The Synergy Foundation is a community-based foundation that blends art with social responsibility. Synergy builds integrated partnerships with local Vancouver charities to support cooperative programming and help sustain community programs. This is achieved by teaching collaborative partnership skills and by putting these skills to practice through monthly and annual events that showcase prominent West Coast artisans. Synergy integrates music, dance, film, spoken word, art, food, and comradeship to celebrate the spirit of culture while strengthening the fabric of community.
Performers Info
Performers 2010
Regular Performers
Yvonne McSkimming is a singer/songwriter who speaks to the heart with lyrics that have been described as innocent and intriguing. She performs a combination of new songs and selected material from her CD, Place of Standing. Yvonne is also one of the founding promoters of JSR. Her vision and passion shine through in her both her music and her work. To contact Yvonne, email ymuzak@telus.net
Beverley Elliott works primarily as an actress in the film and TV industry, but is also an accomplished songwriter with a country/folk flair that can be heard on her CD Yellow Dress. She considers her greatest achievement to be her young daughter Sally. To contact Bev, email bevandsally@shaw.ca
Mark James Fortin has been described as raw, powerful, and dynamic. He performs songs that speak to the heart and mind. He is also a founding promoter of JSR and has been performing locally and internationally with the trio FFM who are known for their driving, tender, often sarcastic and satisfying songs. Mark’s last CD was Two Days in Rexdale. To contact Mark, email markandlorna@telus.net
Show M/C
Denalda Williams "Denny" was born and raised in Burnaby. She is a founding member of Vancouver Theatresports league and worked for Second City during Expo 86. She has done TV, that is mostly boring, except for Six Feet Under and Whose line is it Anyway. She's done lots of movies and commercials, 50th birthday parties and funerals. Her motto is, if you pay, I'll show up. Voice over is her favorite work, because it requires no make up. Her hair is cut by her husband Chris. The gray is courtesy of his kids, Junior and Adam. Her dog Lullabelle....is the cutest dog in the world. To contact Denny, email denalda@shaw.ca
Featured Performers
APRIL 6
Canada’s own Don Alder is one of the best acoustic guitarists in the world, and one of Canada's premiere harp guitarists. His unique style and energetic performances have been called intense, passionate and awe-inspiring – as is his life-long friendship with Canada’s Man In Motion Rick Hansen. Don’s unique style of playing incorporates fingerpicking with simultaneous percussion on the soundboard to create a wall of sound…a unique weave of deeply textured melody and story. Lyrical and compelling, his original songs are notes of exploration – some passionate and haunting, some hard-driven, others light and teasing. In 2007 Don became the first Canadian to win the 2007 International Fingerstyle Championships. For more information about Don, please visit - www.donalder.com
Adam Woodall is a veteran of the urban folk scene and a highly celebrated North Shore Songs From My Parents' House in 2000. Shortly thereafter he formed The Adam Woodall Band, and they have been performing together ever since. They recently released Silver Ring, a brand new independent CD. The new record sees the band moving forward musically, while still honouring their rock, folk, and pop roots. For more information about Adam, please visit - www.adamwoodallband.com
Karen Larson is a talented songwriter that digs deep for her lyrics and turns the personal into the universal, using firsthand incidents as launch pads to an emotional realm familiar to all. She has been performing around Vancouver and Victoria for ten years now with her own penned songs, her guitar and with her talented husband, Pat Covernton on keyboards and harmonies. In that time Karen has been invited to play many songwriter’s shows — Grrrls with Guitars, Afternoon of Music Festivals, Songwriters in the Round — as well as events like the Vancouver Jazz Festival, the Manitoba Stampede, various B.C. Music Festivals, the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. Her debut album 'Fire and Ice' includes some of Vancouver's finest musicians and showcases both her rich, soulful vocals and gift for moving seamlessly between rootsy country-tinged pop and smoldering jazzy blues. For more information about Karen, please visit - www.myspace.com/karenlarsonmusic
MAY 4
As a songwriter, Ross Douglas does not easily fit into one category. He fits into several. Caribou Eclectic - his last album, is an acclaimed and varied collection of songs, several of which have delighted JSR audiences in the past. His new album - The Art of You and I - continues this tradition, with a wide assortment of humorous, touching and unique tunes about love, longing, murder, possession and an unexpected meeting with The Almighty. Yikes! For more information about Ross, please visit - www.rossdouglas.com
Sayde Black is from Vancouver Canada. This woman is an empowering songwriter and musician. Sayde has a voice that is captivating and soulful it inspires others to achieve their dreams. Her ispiriation comes from personal experiences through family, friends and the ins and outs of love. Sayde Black is mind driven and goal oriented. This artist is very versatile in the genres of soul, rockn'roll, acoustic and pop. The sounds of Jewel, Sheryl Crow are beautifully similar to Ms. Black's style. This woman is an all in one package with ability to inspire, positively change someone and to simply to give the determination to give someone the power to conquer anything they desire in their lifetime. Currently receiving airplay on 106.3 FM Aboriginal Voices Radio , 107.9 Fm Evolution Radio and 99.5 CIMM-FM. For more information about Sayde please visit - www.saydeblack.com
Wit, wisdom, womanhood, harmonies & hilarity weave the musical tapestry known as AUGUST. The music group AUGUST combines four award-winning recording artists & singer songwriters: Beverley Elliott, Rae Armour, Meg Tennant & Linda Kidder. When AUGUST comes around, it’s time to kick back, relax, and enjoy the music. They are equally at home on the stage or on the back porch, combining folk, country, bluegrass, and pop. With their sunny blend of harmony, humour, and timeless melodies AUGUST captures the essence of summer’s sweetness and light all year 'round. For more information about August, please visit - www.august.com
JUNE 1
Melanie Dekker exudes passion through her music and performance. Her commercial roots-pop songs and her energetic travel bug have her doing about 100 shows per year (70 concerts per year in Europe and another 30 a year in North America and elsewhere). Dekker’s songs have a cool combination of power and sensitivity. She has two new albums since October 2006 - REVEALED and ACOUSTIC RIDE. Dekker’s feel good single I Said I was top of the charts in Canada and many of her songs have been featured in Films and TV as well. For more information about Melanie, please visit - www.melaniedekker.com
Allison Lickely is a singer/songwriter that charms audiences with her stories and captures them with her songs. Known for her honest, intimate performances, her voice is often compared to those of Joni Mitchell and Sarah McLachlan. Wolf/Furey Productions writes that Allison is a “…painter of musical vistas both tender and sweeping, with a voice as clear and rich as a star-swept Canadian winter sky.” For more information about Allison, please visit - www.allisonlickely.com
JULY 6
A 2002 inductee into the BC Entertainment Hal of Fame, Juno award winner Shari Ulrich’s, finesse on violin, mandolin, flute, piano, sax and dulcimer was first heard in the early 70s with the Pied Pumkin. After 2 years with the "Hometown Band," Shari went on to record six solo albums of original songs as well as two with UHF (Ulrich/Henderson/Forbes) and two with the re-emergence of the Pied Pumkin. She continues to tour and record with the latter two groups, as well as with daughter Julia Graff and saxophonist Bill Runge. She also composes, produces and engineers music for television and documentaries, teaches songwriting, and produces the popular Bluebird North series for the Songwriters Association of Canada. For more information about Shari, please visit - www.shariulrich.com
Canada’s own Don Alder is one of the best acoustic guitarists in the world, and one of Canada's premiere harp guitarists. His unique style and energetic performances have been called intense, passionate and awe-inspiring – as is his life-long friendship with Canada’s Man In Motion Rick Hansen. Don’s unique style of playing incorporates fingerpicking with simultaneous percussion on the soundboard to create a wall of sound…a unique weave of deeply textured melody and story. Lyrical and compelling, his original songs are notes of exploration – some passionate and haunting, some hard-driven, others light and teasing. In 2007 Don became the first Canadian to win the 2007 International Fingerstyle Championships. For more information about Don, please visit - www.donalder.com
Adam Woodall is a veteran of the urban folk scene and a highly celebrated North Shore Songs From My Parents' House in 2000. Shortly thereafter he formed The Adam Woodall Band, and they have been performing together ever since. They recently released Silver Ring, a brand new independent CD. The new record sees the band moving forward musically, while still honouring their rock, folk, and pop roots. For more information about Adam, please visit - www.adamwoodallband.com
OCTOBER 5
Leslie Alexander “Even Dylan would love this,” said View Magazine about music from Leslie Alexander, who grew up on an Alberta sheep farm & couldn't wait to hit the road, make a bunch of mistakes & write songs about them. She wound up singing on a street corner for spare change & does not consider this a mistake. Since then, Leslie’s put out 3 acclaimed independent CDs & toured across North America. Her songs are receiving international airplay on her own recordings as well as cuts with other artists, & have been licensed to television & film. Today, she lives at Nashcroft Manor, a recording studio & artist’s retreat in Ashcroft BC, where she is currently assembling her 4th studio release with BCCMA Producer of the Year John Ellis. For more information about Leslie please visit - www.lesliealexander.com
Robin Toma is a Vancouver based singer/songwriter who is passionate about her craft and has over 15 years experience in music and performing arts - everything from performing in Theatre Under the Stars productions to a regular performer at the Railway and Anza Club. She inspires people to explore their own passion with her sensual raw voice. Robin creates an intimate connection with her audience leaving them in an intriguing way with wanting more. She is currently in the process of finally releasing her first solo CD. For more information about Robin, please visit - www.robintoma.com
Jennifer Hershman is known to have an unmistakable voice,one that pierces the air with a sonic difference. Over the past few years,Vancouver-based Jennifer has thrust herself head first into the industry on a number of levels. Her initial foray into the record music business, after a life of dreams and teenage rock bands was to concentrate not only on performing,but tp position herself as a up and coming songwriting talent. Almost immediately, Jennifer's knack for moody flavoured pop driven songs landed two of her selections in the Chis Isaak show,broadcast in the US,Canada and several international markets." For more information about Jennifer, please visit - www.jenniferhershman.com
NOVEMBER 2
"it is a rarity to find someone this adept at an instrument and who also has such a strong and clear control of their voice, that both individually could move you. Taylor Harp, a singer-songwriter based in Vancouver BC, is one of these people. His voice has a gentle warmness that soothes your soul likt the sun and effortlessly drifts over a blues and rock influenced acoustic guitar littered with subtle inflections that are both well-crafted and perfectly emphasize his soulful laid-back vocal approach". For more information about Taylor, please visit - www.taylorharp.com
Reid Jamieson is a talented Vancouver artist who has a stellar voice and magical way with melodies that makes this perfomer one to watch. A regular on CBC's Vinyl Cafe Reid will also be releasing a new album of all original material in the summer of 2010. "Achingly beautiful songs" - Globe and Mail - "Prepare to be surprised...." - Vancouver Province. For more information about Reid, please visit - www.reidjamieson.com
There are many ways to be born into a life of music. In Vicky Sjohall’s case, music has been a solid part of her foundation since she was very young. Growing up in a house filled with music Vicky fell in love with ABBA, the Beatles, Patsy Cline and Elvis at a very young age, singing harmonies and performing for people at any given moment. Vicky’s passion eventually inspired her to write her own songs, form and manage a nationally acclaimed pop band, tour extensively playing music, and collaborate with artists and projects along the way. For more information about Vicky, please visit - www.vickysjohall.com
DECEMBER 7
A 2002 inductee into the BC Entertainment Hal of Fame, Juno award winner Shari Ulrich’s, finesse on violin, mandolin, flute, piano, sax and dulcimer was first heard in the early 70s with the Pied Pumkin. After 2 years with the "Hometown Band," Shari went on to record six solo albums of original songs as well as two with UHF (Ulrich/Henderson/Forbes) and two with the re-emergence of the Pied Pumkin. She continues to tour and record with the latter two groups, as well as with daughter Julia Graff and saxophonist Bill Runge. She also composes, produces and engineers music for television and documentaries, teaches songwriting, and produces the popular Bluebird North series for the Songwriters Association of Canada. For more information about Shari, please visit www.shariulrich.com
