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November 13, 2021
Maria Dunn
$20 per ticket
Twice Juno-nominated songwriter Maria Dunn draws deeply on the folk tradition of storytelling through song. Melding North American roots music with her Scottish-Irish heritage, her new album Joyful Banner Blazing (2021) celebrates resilience, grace, gratitude, solidarity, joy and the love that fires our actions to make the world a better place. Her previous recording, Gathering (Nominee – 2017 Juno Award, Nominee – 2017 WCMA, Winner – Edmonton Music Prize), highlights positive stories of courage and activism, both local and global. 2012’s Piece By Piece (Nominee – 2013 Canadian Folk Music Award) pays tribute to immigrant women working at a Canadian clothing factory and 2004’s We Were Good People mines the vibrant people’s history of Western Canada in the early 1900s. Maria’s other independent albums include the more broadly themed The Peddler (Nominee – 2009 CFMA), For A Song (Nominee – 2002 Juno Award), all produced by Shannon Johnson (of Juno-winning band The McDades).
Edmonton-based, Maria has developed and toured four multimedia people’s history shows, On The River (with Indigenous women’s trio Asani), Packingtown, GWG: Piece by Piece and Troublemakers: Working Albertans, with videographer Don Bouzek. Maria also performs (solo, duo, ensemble) at festivals and theatres in Canada, Europe (UK, Ireland, Netherlands) and USA. Media features include: Bravo TV (The Carol Project), CBC National Radio (Sunday Edition), CKUA Alberta, BBC Radio Scotland. Her songs are published in the Rise Again songbook, Sing Out! and Penguin Eggs magazines and recorded by other artists including Niamh Parsons, The Outside Track, Bob Bossin.
www.mariadunn.com
November 28, 2021
Cristian de la Luna
$20 per ticket
The musical universe of Cristian de la Luna is a home where everyone can come together. Mi casa es tu casa (My home is your home). Home is where the heart is, and music is in his heart. His music is heat and light. His words are invitations to celebrate and be grateful. His rhythms are those of the heart and the simple pleasure of life. His universal message is to live in the present moment.
Cristian: nomadic troubadour and polyglot, he sings in hopes to bring people together. Colombia to Edmonton via the Lac Saint-Jean or Winnipeg, Cristian de la Luna is at home everywhere. His door is always open.
Cristian de la Luna was born in Colombia. He grew up in the noisy bustle of “Cumbia”, “Porro” and “San Juanero”. He played in a traditional Colombian music ensemble: a “papayera”, where he lighted upon the unalterable passion of his life: the music.
When he landed in Canada, he started to write songs inspirited sometimes by nostalgia sometimes by the excitement. The troublesome story of his exile from Colombia and the adoption of his new life, shaped this “new wave» Canadian.
As a culturally diverse polyglot and human rights activist, Cristian seeks with his music, promoting the unification of races and religions, crushing divisions, and dismantling the chronic neglect of those who stop dreaming.
De La Luna received a nomination to the Western Canadian Music Awards in 2013 for his album, “Puede ser” propelling him and his former band “La luna de Santiago” to various music festivals around the country. He was also recognized in the province’s most important Francophone song writing and performing contest: Polyfonik24. Where he was honoured to represent Alberta at the prestigious Western Canadian competition «Chant’Ouest» in Victoria, British Columbia. In 2017, he’s awarded the prix RGE-RADARTS and selected to do an Eastern Canada tour. De La Luna has showcased at the Alberta Showcase, Contact Ontario, Breakout west, Contact Ouest, among national Showcases and festivals: Surrey Fusion festival, Calgary Mexifest, St Jean Baptiste Festival (Ottawa) Coup de coeur Francophone (Montreal).
De La Luna’s new album “Sabes” released late 2018, was awarded Latin Recording of the year at the Edmonton Music Awards 2018 (EMA) and was nominated for the Canadian Folk Music Awards 2020 (CFMA) among other local Nominations, Cristian has been nominated Emerging Artist at the St Albert’s Mayor Celebration of the arts 2018-2019. De La Luna’s West Tour was at the begging of 2020 and two dates interrupted by the pandemic.
About his album Sabes
Sabes is a dance that rides on syncopated rhythms and catchy melodies of latin-pop and that inspires universality, love and hope where De la Luna gives us a glimpse into his path as a new wave Canadian. Cristian brings to light the adventurer who carries the cultural richness of his country but has deepened new roots here in Canada.
On the musical side, we hear a great fusion between Afro-Caribbean (cumbia, socca-calypso, bossa) and Funk and Pop. Some of the tracks, just as the title song Sabes, are rhythmic and dancing. Others, for instance Corazonsito mio, emphasizes on the rich and neat arrangements, with brass and strings. Still others, such as Mira fue, vibrate on the poetic lyrics and exuberant melodies.