All in Arts Commons Presents
She has a powerhouse voice admired by music industry giants like Gene Simmons of KISS and Rob of the Tragically Hip. She took home three Maple Blues Awards as the 2020 event, and followed that up with a 2022 JUNO Award nomination. So what's her secret?
Memphis soul trailblazer and legendary musician Booker T. Jones makes a rare Calgary appearance this month to share a showcase of his career highlights as part of Arts Commons Presents’ Jazz series.
The name Booker T. may or may not be familiar to you, but we guarantee that his music has had you grooving on more than on occasion. From decades of radio play to featuring on movie soundtracks, Booker T. and the M.G.’s are history makers.
Test your ear and see if you remember some of these musical moments.
This is how Booker T. Jones, who performs on February 25, 2022 at Jack Singer Concert Hall, starts the penultimate mini-chapter of his 2019 memoir Time is Tight: My Life, Note by Note: “I have at last reached the point in my career where audiences demand my early work. Each show must include Green Onions and a couple of others from that era.”[2] That era is, of course, the classic 1960s period of Stax Records and the definition of the Memphis sound; and yet it’s only one chapter of Jones’ influential career, now in its seventh decade.
When sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson joined a little-known band called Army in Vancouver, BC, it wasn't long before their efforts turned the group into what we know today: Heart. Their debut album Dreamboat Annie was released in Canada in 1975, closely followed by a US release in 1976 to much acclaim, producing hits like Crazy on You and Magic Man. With such a strong start, anyone who voiced doubts over the band was quickly biting their tongues - after all, who doesn't immediately know the lyrics to Barracuda when that iconic guitar riff starts playing?
When The Queen's Cartoonists first came together, they had a single question: is it possible, in the 21st century, to create jazz and classical music that appeals to everyone - no exceptions?
In 1970, three women set to work making the dream for a performing arts centre in Calgary a reality. Today, Arts Commons is a top destination for arts and culture in North America. Learn more about the exciting history of Arts Commons—from the 1988 Olympic Games to the world famous Carthy Organ—and discover what the future holds!
