THE TAKE with guests BLUE ISLAND TRIO

[keither]

Discover Entertainment Presents

Rhythm & Blues swamp-rockers from Victoria THE TAKE

with special guests BLUE ISLAND TRIO (RAGING acoustic/electric roots & bluegrass grooves)

FRIDAY MAY 27TH

FAIRVIEW PUB

898 WEST BROADWAY

doors at 9:00

The Take: 12:00 - 2:00 am

Blue Island Trio: 10:00 - 11:40 pm

$7.00 at the door

The Take

Hailing from Victoria, BC, The Take are a road-smart foursome with a sound that springs from some of the purest sources in musical history. They're a folky mash of rock & soul, combining the wooden warmth of The Band with the joyous funk of Stevie Wonder... and they wouldn't sound out of place blaring from the riverbank of a southern baptism.

But theirs is not some over-wrought form of bad-idea fusion. The music recalls the lonely moan of Tom Waits and the winsome wail of Rheostatics - it pays homage to The Funk Brothers, too, and Freddy King and Joseph Zawinul - but these musicians make those allusions with clarity & originality, with a focus on sweet playing and tight arrangements.

The Take's work is centered on strong songs, on stories of the road and the sky, of gut-wrenching loneliness and binding camaraderie. Their songs are showcases for road-hardened chops and crafty inventiveness.

Dan Mock can growl with the best of rock's pantheon - he recalls the poignant days of Levon Helm - and his interplay with Chris Van Sickle's backing vocals and deft keys provide some of the combo's most interesting moments. The rhythm section is beyond solid: Ryland Haggis' bass is wonderfully melodic; Brent Norman's kit is the glue; and their abilities are no wonder. They have traversed Canada extensively with Lift & Stephen Franke, headlining at festivals all across the country and opening for bands like Merl Saunders, The Zen Tricksters, Little Feat, Grand Master Flash, Joshua Redman, and more.

Now, outfitted with their first full length LP - The Take are taking it on the road, traversing cold roads to warm receptions, for the joy of the journey, of the jamming, of songs so deep and true.

Blue Island Trio

Steel guitarist Tim Tweedale brought together the Blue Island Trio in Fall 2003 at the behest of a Vancouver ethnomusicologist, who required some Hawaiian music for a Luau. The band was quick to realize a shared passion for bluegrass, jazz, Latin and Indian music. Fusing these styles led to the creation of a sound filled with sweet and sorrowful melodies, compelling rhythms and deep grooves.

In its first year together, the trio has been featured on CBC Radio One’s North by Northwest and Studio One Sessions. They have also played at a number of festivals throughout the lower mainland including the Listen Up! Festival, the Harmony Music Festival, the Dragonboat Festival and First Night.

In January 2004, the group completed its first full-length album, Resonance (available in Vancouver’s independent record stores, and through the group’s website). Currently, the group is busy playing festivals, clubs and gatherings throughout the lower mainland, and working on their second album, set to be released in June 2005.

Tim Tweedale: Steel guitar

Tim Tweedale discovered his propensity for all things stringed with a ukulele at the age of seven. Since then he has added dobro, pedal steel and bouzouki to the gamut of instruments he plays. Tim studied music at Vancouver Community College. While studying jazz guitar, classical composition and world rhythms he worked constantly to apply this knowledge to his first love; Hawaiian steel guitar. VCC was integral in the development of his musical voice, and as a place to meet many other fine musicians.

David Spidel: Double bass

David is a diverse player, adept in many musical styles which range from rock, jazz and Latin music to fusion, hip hop and electronica. David has performed and recorded with Chad Kroeger of Nickelback, Roger Swan of Swollen Members and Sal Ferreras of Safa. He currently endorses Washburn Basses, MarkBass Amplification, and Digitech. Some other current projects include Martone and the West Coast Symphony.

Brendan McLean: Drums

Brendan cut his teeth on the dark-edged stages of Vancouver night clubs at 15 years of age. In his study of music at school, he brought home numerous scholarships for his rhythmic and melodic control of jazz. Brendan has a highly musical style that sees him easily move from jazz to hard rock, from old school funk to new school drum and bass.

blueislandtrio.com