2024 Performers

Featuring Local Talent

Note: Performers and times are subject to change at this time.

Young Performers Showcase

Saturday August 3rd
Mainstage 10:30-11:00

This year’s performers are River City Sidemen and Malakai.

Ralph Barrat

Sunday, August 4th
Sails Stage 11:30-12:30pm

Ralph is a very busy pianist/vocalist from the Comox Valley and plays up and down Vancouver Island, in Vancouver, on cruise ships and abroad, crooning Sinatra style with a 6 piece, or Nat King Cole style behind a piano. Ralph is currently involved with numerous jazz groups as well as 50’s rock, and country swing groups. 

Broadfork Duo

Monday August 5th
Mainstage 3:15-4:15

Born in a barn (literally!) during The “Great” Lock-Down, The Broadfork 4 are a rag-tag group of misfits who play roots music between chores at Sweet Spread Farm. Corey Sheiding on right-handed lead guitar, Britt Hibbert (“the best left-handed guitar picker in West Merville”), Michelle Fillion (now on bass) and Carolyn Mark (accordion).

Coast to Coast

Monday August 5th
Sails Stage 11:30-12:30pm

After fifteen years of working together from a duo to seven piece bands Lainie and Scott are still having fun and making happy toe tapping times.

Completely Creedence

Saturday August 3rd
Mainstage 7:00-8:30pm

A Tribute to CCR ~ Playing the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival. With a deep appreciation for the music and a commitment to delivering an authentic performance, these guys capture the essence of CCR’s sound and spirit.

Steve Elliott – Elvis Tribute

Sunday August 4th
Mainstage 12:10-1:10
Monday August 5th
Mainstage 7:10-8:10

Steve has been a performer since 2000 and has won various Elvis contests throughout Canada, including the Grand Canadian Championship of the Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival 2004 in Penticton.

He travels now full time with his “Elvis Elite “show and his act has taken him throughout Canada and the USA. Expect a high energy tribute to the Century’s Most Celebrated and Loved…. Elvis Presley! Steve has the Young Elvis down to a tee, along with the hip swivels and classic duck walk that made Elvis so recognizable in the 50’s! Crooning through the Ballads and Rockabilly Hits, Steve is ready to shake!

Luke Blu Duo – Heart Beatin’ Rhythm & Blues

Saturday August 3rd
Mainstage 2:15-3:00pm

Luke Blu Guthrie is an Independent Rhythm and Blues artist born & raised on Vancouver Island. An Alternative Roots Style is his foundation for an array of Acoustic & Electric guitars that support soulful vocals, a unique foot percussion rig and sounds derived from the swamp and his own colourful ancestry. 

Guthrie has lived and worked in the Western Canadian Music Scene for over twenty years with numerous independent releases and tours around the country. 

www.youtube.com/lukebluguthrie

Anela Kahiamoe

Saturday August 3rd 
Sails Stage 8:30-11:00am
Sunday  August 4th
Sails Stage 8:30-11:00am
Monday August 5th
Sails Stage 8:30-11:00am

Anela has been a professional musician since the age of 17, opened up concerts in Hawaii with his band Island Band for Fleetwood Mac, Earth Wind and Fire, Huey Lewis and the News, and other acts. He has also performed as a solo artist at Vancouver Island Musicfest as well as back up musician for Juno Award Winner Sue Medley. Anela loves Vancouver Island so much, he became a citizen in 2019.

Island Time

Monday August 5th
Sails Stage 3:30-4:30

A fun musical duo, Perry Johnson and Heather Spout. Perry hails from Newfoundland and has been singing and writing songs since the 70’s. He likes nothing better than a good kitchen party. Heather got her appreciation for music at an early age. She grew up in a home where her mom played piano, her dad played harmonica, and sang the traditional Irish and Scottish folk songs of the day. She’s been singing ever since. Together their goal is to impart a sense of joy and wellbeing to their audiences through the music of the 60s and 70s. They promise you a fun time, an ISLAND TIME! As their motto says, “We do what we do because of you.”

Desmond Day

Saturday August 3rd
Mainstage 1:00-2:00pm

Black Gold is Desmond Day’s most recent music release (Featuring Lonny Eagleton, Bassist of LA band, Black Veil Brides.) Black Gold was written and recorded on an acoustic guitar made from the salvaged floorboards of Jimi Hendrix’s family home in Seattle, courtesy of Reuben Forsland of Joi Guitars. The song features Hendrix inspired melodies, lyrics and overall feel of the music legend. Black Gold is sweeping across the airwaves, bringing hope and inspiration to people of all walks of life.

The Laurie Tinkler School of Dance

Sunday August 4th
Mainstage 1:30 – 2:10pm

The Laurie Tinkler School of Dance has been offering dance classes and entertaining audiences in the Comox Valley for over 35 years. We offer classes to children and adults starting at age 3 in Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Highland, Irish, Hip Hop and more.

Laurie Tinkler School of Dance
17A-2755 Moray Avenue
Courtenay, BC V9N8M9
250.897.8885

Malakai

Young Performers Showcase
Saturday, August 3rd
Mainstage 10:50 – 11:00am

Malakai sings with a soul surprising in one so young yet at 15 years old, this young balladeer is already a seasoned performer. Accompanying himself on guitar, his music combines a unique balance of sophisticated artistry and youthful vulnerability. As an emerging songwriter, Malakai composes songs that are a portal of passion and sentiment. Covering folk, pop, and R&B ballads, he has a way of taking any song and making it his own. From theatres to festivals, Malakai has been captivating audiences since the age of seven. https://malakaimusician.com/
“He’s got chops. He’s got pipes….and he has great taste in music!” – David Essig, Canadian
Singer-Songwriter/Producer

Wildcard Revue

Sunday August 4th
Mainstage 7:00-8:30pm

“Get out there and have fun – make it social. I want to play with people I feel good about. When you have this, the music takes care of itself. But always leave a little something up to chance.”

This formed the mission statement for The Wild Card Revue. And the result is obvious from the first listen. John enjoys the role of catalyst – the person that brings various configurations together to create the magic. He is not looking for the limelight but envisions group attainment of a higher order. The Wild Card Review is the manifestation of this.

The Mosaic Trio

Saturday, August 3rd
Sails Stage 2:15-3:15pm

The Mosaic Trio entertains listeners with unplugged acoustic tunes ranging from jazz standards to country, pop and rock. Mosaic consists of Alain Gourdeau on lead guitar, Ram Sudama on bass. and Dave Harvey on rhythm guitar. Alain is a brilliant lead guitarist who continuously adds colour and texture to the trio’s sound. Alain has performed with several bands and combos in the Valley and many music enthusiasts will recognize Alain as a former standup bassist with the Strathcona Symphony Orchestra and the North Island Choral Society Orchestra. Ram is a multi-instrumentalist who is active in the Comox Valley music community. Locally, he plays with the C V Concert Band, the Strathcona Symphony, and the Dave Blinzinger Jazz Collective, as well as participating in the pit orchestra for a number of musical productions. Ram plays acoustic bass guitar and provides a solid bottom to the Mosaic mix.
Dave’s rhythm guitar, intricate flat and finger picking creates the foundation for Mosaic. Valley jazz enthusiasts will remember Dave as a founding member of Jazz Noir and the Georgia Straight Jazz Society. After 10-years of travel abroad, he’s happy to be back home on the Island playing with the The Mosaic Trio.
The Mosaic Trio will always quench your thirsty ears.

Brice Tabish

Monday August 5th
Mainstage 8:30-9:50

Brice has spent more than half of his life onstage, having performed all over Vancouver Island and the mainland by the age of 14. Since then, he’s performed from BC to New Brunswick and back, multiple cities in California, including Santa Rosa with Norman Greenbaum (“Spirit In The Sky”) and several solo shows on the world famous Sunset Strip, as well as Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and a brief stint in the heart of downtown London, England, to name a few. Born in Campbell River, Tabish currently resides in Vancouver, playing regularly with Las Divas, The Brice Tabish Band, and Lee Aaron (“Metal Queen”, “Bodyrock”) as well has having worked with the likes of Andrew Loog Oldham (Original manager/producer for The Rolling Stones) and Mike Fraser (Producer/Engineer, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Metallica).

Kevin Ogren – Magician

Sunday August 4th
Sails Stage 1:00- 1:45pm
Monday August 5th
Sails Stage 1:00-2:00pm

Kevin Ogren was born and raised on Vancouver Island. He is an elementary school teacher and has been performing the Myster-O Magic Show for more than 25 years. His magic shows combine classics of magic and humour to create an entertaining show for the whole family.

Sue Pyper

Monday August 5th
Sails Stage 2:15-3:15pm

Sue Pyper is an award-winning Canadian singer/songwriter originally from London, UK. Her personal travels, both geographical and emotional, have inspired gentle, insightful, and heartfelt songs that look at life from all angles and visit themes of both hope and hardship. Women of Substance Radio describes her music as “Heavily influenced by pioneering singer/songwriters of the 70s like John Denver, Jim Croce and Joni Mitchell, Sue Pyper’s music is rooted in timeless acoustic folk, and on par with current folk artists like Mary Chapin Carpenter, Patty Griffin and Dar Williams.”

Sean Grieve Committee

Monday August 5th
Mainstage 2:00-3:00pm

The “Sean Grieve Committee” is the brainchild of Comox Valley born Hammond Organist and keyboad player Sean Grieve.  Playing in local bands like “The Valiants” and “Blues Report” while sill at GP Vanier, Sean furthered his musical studies at Vancouver Island University (Malispina) and went on to a career performing and recording with musicians across western Canada.
>>> The Committee is a six piece original band blending the musical styles of Blues, Gospel, Jazz, R&B and Rock with an all star lineup consisting of Jim Papp lead vocals, Barry Polichek bass, Ross Hales drums, Edwin Grieve guitar, and Brian “Fuzz” Morissette on percussion.  Sean will feature his A100 Hammond Organ and Leslie speaker as well as his Wurlitzer and Fender Rhodes pianos, and Moog and ARP synthesizers for an authentic musical experience.  

Sharp Seven

Monday August 5th Main Stage 5:50-6:50

“Ralph Barrat and The Sharp Seven” are thrilled to take the stage with a tribute performance to the songs of Sinatra, Ellington, Darin and much more.

The “Sharp Seven” is a very lively 7 piece combo featuring some of Vancouver Island’s finest musicians. The 3 piece horn section alone, includes Jack Reynolds on Sax & Flute, Greg Bush on Trumpet, and Paul Nuez on Trombone. Piling on to the talent is Michael Eddy on keyboard, holder of a the very distinguished, “Associate in Piano Performance”. Grahame Edwards is on Bass and brings over 30 years of exceptional musicianship, that includes both writing and directing. Rounding out the rhythm section on drums, is Rob Peterson.

River City Sidemen

Saturday August 3rd
Young Performers Showcase
Mainstage 10:30- 10:50

The Rivercity Sidemen is an ensemble of talented high school students from Quadra Island, Campbell River, and Courtenay. They are: Jake Elias (saxophone and EWI), Willum Ashurst (keyboard and drums), AJ Lontayao (drums and guitar), and Athanasios Wees (upright and fretless bass). They share their love of jazz, fusion, and funk, and have spent the last 6 months performing around Campbell River, Courtenay, and Nanaimo, including a performance at the annual Nanaimo Jazz Festival.

Nathan Senner

Saturday August 3rd
Sails Stage 1:00 – 2:00pm

Nathan Senner is a Vancouver Island musician well known for his moving songs about life and the human condition. He has been writing for more than 30 years and has produced and recorded two original albums ‘Dance in the Moon’ and ‘Wings Of Change’. He is a welcomed performer at local music venues and festivals and was nominated for both ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘Vocalist of the Year’ at the 2015 Vancouver Island Music Awards.
“Senner’s music is thoughtful and bittersweet and the sincerity of his vocals and sensitive delivery make his music especially meaningful to hear.”

Shineolas

Sunday August 4th
Mainstage 2:20-3:15pm

The Nanaimo based group The Shineolas are a dynamic group of award winning veteran performers, multi instrumentalists and seasoned vocalists who write and perform original music and classic gems with a funky, fun and rollicking danceable <lair. Their eclectic “good-time” style combines elements of Texas Swing, Roots & Blues, New Orleans R&B, Gospel, and Vintage Jazz. Their music and high calibre musicianship offers audiences an exciting listening treat and high energy entertainment that won!t soon be forgotten.
Well known throughout Vancouver and Vancouver Island, BC where they play a wide variety of venues, The Shineolas brings together four distinctive musical talents.

Sherri L Smith

 Sunday August 4th
Sails Stage 2:15 – 3:15pm

Singer-songwriter, Sherri L Smith (sherrismithmusic), grew up with music being an intrinsic part of her life. From picking out tunes on elastic hat bands as a child, to learning to play multiple instruments throughout life, Sherri has turned her passion to performing original songs and covers on her guitar. She can be found performing around the Comox Valley, on Texada Island and on her Twitch.tv program. in 2023 she took part in the Texada Island Roots and Blues Festival and started releasing her original music, which can be found on Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp, YouTube, and other streaming services, as well as Physical CDs. Her originals range from Folk to Country to Jazz to Sea Shanty styles, but the one thing they all have in common is they tell a story or present a message. 2024 will see her releasing more originals to the universe. You can find out more on her webpage:
https://sherrismithmusic.wixsite.com/sherrismith-music

The Pink Sparrows

Monday August 5th
Mainstage 1:00 – 1:45 pm

Tightrope

Saturday August 3rd
Mainstage 3:20-4:10pm
Tightrope is an electric tribute to the blues. Their energetic performances have been felt around Vancouver Island performing at festivals local venues. Tightrope is comprised of Lorne Fugle on guitar, Dave Stevenson on Fender bass, Mark Goyan on guitar and vocals, and Greg Hill on drums.

Typsy Gypsy Jazz

Saturday August 3rd
Mainstage 4:30 – 5:30pm
Calling beautiful mid-East Vancouver Island home, the “Typsys” are happy to offer up a mélange of Acoustic Swing Jazz, specifically in the traditional Manouche-Gypsy format and style (from the late 1920’s through the ’30’s-featuring many compositions by Jean Baptiste “Django” Reinhardt-as performed by his famous quintet, The Hot Club of France), but also in other varied popular swing style songs and instrumentals. Jazz Manouche groups generally consisted of a lead guitar, violin, two rhythm guitars and bass. This music can be both melancholy and passionate, often played with fire and panache. The Typsy Gypsys keep that tradition alive and are very excited to be able to share this exciting music genre with any kind of audience, including ones new to this experience as well as old school Django fans! The Typsy Gypsy Jazz Band’s members are:

Callum Paterson-Lead Guitar and Vocals
Jerry Schneider-Rhythm Guitar
Tom Neville-Violin
David Mitchell-Acoustic Bass

Vintage Velvet

Sunday August 4th
Mainstage 4:20-5pm

Vintage Velvet, a quintet of diverse and varied experienced, create a seamless blend of classic jazz elegance and contemporary innovation. Mesmerizing vocal lead, Mel McCutcheon, whose rich and soulful tones and charismatic presence captivate audiences from the first note, is supported by pianist Michelle Draper, guitarist Doug Anderson, drummer Greg Hill, and anchored by bassist Dave Stevenson.

Vogue Villians

Judy and Bruce Wing – with Blaine Dunaway

Heather Wright