Melanie has had opportunities to travel the world with her music,
both as a solo musician and as the front person for a number of jazz
ensembles. This work has taken her from Asia to the Middle East, and
to Europe, where every venue became as familiar as her living room. |
| Many of Melanie’s favorite spots were in Asia.
They included a group of Irish bars and pubs in Japan, as well as
the busiest night-life center in the world, at Roppongi in Tokyo.
It was at this time that Melanie began a working relationship with
the Kanon label, a record company in Japan with which she completed
two full albums as well as several compilation albums. |
| One of her most exciting gigs in Japan was being a
part of the Tokyo Celtic Festival. Melanie had more than “One
Night in Bangkok” at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Thailand
where she fronted a house jazz band at the Bamboo Bar. Surprisingly
the house band was made up of Russian players and one token American.
Melanie was also invited to sing for world ambassadors at a special
dinner and as well as the Canadian Ambassador to the official Canada
Day event in Bangkok. |
| As well as doing an extended engagement at the Grand
Hyatt in Seoul, Melanie spent some time doing some television work
for Arirang television in Korea; and learned some traditional Korean
music from a master singer on camera. Another highlight was doing
the Terry Fox Run and singing for a huge Canada Day event in Seoul. |
| Melanie was flown in for a special gig for New Year’s
Eve 2000 in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Club overlooking a football
field where Whitney Houston and Jackie Chan were both performing. |
| Another of Melanie’s favorite places to play
is the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and the Burj al Arab Hotel in Dubai, United
Arab Emirates. The “Burj” is the only seven star hotel
in the world and Melanie was the first musician to play in the venue
upon it’s opening in 1999. |
| A few of Melanie’s favorite European gigs
were in Switzerland at the Hotel Sauvage in Meiringen, and in Ireland
in Ballina at the Downhill Hotel. |
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With a keen interest in drama and music, musical
theatre has been a favored endeavor for Melanie. She has held lead
roles in such well known shows as Oklahoma, and Baby. She has also
participated in original productions: Jamboree - A Maritime Musical
Revue, the Fall Revue, Sons of Liberty, Unto the Earth, and the Culture
Crawl. |
Melanie also spent time at Grafton Street Dinner
Theatre doing original musical theatre shows spanning the eras of
the 40’s (Comin’ Home), 50’s (Bobby’s Boppin’
Bandstand), and 60’s (Only the Lonely) as well as a traditional
Irish show called Wake Me When It’s Over. She also was involved
in a Beatles Tribute show called Can’t Buy Me Love and a Maritime
Traditional Show called Mud in Yer Eye. |
Melanie has performed at countless Canadian and
Maritime events and festivals but some favorites include the annual
Miramichi Folksong Festival, Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, Helen
Creighton Festival, Harbourfront Maritime Festival, the Miramichi
Irish Festival. and the Miramichi Scottish Festival. |
| Melanie’s home festival is the Miramichi Folksong
Festival. This is the longest running folk festival of its kind in
North America. Melanie began performing at the Miramichi Folksong
Festival over 25 years ago. All of the music she has performed was
inspired by her experience in the acapella singing style typical of
the traditional ballads sung at the festival. She credits Susan Butler
and especially her folk music mentor Marie Hare for the incredible
effect this experience has had on her performance career, and her
perspective on music. |
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