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Join us for a night of music and fun at West Coast Sounds, co-presented by Coastal Jazz. Revel in Indigenous talent with multi-award winning composer and performer Sandy Scofield, Christielee Charles’ Musqueam language Hip Hop, Murray Porter’s soulful keyboard, Pura Fé and family’s melodic tunes, and Wayne Lavallee “Rock n’ Roll Indian Cowboy” energy. The night peaks with the vibrant Beaver Thomas Band featuring Shakti Hayes. Cheri Maracle will host this lively celebration of music, community, and culture.
Pura Fé is an artist, activist, and storyteller of Tuscarora and Taino heritage, known for her impassioned vocals, slide guitar fireworks, and powerful songs that touch on folk, gospel, and blues traditions. In 1987, she co-founded the renowned Indigenous women’s a cappella group Ulali, and since 1995 she’s been releasing solo albums and collaborating with the likes of Indigo Girls and Robbie Robertson.
Emcee
Cheri Maracle is a multi-award nominated Singer and Actress from the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, Ontario. Cheri has been performing in Canada, the U.S. and Europe in the last 20 years, and has extensive music, theatre, television & film credits to her name. Cheri’s early music influences began in Women’s traditional handrum group Tiyoweh. She then penned two original music albums, Closer To Home (2006), and If I Am Water (2013)
Blues Man Murray Porter’s music career has taken him all over the world for the last 40 years. He’s a proud Mohawk man from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in southern Ontario, who now lives on Squamish Nation unceded territory in North Vancouver, British Columbia.
Whether he is playing an intimate venue for local blues fans, as a solo, duo, trio or with a four-piece band, or on a festival stage to thousands of music aficionados, Porter’s love of performing comes across clear and strong. He has been compared to Dr. John, Joe Cocker and even Elton John! Robbie Robertson has called Porter “a master bluesman.” He captivates audiences wherever he performs and makes new fans…and they never leave his show disappointed.
Wayne Lavallee is a Métis multi-disciplinary artist based in Vancouver, BC Canada. His love for music and the arts was sparked very early when he received his first guitar at the age of 5. Wayne took private lessons in guitar at the Douglas Academy of Music for many years, knowing that the arts were his calling and an extension of his spirit. In 1991, he began training in theatre arts as an actor with the Spirit Song Native Theatre Company and was one of the original ensemble members of Full Circle First Nations Performance. Throughout the mid-late 90’s, Wayne continued his training in the arts, authentic movement and dance, and was performing on main stage theatres as an actor/dancer. His training in theatre arts served him well, especially in his transition to singer-songwriter (and later to film score composer). Ultimately, music was where his heart belonged. In 2000, Wayne released his first studio solo album and by 2010 he was a two-time Juno nominated and multi-award-winning artist signed to an international record label in France.
Born and raised in Vancouver BC, Beaver Thomas hails from the Cowessess Cree First Nations reserve in Saskatchewan.
The youngest of seven, he started playing guitar at 3yrs of age and grew up playing country, blues and rock.
Now resides in San Antonio Texas,he plays from coast to coast all over the States and parts of Canada and has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with blues greats such as Juno award winning Murray Porter,Gary Farmer and Shakti Hayes.
Shakti Hayes has been a professional musician, songwriter and performer for over 25 years. She has toured and performed with over a dozen musical groups providing lead, back up harmonic vocals, bass and/ or rhythm guitar accompaniments. She currently sings with traditional women’s vocal ensemble, Iskwew Singers. In 2006, she also released a debut album called ‘Touchwood Hills’. Some of her most notable musical contributions are playing, performing and/or touring with Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers, George Leach, Art Napoleon, Murray Porter, The Rez Blues All Stars, The Beaver T Band, The Homelands Tour, Marie Clements -The Road Forward project.
Sandy Scofield is a multi-award winning composer, musician, musical director, singer, songwriter and performer. Currently Sandy is getting ready to hit the road later this year promoting both Red Earth & her music abroad. One of her highlights will be performing at WOMAD this September being held in South Africa’s oldest city Cape Town.
Red Earth the new record from acclaimed composer, musician and singer Sandy Scofield has been a success and winning over new listeners since its release in September, 2022.
Christie Charles, also known as “Miss Christie Lee” is from Musqueam and Tsleil Wahtuth Nations and is a direct decedent of the great warrior Capilano. She was named the City of Vancouver’s first local Indigenous Poet Laureate in 2018. Christie is an accomplished spoken word artist with a background in Indigenous hip hop. She is a storyteller, poet, coastal hand drum singer, filmmaker and speaker for her ancestors, with a passion to empower Indigenous youth to be proud of their roots. Christie’s connections to multiple communities are instrumental in elevating the role of Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and urban Indigenous poetry, literary and cultural practices.