Meet Zak Colbert

Charles and I walk into one of our watering holes (The Ports) and I show my poster to the barman and ask if I can put it up on the wall. The barman takes a look at the poster, there is a big photo of the singers-Miss Emily, Jamie Campbell, Doug Reansbury-and smaller headshots of James Wannamaker (sax), Duncan Holt (drums), Ken Hall (keys) and bass player Zak Colbert. The barman, Rick, smiles and says to me, “Little known fact – I used to play bass-and you know, everyone who found that out asked me exactly the same question, 'Oh, you play bass?! Do you know Zak Colbert?'”

Zak is a musician's musician. He has backed Georgette Fry, Ila Van, Sam Hopkins, and innumerable others. Zak was a founding member of Ghetto Express. He is a consummate player, accompanying any genre on his six string fretted bass. Fittingly, one of Colbert's favourite songs in this latest musical offering is Carole King and David Plamer (Steely Dan)'s 'Jazzman”.

Jazzman Colbert can be seen this Saturday, May 5 at 7:30pm performing “You've Got a Friend” at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church 130 Clergy St. E @ Princess. Parking is on Queen in the same block as the church. Tickets $25 for You've Got a Friend are available in advance at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3356784 or at the door on the night of the show (cash only at the door).

Meet Doug Reansbury

photo (c) 2018 Vanessa Head

Doug Reansbury is a household name in Kingston. He is a feature artist at The Stonewater Pub, and on the Island Star dinner cruises who plays soft acoustic rock, mainly hits from the 60's and 70's. His latest gig, singing the music of James Taylor and Carole King with Miss Emily, Jamie Campbell, Zak Colbert, Ken Hall, Duncan Holt, and James Wannamaker is right in his wheelhouse.

“You've Got a Friend” , written by King, was James Taylor's best-selling recording and it is the perfect name for their new show. Reansbury loves the simple/sublime guitar intro to the song, and his co-performer, keyboardist Ken Hall, happily recommends Doug's interpretation of James Taylor's songs. “He's remarkable,” says Hall, “his James Taylor songs are out of this world.”

You can catch Doug and his friends on Saturday May 5 @ 7:30pm, at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, 130 Clergy Street East (Clergy at Princess)/ Parking is on Queen in the same block as the church. Tickets $25 for You've Got a Friend are available in advance at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3356784 or at the door on the night of the show (cash only at the door).

Meet James Wannamaker

Sometimes, when everything is going right in a performance – everyone is in the pocket- a tune will hit the next level. For saxophonist James Wannamaker, that is an amazing feeling.

James has been a staple in Kingston for many years – a known sax man playing with groups like Filet of Soul, Jenica Rayne, and The Downtown Trio. Drummer Duncan Holt invited him to play in “You've Got a Friend” with Miss Emily, Doug Reansbury, Jamie Campbell, Ken Hall, and Zak Colbert doing songs of Carole King and James Taylor. King's songs lend themselves to sax, and Natural Woman has a fun solo for Wannamaker, and he enjoys chilling and listening to the rest of the band play the James Taylor tunes.

Like all good musicians, James is busy! He has a performance at Homegrown Live with Michelle Kasaboski in the same day that he will perform with Holt and the band for You've Got a Friend, and he plays at Olivea every second Tuesday, with The Downtown Trio.

You can see James' newest venture “You've Got a Friend” live in the beautiful sanctuary at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church 130 Clergy St. East (at Princess) this Saturday May 5 7:30 pm. Tickets $25 for You've Got a Friend are available in advance at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3356784 or at the door on the night of the show (cash only at the door).

Meet Miss Emily

Imagine an idyllic summer day. You are eight years old and you are with your best friend at her cottage in Prince Edward County. On the radio, James Taylor's velvet voice sings a song of love and loss-“Fire and Rain”.

Miss Emily,  2018 (photo cred. Vanessa Head )

Imagine a disc on constant rotation in your household. Every song is a hit- “Natural Woman”, “Beautiful”, “So Far Away”- and a woman's voice fills your ears with earthy passion, and longing. Imagine singing along, trying to express the soul of the singer with your own small frame; trying to impart the wisdom of the words with your young being.

These songs have such an impact that years later, you recall the moments, the place, and the company you kept when you listened to them.

If you have heard Miss Emily's raw, bluesy vocals, it is not hard to imagine that the artists who created those songs have influenced her music.

Miss Emily is, herself, a passionate artist who brings energy to everything she does. She is a huge fan of Carole King, “My favourite Carole King song is actually... the entire Tapestry album! I can’t choose one. I’m such a fan.” so when keyboardist Ken Hall asked her if she would be interested in performing songs of Carole King and James Taylor, she jumped at the chance.

Miss Emily, Doug Reansbury and Jamie Campbell front an all-star band with bass player Zak Colbert, James Wannamaker on sax, Ken Hall on keyboard, and drummer Duncan Holt.

Kingston audiences can see Miss Emily, Doug, Jamie, and the band performing her much-loved Carole King and James Taylor songs this week on Saturday May 5 at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, 7:30pm. Tickets $25 for You've Got a Friend are available in advance at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3356784 or at the door on the night of the show (cash only at the door).

Miss Emily's next performance is a fundraiser for Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto on May 16. Catch her in Kingston while you still can!

A Little Princess-Theatre for the Whole Family

Bottle Tree Productions presents a stage adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's children's classic; A Little Princess. Starring Emily Flake, Martin Fobert, Fiona Beech, Lynn Kerr Sid Anjilvel and Catie Parks and directed by Charles Robertson, this play will tug at your hearts strings. The play runs at the St Andrews Presbyterian Church at 130 Clergy St. Kingston, ON from Dec 14-16 and you can get tickets online at the Grand Theatre website, or in person at the box office or by phoning  613-530-2050.

A Little Princess is adapted from the children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett,

Born in India, Sara Crewe is a privileged student at a prestigious private school for girls in London in the late 19th century. Her doting father is a wealthy captain in the British army. When Sara's mother passes away, her grief-stricken father acknowledges that he can't look after her properly and takes her to London to Miss Minchin's private school. He insists that nothing is to be denied his little girl. He will spare no expense to make sure she is well-looked after. Though she is treated as a little princess, she is kind to everyone and especially the unfortunate scullery maid; Becky.

When her father suddenly dies, Sara's fairy-tale existence comes crashing down. She is left an orphan, without relatives or money. She is forced by the cruel Miss Minchin to work as a servant in the school with little food or rest and without pay. The only other option would be to beg on the streets. She and Becky live side by side in the rat-infested attic of the school.

A mysterious neighbour then moves in next door to the school and brings with him, redemption, forgiveness and salvation. A story that will tug at the heart strings and uplift the spirits of young and old alike.

A perfect Christmas story for the whole family.