Thompson will be blessed with three concerts Nov. 21-22, with performances from Scott Cook, Tom Jackson, and the Jesse Peters Trio.
A self-described “hobo,” Scott Cook has a love for life on the road that is powerfully evident in his music, and from early experiments in drum-and-bass to roots-reggae grooves in the hot and sticky climes of Taiwan, his musical talents are as varied as the soil he’s walked on. Today, Cook has returned to a more North American tradition of music, with heartwarming and intimate ballads that straddle the fine line between folk and country. But despite adopting a more homegrown vibe, Cook continues to travel and tour enthusiastically, and will be bringing the sound of Canadian campfires as far as Holland, Taiwan, and Australia.
Cook is no stranger to the Home Routes circuit, though this will be his first visit to Manitoba. Cook has found the house concert format indispensable to his career as a musician: “This is only my second Home Routes tour, but I book a lot of these shows on my own. When I started I was playing in bars a lot, and being ignored. I probably would have quit if it wasn’t for house concerts coming along. You can really speak directly with people, make a connection.” Tickets are $20 per person, with children 12-and-under free. While Home Routes typically avoids direct publishing of addresses, the host can be contacted anonymously through the Home Routes web page, at http://homeroutes.ca/concerts/paint-lake-3/
For those looking for a lighter performance, the Jesse Peters Trio will be bringing its pop stylings to the Letkemann Theatre stage on Nov. 22, for the second installment of Thompson’s 2015 concert series. Peters’ powerful voice and polished pop piano performances are equally at home in venues of all sizes, and incorporate aspects from every stage in his career, from jazz pursuits recognized by the legendary Diana Krall, to funk and soul with the Edmonton-based group Paramedic. Fans of Billy Joel, Micheal Buble and Phil Collins are sure to enjoy Peters’ sound. Tickets for individual shows are $25, and available at the Thoompson Regional Community Centre. Seating begins 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m.
While concertgoers will have to choose between Peters and Cook on Sunday, Tom Jackson’s will appear Nov. 21 at R. D. Parker Collegiate, with openers Jasyn Lucas and Ed Dusecina. Jackson’s copncenrt was organized by Spirit Way as part of his Huron Carole benefit tour. Jackson is no stranger to Canadian media, both behind a microphone as a singer and in front of a camera as an actor; his music is a lush hybrid of northern country roots and contemporary pop production, and his politics of environmentalism, humanitarianism and pacifism are part and parcel with his performance. Tickets are $35, and are available at the Meridian Hotel, City Centre Mall, M&M Meats, Quality Inn & Suites, the Manitoba Metis Federation, Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre, and Gift of Art. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Letkemann Theatre.
