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Melanie will headline the official opening of the 50th Anniversary
of the Miramichi Folksong Festival. She joins Frankie McKibbon,
Susan Butler, Carol Baker and La Famille Arsenault. Melanie
has played for audiences around the world, but Melanie always
comes home to the Miramichi.
Melanie has 15 albums to her credit, her latest 2007 CD release
“Melanie Ross and Friends - From Our River”, features
a number of well known local artists: Connie and Paul, the Gillis
Family, Mike and Eric Mackenzie, and Frankie McKibbon. It may
receive an ECMA nomination in the traditional Folk category.
Copies (and Melanie will sign them) will be available on site.
Melanie will be conducting a Children’s Performance Workshop
on August 8th,
and will be featured in a Concert on Thursday, August 9th, at
12:00.
Melanie Ross - Preserving the traditions of the Miramichi –
One Song at a Time
- She’s home again! |
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”Miramichi Folksongs”- has been reproduced
for the upcoming 50th Anniversary of the Miramichi Folksong
Festival.
Sung in the tradition of A cappella, the toe-tapping music of
this collection of kitchen and river songs, reaches across the
centuries, and cultures, and unites our Northern New Brunswick
communities.
By popular demand, a special re-issue of “Miramichi Folksongs”
has been produced for the festival. Melanie will be there performing
from August 7th to the 11th, and to sign this very special one
time limited edition album - enjoy. |
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Notes from David Cadogan on "From Our River"
David Cadogan is the former editor of the Miramichi
Leader - now in private consulting.
As usual, your clear, sweet voice singing loving, wistful songs, is
entrancing.
Connie and Paul and Frankie McKibbon stand out... Paul and Frankie
have strong, lusty voices... I've said often that no one does
Stan Rogers better than Paul. He has the voice and the attitude for
it.
Frankie is superb on "The Lumberman's Alphabet" and
"Miramichi Men."
... the songs you wrote... have a tone in common that expresses your
tender love for the Miramichi.
The Gillis family have beautiful voices... simple, compelling,
clarity...
W.O. Mitchell said once "The arts are not a luxury. They are
how we know we are not alone." Your songs communicate directly
to my soul. |
Melanie's new album takes you on a journey along the Miramichi
river system from the head waters to its source. |
| Together Melanie, Connie and Paul, the Gillis Family -
Barb, Lynn, & Gillian, and Frankie McKibbon, who brings
his booming baritone voice, sing the pride of the Miramichi.
The Miramichi spirit shines through the lyrics and melodies
of Mike and Eric MacKenzie. The playlist takes you to Boisetown,
Blackville, Sillikers and Renous. |
| Melanie includes two original songs: “Front Porch”
and “River at Midnight”, which offer a magical
quality to all who have walked along the river or sat on
its banks. In the final track you let go as the mighty Miramichi
meets the sea in “Letting Go”. |
| Unique to this album is a Satellite Landsat photo of the
entire Miramichi River with all the songs placed along the
journey. |
A project of BooWoo Productions and Promotions, this CD
has its roots in the Miramichi Folksong Festival under
Susan Butler, where last August many of our performers
were heard by Executive Producer: Greg King.
Recorded in three separate studios, this album has been
mixed and mastered at the ECMA award winning Denmark Productions
by Dennis Field.
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| The music of the Miramichi is once again brought to you
by “Melanie Ross and Friends”- From our
River. …one song at a time! |
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The importance of New Brunswick traditions and Maritime
music have been valued, honored and supported by Lord
Beaverbrook, Louise Manny, and a host of others too numerous
to list here. |
The vision of preserving and promoting
the 400 year, multi-cultural heritage of New Brunswick
was first recognized by Louise Manny and Lord Beaverbrook.
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| The song, "The Jones Boys" inspired Beaverbrook
who during World War II (1942) taught it to Joseph Stalin,
Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Winston Churchll. He also funded
the very first research into and recording of New Brunswck
folklore which led to the founding of the Miramichi Folksong
Festival in 1958. |
| Helen Creighton often judged at the festival and assisted
in on-going preservation of folklore materials. Inspired
by her vision and the quality of her effort, Melanie Ross,
who was born in the Miramichi, has again returned to her
Atlantic roots, the Miramichi Folksong Festival. |
| Melanie makes her professional base in Halifax but whenever
she has traveled or performed around the world, she promotes
the songs and the culture of the Maritimes and the Miramichi. |
| Since recording her last CD "Hope", in Tokyo,
Melanie is currently delving into several projects including
music of the Halifax Explosion - planned release December
6th, 2007, and the Sounds of New Brunswick.
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Congratulations to Melanie Ross, Bruce Mills, & Dennis Field
at Denmark Productions,
We also congratulate Bruce Mills on winning the "Directors Award"
for "Heart's Reflection"
in the Nashville International Song & Lyric Contest For Summer
2006, Music And lyrics by
Bruce Mills Performed by Bruce Mills, Additional Vocals by Melanie
Ross
Produced by Dennis Field at Denmark Productions.
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Melanie Ross -- performing and preserving the heritage of Atlantic Canada
- "One Song at a Time".
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