Last week or weekend (time flies so its a tad difficult to keep up with the details!) DANNiEL, OLEX and I met up in preparation for our show at SAW GALLERY for H’ART OTTAWA’S 10th Anniversary Gala Event. Working on a low-key, more acoustic set with these two, I’ve got a short little video of us doing AFTER THE GLiTTER FADES, a STEViE NiCKS tune that I covered on my CD THEY SAY i’M DiFFERENT (2011, Torrid Productions). It’s always a joy to sing this tune with my friends. Check it out here – and be sure to come check us out on May 25th.
Further info on the gala (called Ten pl+s Ten – you can also find it on Facebook):
H’Art of Ottawa is celebrating their tenth anniversary and you’re invited to join us for an exciting evening of art and entertainment !
The folks at SAW Gallery have thrown open their doors and generous friends of H’Art have organized a party on May 25th from 7-10pm. T…he evening will feature live entertainment, a silent and a live auction, some great treats to nibble on, and a cash bar.
But at the center of the event will be the art work that H’Art of Ottawa’s artists have created as a result of workshops put on by 10 of Ottawa’s professional artists. Come and see how their inspiring time at the H’Art Studio has been interpreted in our talented artists’ work….and meet some of the artists who have donated their time and talent to help H’Art of Ottawa build a broader network into the arts community !
Drop in and rub shoulders with Centretown Ward Counselor Diane Holmes, Mayor Jim Watson, and Ottawa-Centre MPP Yassir Naqvi who will be in attendance that evening to wish H’Art of Ottawa success as we unveil our ambitious plans for the next ten years. All proceeds from the evening will go support the programming at H’Art of Ottawa.
Don’t miss a moment of what promises to be an exciting evening of entertainment, fun, friends, and great art.
Please feel free to share this invitation with friends and family…we look forward to welcoming you all!
Lin Rowsell, Executive Director and Jennifer McKay, President of the Board H’Art of Ottawa The Bronson Centre 211 Bronson Ave, Rm 304 Ottawa, ON K1R 6H5
Although I am back in the recording studio and focused on new material, I do have to take a moment and reflect on an album I think many people still need to hear. That album is THEY SAY I’M DiFFERENT and it is my independent debut release, recorded in 2009-2010, released independently last year by Torrid Productions.
At the time I began recording tracks for THEY SAY I’M DiFFERENT, there really was no album to speak of. In fact, CLAUDE MARQUiS (of The PEPTiDES) had me over to record what could have been my one and only track: DOLLY PARTON’S ‘THEY GRASS iS BLUE’. I have always had a strong affection for folk and country music; growing up it’s what I lived on. PARTON’S music is and always has been influential to me, so I took the opportunity to record with MARQUiS on what I initially took as a one-chance opportunity. I’ll never be able to thank MARQUiS enough for that gesture, because once my THE GRASS iS BLUE cover leaked online and I began to share it – I was baffled at the reception it got. I was mostly touched by how many people reached out and shared their connection to me or the beautifully written tune. It was encouraging for someone very shy like me.
From there I began to envision what it might be like to continue working on music: recording it and laying it down in a way that I could extend it to other like-minded people. On top of that, I performed at a few weddings over the summer of 2009 and again, the response I received from the crowds was so positive – how could I not consider pursuing music more?
Enter DANNiEL OiCKLE, founder/producer of TORRiD PRODUCTiONS. Much like MARQUiS, OiCKLE generously invited me into TORRiD PRODUCTiONS as a resident artist, where we developed the idea for a full length grass roots/folk album with original material as well as covers of some of my favorite tunes. OiCKLE is another major force behind what soon became THEY SAY I’M DIFFERENT – and over 2010 we were in and out of the recording studio laying down potential tracks. For someone like me, who was used to singing alone in my living room and playing solely for my cats and boyfriend – the concept of coming into a recording studio and laying down raw music was completely foreign to me. I’ll be honest and say that I have ton of learning to do; although I do consider myself a singer/songwriter – I also know my limitations. Every week OiCKLE and I got together, I used our sessions as opportunities to flex myself and push what it is I think I can do. Before I knew it, we had laid down tracks for all of my original tunes: LONELY BLUE WAVES (i WANT YOU), iLLUSiONS, SAViOUR iN A CAGE, BLUE, SAiL AWAY WiTH ME and THE GENTLEMAN. The results are admittedly mixed but I will say a valuable lesson learned is that much like children, a song needs time to grow and develop into its full potential, and so while I can appreciate that there is major room to grow – these recording are very representative of a certain time and place for me as an individual and artist. They are my first recordings.
These recording sessions at TORRiD PRODUCTiONS were very affirming to me as a musician – and I also jumped on the opportunity to cover some of my favorite songs by other artists. HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU, originally a NEWTON-JOHN number from 1978’s GREASE remains a song close to my heart. It made sense for me to re-work it and present it in a stripped down manner where listeners could hear the beauty of JOHN FARRAR’S lyrics. Additionally we recorded TiLL i GET iT RiGHT , originally a TAMMY WYNETTE song done in the early 1970’s. Her version is a classic that moves me even today – but getting to put my own twist on it as well as include it on THEY SAY i’M DiFFERENT meant a lot to me because the song reflects how I feel myself – ‘If I fly my wings/ and if I try long enough/ I’m bound to learn to fly/ so I’ll just keep on falling in love/ till I get it right’. This is the essence of THEY SAY i’M DiFFERENT.
As the tracks with OiCKLE kept adding up over the year, I was able to return to MARQUiS’ for some additional recording with him. MARQUiS has an ear for music, as is clearly evident in his work with THE PEPTiDES – so having him lend his touch of talent to TOMORROW iS FOREVER and my own PRAiRiE BOY further fueled the reality that I truly was on my way to putting together a full-fledged/full-length album. Wrapping up with MARQUiS we laid down a cover of STEViE NiCKS ‘AFTER THE GLiTTER FADES’, this time he also invited THE PEPTiDES member OLEXANDRA PRUCHNiCKY in to add her beautiful harmony (making it my first official duet), as well as accordion player JUDY JiBB. AFTER THE GLiTTER FADES remains one of the songs people refer to most and I can understand why. PRUCHNiCKY (also a member of TORRiD PRODUCTiONS) and I have continued to work together on numerous other projects since our time on GLiTTER, including OiCKLE’S very own baby, THE CORRUPTiON of FLESH. I think it’s pretty safe to say that I wouldn’t even be involved with CORRUPTiON had I stayed playing guitar in my living room. This goes to show that making THEY SAY i’M DiFFERENT was as much about extending myself to the world as it was about making a folk record.
THEY SAY i’M DiFFERENT may have wrapped up recording at the end of 2010, but a lot of work was put into its release in 2011. Again, I am so thankful for all of the people involved in making this project happen; I have since watched it be received in a way that I really can only be thankful for. We held the CD LAUNCH party at ELMDALE HOUSE TAVERN in July, to which I faced a big fear of public performing. I’ve done a hand full of other live gigs since then; including THE RAiNBOW, BACKYARDS of CHiNATOWN and even played up in Manitoba’s NorVA Centre, where I also had an exhibit of my photography. Ottawa’s Xpress even nominated me and THEY SAY i’M DiFFERENT for BEST ALBUM and NEW MUSiCAL ACT in their October Best of Ottawa 2011 Contest. I’m no fool and never expected for a moment that I would win either category – but it was yet another source of encouragement; someone out there heard potential. Besides, I’ve only just begun!
Everything about THEY SAY i’M DiFFERENT; leading up to it and after wards has been incredibly rewarding. Reviews, although slightly mixed – do indicate to me that any flaws aside (and I do recognize a great deal of flaws) there must be something good. If anything, THEY SAY i’M DiFFERENT woke me up to my own potential. It’s not the sum of who I am but it certainly should be seen as a work in progress.
As I move forward and continue to record new material – I take these experiences with me and strive to evolve even further as a singer/songwriter/performer and artist. Going forward I will take my time and collaborate with like-minded musicians who want a piece of the CC TRUBiAK experience – creating intimate, grass-roots folk and country-tinged music full of hope and optimism. Fortunately for me I have peers like DARREN HOLMES, iSAAC VALLENTiN, JENNY NASMiTH, KETURAH JOHNSON, SHANE NORRiS along for the ride – I can assure you that anything you see from me next will be a labor of love – for if I’ve learned anything from these past two years; take you time and be proud of what you do but always strive to outdo even yourself. Stay tuned!
In the meantime – take a moment to check out THEY SAY i’M DiFFERENT, which you can find on iTUNES here (http://bit.ly/zQFwDg). Below are youtube vids for several tracks, and stay tuned for what will be my first official music video release this spring; I’m currently working on a video concept with TORRiD pals OLEX and DANNiEL for an accompanying video to AFTER THE GLiTTER FADES. It will be beautiful I can assure you!
Singer/composer/instigator and founding member of THE PEPTiDES, CLAUDE MARQUiS is also a Painter and personality extraordinaire – and I ain’t just whistling Dixie. CLAUDE MARQUiS may have been responsible for producing 4 tracks off of my own ‘They Say I’m Different’ but make no mistake – he’s an artist and entertainer in his own right. After 13 or so some odd years of painting and exhibits, MARQUiS essentially traded in the easel and brush, reprogramming himself to make music with THE PEPTiDES; a band named after addictive chemical neurotransmitters.
Thanks in part to a lot of patience and the technology of a home-recording laptop purchased in 2006, MARQUiS was able to transfer his gifted skills as a visionary and painter over to the musical side of arts, spending hours perfecting his craft. By the time 2007 rolled around THE PEPTiDES released ‘I’M A SPY’, followed by ‘StereoStereo’ in 2008. With each album evolving ever so slightly (the band has reincarnated itself by showcasing different vocalists including PAM KAPOOR, DALE WATERMAN, OLEXANDRA PRUCHNiCKY, DAN VALiN, DOROTHEE ROY, MAUDE KOSTiNE, MiCHAEL STEVENSON and DEEDEE BUTTERS) they have particularly found their stride with 2010’s ‘For Those Who Hate Human Interaction’, a 60 minute/25 song concept album that spans copious music styles such as vaudeville, lounge and funk. ‘For Those Who Hate..’ explores the colossal theme of hate but as MARQUiS has said himself, “It’s not about hating humanity, it’s more about hating human behavior”, and with titles like ‘For Those Who Hate Salacious Fame’ and ‘For Those Who Hate This World’, you get the sense that his particular view of humanity – is only part of what makes him interesting and the music worth hearing. There is certainly no doubt that MARQUiS has a narrative of his own and fortunately for us he isn’t shy about sharing it. Original and known for their racy beats, baroque ballads and quirky presence in the Ottawa music scene, they’ve had quite the exciting summer, having played the International Ottawa Jazzfest, The Live Lounge and Elmdale House Tavern just to name a few.
As I’ve said – CLAUDE MARQUiS and I are no strangers ourselves. Wearing only his producer hat, MARQUiS generously invited yours truly into the recording studio in 2009 for what initially started as one-time opportunity to lay down my own music. Well, specifically a folksy cover of DOLLY PARTON’S ‘The Grass Is Blue’. Prior to this, any singing I had done was strictly in the confines of my living room. What MARQUiS did was plant the seed for me to flex my own musical muscles as well as provide a much-needed bridge to communicate with a wider audience. I’ll never really understand why – but I’ll always be grateful and I say this as someone who relates to the narrative MARQUiS presents on ‘For Those Who Hate..’. As much as my own disdain for humanity at times has kept me a relatively introverted misfit, I do also have the desire to extend my hand out to society and have my own voice be heard within the chaos of humanity. The touch he lent to ‘The Grass Is Blue’, ‘Tomorrow Is Forever’, ‘After the Glitter Fades’ and my own ‘Prairie Boy’ certainly added warmth and velvety feel to the album as a whole and are something I’m personally proud of.
Stay tuned for more from THE PEPTiDES as they are gearing up to be a part of the inauguration opening of the new Centerpoint Theatre on September 12. Most importantly you can expect their new album ‘Love Question Mark’ to come out early next summer, and straight from MARQUiS himself he promises “it’ll be packed with non-stop one-hit wonders”! Excited! I am. In the meantime, keep your eyes and ears open for them as they continue to record and revamp their live act.
Also included here is a selection of original MARQUiS Photos, taken in the Summer of 2005 – followed by the FOR THOSE WHO HATE SALACiOUS FAME video.
The night in general was FANTASTiC – and full of many wonderful memories. First I would like to thank everyone who was able to come out that night in support of me and the album. From my long time Ottawa boys, to all my friends and co workers – and everyone in between : I’m grateful for the crowd of devoted people who were able to make it. The energy brought into the show was magnificent. To see the faces of my friends and loved ones was especially calming before the show itself, as leading up to it I was filled to the brim with nerves and anticipation! A special thanks has to be given to the following :
My sister EBONY and JAMES - I thank you for making a pit stop in Ottawa on your travels. Just having my sister in the audience made me feel a certain ease - the embrace you gave after the show is etched in my memory.
DANNiEL OiCKLE and OLEXANDRA PRUCHNiCKY - I have to thank you both for the time and energy you both put into not only the album, but the night in general. I LOVED getting to rehearse with you – we are BiRDS oF A FEATHER and I’m quite looking forward to working on future shows – be it YOURS, MiNE or OURS. You’ve very talented and creative people - WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN MY WHOLE LiFE! In addition to the help with the show, all of the promotional help, such as bringing me on as a guest on ANYTHING BUT VANiLLA to share and discuss the project was incredibly appreciated.
ELMDALE HOUSE TAVERN – Thanks for allowing me to play in such an warm and cool atmosphere. Having previously played there last March before STONEY MARTiNS & THE OUTRiDERS I knew what I wanted and ELMDALE was the place that had it. I felt very at home there and the venue was the PERFECT spot for my music. I look forward to the chance of playing there again sometime!
DERREK PENNOCK - Thank you for your time and work on the event poster. You’re a talented man and the poster was beautiful. My FiRST LiVE SHOW POSTER !
Thank you to ALAiN and JULiE for helping me out in various ways such as greeting everyone at the doors and ensuring they know about the CD. I love you both!
BONNiE FiNDLEY – thank you for being present for such a momentous night, and for documenting it in such great style. You’re an amazing photographer and it has to be said that the photos from the night are greatly appreciated by me. (To check out more about BONNiE and her photography please go to : www.findleyfoto.com ). Check out the following photos:
