Music is the soundtrack of our lives, say the musicians of Live Coast Pro-ductions. They will kick off with a touring event series, a Soul Summit Concert, at the Raven’s Cry Theatre in Sechelt on April 4.  

From blues and swing to R&B and soul music, the Soul Summit will have you grooving and rocking, promises musician Russell Marsland, a previous headliner for the Pender Harbour Blues Festival.

Guitar virtuoso and vocalist Marsland had been a powerful presence on the Vancouver music scene for more than 30 years when he co-founded Vancouver’s Rhythm & Blues All Stars. The band played its first gig opening for the legendary Long John Baldry.

This concert will feature the Live Coast All-stars: Jerry Adolphe on drums, from Chilliwack (the band, not the city), Billy Mendoza on bass and vocals, Darryl Havers from Brickhouse on keys, Johnny Ferreira  (Colin James band) on sax and vocals, and David Hurricane Hoerl on blues harp and vocals (from the Twisters). Marsland does a set with this great line-up and also performs solo featuring tunes from his album Dig Deep, a very cool voyage into Mississippi Delta and funky R&B.

When the All-stars return to the stage they will play with Neil Harnett in a set before all the musicians perform in a grand finale. Harnett from White Rock has enjoyed such highlights as a Juno nomination for most promising male vocalist, three singles on the Canadian charts, two CDs and three videos with national exposure.

He released his CD, Somewhere, in 2009. The tunes from Somewhere are a testament to Harnett’s musical depth and diversity, encompassing rock, blues, folk and roots, all showcasing his world class, soulful vocals and guitar work.

“We chose these musicians because they are killer players, veterans and really cool people,” Marsland said. “All of them have major world concert touring experience and are the top of the pile for recording and performing projects.”

Soul Summit is on Thursday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. at Sechelt’s Raven’s Cry Theatre (www.ravenscrytheatre.com). Tickets are $35, available at Gibsons Fire Hall 604-885-6870, Sechelt Fire Hall 604-885-7017, Sound Attraction 604-740-0982, Garden Bay Pub 604-883-2674 or at the door the night of the concert.

What’s with the ticket outlets at fire halls? Marsland explains that Mark Hodges, who is the man for Live Coast, has always done fundraising for the fire department and many other organizations. As Hodges was an ER nurse for many years, it is close to his heart to help out, and it is a mandate with Live Coast to give back to the communities they perform in. Marsland said Live Coast is choosing to do these shows in soft-seat theatres for more than one reason: the sound will be fantastic, it’s an early night, it’s great value and the band is not endorsing alcohol at any of these events — the firefighters love that.