Friday, Oct. 25, 8 p.m.
Communitea Cafe, 1001 6 Ave., Canmore
Tickets: $20 in advance; $24 at the door
There’s no shortage of people with musical dreams and poetic hearts, a story to tell and a voice to express it. Rarer, though, are those who combine a creative urge with a sense of rhythm, dynamics and sheer tunefulness to produce something that’s as listenable as it is meaningful. Julia Lynx is one of those.
A self-described “nature-loving tree hugger” living in Canmore, Lynx is endowed with a big-league voice: strong, fresh and country-clear, with an engagingly warm fuzzy edge.
“I sometimes feel like I was born in the wrong decade in terms of my love of music,” Lynx says. “I’m really drawn into the more sultry sounds of the late ’60s.” Those influences take centre stage on her cover of the John Sebastian/Lovin’ Spoonful classic “Darling Be Home Soon.”
Lynx’s lyrics deal with the natural world and confront relationships in all their painful glory. Melancholy is all part of life’s journey, she says.
Sonically, her music is infused with the influence of Juno-nominated producer and musician Marc Atkinson, who worked with her on her debut album, “Wild Patience.” Recorded at The Barn Studio on Hornby Island, B.C., the 11-song package is a showcase of Atkinson’s clean, organic and tasteful musicianship in support of Lynx’s vocals. It’s an eclectic mix of music, but with a continuous thread running through the album to create a cohesive package.
“When I felt these songs arriving and started to have really beautiful feedback, I knew at that point if I was going to do anything with them, I wanted to do it with someone who really knows how to do it – a master of the craft. So I reached out to Marc.” She had seen Atkinson perform at the Canmore Folk Music Festival a few years back, and his musicianship made an impression. “He is an unbelievable player, the kind of guy you watch and you just go quiet.”
Atkinson, above, played all the instruments, arranged and produced “Wild Patience,” and will be part of Lynx’s band on Friday night. He’ll also play a set of his own music.
Lynx says her evolution from singing to songwriting, performing and now becoming a recording artist has taken place without a lot of fanfare. “A lot of people don’t actually know – they’re surprised. I’m on the front of the entertainment section of the paper and they’re like: ‘You write music?’ I needed to keep it to myself; of course there’s a lot people involved, but in general in my community it’s a pretty fresh idea.”
Also part of Friday’s show will be Bragg Creek musician Rob Moss and Canmore’s Kristy Davison.
Julia Lynx’s “Wild Patience” is available on iTunes and as a physical CD. Short samples of the album’s tracks can be streamed at julialynx.com.