seven weeks to go before I head up north enroute to Winnipeg for the Live From The Rock Festival in Red Rock and the Trout Forest Music Festival way up in Ear Falls..! Still trying to come up with a catchy name for my tour up north with “Uncle” Dan; “Magical Moose-tery Tour” and “Aurora-bori-Allison” have both been rejected.. if you think of anything please let me know.. Spending the rest of May and June working on booking more shows in Northern Ontario – still looking for concerts in KENORA, FORT FRANCES, DRYDEN and points around Winnipeg for the August 20th-21st.. hoping to fill those holes in my calendar soon.. I’ve also started doing some fundraising with a KAPIPAL account raising some money for gas, and in the hopes of making some cool tour T-Shirts to help us fill the Jeep Cherokee tank along our way. Every little bit helps out: http://www.kapipal.com/allisonbrowngasfund I’m also back on the airwaves, this time here in Windsor/Detroit on CJAM 99.1fm filling in for Chris Crossroads on “Deliverance”; the show that delivers you from evil with the power of good music, Wednesdays from 1:00pm to 2:30… stream it live or download the show archive at http://cjamlog3.cjam.ca/ May and June keeps me in Southern Ontario; this Friday, May 27th I’ll be part of a lineup of songwriters at the Last Friday Coffeehouse in Leamington at the Cup2Mug Lounge, and Saturday, May 28th I’m back for a solo concert at Taloola in Windsor… Friday, June 10th I join up with some all-star country players for a dance at the Merlin Community Hall – stay tuned for details…! Mystery Location June 17th and 18th I’m reunited with longtime friend and collaborator, London chanteuse LEAH MORISE for two coffeehouse concerts! Friday, June 17th brings us to a mystery location, and Saturday, June 18th we share the stage at Taloola in Windsor..! Anna Atkinson CD Release June 24th Friday, June 24th, Erin Gignac and I are both special guests celebrating the release of ANNA ATKINSON'S debut recording "Mooniture" at Mackenzie Hall in Windsor..! See you in Souwesto for the next couple weeks – looking ahead to touring and festival season! Allison

... spent a cozy first slice of April in my new-old digs here at the Souwesto Homestead and getting hip to the Windsor scene.. spent my first weekend in town doing some Kareoke at Lauzon Landing and tripping out to Harrow to join Lonesome Lefty's Cryin' Shames for the annual Roast Beef Dinner Fair Fundraiser, but my first official performance as a new local is at TALOOLA with ERIN GIGNAC on SATURDAY, APRIL 16th at 9pm. Will Gillespie "Uncle" Dan Henshall ... May brings me back to the highway for a 401 tear with songman WILL GILLESPIE and our brave accompanist "UNCLE" DAN HENSHALL (who just got his own radio show on SoundFM 100.3 in Waterloo) as we hit Not My Dog in Toronto on Tuesday, May 3rd, Maxwell's Music House in Waterloo on Wednesday, May 4th with special guest Anthony Damaio (May The Fourth Be With You!), The London Music Club on Thursday, May 5th with special guest Leah Morise, and grande finale on Friday, May 6th at the FM Lounge in Windsor (The Fish Market) with special guests Erin Gignac and Paul. Don't miss this Southern spring of travelin' songsters...! Willow Rutherford Nancy Dutra ... four days later I'm back on the road again for a Spring Songstress Showcase with NANCY DUTRA and WILLOW RUTHERFORD as we wagon east to Montreal... we make stops in Toronto at The Press Club on Wednesday, May 11th, The Stinking Rose Pub in Campbellford on May 12th, spend a spooky Friday the 13th at the Music Market Cafe in Napanee, head up to the Yellow Door in Montreal for May 14th, and The Elmdale House Tavern in Ottawa on Sunday, May 15th. Then I drive back to Windsor... I'll need lotsa gas for my Jeep Cherokee for these gigs.. cmon' out and buy a CD or two - makes an excellent gift! "This Is Paradise: Corin Raymond At The Cameron House" I'm also really excited that the first episode of my podcast "The Small Time Radio Hour" is now available online at Roots Music Canada..! "This Is Paradise: Corin Raymond At The Cameron House" is the 'pilot' episode for the Small Time Radio series I hope to continue on some online or airwave format in future; I hope to put one together once every couple of months so stay tuned.... On snowy January 20th, I sauntered down to the Cameron House in downtown Toronto to interview Corin Raymond and capture some of the sounds of the evening with his band, The Sundowners. It was Corin’s last Thursday residency show before heading out on the road for ten weeks, returning to his home stage in April. Corin enlightens us with his thoughts on Small Time philosophy and model for independent music business, as well as shares his love for his songwriter friends, favourite venues and how the Small Time provides an opportunity for him to live out loud through his music. “This Is Paradise” includes cameos by Dave Quanbury and Treasa Levasseur, and music from Manitoba Hal, New Country Rehab, Fish & Bird, The Unseen Strangers, Ann Vriend, and Scott Nolan. “This Is Paradise” was edited by Kevin Zarnett, hosted and produced by Allison Brown, with production assistance from David Newland. Sit back and listen as you join us at The Cameron House for an unforgettable night of music in the heart of the Small Time. Stay tuned for more updates about my tour to Northern Ontario and Winnipeg this summer for the Red Rock and Trout Forest Music Festivals..!

Farewell Tour-Onto...! Well Folks… it’s been a great six month “vacation” here in the big smoke; and it’s time for me to head back down to the Motor City to hang out in Windsor for a few months before I hit the road again this summer….  Ambre McLean I’m marking the occasion with a FAREWELL TOUR-ONTO happening in various venues across the city through the month of March…March 1st I'm at the Aspetta Cafe in Kensington Market as part of  the Tumultuous Tuesdays series..   Jeff Kahl Then I take a short spin back to London for a show as part of the Fast Feet Turn Left tour with Ambre McLean and Gabrielle Papillon on SATURDAY, MARCH 5th at the London Music Club..! Myke Mazzei I head back to Toronto for more shows at THE LOCAL with JEFF KAHL and MYKE MAZZEI on March 22nd, and a reunion of sorts with ERIN GIGNAC and ANNA ATKINSON formerly of The Rusty Halos on March 27th at NOT MY DOG... Formerly The Rusty Halos ....still looking to fill as many dates as possible, so keep me in mind for special guest spots, as part of acoustic lineups and more dates may be added so stay tuned….!  In other news; "Viper At The Virgin's Feet" got a stellar review in the Billings Gazette, from Billings, Montana...   Stay tuned for updates on when ROOTS MUSIC CANADA will be broadcasting online a new radio series called "THE SMALL TIME RADIO HOUR", the first episode is called "This Is Paradise" and features a night with Corin Raymond and The Sundowners at The Cameron House...! April will bring me to the Motor City for more adventures, and touring with Nancy Dutra and Willow Rutherford this May..!

February greetings folks! January had me hibernating after a great holiday touring with Ox and nesting down in the Souwesto homestead for a couple weeks. Nice to take a breather from gigging to plan for a busy 2011..! … my first show of the new year brings me to the exotic far East end of Toronto for a songwriter’s night at Feather’s Pub on February 12th featuring a whole night of sweet songsters on your Valentine’s weekend.. .. then I’m off to Stratford and London to be part of the GIRLS WITH GLASSES tour, doing special opening for spectacled songstresses Eve Goldberg, Karyn Ellis and Evalyn Parry; we’re at Foster’s Inn on Thursday, February 17th and Friday, February 18th at the London Music Club. I’m playing a special afternoon show with some special guests including “Uncle” Dan Henshall on Sunday, February 20th as part of the Old East Studios Sunday Concert Series.. 2pm, $10.00. I’m back in London again on March 5th at the LMC with Ambre McLean and Gabrielle Papillion..! … in all this nesting time I’ve been working on a secret radio project that I’ve already told about a hundred people about, but not to worry the reveal will be coming soon to a radio or internet near you, stay tuned! I’m also still hanging out in Toronto looking for JOBS so if you hear about anything that would be up my alley let me know. Soon enough though I’ll be back in my Jeep Cherokee hitting the road for an Ontario tour with Nancy Dutra and Willow Rutherford, (anyone in East or Southern O wants to do a house concert..?), and booking up August for a tour to Winnipeg and back enroute to the Live From The Rock Festival in Red Rock..! Summer Dreams… Winter Sleeps… See you sweeties in Toronto, Stratford and London this February! Allison

ALLISON BROWN's WEST COAST RAMBLESTouring Vancouver and The Island July 21st ~ August 7th~ marking the release of her second recording crafted in B.C ~“Viper At The Virgin’s Feet”... Wednesday, July 21st ~ Vancouver ~ Café Deux SoleilsWith Ambre McLean & Sisters Of Fate, and Kaya Fraser8:00pm, PWYC, www.cafedeuxsoleils.com2096 Commercial Drive, (604) 254-1195Thursday, July 22nd ~ Vancouver ~ The Main, With Kaya Fraser10:00pm, PWYC, www.themainonmain.com4210 Main Street, (604) 709-8555July 23rd – 25th ~ Duncan ~ Islands Folk Festival Providence Farm, www.folkfest.bc.caWednesday, July 28th ~ Nanaimo ~ Woodgrove Centre Mall Arts FairFood Court, 6:45pm, 102-6631 Island Highway NorthThursday, July 29th ~ Courtenay ~ Joe’s Garage with Skagway10:00pm, PWYC, 115 5th Street , (250) 702-6456Thursday, August 5th ~ Duncan ~ Duncan Garage Showroom with Kaya Fraser & Skagway8:00pm, $12 adv/$15 dooradvance tickets available at Ten Old Books 250-715-1383 / 250-748-7246www.duncangarageshowroom.caSaturday, August 7th ~ Victoria ~ The Spiral Café with Kaya Fraser8:00pm, PWYC, 418 Craigflower Road(250) 386-9303 Ontario songbird Allison Brown likes her religion a little bit gritty, takes her country music with a side of syrup and keeps her folk as dusty as the ol’ cabin floor. With a hatful of broken hearts, bad weather, toils of the road and leaps of faith, Allison’s crafted originals matched with classic roots repertoire reflect the striking conviction she brings to her sweet and powerful singing. Following a twenty-one-date oldtyme travelin’ variety show through Ontario and the Prairies on “Dr.Pinkham’s Medicine Show”, Allison is thrilled to return to Vancouver Island for several concerts highlighted by a feature performance at Duncan’s Islands Folk Festival. She’s also excited to share the stage with Victoria songstress Kaya Fraser and the Cowichan Valley’s own mighty fine bluegrass duo, “Skagway” for her arbutus country rambles..! Last summer, Allison reunited with musical mentor David Essig at his home studio on Protection Island, British Columbia for recording sessions that would bring Allison’s newest songs to life on record. Followed by a month long solo Greyhound Bus tour, with guitar, ukulele and suitcase in hand, she returned to London with eight pearls from the ocean-side sessions. Four more songs were added this winter from live off the floor sessions at Andy Magoffin’s House Of Miracles. Tempted to tread the dusty highway between light and darkness, joy and sorrow, faith and doubt, sunshine and rain; Allison’s second release “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet” reveals deep explorations of gospel and roots music surrounding originals forged from the fires of folk tradition. The anticipated follow-up to 2005’s “Everything That Shined”, Allison narrowly escapes the devil’s teeth as “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet” snakes though twelve tales of heartbreak, stormy skies, fearless faith and a detour to cactus country. Like a serpent in the garden, ominous undercurrents simmer beneath the surface of “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet”. The album’s title track “Something Holy” sings through the eyes of a brave believer in an Appalachian rattlesnake handling church meeting, while “If I Was A Weathergirl” is a winsome languish inspired by real life TV News personalities. Allison captures her inner outlaw translating Townes Van Zandt’s “Poncho & Lefty” and pays tribute to favourite songwriters Iris Dement and Patty Griffin on her way out of the desert. “Uncloudy Day/Evenin’ Train” testifies Allison’s joyful devotion to revival, and “All The Birds” flies Allison out of the deep dark forest only to realize the journey is still at its beginning. Songwriter Kaya Fraser’s intelligent, razor-sharp lyrics with seriously catchy tunes--is all too rare. Then there's her voice: warm, yet wistful, natural, yet incredibly polished. All in all, she's a contender for the ranks of legendary artists like Aimee Mann and Joni Mitchell. As of the daughter of Canadian songwriter Allan Fraser (of the critically acclaimed 70s folk duo, Fraser & DeBolt), Kaya clearly has music in her blood. Her independently released debut EP, Tremor and Slip, startled critics with a level of sophistication rare in a first effort. "Fraser's independently released seven-song EP Tremor and Slip is shockingly good. Her voice is intimate, arresting and mature; the songs are moving; and production is polished"~ Montreal Gazette, four stars, www.kayafraser.com Skagway is a modern bluegrass duo steeped in tradition. These lads know how to pick a tune that will make your hair stand on end. Tad Ruzsel and Ira Pelletier have a hard driving rhythm and they mix it with their own brand of soulful harmony that really gets your foot tapping. They hire only the best musicians to back them up and engage audiences with their witty banter and bountiful stage presence; tighter than ever and ready to knock your socks off! Skagway has quickly become a mainstay of the Vancouver Island bluegrass and folk music scene. Whether you’re a fan of bluegrass music, enjoy great acoustic music, or just love to listen to people having fun singing and picking, this is a duo you do not want to miss.http://www.myspace.com/skagwaybluegrassbandallisoncbrown@yahoo.com ~ www.allisonbrown.ca

YOU Are Invited To Attend

“DR. PINKHAM’S MEDICINE SHOW” a roots music variety concert featuring MANITOBA HAL, ALLISON BROWN & LEAH MORISE www.drpinkhamsmedicineshow.com

From Ontario To The West Coast ~ June And July 2010

Ladies and gentlemen.... the elusive Dr. Pinkham is very proud to announce that after decades of research and numerous experiments conducted in his maritime laboratory, he has at long last perfected and patented a tuneful tincture, one hundred percent guaranteed effective to lift spirits and alleviate ailments of the weary mind and heavy heart. A consummate yet humble medical man, Dr. Pinkham has entrusted three of Canada's finest musicianers with the task of bringing his discovery to folks across the country with an oldtyme traveling variety show featuring the finest distillation of authentic roots music. Ukulele bluesman Manitoba Hal, trad-warbler Allison Brown and saucy chanteuse Leah Morise will present evenings of folk, blues, and country music showcasing both traditional material and original songs as they traverse Canada's highways from Moonstone, Ontario to Hope, British Columbia through June and July of 2010. The trio of songsters bring Dr. Pinkham's until now "secret serum" to audiences astonished by its powerful healing effects; a tonic exceptionally effectual on the ears, mind, heart and soul...! Dr. Pinkham does not subscribe to quackery; trust Manitoba Hal, Allison Brown and Leah Morise as they bring his musical medicinals to your town!

Manitoba Hal is a muti-instrumentalist and the consummate blues ukulele man. He is a powerful vocalist, with a voice as smooth and sweet as Tupelo honey but he can growl like a hurricane on a hot Louisiana night. Hal is charismatic and engaging on stage leading the audience in a journey through juke joints and roadside chicken joints. Old gospel songs are played alongside stories of lost love and murder. With songwriter's roots in eerie folk - murder ballads and killer floods - and player’s roots in the deep, dark, fixin' to die blues, this is a man who can sing the word "lonesome" like he means it, and no mistake. www.manitobahal.com

 

Allison Brown likes her religion a little bit gritty, takes her country music with a side of syrup and keeps her folk as dusty as the ol’ cabin floor. With a hatful of broken hearts, bad weather, toils of the road and leaps of faith, Allison’s crafted originals matched with classic roots repertoire reflect the striking conviction she brings to her sweet and powerful singing. Her second recording; “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet” reveals deep explorations of gospel and roots music surrounding originals forged from the fires of folk tradition. Allison brings her truest self to her collection of songs and to the stage in a refreshing conversation with the audience. www.allisonbrown.ca

 

Songstress Leah Morise takes audiences anywhere and everywhere with her signature concoction of saucy and sweet songs; scenes from a sultry jazz club, to the rolling and tumbling of canoeing Ontario’s unpredictable waterways, to busking on the urban streetscape, to the secrets hidden in the underwear drawer of her playful personality. Released in 2006, her first recording project "Take Me Anywhere" is an impressive mix of her evocative storytelling penned over the span of ten years and demonstrates her skills as a vocalist and guitarist. A farm girl with a motorcycle license, Leah finds harmony in the hum of the riding lawnmower and unearths stories held deep within the flickering campfire. www.leahmorise.com www.drpinkhamsmedicineshow.com

YOU Are Invited To Attend

The Album Release And Farewell Party Celebrating

Roots Songstress

Allison Brown And the launch of her second recording “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet”

Saturday, May 15th   upstairs at

Chaucer’s Pub

With special guest    Leah Morise

Free Admission ~ Pay What You Can For A Chance To Win Fabulous Prizes!

Doors Open at 8pm, Concert Begins at 9pm, CDs $15.00

 

            Tempted to tread the dusty road between light and darkness, joy and sorrow, faith and doubt, sunshine and rain; songstress Allison Brown’s second release “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet” reveals deep explorations of gospel and roots music surrounding crafted originals forged from the fires of folk tradition.  A brave witness to her dynamic vocals, Allison narrowly escapes the devil’s teeth as “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet” snakes though twelve tales of broken hearts, bad weather, leaps of faith and a detour to cactus country.  Eagerly anticipating the follow up to 2005’s “Everything That Shined”, audiences can finally celebrate with Allison and her spirited troupe of surprise accompanists as she launches “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet”, on Saturday, May 15th upstairs at Chaucer’s Pub  (122 Carling Street, (519) 679-9940).  With songs saucy and sweet, chanteuse Leah Morise begins the show at 9pm, free admission, pay what you can for a chance to win fabulous prizes..!

 

Like a serpent in the garden, ominous undercurrents simmer beneath the surface of “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet”.  The album’s title track “Something Holy” sings through the eyes of a brave believer in an Appalachian rattlesnake handling church meeting, while “If I Was A Weathergirl” is a winsome languish inspired by real life A Channel TV News personalities.  Allison captures her inner outlaw translating Townes Van Zandt’s “Poncho & Lefty” and pays tribute to favourite songwriters Iris Dement and Patty Griffin on her way out of the desert.  “Uncloudy Day/Evenin’ Train” testifies Allison’s joyful devotion to revival, and “All The Birds” flies Allison out of the deep dark forest only to realize the journey is still at its beginning. 

 

            Both featured performers at last summer’s Home County Folk Festival, Allison reunited with her musical mentor and producer of her 2005 release “Everything That Shined”, David Essig.  From there, they flew to Essig’s home studio on Protection Island, British Columbia for recording sessions that would bring Allison’s newest hatful of songs to life on record. Followed by a month long solo Greyhound Bus tour across Canada’s west that included performances in Tofino, Victoria, Duncan, Vancouver, Banff, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste Marie and Sudbury, the ocean-side sessions yielded eight pearls of Allison and David’s shared vision of Americana. The west coast band features Rick Scott (Pied Pumkin) on dulcimer, Tamara Little on high lonesome harmonies, Shelley Brown on upright bass, former UWO student Trish Clair-Peck on violins, and David Essig’s artistry on a number of electric and acoustic guitars.  Four more songs were added this winter from live sessions at Andy Magoffin’s House Of Miracles in London.  Recorded completely live from the studio floor, the Miracles sessions feature Jedd House on upright bass, Aaron Lozynsky on harmonica and acoustic guitar, Blair Heddle on mandolin, banjo and dobro, and Blair Whatmore on accordion.  From up the road in Toronto, misguided angels Anna Atkinson and Erin Gignac flew in to provide viola, violin and choir-loft harmonies.

London photographer Mike Bourgeault captured the images for the album sleeve at the antiquities shoppe (designated heritage property slated for demolition), and John James Audubon’s “Common Mockingbird” was used with permission from the New York Historical Society for the album cover.  Scenester Melissa Parrott orchestrated the artwork design. 

            Following the launch of “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet”, Allison embarks on a two month tour with Ukulele Bluesman Manitoba Hal and Chanteuse Leah Morise on “Dr.Pinkham’s Traveling Medicine Show”,  a quakery-free %100 percent guaranteed road-proven acoustic entertainment that takes them from the heart of Southwestern Ontario to the West Coast of British Columbia.  From there, Allison will follow this tour with several solo dates on Vancouver Island, including a feature performance at Duncan’s Islands Folk Festival.  A mainstay in London’s folk music scene for nearly ten years, Allison will not be returning to her second home, but will take her trade the big smoke of Toronto in September.

            Hostess of CHRW’s “For The Folk” for over six years, Allison was featured as part of the wildly successful "Girls With Glasses Tour", with songwriters Evalyn Parry, Eve Goldberg, and Karyn Ellis. Her skills as a bandleader were showcased as the featured vocalist in London bluegrass quartet "The Goin' Concern" at festivals, backyard parties and the ruckus raised on Bluegrass Sunday night every week at the Alex P Keaton. She also leaves behind her work at GROOVES Records where she has surrounded herself with all the divine vinyl and new music her ears could hear since 2006.  A Fanshawe grad, Allison’s dedication to community involvement was also reflected in her work with the Open Air Public Art Festival and at Fanshawe Pioneer Village. 

 ~ allisoncbrown@yahoo.com ~ www.allisonbrown.ca

~ 30 ~

YOU Are Invited To Attend

… roots songstress… 

Allison Brown’s Tour-Onto (II) 

 

Sunday, February 28th

at Mitzi’s Sister

Monday, March 1st

at The Cameron House 

 as part of Groovy Mondays

And Tuesday, March 2nd at

Not My Dog with Nancy Dutra

 

March roars in like a lion when campfire girl Allison Brown and her pack of musical friends leave the wilds of Southwestern Ontario for three big-city shows at her favourite Queen West haunts!      

 

 

Sunday, February 28th ~ Mitzi’s Sister (1554 Queen St. W., 416-532-2570), 9:00pm, PWYC ~ with special guests Dan Henshall (mandolin), Anna Atkinson (violin) and Erin Gignac (harmonies) ~ ww.mitzissister.com

 

Monday, March 1st ~ The Cameron House (408 Queen St. W., 416-703-0811), 8:00pm, PWYC ~ Featured Performer for Groovy Mondays showcase, www.thecameron.com

 

Tuesday, March 2nd ~ Not My Dog (1510 Queen St. W., 416-532-2397), 9:00pm, PWYC, with Nancy Dutra and Jeff Kahl, www.notmydog.ca, www.nancydutra.com

 

 Here’s the Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/#/event.php?eid=295420318833&ref=ts

 

And as soon as I get back, on THURSDAY, MARCH 4th, I’ll be playing a short set for JAY AYMAR’S CD release party at The Black Shire Pub with violin gal ANNA ATKINSON…! 

Here’s the Facebook Event Page:

http://www.facebook.com/#/event.php?eid=275163730783&ref=ts

 

And the following Saturday, March 5th I’ll be doing a few songs as part of London To The Max at Banting High School … stay tuned for details!

 

On APRIL 24th  I’ll be playing a few songs at a special coffeehouse at St.Michael’s Church on Springbank in support of WORLD VISION….

 

You  made it – here’s the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT..!

 

My CD RELEASE and farewell PARTY for my new album, “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet”, will be on SATURDAY, MAY 15th upstairs at CHAUCER’S PUB…!!!

 

LEAH MORISE is my official opening guest, but many surprise special guests, and fabulous prizes will be part of my farewell concert before I head back to Vancouver Island touring with MANITOBA HAL… and move up to Toronto in August ….!!!

 

I need a few volunteers to help with the set-up and CD table for May 15th – if you can help out please let me know!

 

See you on the TOUR-ONTO... the only tour where I'm guarenteed not to get lost considering all the gigs are on the same street!!!

 

Allison