For photos for EPK cllck here
For sound clips on Myspace click here:
Photo by Melissa Schelling
Bios of the Band:
James Mujuru
James recording vocals for Honey
and Holy Water
Bio: Jose Sanchez
Jose with Alex Cuba
Bio: Corbin Keep
Bio: RIchard Lee
For reviews of Honey and Holy Water click here
Like Loreena McKennitt eating chocolate cream pie...
Evocative, eclectic Celtic with a new world twist.
Soothing, groovin eco-Celt, organc and emotive, pure and wise.
Loreena McKennitt meets Joni Mitchell while Shooglenifty pays homage to Yemaya.
Photo by Kmax
Rooted in the earthy and the ethereal, Oona moves beyond the gentleness traditionally associated with the harp to create music that is timeless yet contemporary. With her band Dream Deep she bridges the primal and the beautiful with startling grace. Evocative lyrics and world instruments merge to create a sound that is soulful, moving and transcendent.
Photo by Kmax
Once upon a time she was a war correspondent, a wild dolphin swimmer, a clown... Now, rooted in the earthy and the ethereal, Oona is a new kind of world musician -an alchemist of song and story. Her pure voice and harp blend Celtic elements with Hawaiian, Latin and African influences, bridging cultural differences while evoking a primal beauty. Oona’s words and music are a river connecting heartache to hope, passion to possibility, inspiring us to not only love the world, but believe we can transform it.
“I’m enjoying (Oona’s) music on late night drives, it’s soothing.”
-Juno award-winning producer Pierre Marchand (Sarah McLachlan)
Photo by Kmax
Sweet and soulful, Oona McOuat’s (pronounced oo-na mick-kew-it) new album Honey and Holy Water flows with urgency and wonder. The honey bees are disappearing. The oceans are in peril. It’s been 41 years since Woodstock (the only cover tune on the disc). Will we make it "back to the garden" before the jig is up? From the fun and funky re-creation of the trad tune Drowsy Maggie to The Wild Ones’ heartfelt plea for preservation, through the broken-open love song, Where the Emptiness is Full, this album navigates mystery and loss with purity and grace while encouraging us to cherish what might yet be saved.
“Sublime. If this can't make you be glad to be alive, well... listen to it again. -Michael McKinley, Harp Bell Media
Photo by Kmax
“ An unsung female lark whose music/moods/song transport the listener to the heights and depths of their submerged feelings.” -Jacqueline Landeen, author & filmmaker
Oona's early life was steeped in music. As she prepared for her Grade 10 piano exam with the Royal Toronto Conservatory of Music, she was encouraged to pursue a career as a concert pianist. But a poetic streak inspired her to move beyond those boundaries and create her own songs. Compelled to understand the world and her place in it, she received a degree in Communications from the University of Ottawa and traveled as a freelance journalist to Nicaragua, a country in the throes of revolution. Upon returning, she lived with a First Nations elder who kindled a connection to the Earth and its creatures, and introduced her to the Celtic harp.
Songwriting re-emerged through a series of dreams. "Reconnecting with my muse was like awakening from a long winter's sleep," remembers Oona. And so began an intense period of creative development including studies in authentic movement, clowning and Butoh. She began to explore world music. In 1991, she was the featured female vocalist on Celso Machado's Juno-nominated album TAIRA, singing in Portuguese and Yamomami. Then she followed the ancestral call and traveled to Scotland to discover her roots. From 1991 to 2005, she wintered on the Big Island of Hawaii, swimming and singing with wild dolphins and whales and exploring sound to new depths. She developed a music program based on singing and playing from the inside out, and became an inspiring and dedicated teacher, expanding her work to include story, the mythic realms and environmental awareness and stewardship.
"… More water than music, more valuable than Spanish doubloons." - Charles Collins, Hawaii
Oona and her band Dream Deep perform at arts centers, festivals and concert halls, her warm and heartfelt presence transforming an ordinary performance into an extraordinary event. She has shared the stage with Bruce Cockburn, Jann Arden, The Rankins, Jami Sieber, Toni Childs and Ferron and was a featured artist on the NPR radio special "Do You Hear What I Hear? A Holiday Folk Tour" aired on over 100 stations across the US and hosted by folk icon Judy Collins.
“I loved hearing you sing. You have a wonderful voice, and a gentle manner, and I liked the songs very much… You have a new fan in me.”- Judy Collins
James Mujuru believes music to be the channel to ever-existing life. When he sings and plays, he opens this channel, connecting with his ancestors and bringing the wisdom of the past into the present.
James comes from a lineage of renowned mbira players of Dambatsoko Village, near Rusape in Eastern Zimbabwe. His father, Ephat Mujuru, introduced the mbira to the western world and inspired James to begin learning formal mbira music and the art of making the instrument at a young age. At 19, James launched his international musical career, touring to Reunion Island, France and South Africa. After the sudden death of his father in 2001, James reformed Ephat's Spirit of the People ensemble, performing song and stories throughout Zimbabwe. When James makes music, he feels the spirit of his father. He strongly believes Ephat Mujuru's lasting legacy was one of peace.
A master of Afro-Cuban Rhythms, Jose Sanchez has toured and performed with the Puentes Brothers, Juno award winner Alex Cuba and with Canadian pop singer Amanda Marshall. With his infectious joy and intricate rhythms, he has toured extensively throughout South America, North America and Europe with renowned Cuban musicians like Adalberto Alvarez y su Son, Rojitas y su Orquesta and Amaury Perez. Born in Cuba, Sanchez began his studies in percussion at Manuel Saumell School of Music at age 11 and graduated as a Musician and Teacher from the "Amadeo Roldan Conservatory" in Havana. Jose has worked as a percussionist and a producer on many recordings across the globe.
El Jose at play
...on the topic of astounding, here's an act for you: Corbin Keep. He plays the cello and sings, but that's like saying the first rocket to the moon simply "went up". His cello makes the sounds of a violin, guitar, bass, synthesizer, percussion and some sounds that defy categorization without any effects added. His lyrics are funny and he has a totally engaging personality.
Dan Silakiewicz, The East Shore Mainstreet, Crawford Bay, BC
The Wild Cellist Corbin Keep
Corbin's rich and diverse musical background began at age eight with guitar, followed by his introduction to the cello when he was twelve. Interest in many styles was apparent early on; in high school, he excelled in both classical and jazz. At 17, he had his first pickup and effects pedal for his cello, which he played, along with guitar, in the school jazz combo.
University followed and over the course of three years at two schools (U. of CO at Denver and Western WA U. in Bellingham, WA) all but two of his courses were in music. Five years on the road were next, playing pop, rock, metal and even some country in bands and a one-of-a-kind experimental duo called 'Meet Men Not Machines'. This featured Corbin on guitar, electric cellos, Taurus pedals and vocals, with a partner playing 'body drums' (their invention) keyboards and vocals.
Within a year after the demise of the 'Meet Men', Corbin's life and musical interests had shifted dramatically. Preferring acoustic cello over all of his other instruments, he began doing 'cello portraits,' (improvised sound readings of people) and played with an improvisational theatre company, dance troupes, at art show openings, and with various acoustic ensembles. In 1993, ending a six year hiatus from being a full-time professional musician, Corbin returned to the scene with a new solo act featuring the combination of cello and voice, playing a wide variety of music, in settings ranging from intimate coffeehouses to opening for rock bands. In 1998 he began performing as a duo with Celtic harpist and singer songwriter Oona McOuat..
In 2002, Corbin was a presenter at the annual New Directions Cello Festival, where he played a solo concert and led workshops on alternative cello techniques. He has returned to this same festival every year since 2005 to teach, and has also appeared at a number of other music festivals in the US and Canada.
Whether it's alien spaceships, wild beasts in the night, blue grass ditties, or rock and roll, Corbin Keep can do it all - on a cello. Corbin's mastery of his instrument is so complete that he regularly astounds people with the sounds that he can extract from it. His stage presence and outrageous humour often raises the excitement level of the audience to a fevered pitch, which he then sustains throughout the show, throwing himself completely into his performance.
Don Bowes, Artistic Director, Sunshine Music Festival, Powell River, BC
Hawaii’s top jazz flautist Richard Lee has appeared on stage with Kenny Loggins, David Carradine, Keith Carradine, Chip Douglas, Sasha Butterfly, Ernie Andrews and Michael Murphy amongst others. A musicians’ musician, Richard moves effortlessly from jazz to folk to world to classical, and from flute to sax to recorder to clarinet to pennywhistle to guitar to vocals, wowing audiences with every note. Lee is an Associate Professor of Music at the University of Hawaii in Hilo and has a Ph.D. in Music Composition from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He has served as principal flutist for the UHH Symphony Orchestra and Hawaii County Band. He and Oona McOuat have been performing together for 15 years.
Photo by Melissa Schelling
“A beautiful voice that is accompanied by a beautiful instrument … her songs encourage the listener to dig deep inside them, where inspiration lies dormant just waiting to be discovered. Her music is not just moving, but defines her love of music and her passion for the unexpected and the inspired.”- Mark Gunn, Celtic Mp3s Music Magazine, Texas
“Like the ocean is a stage for a dolphin’s song, Oona McOuat finds her voice and inspiration from the earth.” – Lisa Weighton, Oak Bay News, Victoria, BC
“She conjures up images of crumbling castles and misty moors.” -Hawaii Tribune Herald, Hilo
“I’m enjoying (Oona’s) music on late night drives, it’s soothing.” -Juno award-winning producer Pierre Marchand (Sarah McLachlan)
"The magic of your storytelling, the music of your harp, the beauty of your voice and song and your loving , deep connection to life and humanity has touched me from the first day of our contact at the amazing workshop on art, writing and song that I attended some months ago on Salt Spring Island, my new place called home. I look forward to purchasing your new CD and attending your upcoming concerts. " -Prem Pillay, Salt Spring Island, BC
"Green Mountain is awesome - I vote you Oona as No 1 for happy --peaceful--inspiring--talented--pure and wholesome music. I play this for inspiration often."- Phyllis Nolan, Prince Edward Island
“Mysterious and reverent …with a near angelic voice.” -Michael Henningsen, Albuquerque Weekly Alibi, New Mexico
”… More water than music, more valuable than Spanish doubloons." -Charles Collins, Pahoa, Hawaii
"You reach into the tender spot of my being, and remind me of the preciousness of life."-Teresa Hitch, Salt Spring Island, BC
“I loved hearing you sing. You have a wonderful voice, and a gentle manner, and I liked the songs very much… You have a new fan in me.”-Judy Collins, singersongwriter
"Your story Green brought tears to my eyes--- a beautiful, magical and transforming story, thank you for sharing it with me and for the light you shine into the shadows of this World."- Leigh Hilbert, Pahoa, Hawaii
"Keep on creating the great ocean deep love like you do, I look forward to getting a post card from you when you reach the stars!!! "- Daryl Chonka, Salt Spring Island, BC
"You have made some magnificant, pure nature music... I almost can imagine myself swimming among the dolphins! "- Saskia, Brussels, Belguim
" I am listening to your phenomenal music. It is magical. I’m so glad I took the time to listen and enjoy. Please keep going ---- don’t stop ----you are amazing!" - Shell Herman, Texas
"Our family is loving the new music we got from you. Thank you for adding your voice and harp to our home. Music - real, feeling music - is a gift for everyone to draw from." - Ethan Smith, Pender Island, BC
“Oona McOuat, harp player, is a genuine songbird/diva. When she sings one is moved to close their eyes and contemplate beauty, and at the same time, attend to her powerful messages of Earth Magic and Healing...(McOuat) utilizes music as a stream of consciousness, enalbing us to access our ancestral and archetypal memories of our heritage where the elemental kingdom was fully present as a compliment and completion to who and what we are." .” -Richard Diamond, The Kauai Oversoul, Hawaii
Oona McOuat wonderously wades through a not-so-wondrous world al the while spreading joy in each no wmoment........" -Jacqueline Landeen, Author & Artist, Arizona
“Her effervescent voice touches one's heart like a feather to the skin yet her words provoke thoughts that rise like mountains or evoke feelings that bring us closer to ourselves and each other.” - Dancing Wolf, music producer, Victoria, BC
“When Oona plays the harp … your world goes from black and white to color … (and) when her nightingale voice floats its sensual magic …the world falls away, far, far away.” -Dennis Gregory, Puna Press, Kona, Hawaii
“McOuat has the ability to deeply touch her audience and lift them to another place and time…Her music reminds us of the joyful contradictions involved in being human.” -Comox Valley Record, Comox, BC
“Music to lift your soul” -Volcano Gazette, Volcano, Hawaii
“Enjoyed your CD.” -George Winston, musician
“You touch me. All of me. My heart and soul, my mind and my physical body. My Spirit and All that is. Thank You for your presence.” -Iao, Kapoho, Hawaii
“Oona has a unique charisma, a fairy like lightness.”-Earth Folk, Hilo, Hawaii
“Pure, fluid vocals… Her lyrics are deeply personal and poetic and able to draw out unexpected depths of feeling” -Mayne Island Mayneliner, Mayne Island, BC
“Your voice transports me into the “realm of gentleness”, where one feels intrinsic kindness and caring.” -Jerzy Zagroba, Victoria, BC
"Today
I listened to your CD "Yearning" and (it)…reminded me that
there is beauty in the world."-
Ron
Clark, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Halifax
International Buskers Festival, Halifax, Nova Scotia - August
1998
Fish Aid Festival, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia - August
1998
Islands Festival, Duncan, British Columbia - July
1999
Volcano Art Center, Volcano National Park, Hawaii - November
1999
Elora Festival, Elora, Ontario - August 2000
Loch Lomond Festival, Scotland - July 2001
Edinburgh Fringe Festival - Edinburgh, Scotland - August
2001
Portpatrick Festival, Portpatrick, Scotland - September
2001
Kispiox Festival, New Hazelton, British Columbia - July
2002
Pacific Rim Summer Festival, Tofino, British Columbia - August
2002
Alex Goolden Hall, Victoria, BC with Ferron, Tony Childs &
Jamie Sieber - November 2006
Diversity Festival Texada Island, British Columbia - July
2007
Renewal Tour, Hawaii - January 2008
Back to the Garden Tour, BC & Hawaii – Fall 2009
Frostbite Festival, Whitehorse, Yukon – Winter 2010
Strange Ritual, Karen Melady: background vocals on Where Did the Moon Go, 1990
TAIRA, Celso Machado: featured female vocalist, 1991
Live Your Dream, single written and performed by Oona McOuat released on compilation album NA KAMALI'I O', 1997
Yearning, Oona McOuat: 1998
Only This Moment, Oona McOuat & Corbin Keep: 1999
Soul Weaver, David Eastoe: lead vocals on Golden Souls, 2001
Bright Beckoning, Mysha, celtic harp, 2004
Honey and Holy Water, Oona McOuat, 2009
The Path of Souls, Independent feature film written & directed by Amy Hoff, USA 2007
Harping on the environment
By Lisa Weighton - Oak Bay News
Published: October 22, 2009 5:00 PM
Updated: October 22, 2009 5:05 PM
Saltspring ‘eco-artist’ links music to nature
Like the ocean is a stage for a dolphin’s song, Oona McOuat finds her voice and inspiration from the earth.
The Saltspring Island singer-songwriter and harpist found many of the songs on her new album, Honey and Holy Water, hiding in Hawaiian waters or hanging from tropical fruit trees.
The Vancouver-born vagabond has been living on Saltspring for the last three years, but called Hawaii home for more than a decade. Her day would start with a dip in the ocean, swimming with wild dolphins.
“They honestly taught me so much about being alive,” McOuat said – they inspired her music and gave it purpose. “(They had) this absolute unconditional love that could only awaken in me a love for the ocean, as well as a love for wild creatures and a desire to protect and preserve their habitats.”
In recognition of the global week of climate action, McOuat and friends are bringing their “eco-Celtic soundscape” to Victoria for an 8 p.m. concert Friday (Oct. 23) at Norway House on Hillside Avenue.
While her music isn’t traditionally Celtic, she said, “the Celts had a very strong affinity and relationship to the land and to nature. I feel like I’m resurrecting that in a contemporary sense.”
She wrote the album’s first track, “Mystery,” after spending the day on the big island of Hawaii. Surrounded by huge cliffs lined with a black sand beach, she saw wild horses, just like in any good fairy tale.
“My desire is to create a platform where there’s beautiful and enlivening and fun music (raising) funds and awareness for groups that are doing grassroots environmental work.”
Partial proceeds from her Victoria show will go to the Gulf Islands Centre for Ecological Learning.
Tickets are $12 at Instinct Art and Gifts, 622 View St., or $15 at the door. Kids under 12 are free. For information, visit www.oonamcouat.com.
lweighton@vicnews.com
Maverick Musicianship Rings with Hope
By Victor Van Buskirk
Text 
Published: November 26, 2009 8:00 PM
Corbin Keep & Oona McOuat
Last month I had the great pleasure to hear a concert in Victoria that harkened me back to a time in the 1970's when I was more passionate about live music and especially the kind that carried with it hope and truth and passion. On October 23rd at the Norway House in Victoria BC, I got all that and more when I was sonically massaged and lyrically enlightened by four stellar musicians all from different places, even different countries.
The concert was part of a release tour for a CD called Honey and Holy Water by Salt Spring Island's extraordinary singer/songwriter and harpist Oona McOuat. On this particular tour she was joined by The Dream Deep Band, and if you hadn't been told they had only performed two concerts together you would have thought they had played a hundred and two.
Her long time musical partner, the Wild Cellist Corbin Keep from Gabriola Island mesmerized us with his fretless finesse and originality and spontaneity on cello. Corbin is one of the most emotionally honest musicians I have ever heard and has played around the West Coast for years wooing audiences with his maverick musicianship, mind altering humour and dedication to improvisation.
Chris Bertin & Corbin Keep
If you want mellow cello seek it elsewhere for while it's true he can play chamber music Corb's performances project the whole emotional spectrum of sound and he is never shy to explore the depths of his feelings or those provided by his fellow musicians.
Oona invited Richard Lee, an inventive and provocative flautist who is also a music Professor in Hawaii, to join the band and what was remarkable about his acceptance was that he had not left Hawaii in ten years. I had not heard Richard before so it was with surprising delight that I listened to his mastery of the woodwinds and was touched by both his reverent rapport with his instruments and by his playfulness, the joyful jazziness that sprung forth unbridled yet still happily in touch with his partners on stage.
Richard Lee
Cowichan's Rhythm Prince Chris Bertin, a well known drummer, didgeridoo player and instrument artisan, is like a willow in the wind when he performs, grounded to the earth but fluidly flexible, providing the heartbeat of the song while lifting people from their seats as his hands hold sweet promise for our dancing feet. With his breath, Chris creates a mystical union with the didgeridoo, one of the most primal sounding and earth connecting instruments in the world. One of the compelling characteristics of his percussive contribution to the ensembles he plays with is his humbleness which has a noticeable effect on his band mates and draws the audience closer. He has built almost all of the beautiful instruments he brings to performances and you can feel that as you watch his rhythmic wizardry.
Chris Bertin
These three men and their unusual style of playing create perfect accompaniment for the evocative songs that Oona crafts from her many experiences in and of the world. As a former journalist in Central America she knows of the darkness that selfish humans can create and from her many years teaching and living in Hawaii she knows of the healing wonder of nature and as a musician at large she knows of the power of music to change consciousness and bring about awareness be it emotional or global. Her effervescent voice touches one's heart like a feather to the skin yet her words provoke thoughts that rise like mountains or evoke feelings that bring us closer to ourselves and each other. Her harp and voice are very happily married and dovetail extremely well with their immediate relatives, the lovely melodies she manifests.
The performance itself was more that the sum of its parts. For a band who had played so little together, their timing and delivery where nothing less than amazing. I have seen hundreds of bands and many with household names and years of experience playing hundreds of shows and have to say Oona and Dream Deep held my attention and caressed my sense of hope more than most. Also Oona has grown as a songwriter which enables her to change up her repertoire allowing the band freedom of musical exploration and expression. It was obvious that Oona and Corbin had played often together as their stage presence, crowd pleasing antics and undeniable charisma were front and centre but not a diversion for lack of material or anything else. They just love having fun while performing and when you get great musicians having a good time it just magnifies the experience of live music. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and thought of it for days after.
1heart@telus.net
Gulf Islands Driftwood
Music and environment connect
by Elizabeth Nolan - Gulf Islands Driftwood
Published: October 14, 2009 10:00 AM
Oona McOuat and Corbin Keep
In her three years on Salt Spring, Oona McOuat has perhaps become best known for her work with children, particularly her popular Faerie Camp.
In other places, however, she’s been a war correspondent, a wild dolphin swimmer, an organic farmhand and a clown. McOuat has also developed a following for her original Celtic harp and piano compositions that blend world harmonies with an entirely adult consciousness of the world around her.
On Saturday, Oct. 24, McOuat will perform with her band Dream Deep at Fulford Hall for the Salt Spring stop on an islands tour promoting her first full-length CD, Honey and Holy Water. Timed to coincide with world-wide and local actions around climate change on that day, the concert is Salt Spring’s opportunity to participate in establishing a new global consciousness.
McOuat describes the music on the new CD as having a transglobal aspect while being locally anchored. The recording was done exactly one year ago in the Burgoyne Valley in studio with Daryl Chonka. Living around the other side of Mount Maxwell from the studio, McOuat said one of the best parts of the process occurred with last winter’s deep snows, when neither she nor Chonka could drive.
“Daryl and I would walk and meet halfway up the trail to Mount Maxwell. He would give me the latest mix and I would give him my notes . . . It was beautiful.”
The natural world was an inspiring force behind Honey and Holy Water, whose title refers to disappearing honey bees and the deteriorating health of the world’s oceans. McOuat has a markedly holistic perspective to her work.
“The idea is that I want to have a meaningful platform for my music — it’s wonderful to open up hearts and have people feel good, but it’s also good to have some meaningful ramifications as to our global situation,” McOuat said.
Global elements come into play with some of the musicians who participated in the recording, including James Mujuru, who shares time between Salt Spring and his native Zimbabwe. Mujuru’s father was responsible for introducing the thumb piano to the western world, and McOuat said the younger musician is also working to keep traditions alive. He contributed Zimbabwean stories, songs and chants into some of the songs.
Recordings added from Brazil and Hawaii contribute to the global feeling. Performers include cellists Corbin Keep and Jami Sieber, Hawaiian woodwinds master Richard Lee, homegrown percussionist Chris Bertin, fiddlers Zav Rokeby-Thomas and Michael Fox, and singing by Desmond Sutherland. Chonka added bass, guitar, piano, didgeridoo and beats to the multilayered sound, and the final mix was mastered at Randy Bachman’s The Barn.
McOuat and Dream Deep have performed around the world at arts centres, festivals and concert halls. She has shared the stage with artists such as Bruce Cockburn, Jann Arden, The Rankins, Jami Sieber, Toni Childs and Ferron. For her first full concert on Salt Spring, McOuat is hoping that islanders will come out to support a message that was in many ways shaped by the local community.
“I was touring in New York and D.C. this summer and realizing how fortunate it is here, with our understanding of the natural world and also the importance of community. I do feel that this message is going to go out into the world and make a difference.
“With the CD release tour I’m linking it with grassroots groups and environmental groups in different communities with the idea that music can be an inspiring and joyful way of building mindful community.”
McOuat’s autumn Back to the Garden tour refers to the only cover song on the album, Joni Mitchell’s Woodstock song. And the Salt Spring release will intentionally coincide with Wake Up or Warm Up events happening at GISS and around the world on Oct. 24.
Tickets for the concert are $12 advance, $15 at the door and available at Salt Spring Books. Kids 12 and under are free.
Call 250-653-2088 for more information. To get a taste of McOuat’s music, visit http://www.myspace.com/oonamcouat.
Proceeds from the events will go to the Gulf Islands Centre for Ecological Learning and Green School projects.
Honey and Holy Water Turns the Tide on Global Warming
By Maggie O`Scalleigh
Text 
Published: November 10, 2009 6:00 PM
Chris Bertin, Corbin Keep, Oona McOuat, Richard Lee
Global Climate Action Day on October 24th, 2009 was a busy day on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. This small but environmentally conscious community was fertile with opportunities to express their collective concerns for the planet, and hopefully take something away with them that might be put into action to help “turn the tide” on Global Warming.
While many locals attended a rally at the local high school, a lucky gathering of music fans were gifted the opportunity to hear Oona McOuat and Dream Deep as they launched Oona`s new CD, Honey and Holy Water.
McOuat, (pronounced McKewitt) is a Vancouver-born singer, songwriter, harpist, music teacher and storyteller, who now resides on Salt Spring Island. Previously, McOuat lived on the big island of Hawaii for many years, and still travels there as often as she can to stay connected with her musical friends and students.
Although Celtic music is an obvious influence for McOuat, the members of Dream Deep come from varied musical backgrounds. Corbin Keep from Gabriola Island is an “anarchistic” cellist with classical training and skills that wowed and whipped up the audience all evening.
Christopher Bertin from Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island defies description as a percussionist, because although his music of choice is traditional world beats on hand drums, rattles, and didgeridoo, he was also playing a standard drum kit that evening. It is noteworthy that Bertin also makes all of his own instruments from mostly recycled materials, and makes them for others to purchase.
Last, but certainly not least, Richard Lee arrived from the “Big Island” of Hawaii to tour with McOuat, scant hours before their first gig, due to a misplaced passport. (Ouch!) If he was jet-lagged, the audience could not tell. Considered by McOuat to be “The best jazz musician in the state of Hawaii”, he gladly toured with her although he had not been off his island for ten years! Lee arrived with soprano sax, a standard flute and a number of wooden flutes.
McOuat’s obvious talents on harp and vocals were accented beautifully as she played a traditional Celtic tune “Drowsy Maggie”, but with such strong musicians around her, there was a taste of many cultures that would satisfy any listener. They also performed one of many original songs by McOuat called, “This is a Prayer” that was hauntingly beautiful, and gave Lee an opportunity to let his soprano sax fly, to the delight of the awe-struck the audience. Keep, beside passionately playing his cello in the traditional upright position, played it on its side like a guitar and used it as a drum to express his musical enthusiasm. Backing McOuat vocally with perfection, and ribbing her between songs like a sibling, it was unmistakable that these two had been playing together for years. Bertin kept the ensemble flowing beautifully, whether on hand drums, snare with brushes, or otherworldly didgeridoo grooves.
At the intermission, Jeff Ardron, who is an international ocean ecologist and policy advisor, spoke about the major stumbling blocks to “turning the tide” on environmental issues. He said Canada has been a “blocking country in climate policy changes for years.” He encouraged the audience to write Federal and Provincial elected officials often, as every letter is counted, whereas e-mails, unless coming in quantities, are not. Ultimately, the push for change has to begin with individuals, said Ardon, urging governments to choose ecologically wise courses of action.
After the intermission, Keep played a few original songs, including “Aliens”, a crowd-pleaseing piece about extraterreestials coming to save our planet. His musical skills are vast, and his humor is never far below the surface, creating an upbeat balance to the evening. McOuat has immense skills as a storyteller, weaving a web of misty images while playing her harp. She also floored the audience with her jazz vocals in a song “Autumn Leaves” that Lee took the instrumental lead on.
Only a worldly musician like McOuat could draw such diverse musical talents together into one room, and from comments overheard, the audience felt like they had just been let in on a big secret that they likely smiled about all the way home. Check out McOuat’s music here:
jaynmags@gmail.com