The Jingles with Heigh River and Life As A Song
Saturday, Dec. 21, 9 p.m.
Blind Beggar Pub, 106-5211 Macleod Tr. S.W.
Admission: $10
The Jingles have been giving Calgary’s fans of live original music a reason to welcome the holiday season every December since 2008. The trio is back at it this year, playing its own brand of authentic yet unique interpretations of Christmas music for local audiences.
Drummer and vocalist Mickey Valenz says he and bandmates Dean Morrison (guitar and vocals) and Lindsey Rae (piano and vocals) look forward to taking a break from their other musical projects each year to reunite as The Jingles.
“It is hard work, but it’s always been fun for the band – it feels like an annual holiday tradition for us and our fans,” Valenz says.
The band brings a high calibre of musicianship and a range of musical styles to the stage; Valenz played with alternative electro-rockers Septembryo while Morrison is a member of roots-rock quintet Redhead Mack. “And Lindsey has a pitch-perfect ear – she’s a very innovative pianist and vocalist who can hit all of those holy high notes,” Valenz says.
“When it comes to Christmas music, we remain true to the original songs, but we’re never afraid of reinventing how they can be presented,” he says. “We tap into the warm nostalgia of the holiday classics, and ham up the goofiness of the upbeat jolly tunes.”
The Jingles also reveal the dark undertones of the “spookier” songs, he adds. “The audience never knows what to expect from one song to the next.” The band’s infectious chemistry means there are plently of laughs and banter between songs, too. “We try to fill people with Christmas spirit and inspire a great appreciation for music.”
In keeping with the spirit of the season, Saturday’s show at the Blind Beggar Pub will also be a fundraiser to brighten Christmas for a needy Calgary family. Joining The Jingles will be Life As A Song, featuring singer-songwriter Damien Mustaphi, and upbeat rockers Heigh River (pronounced like the town in the Northwest Territories, not the town just south of Calgary).