Strawberry and Asperagus Guard Dog
the traveling ukulele
AN UNUSUAL WAY TO SEE THE WORLD: TORONTO MUSICIAN SET FOR DUTCH, FRENCH, RUSSIAN, FINNISH, SPANISH AND ITALIAN PERFORMANCES
Question: What cost $700.00, weighs less than three lbs., and acts as a passport for world travel?
Answer: Shelley O’Brien’s custom-built ukulele.
Toronto-based Shelley O’Brien first made the news when she was chosen to represent Canada at the Helsinki International Ukulele Festival last year.
At that time she had just released her debut CD, You Me and the Birds, best described as an unusual, yet thoughtfully accessible pop album.
Now she’s taking her uke on a whirlwind tour that touches down in Rotterdam April 16, followed by a concert at the Paris Ukulele Bazaar, sponsored by Radio France. She then hop-scotches to St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Barcelona and Venice, ending with two performances in Rome. The concert in Lignano (a town near Venice) includes an event called Ukuleles for Peace, and features a 25-piece ukulele orchestra made up of both Muslim and Jewish children.
When she returns, she’ll make a BravoFact video for her song “Generous Waters” and then travel to Vancouver to record her next CD, again working with producer Matthew Rogers. And her “passport” is also good for travel within Canada — Via Rail is sponsoring her trip back to Toronto in exchange for a series of informal performances on the train.
—30—
For further information, interviews, high-res photographs, contact:
Richard Flohil/Beth Ward — Richard Flohil & Associates
416 351-1323 rflohil@sympatico.ca
Website:
Ikiru
