News

Zubot and Dawson "Chicken Scratch"...a worthy blast from Black Hen's past...check it out!

"With this record, the pair seem to be moving beyond simply impressing other musicians, as each track has a distinct mood, ranging from the obvious joyousness of "Hoedown" to the cool airiness of "Boomer's Hill Road" and leading perfectly into a version of Robert Johnson's "Hellhounds on my Trail". What is most impressive is their diversity. They seem to effortlessly be able to tackle any style and make it interesting. This is obviously the way "folk" music has been able to stay vital. But while many other artists' experiments result in a convoluted mess, Zubot and Dawson's grasp of their abilities allows a lot of soul to come across. It's still instrumental music, but it can stand along side the best work of Bill Frisell or David Grisman." (exclaim magazine)

Get yours today at a discounted price by clicking on the "featured release" album cover at the right of this page.

New Deal of the Week!

For the week of May 29-June 5, 2012 get Jim Byrnes' debut Black Hen album "Fresh Horses" {for $11} by clicking on the 'featured release' album cover on the right of this page...you won't regret it!!

“…Smoldering intensity…deeply soulful…”
British Blues Connection

“…Expressive, dramatic vocals…encyclopedic knowledge of form…”
Joseph Blake, Times Colonist

Old Man Luedecke's Juno award winning album "Proof of Love" is this week's deal o' the week. Follow the link on the right of this page to buy "Proof of Love" this week only for $11.00!

FFWD Weekly Magazine says: "...With an uncommon knack for storytelling and conveying simple emotion, Halifax’s Chris Luedecke is the type of artist whose songs are so solid, they sound 100 years old. There’s nothing flashy about Proof of Love. With arrangements that often incorporate little more than Luedecke’s banjo and a small group of friends, the traditionals interspersed throughout his originals perfectly reflect his simple powers."

Get your copy of "Don't Hurry for Heaven" by Devon Sproule this week only for a discounted price! Click on 'featured release' at the right of this page to access this sweet deal!

"Like a Joni Mitchell or a Rickie Lee Jones, Devon Sproule makes distinctive and uncompromising music that ex- presses her unique sensibility and vision. Her quivery, almost childlike singing hark- ens back to a classic scratchy country record played on a Victrola phonograph." (singout magazine)

This week only!! Jenny Whiteley's critically acclaimed album "Dear" is available at a discounted price! Click on 'featured release' at the right of this page to buy!

"Dear, the third solo album from acclaimed Juno-award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Jenny Whiteley, is a joy to listen to from beginning to end. Accompanied by a range of musicians including Broken Social Scene’s Amy Milan, Joey Wright (who plays with Sarah Harmer) and brother Chris, Whiteley’s clear impressive voice and heartfelt lyrics are displayed on songs which blend traditional folk and roots with more modern elements and sounds. As would befit a former member of bluegrass band Heartbreak Hill, she makes a lovely foray into pure roots music with “Banjo Girl”, but all the tracks are strong, from opening “Lightning”, which puts the listener in mind of Laura Cantrell, to the more country pop of “Take Your Time And Do It Right”. On “Other Side Of Life” her sweet voice is the perfect foil to Jim Byrnes’s gruff country vocal. A beautiful, well crafted collection of songs."

Americana UK

John Boutte will be replaced by Stephen Fearing for Concert #3 at The Electric Owl, which will take place at Vancouver's cozy new venue on Main St.~The Electric Owl.

These shows have been packed with great audiences, so please get your tickets soon, and arrive early to get good seats, and dinner before the show!

Next Concert features Steve Dawson & his stellar house band opening for, and backing up Stephen Fearing on Sunday, May 27th, 2012. See you there!!

Get tickets, and more information here: http://www2.capilanou.ca/news-events/nscucentre/season/black-hen-music.h...

Check out this great review of the Alvin Youngblood Hart/Steve Dawson concert! Thanks to The Georgia Straight for this awesome write up of last night's performance, Concert #2 in the Black Hen at The Electric Owl Concert series....

http://www.straight.com/article-672846/vancouver/alvin-youngblood-hart-l...

Click on "Featured Release" on the right hand side of this page to buy "Everywhere West" for a discounted price, this week only!

"Everywhere West is especially tasty, a rich blues set from folks who love doing blues and know how to do blues right. Most satisfying." — MT (SingOut Magazine)

Here's a new interview with Kelly Joe Phelps in No Depression Magazine by Doug Heselgrave, done while Kelly Joe was in Vancouver making his new record "Brother Sinner and The Whale": http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/blogs/playing-with-all-ten-fingers-...

Presenting Cameron Latimer's "Fallen Apart" as this week's Deal of the Week!

SIMPLY CLICK ON "FEATURED RELEASE" AT THE RIGHT OF THIS PAGE TO BUY THIS CD for 3 dollars off this week only!

Here's a fine review of "Fallen Apart"....

"Latimer's sound is predominantly acoustic and raw with little accompaniment except his guitar. There is a mix of songs that make you want to sit on a stump and have a good cry and others that make you want to grab a partner and head to a barn dance. The album seems to be the story of a heartbroken cowboy lamenting about his loss and other problems in his lonely rancher life. In the end though there is the sense that this cowboy is strong and will have the courage to move on after such devastation and heartache.

The contrast of slow, melodic songs with bouncy, toe-tapping ones makes for a great album. While listening to the album there is a feeling of swaying in your hammock on a lazy summer day or loping along on your horse without a care in the world. If I ever went on a hayride, this would be the music I would bring.

Latimer uses the usual topics of traditional country songs (drinking, hayfields, cattle, heartache) but somehow they feel more heartfelt and wholesome than simply a song about someone shooting his "paw." While Latimer may not be a true cowboy, what matters is that he is a true musician."

(Tessa Perkins~AnEVibe.com)