Mimosa is a cocktail with only the finest ingredients: Jazz, Brazilian sambas and French chansons. Stir or shake, sip, and get ready to feel good. Gibsons and Vancouver based 'Mimosa' are celebrating the release of their new CD, Méli Mélo with a concert at Gibsons' Heritage Playhouse on Saturday at 8 p.m.
If Mimosa has been around this long, it's because the quality of the music has given it long legs. At the end of the '90s it started out as a hip lounge act, playing several nights a week in all the happening nights spots in Vancouver (the Railway Club, the Jupiter Lounge, the Backstage Lounge,..). ??Becoming more established and getting its own vintage sound, Mimosa then launched into the festival circuit and began touring (B.C., Quebec including the Montreal and Rimouski Jazz Festivals, United States) and signed a licensing and distribution deal with Saravah, a label in France. Mimosa was also featured in a one-hour long documentary produced by Pierre Rivard from French CBC, aired on TV5.
The band consists of Rebecca Shoichet, a vocalist with many years spent playing with some of Vancouver's most established bands (Soul Stream, Famous Players, Kia Kadiri, Lache Cercel). Karen Graves is well known as a virtuoso sax and flute player (Joelle Rabu, the Temptations, Marylin Lerner, Maynard Ferguson, Mother of Pearl) and brings passion and incredible improvisations to the combo. Anna Lumiere is the main driver behind the wheel of the band, playing left-hand bass and keyboards and writing most of the music and lyrics in French, Spanish and English. The drum chair is Nino diPasquale, the incredible rhythm machine. Joining Mimosa will be Adam Thomas on bass and special guest Juno award winning Celso Machado, who also appears on the new album.
Mimosa were a hit at the Moulin Rouge Masquerade Dance in Roberts Creek a year ago and sure to bring back fond memories, bring out the boas and top hats for an evening of beautiful music. Tickets are $15 and available at Coast Books, Gibsons; Roberts Creek Health Foods, WindSong Gallery in Sechelt or at the door. More information at www.coastjazz.com or 604-740-5825.
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