Harvest Media Center
Harvest's 20th Anniversary Winter Blues Series Released!
December 16, 2009
The Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival is kicking off its 20th Anniversary celebrations with the largest and most exciting slate of winter blues shows ever. Five exceptional shows are planned for January through April and include former festival headliners Corey Harris and Debbie Davies, New Brunswick favorites Matt Andersen and Thom Swift and the first show in the Maritimes for Mississippi bluesmaster Lil Dave Thompson. The full schedule includes:
Matt Andersen's IBC fundraiser
Wed, January 13th , Dolan's Pub, 8PM
Lil Dave Thompson
Friday, February 5th, James Joyce Pub, 8:30PM
Debbie Davies
Friday, March 5th, James Joyce Pub, 8:30PM
Thom Swift CD Release Party
March 19th, The Playhouse, 8PM
Corey Harris and the Rasta Blues Experience
Thursday, April 8th, Dolan's Pub, 7:30PM
"We wanted to kick off our 20th anniversary celebrations in style and so we booked a schedule of shows that is the finest that we've ever produced out of season", said festival music director, Brent Staeben. "We're showcasing the best local and international blues talent with a wide range of styles for every taste. We know music fans are going to really enjoy seeing these acts live, right here in Fredericton".
The series begins Wednesday January 13th at Dolan's with the annual Harvest fundraiser for the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Representing Harvest this year will be two New Brunswick stand-outs - Matt Andersen in the solo/duo category and Ross Neilsen and the Sufferin Bastards in the band category. As Neilsen will already be down south recording his next album and is doing shows at Dolans on January 1st and 2nd in support of his trip south, this year's event will feature Matt Andersen in a show that is sure to bring the house down.
Most often compared to the legendary Albert King, Lil Dave Thompson will make a highly anticipated Maritime debut on Friday February 5th. Coming out of the Fat Possum tradition of Northern Mississippi hill country music, there's no one out there performing today like Thompson. He fuses funky beats into twelve-bar blues like no one else and his live energy is a true soul-blues treat.
Best known for her work with Albert Collins, guitarist Debbie Davies took Harvest by storm at the 1998 festival. With 11 albums to her credit, Davies is one of the finest players on the road today. No less an expert on guitar players than the legendary John Mayall says, "Debbie Davies is an exceptional blues guitarist. Hear her now." You should when she returns to Fredericton on Friday March 5th.
ECMA and Maple Blues Award Winner Thom Swift launches his brand new CD in the Playhouse on Friday March 19th, at 8pm. This co-production between Harvest and the Fredericton Playhouse features the release of his highly anticipated second solo album and what will surely be a welcoming home crowd reception for Swift.
The series ends with the biggest show of them all. 2003 Festival headliner, Corey Harris returns with the Rasta Blues Experience on Thursday, April 8th, Dolan's Pub, 7:30 pm. Mixing a considerable variety of influences - from New Orleans to the Caribbean to Africa - into his richly expressive music, Harris has always managed to appeal to a wide spectrum of blues fans, from staunch traditionalists to more contemporary sensibilities. Most in the industry consider Harris the future of the blues and Harvest is thrilled to have him back in Fredericton.
All tickets with the exception of the Thom Swift show are available in person at the Festival office at 81 Regent Street, over the phone at 454-2583, via the Harvest website or TicketPro website at www.ticketpro.ca.
Tickets to the Thom Swift show are available through the Playhouse box office or at www.theplayhouse.nb.ca starting this Monday, Dec 21st.
