A renowned Canadian blues duo will be bringing their impressive combined catalogue to Bragg Creek on April 2.
Suzie Vinnick is doing her best to saturate the Canadian music scene with a variety of quality music. The Toronto singer/songwriter has put out multi-faceted solo albums, recorded with the roots music vocal trio The Marigolds and even put out a blues record as one half of an ongoing duo.
The other half of the pairing is Peterborough musician Rick Fines who first earned attention on the Canadian blues scene as a member of the critically acclaimed band Jackson Delta in the 80s and 90s.
Vinnick and Fines will treat a local audience to their polished musical chemistry when they perform 8 p.m. Saturday, April 2, at Bragg Creek Centre. Both artists are past winners of Canada’s Maple Blues Awards. Fines was twice Acoustic Artist of the Year in the late 90s and she was the 2008 winner of Female Vocalist of the Year.
Vinnick said much of the credit for her being the blues performer she is today should go to Fines.
“With my solo career I kind of jump all over the place musically,” she said. “I’ve learned all about blues from Rick, having worked with him as long as I have. We first connected back in 1993.”
Not only has Fines taught her a great deal about the roots of blues he’s encouraged her over the years to up her game as a musician. She said his influence has paid off with the music she’s released with The Marigolds.
“I do a lot of the lead guitar work in that project,” she explained. “I am able to do that because Rick has really pushed me over the years to play more guitar.”
Due in no small part to her musicianship as well as her contribution’s to the group’s three-part harmonies, The Marigolds were nominated for a Juno this year for their record “That’s the State I’m In”.
Moving away from the subject of her trio and back to her duo, Vinnick said there’s a welcome back and forth on stage between her and Fines.
“The shows we do together have a particular dynamic,” she explained. “We share the stage together. We play material from the album we did together called “Nothing Halfway”. It came out in 2006. We will each do material from our solo repertoires as well and support each other on those songs.”
People attending the Bragg Creek show Saturday night will get an earful of Vinnick’s powerful vocals and how her voice is well suited to the raw emotional quality of blues music. Vinnick said she’s long been influenced by some of the legendary female singers who have come before her.
“I’ve been a fan of Ann Wilson of Heart since my early teens,” she said. “So I used to sing along with Heart records in my parent’s basement when I was learning guitar. She uses a lot of the chest voice, the big sounding voice, when she’s rocking out and that’s become the sort of sound I gravitate towards. Rickie Lee Jones is another big influence. She’s more of a singer-songwriter and sometimes she can sing so gently then turn it around and just belt it out.”
Those wanting to learn more about Vinnick’s varied music career can go to www.suzievinnick.com.
Tickets to her Bragg Creek Centre show Saturday, with Fines and opening act Edmonton folk performer Chloe Albert, are available at www.braggcreekperformingarts.com
