April 2 @ 8:00pm: Cafe Deux Soliels, Vancouver, BC

April 3 @ 9:00pm: Fort St. Cafe, Victoria, BC w/ Far West

April 4 @ 7:30pm: Victoria Folk Club, Victoria, BC

April 7 @ 7:30pm: The Dream Cafe, Penticton, BC

April 8 @ 8:00pm: Jogas Cafe, Grand Forks, BC

April 9 @ 9:00pm: Velvet Underground, Nelson, BC

April 10 & 11 @ 8:00pm: Auditorium Hotel, Nanton, AB

April 12 @ 9:00pm: Henotic Lounge, Lethbridge, AB

April 14 @ 7:30pm: Mortlach Concert Series, Mortlach, SK

April 15 @ 8:00pm: Brandon Folk Music & Art Festival Studio, Brandon, MB

April 16 @ 7:30pm: Solid Grounds Cafe, Lorette, MB

April 17 @ 10:00pm: Times Changed High & Lonesome Club, Winnipeg, MB

April 18 @ 8:00pm: House Concert, Falcon Lake, MB

April 19 @ 9:00pm: The Apollo, Thunder Bay, ON

April 21 @ 8:00pm: Urban Cafe, North Bay, ON

April 22: Venue TBA, Toronto, ON

April 23 @ 8:00pm: Grumpy’s Bar, Montreal, QC

April 25 @ 8:00pm: Divant Orange, Montreal, QC w/ David Simard

April 27 @ 8:00pm: The Spill, Peterborough, ON w/ David Simard

April 29 @ 8:00pm: House Concert, Guelph, ON

April 30 @ 9:00pm: The Local, Toronto, ON

May 1 @ 7:30pm: Little Montreal, Sudbury, ON

May 5 @ 9:00pm: Bushwakkers Tavern, Regina, SK

May 6 @ 10:00pm: Lydia’s, Saskatoon, SK

May 7 @ 9:00pm: Track’s Pub, Olds, AB

May 9 @ 8:00pm: Ironwood Stage & Grill, Calgary, AB w/ Oh My Darling!

May 12 @ 8:00pm: Art We Are Gallery, Kamloops, BC w/ Texting Mackenzie

May 20 @ 10:00pm: Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, BC w/ The Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra

May 21 @ 8:00pm: Moby’s, Salt Spring Island, BC w/ The Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra

May 22 @ 8:00pm: Centennial Square, Victoria, BC w/ The Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra !!FREE SHOW!!

Burst Into Flower this spring with Fish & Bird!

Fish & Bird are hitting the road once again! These travelers of the highways are reaching far and wide across the country this spring, rousing audiences everywhere they go in their veggie-oil fueled Delica Van. Songwriter and banjo player Taylor Ashton (Winnipeg) and fiddler Adam Iredale-Gray (Victoria) are joined by guitarist Ryan Boeur (Vancouver) and upright bassist Zoe Guigeno (Toronto), rounding out an already irresistable sound with top notch players from across Canada. Don’t miss Fish & Bird in your neck of the woods this spring!

Fish & Bird’s relationship with folk music is a little complicated. Their love for old-time and folk traditions comes from deep in their hearts, but that profound respect doesn’t stop them from showing the genre a little abuse. At the core of Fish & Bird is a partnership between virtuosic multi-instrumentalist Adam Iredale-Gray and singer/songwriter Taylor Ashton, and their musical education stems from playing such diverse styles as Irish music, jazz, garage rock, musical theatre, and old-time. Fish & Bird layer these styles into their traditional roots and stay fresh and unique through their desire to create new and exciting music utilizing all these various influences.

Their self recorded, self-produced, and self-titled debut EP, was released in 2007, to attentive audiences across Canada. Their latest recording, also self produced, recorded and packaged, the full-length “Left Brain Blues”, is a more mature and developed exploration of what happens when the pair’s musical influences collide. In just under an hour, it takes the folk genre for a wild ride through eastern influences, pop rock and traditional roots, while remaining cohesive. It showcases Taylor Ashton’s agile voice, which ranges from a deep bass to a very sturdy falsetto, and the pair’s creative arrangements, as well as a full cast of well known guest musicians.

A live Fish & Bird show comes in many shapes and sizes; from a duo to a five piece full band, and all sorts of configurations between, even switching up instruments among themselves. They have played hundreds of shows, toured the length of the country four times and played loads of close to home shows. They’ve garnered attention from the Canadian Folk Music Awards, and heard themselves on CBC and college/community radio stations across Canada. From the fundraiser for the upcoming 2011 Folk Festival in Victoria, to house concerts, sold out nightclubs and back rooms of cafes, what keeps them getting back on stage night after night is a passion to perform their unique brand of art folk for as many people as they can get to listen. Are you listening?

“There is something about Left Brain Blues that carves a path right to your core in the most intimate way.” ~ Nancy Vivolo, VictoryMusic.org

Fish & Bird’s WEBSITE

Fish & Bird on MYSPACE

Fish & Bird on TWITTER

Fish & Bird on YOUTUBE

Fish & Bird on CD BABY

Left Brain Blues REVIEW on VictoryMusic.org

Lots of great new music this week beginning with a new fave local group, Johnny Tango and their song “Hills.” January’s Band of the Month, Dead Eyes Open sing about the impending Zombie holocaust. Rorschach give a spirited desert/blues sounding jam and the show ends with Vancouver based Beautiful Places and Faces. Thank you for downloading! (Tuesday, January 12, 2010)

Sooth those blues with Heather Blush and the Uppercuts…

Heather Blush and the Uppercuts are braving the snowy mountain roads in January to warm your winter blues with their brand of jazz-infused roots pop. Don’t miss your chance to be impressed by these musical troubadors in action! While you’re shaking your thing on the dancefloor, pick up a copy of the newest album from the group, VERSA, and if you missed it the the last time through BC, you will also want to complete your collection with the acclaimed predecessor, VICE! Contact ModMay Promotions for more information or to schedule press appearances with Heather Blush and the Uppercuts. CLICK THE PICTURES OR LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION!

TOUR DATES Thurs. January 7: The Slice, Lethbridge, AB Sat. January 16: Logan’s, Victoria BC w/The Gruff and the Crooked Brothers Tues. January 19: The Cambie, Nanaimo, BC Wed. January 20: Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan, BC Tues. January 26: Cafe Deux Soliels, Vancouver, BC Fri. January 29: Wild Bistro, Gibsons, BC

The voice of Heather Blush is a gift to the ears. Smooth, sultry and captivating, the sound is somewhere between Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Harmer, and Heather is known for her clever lyrics that cover all bases from witty sarcasm to gutwrenching honesty. Energetic and engaging, the band is instrumentally gifted as well, Heather’s guitar style appears effortless and the trio weaves together musical delights ranging from smoky blues to roots-pop. With the Uppercuts, “Captain” Steve Hazlett on drums and “Cannonball” Shane Sutherland on the upright bass, and both showcasing their own backing vocal skills on some tracks, this trio of friends packs a punch and leaves a lasting impression on every audience they meet.

Following up the success of the trio’s first album VICE, a collection of songs focusing in on various “vices”, Heather Blush and the Uppercuts were stoked to add their follow-up album and antithesis album, VERSA to the repertoire in 2009. Recorded by Rob Smith at Rocky Mountain Recording Studio in Calgary ‘VERSA’ is a little more sunny than its predecessor, while maintaining the bluesy roots pop sound that has brought the band much recognition. With such fun tracks as “Papaya, Papaya”, an upbeat, fruit-laced love song; the fast talking ditty “Restless”, which has been in heavy rotation on CBC’s morning radio; and sweet bluesy numbers like “Speechless”, it leaves listeners feeling intoxicated. ‘VERSA’ also medlies traditional tunes “When You’re Smilin’” and “Smile” and covers the talented Trina Nestibo’s tune, “Baby Its Late”.

Heather Blush and the Uppercuts have had a busy year, touring the country and dipping toes in both the Atlantic and Pacific in May and June 2009, releasing ‘VERSA’ and taking the stage at Central Music Fest, Soulfest and Mountain View Music Fest in July and August. The band attended the OCFF Conference this year as well, as part of the Alberta Showcase, and have also recently showcasedat the Alberta Sessions in Calgary’s Epcor Centre (2006 & 2008), and acted as house band on CBC Radio One’s Homestretch. Appearing on various radio programs and television shows across Canada, being played as far away as Macedonia and the UK, and performing alongside Stephen Fearing, Ray Bonneville, and Maria Muldaur, Heather Blush and the Uppercuts have proven audiences can’t get enough, and they are turning up their volume on the Canadian music scene. Be on the lookout for this smashing group who is sure to make their mark.

CONTACT / LINKS

THE WEBSITE MYSPACE Buy the albums on KERFMUSIC VERSA Review in !EARSHOT