Folk at The Cafe

Presented by Mill Race Folk Society

The Swamp Ward Orchestra (Alison Gowan, Jan Le Clair, Laura Murray) transports audiences into long-ago faraway worlds with dance tunes from France and Eastern Europe played on an unusual collection of instruments: accordion, hurdy-gurdy, cello, whistles, banjo, and double bass.

Their signature high octane sound is a mixture of drones, flashy accordion riffs and driving bass but they often switch to the sweeter sounds of Parisian waltzes and Klezmer laments and their repertoire also features quirky and macabre traditional and cabaret songs from Québec and France.

An all-woman band, the Swamp Ward Orchestra brings a splash of glamour and spirit to any stage.  Named after a downtown neighbourhood in Kingston  Ontario, the Orchestra was formed in 2004.

Festival gigs have included the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, the Mill Race Festival of Traditional Music in Cambridge  Ontario, the Skeleton Park Music Festival in Kingston, the traditional French music festival Chants de Vielles (near Montreal), and the Blue Skies Festival.

The Orchestra has toured in Quebec and plays frequently at various local venues and events including the Pumpkin Pie Music Series, the Mansion, and Theatre Kingston’s Moveable Feast.

In 2007 they released their debut CD, Donkey Boy and in spring 2009 they followed it with an EP, The Pine Street Sessions.

March 26th 8PM

Admission $15

519.621.7135

Galt Room Cafe 13 Cambridge Ontario

PREVIEW

CONOR GAINS BAND PLAYS CAFE 13 Saturday March 13th
CAMBRIDGE, ONTARIO

Following three successful performances last month the ‘new’ Conor Gains Band returns to Cafe 13 on Saturday March 13th for a night of rockin’ blues.

The trio consisting of 16 year old guitar prodigy Conor Gains, drummer Vic Freitas, 37, and Jeremy Patey, 33, on bass, played the London Music Club on January 16th earning a standing ovation from the near capacity crowd.

Two weeks later it was a similar scene at The Boathouse in Kitchener where the band played three highly energised sets to warm applause. Finally on Sunday January 31st the band were guests at The Groove Kitchen and played a four song set for a recorded national radio pilot.

“I love playing at Cafe 13,” Gains says. “It’s where I first started playing in front of an audience at the weekly blues jams. And, I have always felt support from the crowd there.”

Gains was 12 when he first began playing at the Cafe 13 jams. These days the audience is much larger with most tickets sold well in advance.
The show begins at 9:00 pm and will consist of three sets ending roughly at midnight. Gains has been writing material of his own and recently collaborated on a song with Grammy award winner Dan Hill. He has included that piece in the show.

Since then his career has picked up. On May 11th of last year Gains was invited to play with the legendary Les Paul at New York’s Iridium Jazz Club. He has also played at clubs in Nashville, Memphis, Cleveland, Toronto and Montreal.

Tickets for the Cafe 13 show are now on sale for $10 each.
For More Information:
Cafe 13 (519) 622-1799
Paul Gains: pgains@golden.net

A year after an electrifying performance at the London Music Club the Conor Gains Band returns for a show on Saturday January 16th.

The Conor Gains Band takes the LMC stage at 10:00 p.m.

A native of Cambridge, Ontario, Gains, now 16, has thrilled audiences across North America having played with the B.B. King’s All Stars at B.B. King’s in Nashville and Memphis when he was just 14. In September 2008 he performed with the Healey’s Roadhouse Band in a tribute to the late Jeff Healey.

Last spring while still 15, Gains was invited to New York’s Iridium Jazz Club to perform with the legendary Les Paul. It was to be one of Paul’s last shows.

Promoters have been full of praise for Gains, who has been busy writing original material when he is not performing.

“Conor was great that night,” said Craig Laskey, Talent Buyer for The Horseshoe, after the Conor Gains Band performed at the legendary Toronto club. “Everyone who saw the set is raving about him.”

Says Pete Denomme, owner of the London Music Club: “Conor Gains is a very talented young guitarist who plays with a passion and maturity most often found in older accomplished players.”

For the January 16th show at the London Music Club, Gains brings an entirely new rhythm section. Vic Freitas, 37, is a renowned drummer from Cambridge who has played professionally for twenty years at clubs and festivals across Canada, South America, Portugal and France.

Jeremy Patey, 33, is a versatile bass player also from Cambridge, Ontario. He counts playing with the legendary Inkspots at Hamilton Place one of his highlights.

London band Hurtin’ Merv and the Pain Killers are also on the bill. Tickets are $5 at the door.

For More Information:

London Music Club (519) 640-6996

470 Colborne St.

Paul Gains: pgains@golden.net

PREVIEWS
CONOR GAINS: SOLO AND UNPLUGGED

Sixteen year old singer/songwriter Conor Gains will perform a solo, acoustic show at Galt’s Grand Cafe on Saturday, December 12th from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

This intimate concert will feature many of Gains’s original songs as well as popular covers. The last time he performed here the small venue was filled with music fans who saw another side of the music prodigy.

Best known for his electric guitar prowess Gains has performed blues/rock concerts across North America. Many of these shows have been sold out.
Most notably Gains has performed as a guest of the legendary Les Paul at New York’s Iridium Jazz Club and as a guest of the Healey Roadhouse Band in a tribute to the late Jeff Healey.

At the age of 14 he also played with the B.B. King’s All Stars at B.B. King’s clubs in Nashville and Memphis. During the past few months Gains has been focusing on his impressive songwriting talents.

Tickets for Conor Gains “Solo and Unplugged”  are now on sale at a cost of $5 each and are available at the Grand Cafe, 18 Queen’s Square, Cambridge.

For More Information:
Grand Cafe (519) 624-8363
Paul Gains: pgains@golden.net