Mark your calendars for March 5 when Brodie Dawson, recently nominated for Island Wide Act of the Year by the Vancouver Island Music Awards, will perform at the Mex Pub.
As featured performers of the 1st Tuesday Fundraisers monthly concert series, Brodie’s ensemble includes the multi- talented John Hughes on guitar and vocals, “funkmeister” Darryl Milne on bass, and the ‘bang-on’ beats of Jacob Gregory on percussion.
Brodie’s musical style has been called “a mix of soulful ‘folky’ blues with a gospel funk, a twist of pop and a twang of old-school country.”
Admission for the evening’s entertainment is by donation, with proceeds going to Brodie’s charity of choice, Care-A-Van.
Care-A-Van is an amazing example of what can happen when passion meets compassion. The mobile health unit provides free health care services to people in the Comox Valley who are homeless or at risk of becoming so.
It’s a program that was started in 2009 by health professional Helen Boyd, who was recently awarded the BC Community Achiever’s Award. Since that time the Care-A-Van has brought health services to over 700 individuals.
Her vision has attracted participation from 22 other health care professionals, a team that includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, and an optometrist as well as eight volunteer drivers who work year round to deliver on site health care.
For more details about the work of this organization, visit www.comoxbaycare.org.
Admission for the evening is a cash donation (tax receipts from the Comox Bay Care Society will be available) or a non-perishable food donation for the Comox Valley Food Bank Society. The evening begins at 7:30 with an opening set by event organizers Judy and Bruce Wing accompanied by local violinist Blaine Dunaway.
Brodie and her band will follow as the evening’s featured musical guests, performing an evening concert of music from her recently released CD The Lost Tapes.
The story of these lost tapes is connected to Brodie’s rich musical past which began in Hamilton, Ont., where she was immersed in a life of music and the influences of her father Brent Dawson, a successful soul-blues musician who helped to form the grassroots core of the Hamilton music scene.
At 19, Brodie began migrating west and with this, embarked on what would be a well-travelled journey of searching and finding her way. Through her travels, Brodie’s voice graced coffee shops, pubs, clubs, festivals, community events, and radio shows such as CBC North’s Homemade Jam with Norbert Poitras and CBC’s The Vinyl Café with Stuart McLean.
Her musical voyage came full circle in 2000 when she opened for Juno Award winner Ray Bonneville, and ventured to Montreal to begin recording and performing in clubs.
While these recordings were left to simmer, Brodie migrated to Yellowknife for two years to “warm the North,” and eventually returned to the Comox Valley where she has made Cumberland her home.
After 11 years, the lost tapes of her Montreal recordings resurfaced and were mastered to become her long awaited debut CD. It’s sure to be an inspiring evening of great music.
The 1st Tuesday Fundraisers provide an opportunity for local musicians to support local charities. For more information about these events, visit www.judyandbruce.com/foodbank.html or find them on Facebook/1stTuesdayFundraisers.
— 1st Tuesday Fundraisers