P.S. Take a look at how I spent my summer:

Are you ready to Raise The Music?

“Raise The Music” is being held at Belgo on the 6th of August and is a night of great local music in support of the organization, “Raising The Village”, which tackles extreme poverty in Uganda. (raisingthevillage.org)

Confirmed to perform at “Raise The Music” are:

- Candelora: candeloramusic.com
- The Active Light: theactivelight.com

The event is being ticketed at $20 for advance purchase and $25 on the night. All proceeds go directly to “Raising The Village”. Purchase advance tickets at raisethemusic.eventbrite.com

The first studio date has been set for the Overture music original song recordings. I will be booking hourly slots from 12 to 9 pm this Saturday June the 11th. The event will take place at Westrook Community Church, 20 minutes North of Cochrane on Highway 22.

All songs will be recorded using Pro Tools, studio microphones, and quality preamps to ensure a reasonable sound quality. An hour is really only enough to do a quick live recording, but it is enough time to experience what it’s like to be in a studio environment. Recording original material in the studio has always been one of the most exciting aspects of being a musician for me, and I’m excited to share this with all of you.

This year, the recital will be taking place on the second-floor of the Toyota dealership on River Heights Drive.

The Date is set for Saturday June the 18th. There will be a pot luck luncheon at 1 pm, and the recital will begin at 2:30.

I am very excited for The Active Light EP release, which was recorded in a few weekend escapes out to Salmon Arm. It was fun working with producer Jesse Clarke on this project and was a very exciting first chapter for the band. We plan on focusing on our live gigs and recording a full length album here in Calgary. CDs are now available for 5 dollars, here is a sample from the EP.

01 Caravan theactivelightsample

More info and music is available at theactivelight.com

Overture Music is now doing guitar work and repairs and is offering incredible discount rates to students. Having a guitar that feels comfortable and plays effortlessly is possibly the most important thing for a player’s progress. Services include restringing, complete setups, fret dressings, and all sorts of wood work. Also, an online shop will be available and will include all sorts of guitar accessories.

All details are available under the Pricing section.

One question I always get from students during our first lesson is, “do you play in a band?” I’m happy to announce that the answer to this question is now ‘yes’. The new project I’m in is called “The Active Light.” Music and links to our website will be launched very soon. I’ve also started and instrumental side project with Calgary guitarist David Andrew Wiebe called “Shoestring Fusion.”

It’s been a blast getting on stage again and meeting talented local musicians. From these experiences I’ve come up with the idea to start a podcast which will include interviews and improvised recordings with local artists. A link to the podcast which will be called “The Sonic Lounge” will be available soon.