“Amazing Voices” open city’s summer series

BILL HENRY
Sun Times staff
Amazing voices, singing blues, rock, folk, jazz, country and more, will start another season of Sunday night free concerts at the harbour in Owen Sound.
The launch show June 10 at the Legion, with the popular MacKenzie Blues Band, is the only ticketed event, to help support the series. It features the MacKenzie Blues Band’s Tara MacKenzie, who had a hand in selecting the other diverse vocalists for Amazing Voices.
They include the veteran power rocker Hans Langedyk, Anna Horvath, who writes and performs her own folk songs as Merival and sings with First Rate People and Kildear, trained vocalist Jamie Smith of Owen Sound, whose repertoire includes celtic ballads, show tunes, jazz and bossa nova, and 13-year-old Brontae Hunter, of Kincardine, who is already a Summerfolk veteran.
“She’s a real vocalist. That’s her instrument and she has a very powerful, strong voice and has an unusual passion for her music,” Tara MacKenzie said.
With his “huge and powerful, big rock voice,” Langedyk is a tenured rock pro, living in Jackson. He’s toured with Labyrinth and Fallen Angels and is known now locally for performances with Dirty Mack, which includes The Mackenzie Blues Band’s guitarist Trevor MacKenzie.
Doors open at the legion at 7 p.m. and tickets are $12 at the door, $10 in advance at Fromager Music, The Ginger Press Café and Bookstore, Mr. Inkbee Grey-Bruce, and SunSpa.
The weekly Harbour Nights concert series, most on Sundays, start June 17 at the west harbour area beside the visitor centre. All shows are free, with donations encouraged, and start at 7 p.m. They include;
* June 17 -Father’s Day special features local, well-known musical dads and their grown-up children, with John and Linsey Beckett of The Beckett Family, Martin and Jeremy Cooper, Ken and Levi Dow, Larry and Kate Dickinson, Kevin and Katie Dandeno.
* June 24 -Blues rocker Erin McCallum and her band.
* July 8 -Jazz guitarist Jamie Ruben and his trio.
* July 15 -Local band Wakin’ Up Johnny, blues and rock.
* July 22 -Venerable local duo Larry Jensen, singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboard player Rob McLean.
* July 29 -Coco Love Alcorn, acclaimed jazz, soul and folk-influenced singer-songwriter now living in Owen Sound.
* Wednesday, Aug. 1 -Guitarist Paul Danard with former students Carey Worrod, Gavin Gardiner, and Cory Mayne, drums, and Archy Hachy, keyboards. Rock, blues and jazz.
* Aug. 5 -Beggars Road returns with traditional Celticinfluenced original songs, with pipes, fiddle, guitars, drums, bass and powerful vocals.
* Aug. 12: Summerfolk preview. The stars of tomorrow shine from the Harbour Nights stage.
bill.henry@sunmedia.ca