nickelodeon Music Club

Crescent Heights Community Hall - 1101 - 2nd Street N.W. Mailing address: P. O. Box 63016, Stadium RPO Calgary, AB T2N 4S5 www.thenick.ca 34th Season: Winter 2014 elcome to the 2nd half of our 34th anniversary sea- Tickets son at the Nick! We will present some old friends • 2014-2015 GOLD CARD renewals will commence (for a and a bunch of terrific newcomers. The home of the limited time) starting February 22nd. There is a waiting list NickelodeonW is the Crescent Heights Community Hall (1101 - 2nd for GOLD CARDS that aren’t renewed - email us if you Street NW). Seating is first-come first serve with the following wish to be added to the waiting list. exception: season’s ticket holders who arrive early will be given Please send your email to: [email protected] preferential admission from 6:50 - 7:00 P.M. Our ticket capacity is

193 patrons, and 110 are season’s ticket holders. Concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. with the doors opening at 7:00 p.m. Online Ticket Sales An evening at the Nick begins with an opening act, followed by • $25 Advance Tickets for ALL January to April 2014 concerts go on sale two sets by our featured performer. Breaks between sets allow December 13 at www.brownpapertickets.com time for socializing and indulging in an entree, great cakes, pop- corn and other refreshments. Advance Ticket Sales At The Nick Guitar Raffle! The Nick will once again conduct a raffle for a Bristol BD-16 • Starting at our first club on January 11th, and at each club Dreadnought guitar and wall hanger, generously donated by Mike MacLeod thereafter, Nick patrons may purchase advance tickets for and The Acoustic Guitar. Tickets will be sold throughout the season and our Nick any of our upcoming winter shows. performers will autograph the guitar. The draw for this one-of-a-kind guitar will • $25 door tickets are only available if we do not sell out in be held on April 5th , 2014. All proceeds from the Nickelodeon Guitar Raffle will be used to send youth participants to the Foothills Institute camp advance. Any remaining tickets will be sold first come, first in May 2014. serve at the Crescent Heights Hall on the night of the show. Smoke Free / Cell Phone Free Music! The Nick is a non-smoking and cell phone free venue. We appreciate the cooperation of our audience The Nickelodeon Music Club is a volunteer operated, non-profit organization. The Nick wishes to thank its volunteers for the and volunteers in abiding by this policy and trust that it keeps the countless number of hours they dedicate. Without the work of our ‘atmosphere’ even more pleasant. volunteers, these special nights would not be possible. The Nickelodeon wishes to thank Calgary Arts Development and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts for their generous support. We also https://www.facebook.com/NickelodeonMusicClub wish to acknowledge airplay support of our performers on CKUA Twitter: @NickMusicClub and CJSW.

The Performers and () January 11

A Nickelodeon Debut! Carrie Elkin has emerged as one of the defining new voices in the world of Texas singer-songwriters. Danny Schmidt is a preeminent writer, whose earthly poetry manages to conjure magic from the mundane. It’s a special treat when Danny Schmidt and Carrie Elkin, who normally tour separately and solo, get to share the stage together. If the chemistry seems especially sparkful, they come by it honestly, as they are a rare breed; a romantic partnership in real life, not just musical life. Danny Schmidt is best known for his riveting poetic lyrics, broadly recognized as an artist of generational significance. Gypsy spirit Carrie Elkin is best known for her incredibly soulful and dynamic vocals. The voice, the stories, the images, the grace - it’s the complete package. Together, they create a performance of great energy and spirit, that audiences connect with on a multitude of levels, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually.

Lucas Chaisson (Alberta) First Nick Opener Oct. ‘10 Lucas’ original songs are described as folk, roots, and country. He joins his eclectic tastes and musical mannerisms together with his soulful voice and a lyrical knack far beyond his 19 years. Lucas’ debut full length recording, No Loitering, Danny Schmidt’s the real thing, a bona fide: Best new received a Canadian Award nomination for Young Performer of the Year. songwriter in X years kinda guy. His newest CD, Growing Pains won that award in 2012. The term “old soul” is over Penguin Eggs Magazine used but it’s literally the case with this clever young tunesmith. His skillful, percussive Carrie is a fantastically warm singer…a master of conveying the guitar style, mature, well crafted and insightful lyrics and honest vocals keep audiences message and emotions of her characters. engaged and wanting more. Fish Records, UK Jack Semple (Saskatchewan) January 25

Juno winner Jack Semple is one of those rare guitar players who leaves a crowd speechless, in absolute awe of A Nickelodeon Debut! what they have just experienced. He is a guitar players - guitar player. An absolute virtuoso of his art form, Jack plays with unparalleled feeling and total technical control. One of Jack’s favourite things is to sing in unison the guitar lines that his fingers are laying down. Jack started his musical career with various Regina- based bands, moving to Toronto in the late 80’s to become the lead guitarist for The Lincolns, a popular funk and rhythm & blues band. In 1992, he came to national prominence by winning MuchMusic’s Guitar Wars contest. He was twice nominated for a Gemini Award for his soundtrack work on the tv series Incredible Story Studio. Jack’s album In the Blue Light won a 2013 Western Canadian Music Award for Best Blues Recording.

Martin Kerr (Alberta) A Nickelodeon Debut! His lyrics are original, profound and instantly memorable. With his red-hair and crystal clear voice, he caught the eye of the Canadian Idol judges and viewers, reaching the finals in 2008. He spent a year teaching music to preschoolers in Comprising equal parts sophisticated harmony, serious groove, Beijing. Now his children’s songs about patience, kindness, co-operation and other reckless abandon, raw energy and stunning improvisation, virtues are taught in thousands of classrooms around China. In Edmonton, he Semple avoided evoking images of other great guitarists while draws huge crowds to his street performances and has sold 15,000 CDs from his still musically employing virtually every guitar technique known to man. guitar case. The Edmonton Journal dedicated a two-page feature article to his eikelowna busking exploits, naming him #2 in their ’52 things to love about Edmonton’. Pharis and Jason Romero (British Columbia) February 8

A Nickelodeon Debut! Pharis and Jason Romero met at an old-time fiddle jam and both were drawn to early country, old time, blues, and bluegrass. In 2010 they moved to the small interior B.C. town of Horsefly where they build their finely crafted banjos, and play and write the music they adore. A Passing Glimpse earned them the 2012 Canadian Folk Music Award for New/Emerging Artist of the Year and Americana Album of the Year at the 2012 Independent Music Awards. Long Gone Out West Blues was nominated for two 2013 Canadian Folk Music Awards, and Pharis won the award for Traditional Singer of the Year. Writing songs about ageless characters, hard lives, loss and love, Pharis was called a “historical treasure” by the BC Folklore Society. Jason is deft in banjo styles from early fingerstyle to clawhammer to bluegrass. His resophonic and acoustic guitar playing is a distinct texture, melodic and percussive. The June Bugs (Alberta) A Nickelodeon Debut! The June Bugs feature award winning guitarist Don Gowan, an energetic and passionate fiddler Scott Duncan, Tim Babey on mandolin and three women whose singing voices blend like butter in two, three and four part harmonies. Renay With effortless harmonies, intricate finger-picking, and a refreshing Eng-Fisher sets the groove, performing on upright bass, Sue Anne Borer plays veteran spirt, Pharis and Jason’s second album displays a startling autoharp and Sandy Hirth plays guitar. From upbeat gospels and saucy bluegrass prowess to traditional folk, swing-grass and contemplative originals, their music reflects a Utne Reader shared passion for the pure, heart-piercing magic of acoustic music and the marvel of well-blended vocal harmonies. www.thenick.ca J.P. Cormier Nova Scotia February 22

First Nick headline Apr. ‘99 J.P. Cormier’s lyrics and melodies illicit every emotion you can muster as he paints pictures of loves lost, towns disbanded, fishermen killed by their trade and the most important moments of his own life. He’s won 12 East Coast Music Awards, 5 Music Nova Scotia Awards, and a Canadian Folk Music Award. His album, Another Morning, was nominated for a Juno in 1998 and has since sold nearly 100,000 copies. J.P. has won more than 30 awards in 20 years of fiddle, guitar, banjo, and song-writing competitions. He begins an instrumental and you realize that this man is not just a singer or a songwriter. As his fingers fly, with such speed and precision, upon each instrument in turn, you get another picture—one of pure joy and boundless energy; total spiritual abandon bordering in its execution on genius. J.P. will be accompanied by Adrien AuCoin on bass and vocals.

Jake Peters (Alberta) A Nickelodeon Debut! Singer-songwriter Jake Peters is an award-winning guitar and banjo-picker, anything with strings is fair game to Jake. His latest additions includes the oud, sas, dombra and barabat – all hailing from the Middle East. Jake has worked with Pavlo, Cindy Church, Dick Damron, Pam Tillis, Lisa Brokop, Randy Travis, Randy Bachman and Dennis Agajanian. His finesse not only lies with his creative ability – styles include bluegrass, blues, celtic, classical, folk, gospel, and Spanish – but also displays his talents as a fine, meticulous He is one of the most important guitarists of his generation. Luthier. His ability as a musician is a delight to watch, hear and feel. Chet Atkins

Karen Savoca (New York) March 8

Grit and sensitivity. Percussion and groove. Karen Savoca and Pete Heitzman play soul, r&b, First Nick headline Feb. ‘03 roots and world rhythms, conjuring a communion between audience and stage. With their band The Minds Eye, they performed original songs to a packed house every Monday for seven years, reveling in patrons’ enthusiastic dancing and improvised call and response routines. That chemistry sparked an enchanted scene at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival when 10,000 people spontaneously removed their shoes and waved them over their heads. Acoustic Guitar magazine calls Heitzman “A true virtuoso of groove, with a sly touch that, combined with Savoca’s in- the-pocket drumming and spectacularly soulful vocals, gives the duo the impact of a four-piece band.” Karen Savoca pours her heart into a song and her songs draw you into a world of humor and compassion, shared with grace and ease, as though you’ve been invited to her table for supper.

Jasmine Whenham (Alberta) First Nick Opener Nov. ‘05 Songwriter Jasmine Whenham writes, plays, and sings her stories from the heart, in such a way that listeners adopt them as their own. Her most recent release, Bandaids , tells a hopeful story of coming to terms with grief. Inspired by her own experiences, the recording is an intimate and insightful view into Jasmine’s life and heart. We hear her stories, we remember our own. In If she were a Native American, her name would be Sings Like 2013, Jasmine was invited to play at the Beaumont Blues Festival, the East Coulee SpringFest, Two Birds. and the Canadian Rockies International Rodeo, and she was recognized as one of Edmonton’s Greg Brown top 20 artists by CBC’s Searchlight Contest Caladh Nua (Ireland) March 22

Caladh Nua - pronounced: Coll-ah Noo-Ah (meaning ‘New Harbour’ or ‘New Haven’) is a tightly- A Nickelodeon Debut! knit, vibrant and talented band with its origins deeply rooted in the south-eastern counties of Ireland. Comprising five versatile musicians and singers playing a wide selection of instruments, the band has captured the essential qualities of traditional Irish music and balanced them finely with an innovative contemporary styling. Caladh Nua has cast a uniquely captivating net of Irish music and song to an ever receptive and increasing worldwide audience. Caladh Nua are Eoin O’Meachair on tenor banjo, whistles and vocals, Paddy Tutty on fiddle and bodhran, Lisa Butler on lead vocals and fiddle, Derek Morrissey on button accordion and Colm O’Caoimh on guitar. Performing a vast repertoire of haunting songs and evocative tunes the band continues to lead their listeners on a musical escapade through a sound-scape of their own creation Jim Serediak with Jamie Philp (Alberta) First Nick Opener Jan. ‘89 Jim Serediak has been writing songs and finger-style guitar instrumentals since receiving his first guitar at age eleven. Some Kind of Divine Cycle explored issues of indigenous peoples, conservation of nature and Jim’s observations of the cycle of life. In The Transcendent Sky, songs of love, life and a deep passion for the natural world are interspersed with evocative guitar instrumentals. Jim seeks to sooth the spirit while Solid traditional music with plenty of flair and lots of musical creating fine lyrical etchings that dig for a deeper understanding of our existence and imagination. journeys. His latest CD, Angels Behold, was released in November. Jim will be joined at Irish Music Magazine the Nick by guitarist Jamie Philp. www.thenick.ca Michael Jerome Browne (Quebec) April 5

A Nickelodeon Debut! Michael Jerome Browne won the 2008 Canadian Folk Music Award for Solo Artist of the Year. He’s a Maple Blues Acoustic Artist Award Winner, International Blues Challenge Semi-Finalist and three time Juno Award Nominee in both the roots and blues categories. Michael is a multi-instrumentalist, a songwriter, and a living encyclopedia of American Roots music. Whether he’s gliding a slide across his national guitar, pulling his bow over the fiddle strings to play a lively Cajun waltz, or frailing away on his gourd banjo Michael’s passion and virtuosity always shine through. In the true tradition of folk music, his performances inspire us to see the interconnections between the many cultures and influences that gave birth to American Roots Music. Gospel, Blues, Old-Time, Country, Soul and Cajun, expect to hear all of this and more from a performer who’s been called a street-smart archivist and an absolute treasure.

Jimmy Whiffen (Alberta) A Nickelodeon Debut! Jimmy Whiffen has opened for artists as diverse as The Irish Descendents, Streetheart, Browne’s masterful manipulation of electric and acoustic twelve Randy Travis, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Although the writing embraces fantasy and six string guitars is wonderful…Beautifully wrought, to some degree, it is about keeping it real for the most part. Real and simple keeps it in easygoing, soulful sounds that might make you wonder if the tune with the people. He’s been influenced by some of the best country and rock tunes singer-guitarist was born in another era. ever written and it shows. With over 6000 gigs, countless miles in the rear view mirror Edmonton Journal and the hole in his guitar, the primary sound is country. His CD It’s A Living, It Ain’t No Life was released in 2013.

2014 - 2014 35th Nickelodeon Season Ticket Gold Cards • Seasons passes will sell for $240.00 and 110 GOLD CARDS will be sold. • Confirmed performers for 2014-2015 will be announced at the beginning of the club on March 22nd.

Current GOLD CARD Holders • Current GOLD CARD holders may renew their passes, by mail or in person, starting on February 22nd and up until the end of the break after the first set of the club on March 22nd; write cheques to The“ Acoustic Music Society”, post-dated September 1, 2014. • Passes not renewed by March 22nd will be made available, in order, to those on our waiting list.

New GOLD CARD Patrons • For many years, the Nickelodeon has regularly sold out our season ticket GOLD CARDS. We sincerely thank all of our loyal patrons, many of whom return, season after season. • Every year, very few Seasons Tickets become available. Because of this, the Nickelodeon has created a waiting list of those patrons who indicate they wish to purchase GOLD CARDS for an upcoming season. • Patrons wishing to be added to our GOLD CARD waiting list should speak with our Ticket Coordinator at the front door, or they can email us at [email protected] • If any Seasons Tickets become available, we will contact patrons on our GOLD CARD waiting list in the order in which they joined.he list, to confirm if they are interested in purchasing Seasons Tickets. • If any Seasons Tickets remain unsold after this process, notice will be posted on our website and they will be sold to the first patrons to contact us.

Guitar Raffle The Nick will once again conduct a raffle for a Bristol BD-16 Dreadnought guitar and wall hanger, generously donated by Mike MacLeod and The Acoustic Guitar. Tickets will be sold throughout the season and our Nick performers will autograph the guitar. Tickets will be sold throughout the season and our Nick performers will autograph the guitar.

The draw for this one-of-a-kind guitar will be held on April 5th , 2014. All proceeds from the Nickelodeon Guitar Raffle will be used to send youth participants to the Foothills Acoustic Music Institute camp in May 2014.

The Nickelodeon Music Club is a volunteer operated, non-profit organization. The Nick wishes to thank its volunteers for the countless number of hours they dedicate. Without the work of our volunteers, these special nights would not be possible.

www.thenick.ca