Listen to area’s best performing for good cause

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Jeff Liberty

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Mike Biggar is among the many talented Maritime performers who will be recording a Christmas CD at Vintage Bistro on Oct 28. The CD will raise money for food banks.

Christmas comes early this year in the form of a Christmas concert at the Vintage Bistro and Lounge on Oct. 28 in support of area food banks. The performance is being recorded and will be released as a live holiday CD with proceeds going to this much-needed cause.

The performances for this landmark CD, entitled A Very Vintage Christmas, include some of New Brunswick fastest rising stars as well as some bona fide household names in the Maritime music scene such as Matt Andersen, Brent Mason, Babette Hayward, Stephanie Mainville, Mike Biggar, Cynthia Liberty, Laura Biggar, Jolene Tufts, Mary Beth Marks and Heckman & Downes.

The CD will be available for purchase in late November with a release party. You will be able to purchase the CD at Vintage in Hampton and Backstreet Records in the city. For further information and tickets go to www.vintagebistro.com or call 832-1212.

On Oct. 9 Sean Ashby plays Vintage with his brand of melodic folk/rock. Ashby has been Sarah McLachlan's guitarist since 1996 and has also played with Delerium and Wild Strawberries, among others.

"A rock songwriter with a knack for melody and infectious riffs... Stylistic reference points here range from Foo Fighters to Coldplay to Nick Drake and such eclecticism is refreshing in this era of one-dimensional artist." - Kerry Doole, Exclaim.ca

I can't recommend this show enough. Hope to see you there. Learn more about Ashby by visiting www.seanashby.com.

The beautiful and talented strawberry girl Norma Macdonald makes a return to the area on Oct. 10 at the Vintage in support of her new record The Forest For The Trees. Tickets are available now at the venue. Listen to Norma by going to www.normamacdonald.com/music.htm. Fans of Lucinda Williams will love this show. Macdonald does the best cover of Blue Bayou I have ever heard.

On Oct. 15 at The Blue Olive on Rothesay Ave. it's the CD release by local singer/songwriter Andy Stevens with special guest Clinton Charlton. Stevens has matured into a fine songwriter with a musical vision far beyond his years. Fans of cult pop masters Bigstar will really love what Stevens is doing and he has one of the best voices in the city as far as I am concerned. Tickets are $5 in advance, $7 at the door and are available by calling 634-3183. Check out Stevens by visiting www.myspace.com/andystevensmusic. Local music rocks! The Music Man

Jeff's musical pick of the week - Mike Biggar and The Big Breakfast Special - Self Titled. Listen here: www.myspace.com/mikebiggarmusic.

Jeff Liberty has spent two decades in the entertainment business as an impresario and is known as the Music Man of the Valley. He can be reached by emailing freedomismusic@aol.com.