Caravan World Rhythms launches its return to live music in Victoria with an all-star showcase of Indigenous guitarists/vocalists from diverse First Nations communities: First Nations—First Strings: An Evening Celebrating Indigenous Guitarists runs April 3 at the Victoria Events Centre.
The evening features award-winning musicians and songwriters Jason Burnstick (Cree), George Leach (Stl’atl’imx), Raven Kanatakta (Anishinaabe/Mohawk) and Marty Ballentyne (Cree). They will be joined by local Vancouver musicians Johnny Walsh on bass and Michael Simpsonelli on drums.
The multi-award-winning Burnstick has won a 2020 Leo Award for Composer of the Year for Best TV Movie, an Indigenous Music Award, and an Aboriginal People Choice Music Award. He’s also been a JUNO nominee twice over his career. Performing on his original vintage 1920s Weissenborn lap slide guitar, he always gains new fans wherever he performs.
Leach, whose soulful voice and guitar playing reflect the beauty of his home territory, has received several awards, including a 2014 JUNO award and three Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards. Leach’s musical style ranges from blues slide to hard-hitting rock and roll.
Joining the stage with these amazingly talented guitarists is Kanatakta of the JUNO award-winning Digging Roots fame. He’s also a songwriter, producer, engineer, film scorer and music entrepreneur. As a teenager, he attended and graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. With ShoShona Kish, his wife and partner in Digging Roots, he has toured in Europe, the US, Mexico, Australia and Scandinavia.
Finally, guitarist Ballentyne created one of Canada’s original Indigenous hard rock bands, Breach of Trust from LaRonge, Saskatchewan. The band has won three awards at the former Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards.
This event will be a truly unique and inspiring offering for our region’s audiences and communities.
Tickets, $25 advance or $30 door, are available online at victoriaeventre.ca.
For more information, phone 778-886-8908, email info@caravanbc.com or go to caravanbc.com.