Jodie Ponto Photography

Recently I spent a couple days hanging out in the studio with The Broken Mirrors while they finished recording their debut album at Armoury Studios in Vancouver.

The Armoury is one of the schmanciest studios in the entire city (and not just because of the roof-top patio I spent most of my time there lounging on) — it was originally built by legendary Canadian songwriter Jim Vallance and later served as the home base for rock producer Bruce Fairbairn whose gold & platinum records cover the place in lieu of wallpaper.

The Broken Mirrors’ website lives here: www.thebrokenmirrors.comT

Drew Pellegrin, recording whiz kid extraordinaire.

Days away from going into one of Vancouver’s schmanciest studios to finish recording their debut album, The Broken Mirrors hosted a fundraising soiree at Cafe Deux Soleils featuring the likes of Paul Surjadinata (of Blue Ball Blues, Don’t Drop the Soap in San Quentin, and Buck-A-Slice songwriting fame), Debra-Jean & The Dreams (founding member of Mother Mother and chillingly masterful interpreter of iconic songs), and Pineapple (my current favorite band in Vancouver … But shhhh, don’t tell The Broken Mirrors I said so. Go listen to Pineapple’s songs right now !).

You can listen to The Broken Mirrors’ first 4 tunes from the aforementioned album at this link:  www.thebrokenmirrors.com

You can pre-order the new album via The Broken Mirrors’ Indie GoGo campaign at this link: www.indiegogo.com/thebrokenmirrors

Paul Surjadinata

C.R. Avery & The Madison 22 Revue is what you get when you mix an outlaw harmonica playing beat-box poet, a rock n’ roll band (The Broken Mirrors), and Vancouver’s most smokin’ burlesque dancers (Lola Frost & Cherry OnTop).

C.R. Avery’s website lives here: www.cravery.com

Photos are from Headwater’s album release bash at The Biltmore in Vancouver, BC.  To check out photos from Headwater’s set click here.

Headwater, Vancouver’s most ruggedly handsome folk/roots-turned-pop/rock quartet, celebrated the release of their new album PUSH at a sold out Biltmore bash.

Headwater’s website lives here: www.headwater.ca

To check out photos of C.R. Avery & The Madison 22 Revue getting down rock n’ roll burlesque style click here.

Canadian country legend Corb Lund has a new album coming out in August.  He also has a new website on the way.  If you go to it right now you’ll be greeted with a photo of mine (taken in 2010 at the Spirit Bar in Nelson, BC).

Check out the original photos here.
The new website to be lives here: www.corblund.com

If you ever find yourself lost in mid-winter Vancouver you should head for the CBC Toque Sessions – a series of all-ages concerts that feature fantabulous musicians and are cheap as free.

Yesterday I caught Frazey Ford in CBC’s Studio 40 as she and a 10-piece band previewed some of the new tunes from her Memphis Project.   You may know Frazey Ford from The Be Good Tanyas or her solo album Obadiah, but what you may not know is she recently recorded with Al Green’s original back up band (The Hodges Brothers) at Willie Mitchell’s Royal Studios in Memphis.

If you’re looking for the best music currently happening in Canada, you need look no further than Steve Brockley.

Most of the musicians I know have a big fat band crush on Steve Brockley (guitar), Leon Power (drums), and Kevin Bertram (upright bass).  Which is understandable considering they’re quite possibly the tightest trio around and have reached the rare & enviable level where each member of the band is essential to the sound.

That sound I leave up to you to check out, but I will tell you that you should expect to leave their show with an uncontrollable groove in your step and a major case of slush panties.  Steve Brockley’s website lives here: www.stevebrockley.com

(Photos from The Railway Club in Vancouver, BC)

I’m walking on sunshine today in Canada’s coastal rain-hole.
(Vancouver, that is).

This is Third Beach.  It’s somewhere within Stanley Park‘s 1,000 acres.

This is Noah.  He looks like this:

I’ve spent the past few days holed up in my former home sweet mountain bubble (Nelson BC, that is).   Here are a few self-portraits of the end of a beeeyoootiful end of winter beach day.