Alexander and Allen back at Strands
Aug 16, Invermere –
Last year, Leslie Alexander and Jenny Allen stopped by Strand’s Old House Restaurant, Invermere, on their western Canada tour and loved us so much that they are making a point of coming back again to celebrate their ‘Dirty Laundry Tour’, a dual-CD release tour going “Clean Across Canada” this summer. You won’t want to miss this really special evening with these lovely songbirds.
Leslie was raised on a sheep farm in Alberta. Producer John Ellis discovered her while she sang for spare change on the streets of Vancouver. Her first CD, Bird on the House, brought rave reviews by critics such as Tom Zillich of Westender who said “One of the best indie releases I’ve heard.”
She sang in coffee houses and toured with a group of girls in 1999, singing about the contrasts between her rural home and her new home in Vancouver’s east side. These songs became her second recording, Savage Country which was the 4th most-played Canadian folk/roots album on the CBC’s Galaxy Satellite Radio. Since then she has appeared on concert and festival stages across Canada and her recordings have been licensed to film and TV.
Jenny, also an Albertan, is a folk-festival favorite, with fans stretching all across the country and down into the US. She has opened for acclaimed artists, including Taj Mahal and Shawn Colvin, and her independent CDs have garnered rave reviews. Jenny is famous for winning over audiences with her raw candor and crazy wit as well as her direct, emotional song-writing and performance.
Leslie and Jenny joined in Vancouver to sing along with Jane Silberry’s famous encore, ‘Calling All Angels’, then teamed up to become the powerhouse duo they are today. Since their 2010 tour, they each have released highly anticipated new solo CDs, both produced by BCCMA/BCMIA Producer of the Year, John Ellis.
On stage, they share vocals and multiple instruments, wowing their audiences with their most personal songs yet, rather like exchanging a salty heart-to-heart over a load of laundry. Their on-stage chemistry has been known to bubble over into sheer soap opera on occasion, featuring harmony vocals, guitars, washboard, harmonica and other assorted instruments, from flat-out folk rock ‘n’ roll to more intimate fare.
Learn more about Leslie Alexander at http://www.lesliealexander.com and about Jenny at http://www.jennyallen.ca.
Show time is 7pm and there is an $8 cover charge. Seating is limited so early reservations are recommended. Call Strand’s Old House Restaurant at 250-342-6344 or 1-888-342-6344.
