James Kasper, Victoria singer-songwriter and longtime promoter of Island musicians, will perform a rare solo acoustic show this Thursday at the Zocalo Café and Gallery in Courtenay.
Kasper, who has been producing the Vancouver Island Music Awards since 2002 and is about to launch a brand new community record label, is gearing up for this showcase of his own "roots-noir" tunes.
Kasper has been a recording artist and performer since 1995. He grew up on the west coast of the island in Ucluelet and has lived in Victoria for most of the past two decades.
Highlights of his music career include performing at the same concert as the legendary Ray Charles in 1998 (BCTV's Variety Club Show of Hearts), collaborating with current and former Blue Rodeo members Bob Egan and Bob Wiseman, releasing four full-length albums, touring Canada on four occasions, releasing an award-winning music video for his song The Gospel, and being named Hardest Working Person in Local Music at Monday Magazine's 2008 M Awards.
Of Kasper's music, exclaim! magazine says, "With the burning wail of his harmonica and his smoldering lyrics, Kasper artfully wrenches empathy from listeners. The noir side adds depth of character and individuality to his music, helping to distinguish him from the thousands of other singer-songwriters in the country roots genre."
James Kasper plays solo this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Zocalo Café. Admission is by donation.
CDs and T-shirts will be available. Preview Kasper's music at jameskasper.com.
— Zocalo Café