MUSIC PREVIEW: Tanya Tagaq to Perform New Music With ESO
Tanya Tagaq, the eminently lauded composer and throat singer, is in town this weekend performing a pair of shows with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. The featured work is her newest and epic effort Qiksaaktuq. Translated as “grief,” it is an emotion-laden and driven work paying testament to the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
The acclaimed Tagaq has both a Polaris Music Prize and Juno Award to her credit, both for her 2014 album Animism. Her songwriting was continuing to evolve and grow around the time, and found her tackling a number of political causes, culminating in the album’s final track, Fracking, sharing the Earth’s pain under the process. It’s not the only time she’s been nominated for said heady awards, though, with Animism’s predecessor being nominated for a Juno, and its successor Retribution finding itself on the Polaris Long List.
For those that follow her, Tagaq’s activism has continued and grown. One of her most recent fevered causes is the name of Edmonton’s football team, for example. As an Inuit herself, one would suppose her position should carry some pretty heavy weight.
The program on Friday, starting at 7:30 pm, includes Tagaq and the ESO (under the direction of Christine Duncan) tackling Qiksaaktuq together as the finale. The ESO will start off the evening with Prokofiev’s Third Symphony, followed by Tagaq and her release Sivunittinni.
Saturday (8 pm start) the program changes slightly, with Tagaq’s Qiksaaktuq opening, followed by the ESO and a couple of pieces, Prokofiev’s Third Symphony, and Webern’s Passacaglia.
Tickets are $25 and up (Friday tickets, Saturday tickets).
Thursday 20
Son Little – This Philadelphia rhythm and blues artist, whose real name is Aaron Earl Livingston, released his newest album, aloha, earlier this year. Recorded in Paris, France, he recorded every instrument himself, and for the first time teamed up with a producer – the acclaimed Renaud Letang (who has previously worked with Feist and Manu Chao). The result is very much a blend of old and new. While staying true to his R&B roots, many have even said they hear a lot of garage rock in the sound. Station On Jasper, 7 pm, $20. BUY
Geoffroy – This Montreal singer-songwriter released his sophomore effort 1952 last November. Chock full of desperation and rawness, with tracks like the opener The Fear of Falling Apart, it’s everything you’d want from a folk artist of modern times. Think Bon Iver but with theatrical electronic elements. With St. Arnaud and Fintan. Temple at the Starlite Room, 8 pm, $19.99. BUY
Friday 21
Royal Tusk – These Edmonton rockers continue to assault the local music scene with their thunderous grooves and catchy melodies. Their most recent video, for Die Knowing, was released mere weeks ago. With Brkn Love, Sights and Sounds, and Norell. Starlite Room, 8 pm, $15. BUY
Hannah Epperson – This acclaimed violinist-vocalist is definitely on the cutting edge of experimental music, and has won a legion of fans for it. Her two most recent albums, Upsweep and Slowdown, are experiments in themselves, with each track receiving two treatments: first, as if a small orchestra performed the piece; second, an experimental pop version. She really has seen it all, and done it all, from playing in the Ultimate Frisbee world championships, to a degree in Human Geography from UBC, Epperson is an all-around uber-talent, and her concerts are an experience that shouldn’t be missed. Station On Jasper, 8 pm, $13 and up. BUY
