Bozzini’s presents British artist Martin Harley in his first visit to the Fraser Valley on Thursday, July 14. Joining Harley on this exciting double bill is emerging Montreal artist Beyries.
Harley has a busy festival touring schedule, soon to appear at the Winnipeg, Vancouver, Calgary and Canmore folk festivals.
Though he has a burgeoning global reputation, this guitarist, singer and songwriter’s music is deeply rooted in the blues of the Mississippi Delta.
Harley’s eagerly anticipated album Live at Southern Ground (2015) was recorded in Nashville in collaboration with Daniel Kimbro on upright bass, who will be joining him in Chilliwack.
“Daniel and I met in Knoxville through a mutual friend. He handed me his card which read, ‘Alright guitar player… good upright bass player,’ – an understatement on both parts.”
The album is a mixture of solo and duo arrangements recorded in an afternoon at the esteemed Southern Ground studio. It features Martin on Weissenborn, a traditional Hawaiian acoustic guitar played across the lap, resonators and archtops, and Kimbro on upright bass.
“It’s a simple, honest and direct album with no overdubs in a warm sounding room with some great microphones and two new friends,” Harley said. “There’s a great feeling when you click with someone. It frees you up to experiment with the arrangement and the dynamic of a song.”
Live at Southern Ground follows Harley’s five previously acclaimed albums, including Mojo Fix (2012). Over many years of international touring and countless festivals, Martin has built a strong fan-base across the globe.
Renowned for his prowess as a slide guitarist, he’s absorbed a plethora of diverse influences, honing his craft into the classic songwriting style he possesses today.
In the United States, Martin has headlined Music City Roots in Nashville and toured coast to coast with ZZ Ward, Delta Rae and opened for Iron and Wine, Bruce Hornsby, and Five for Fighting, amongst many others.
Beyries is a singer-songwriter and self-taught musician born in Montreal, with a peaceful vocal strength and comforting melodies.
She took refuge at an early age in the beauty of her family piano which became a reassuring and immersive soundtrack for her childhood. Several years later came the desire to share and convert the vestiges of her past into lyrics and melodies.
The result is soft and intense music that is touching and captivating. Without pretension, her songs bring people together with their universal and timeless themes.
Martin Harley and Beyries perform at Bozzini’s upstairs lounge July 14 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 at Bozzini’s (45739 Hocking Ave.) or by phone at 604-792-0744.