Wednesday, October 05, 2011

THE YOHAWKS AT VIREE BLUES BOREALE - OCT. 12


A “Larger than Usual” Group at the 14th edition of Virée Blues Boréale


It’s now a tradition: October being the birthday month of one of Virée Blues Boréale’s team members, our gracious hostess, Katrina, has been offered a carte blanche to select the guest artists of our next production. She couldn’t resist choosing a very recent discovery. Indeed, we were appointed judges to the “On The Road to Memphis” competition, sponsored by the Ottawa Blues Society, and were dazzled at the first notes played by that group. The musical arrangements by those perfectly synchronized 9 musicians were a demonstration of the richness of the style they acquired through their many years of career. No need to tell you who won the competition that night ! So, to mark our marvelous Katrina’s birthday, it is our pleasure to present the largest group to perform on Virée Blues Boréale’s stage: The Yohawks.

An R&B/Soul ensemble based in Ottawa, this group is masterfully directed by not one but three “highly experienced” musicians who act as lead singers, combining their voices in an inimitable mix. They are Dave Poulin, who also plays bass, Keith Richardson, also on guitar and Brad Campbell, on guitar as well. They are some kind of extension of the famous D Five group which was so popular throughout the 60s. After performing together for over forty years, as is often the case after many successful years, they dampened their common project to turn to different musical projects and concentrate on their families. Since a few years now, they’re back together, for everybody’s pleasure and, as usual, with Brian Bradfield on drums. They also brought a solid team of renowned musicians with them: Ray Lemaire on keyboards, and an incredible brass section featuring Mark Ferguson on trombone, Dyson Nick on trumpet, Mike Tremblay on tenor sax and Brian Asselin on baritone sax.

With their first album, MPH, launched in 2009, The Yohawks offer a completely original repertoire of R&B of the 60s style with shades of rock and Motown, presented in a very tight ensemble and intensified by a solid and well-balanced brass section.

An experience worthy of yesteryears' large ensemble shows, at Virée Blues Boréale, with The Yohawks, Wednesday, October 12, 2011, at 8h00 p.m., at Le Troquet Bistro Bar, 41 Laval street, in the Old Hull sector of Gatineau, QC.

For inquiries and interviews, please contact Alexandre Petit at: vireeblues@gmail.com.

You can find further information on our guests at:

www.yohawks.com or www.myspace.com/yohawks

You should also visit our own site, which always offers you links to all of our guests’ sites and numerous other interesting information at:

www.vireeblues.ca or www.myspace.com/vireeblues

Join us on our Facebook page under “vireebluesboreale”.


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