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Arts
Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - The Morning Star A11
Editor: Kristin FronEman ❘ PhonE: 250-550-7923 ❘ E-mail: entertainment@vernonmorningstar.com
Kids to make ‘Foote’ notes in concert Local children to sing along with Norman Foote when he performs in Vernon April 14 kristin FronEMan Morning Star Staff
You could say that Norman Foote has always been ‘Foote”-loose and fancy-full when it comes to entertaining a room of toddlers on up. Performing for the past three decades, the internationally acclaimed Vancouverborn singer-songwriter creates songs, stories and props that delight young ears and eyes. However, his unique combination of imaginative word play, melodies and gentle wit have delighted a fair share of maturer audiences as well. Audiences will be able to see for themselves when Foote is joined by up to 150 students from local elementary school choirs in an engaging and entertaining concert presentation at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre April 14. The children learn various parts of the songs, becoming an animated wall of voices, actions and laughter, adding another dimension to the performance, said Foote. “Humour plays a big part in everything I do. My show is interactive and funny. It’s very engaging for the audience,” he said. Born Norman Mervyn Barrington-Foote, Foote claims that his name forced him to develop a sense of humour at an early age. “I feel it really has been something I’ve
had all my life and I naturally like to go towards the funny,” he said. Foote received his first guitar when he was just 11 years old and by the age of 12, he already knew he wanted to be an entertainer. Since then, Foote has gone on to release eight albums of original music in addition to writing and recording songs for Walt Disney Records and Shari Lewis. His most recent release, Love My New Shirt, won Best Children’s Album at the 2010 Junos. “The music has a variety of styles, but it’s how I end up singing them and mixing the styles together that make it unique” explains Foote, “It’s folky, bluesy and jazzy all mixed together.” While he originally aspired to be a musician, Foote became enthralled by puppetry and physical comedy in his early 20s while travelling around Australia and New Zealand. He would later choose the only feasible solution: to combine all three. The result is a special niche within the industry, earning him international acclaim. Besides his Juno win and three other Juno nominations, Foote won Children’s Recording of the Year at the 2010 Western Canada Music Awards. He has also been recognized with four Parents Choice Awards, and three National Association of Parenting Publications of America Gold Awards. Foote closes the 2012-13 Vernon Performing Arts Centre Society’s Kids Series on Sunday, April 14 at 2 and 4 p.m. All seats are $12, available at the Ticket Seller photo submitted box office. Call 250-549-7469 or visit www. Children’s entertainer norman Foote is bringing along some of his puppets when he performs ticketseller.ca. the last show of the 2012-13 kids series at the vernon Performing arts Centre april 14.
Music spontaneously combusts at Vernon Jazz Club Dvoira YanovskY For The Morning Star
Subversive, distinctive, the Eric St-Laurent Trio unleashes its exhilarating show at the Vernon Jazz Club Saturday. The band features guitarist St-Laurent’s playful jazz and blues idiom, percussionist Michael DeQuevedo’s South American and African rhythms, and bassist Jordan O’Connor’s eclectic classical training and heavy metal experience. This wildly creative mix is responsible for their unique sound, blending jazz guitar riffs and reggae beats, traditional Turkish melodies and disco, African songs with Chicago blues solos, or Balkan folk songs with heavy metal bass. All this translates into an electrifying musical conversation; a truly great live show that Jazz FM 91’s Jaymz Bee says would “have to be seen to be believed.” Each performance is an original, creative experience. “We do these shows in a very spontaneous way. There is often no set list at all and the repertoire changes night after night, as does the interpretation of each song,” said St-Laurent. Their repertoire features original compositions by St-Laurent including tunes from their newly released CD, Dale, Spanish slang for “move it!” as well as selections from the standards. “The guys and I are familiar with a large number of standards. We go in and out of some of these songs with as little premedita-
Kevin LebLanc photo
award winning Canadian jazz musicians Jordan o’Connor, left, Eric st-Laurent and Michel DeQuevedo perform at the vernon Jazz Club saturday. tion as possible,” said St-Laurent. Winner of the SOCAN award for Best Original Composition at the Montreal Jazz Festival and The Best Band Award at the Vienne (France) Jazz Festival, St-Laurent has been featured on more than 50 recordings, produced multiple albums, composed scores for short films and theatre, and toured extensively in Europe and Canada. St-Laurent’s style and influences are as var-
ied as his band. “My musical style is a mix of jazz, blues, and Afro-Cuban rhythms. Big influences were Oscar Peterson, Thelonious Monk, Paco de Lucia, Wayne Krantz, and Igor Stravinsky,” said St-Laurent. The trio formed in 2008, when Montrealborn St-Laurent returned to Canada after spending 10 years in Berlin touring with musicians from the German and Scandinavian
music scene. Epoch, the band’s 2010 CD, immediately went on rotation at Jazz FM Toronto and made it to number five on the Canadian College Radio Charts. Their 2011 CD, Ruby, also met with critical success. 2012 was a significant year for the trio, as they embarked for the first time on an international tour with stops across Canada, Germany, and Holland. St-Laurent is pleased to be touring again. “I always look forward to tours because it’s the best opportunity to connect with audiences and play music every night. Come and listen to the music,” said St-Laurent. Born in Mexico, and living in Toronto, DeQuevedo has been playing drums and percussion since he was a child. Known for his fiery solos, DeQuevedo has toured extensively with celebrated artists like Grammy winner Julieta Venegas, Random Order, and Zoe Bentley. Cofounder of the multimedia production company The Breath, O’Connor has been living in Toronto, performing with musicians such as Don Ross and Louis Simao. Also a composer, O’Connor recently wrote the score for Carolyn Hurren’s film Yeah, Whatever’ Girl. The Eric St-Laurent Trio takes the stage at the Vernon Jazz Club, 3000-31st St. (upstairs from Nolan’s Pharmasave) Saturday at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. and tickets are available in advance at the Bean Scene and Bean to Cup or at www.vernonjazzclub.ca.