Taking age out of the equation would be just fine with a Cochrane singer-songwriter. A check of Lucas Chaisson performance videos on YouTube reveals he is an adept singer-songwriter and natural live performer.
Chaisson, playing A Room Full of Sound concert Saturday, October 22, would be content if audiences could appreciate his music without getting caught up by the fact he is 17-years old.
“There are some people who are able to look past the age thing,” he said. “Some other people aren’t. I try not to advertise it hugely because I’d rather be known as a good musician rather than a good 17-year-old musician.”
The artist’s original songs and his carefully chosen cover tunes delve into roots, rhythm and blues. This makes him a nice fit with the other artists on Saturday’s performance bill, including Foothills area artist Crystal Plamondon playing her own unique blend of Cajun fueled country and Calgary roots music performer T. Buckley.
While singer-songwriter Buckley sees roots as a broad musical category that encompasses a wide range of artists, he feels it better suits what he does than another much used label.
“Country music is a term that’s pretty skewed,” he said. “What most people think of as country is that top 40 stuff by people like Kenny Chesney. To me, that’s not real country music that’s pop music. Real country music to me is stuff from Ian Tyson and Corb Lund and people of that ilk.”
Buckley writes songs that are deeply personal. He penned a track titled “Prairie Town” explaining the merits of life in this part of the country. He confessed he wrote the song in part to make his girlfriend feel better about moving away from the west coast to be with him.
“She moved to Calgary from Victoria in like March,” Buckley said. “It was cold and miserable out here and of course out there it was beautiful in January. The adjustment was obviously tough for her.”
The show, Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Okotoks United Church will be the third time Buckley has played locally in the last couple of years. It’s something the artist is always up for doing.
“Okotoks seems to have a really great community,” he said of to the town’s appetite for live music. “There are a lot of great players out there and lots of people who want to come out and listen to the stuff.”
Saturday’s concert will mark the first time Buckley shares a concert stage with Chaisson even though the pair did meet once before.
“I met him at the Calgary folk festival this year,” Buckley said. “He seems like a really nice young guy. He is already really accomplished.”
Chaisson has done well this year having played more than his fair share of concerts and festivals in 2011. He explained why the timing of his A Room Full of Sound performance is good for him.
“Usually this time of year is when things take a little bit of a dive as far as performance opportunities go,” Chaisson said. “I’m working already on booking festivals and stuff for next summer.”
The Cochrane songwriter is also looking ahead to another exciting project.
“I am taking the next month off entirely (from performing) to make the next album, “ he said.
Chaisson has released two independent albums in the past, both self-produced. This time, he explained Calgary producer Lorrie Matheson would produce the next record.
One can hear Chaisson in town Saturday fine-tuning his sound in advance of his upcoming recording sessions.
For more information on the concert at Okotoks United Church or to order tickets go to www.aroomfullofsound.com
