Download Colour Logo
Download Black Logo
Download Hi-Res
From left to Right: Laura, Marianne, Heather, Tannis, Chris
International Women's Day Songstress Celebration
Anchored by powerful vocals, memorable melodies and great stories, these songstresses combine their unique talents for an unforgettable musical event. With influences ranging from early folk-roots and gospel spirituals to rock 'n' roll, blues and jazz, The Pomelos invite you into their collective kitchen! An intimate and most definitely interactive experience...
You bring the chocolate; they'll supply the fruit.
Chris MacLean will be touring with The Pomelos this year.
Please scroll down to the bottom of the individual biographies to learn more about this new Pomelos Songstress!
2009 TOUR DATES
Canadian songstresses LAURA BIRD, TANNIS SLIMMON, MARIANNE GIRARD, CHRIS MACLEAN and Blues vocalist HEATHER KATZ will be appearing in ORANGEVILLE & PORT ELGIN in 2009!
Headwaters Acoustic Music Society
Tickets $25
ORANGEVILLE
232 Broadway
Broadway Music 519-940-4810
Email: broadway@bellnet.caSUNDAY MARCH 8TH 1PM
PORT ELGIN
Tickets $45FUNDRAISER LUNCHEON
Community & Fund Development
Women's House Serving Bruce & Grey
CAW-Canada, Family Education Centre, R.R.#1, CAW Road 25
Women’s House Serving Bruce & Grey
(519) 396-9814 Ext 25
Email: bcadmin@whsbg.on.ca
Luncheon Begins at 12:30PM
Concert Begins at 1:30PM
DOWNLOAD HI-RES VERSION
(Laura, Marianne, Heather, Tannis, Katherine, Chris)IN THE BEGINNING
How exactly did Katherine Wheatley, Tannis Slimmon, Laura Bird, Marianne Girard, and Heather Katz become 'The Pomelos'?It was a note…
"I've been meaning to e-mail you to tell you what a great time my sister and I had at the women-in-song concert (at the Orangeville Opera House March 12, 05). I'm thinking you five should form a group...You could call yourself The Pomelos..."
Bernadette Hardaker - CBC RadioCome celebrate International Women's Day with THE POMELOS!
The whole thing started on a cool summer day back in July 2004. It started where all great parties start: in the kitchen - Laura's kitchen. She'd arranged a luncheon with some songwriter friends to welcome Katherine Wheatley into her new community. Marianne barbequed the jerk chicken, Laura baked the bread, Heather divided the dark chocolate and Tannis peeled the pomelos (the grandmother of all grapefruit). This culinary gathering led to sharing songs and singing harmonies, then rehearsals and finally to the International Women's Day Songstress Celebration 2005 tour. At every rehearsal and on stage at each show, these women sang their hearts out, told stories and devoured dark chocolate and pomelos.
Katherine, Tannis, Laura, Marianne and Heather celebrated International Women's Day 2005 with performances at Gananoque's beautiful Firehall Theatre and Orangeville's famed Opera House. It was during one of the concerts that CBC Radio personality Bernadette Hardaker christened them "The Pomelos". The shows were so well received that The Pomelos were immediately invited back to both venues for performances in 2006 and added four additional shows to the tour that year. Due to a scheduling conflict, Marianne Girard was unable to make one of the performances so the gals invited Songstress Eve Goldberg to join the group and yet another tradition was established. Chris MacLean accepted the gals invitation the following year when Katherine Wheatley was unable to particpate, touring in 2008 and will be returning for the shows in 2009.
MUSIC - CD'S and MORE MUSIC! It's been quite a year for all the women. Tannis Slimmon released her new album Lucky Blue in July 2007 and throughout 2008, received critical acclaim and a number of outstanding awards taking home 'Best Contemporary Vocalist' from the Canadian Folk Music Awards in Nfld. Chris MacLean was honoured to win the 2008 Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award and she begins recording her new solo project this winter. Laura Bird released her new recording 'The Water In Between' October 25th and has been receiving excellent reviews, enjoying airplay across Canada and the USA. Marianne Girard and Katherine Wheatley are both completing work on new solo recordings due for release this summer and Heather Katz became proud owner of Broadway Music, a music store offering instruments, lessons and repairs to the folks of Orangeville. All in all, one successful year with more anticipated for the gals in 2009!
For more information on The Pomelos please visit: www.laurabird.com/Songstress.htm"It was a memorable experience that lifted the spirits as they totally engaged the audience with their stories and playful sense of humour. The audience couldn't get enough, calling out for more! more! during the extended encore. I have already booked them again for next year."
Carl Borgstrom - Artistic Director of Live! At the Opera House Orangeville, Ontario 2005
Recipe for Potent Pomelo Music
Several Pomelos (peeled and wedged)
Hot Peppermint Tea
Dark Chocolate (any kind will do-truffles, squares, bonbons..)
20-25 beautifully written songs
5 amazing voices
5 acoustic guitars
1-2 mandolins
1 Djembe drumGently blend all ingredients together over a few hours and share with a large group of friends…
Individual Biographical Info (alphabetical order)
Laura Bird
Download hi-resLaura Bird web
"Laura Bird's songs speak to the strength, grace and truth she finds in the extraordinary and the everyday."
Jan Vanderhorst CKPC Just Us Folk, Brantford, ON
A generous performer and favourite at songwriter-in-the-round concert presentations, the stories behind the songs are just one aspect that audience patrons adore about this songstress. With her sultry smokey voice, finely honed guitar work and a painters' eye for lush images, you'll want to close your eyes and watch the mind movies inspired by Laura's soundtrack.
Since the release of her debut CD Dreamwalker, Laura has continued to write, perform and record her music while being an active contributor to her larger musical community. Over the years she's made appearances at Summerfolk, Mariposa, Quinte, Headwaters Arts and Blue Skies Festivals. While serving on both the OCFF (Ontario Council of Folk Festivals) and ArtsCan Circle Board of Directors, Laura also co-founded the Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award and the Headwaters Acoustic Music Society, recently retiring as Artistic Director of the Live! At the Opera House concert series in Orangeville.
During the eight years she devoted to the work of ArtsCan Circle, Laura shared her music with kids at risk, traveling to remote Aboriginal communities of Northern Ontario and Labrador. For the past five years in celebration of International Women's Day, she has toured southern Ontario with a fluid 'Quintana' of songstresses called The Pomelos (Katherine Wheatley, Tannis Slimmon, Marianne Girard, Heather Katz, Chris MacLean, Eve Goldberg).
Laura recorded her new project with co-producer Gene Gouthro at Athlone Studios in Everett, ON where she once again assembled a stellar core of support musicians and musical guests (Emory Lester, Tannis Slimmon, Dave Clarke, Mike Stevens…) representing the innovative Fly By Night Orchestra. The result is 'THE WATER IN BETWEEN', a beautiful collection of fourteen original compositions, showcasing both maturity in her songwriting as well as the warm intensity of her rich sultry vocals. Already receiving very positive reviews, the CD is enjoying airplay across Canada and the USA. In addition to a number of tour dates through southern Ontario this spring and fall, Laura looks forward to performing at the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival this summer."What a delight it is! I love your voice and the songs and here's the bonus:
it's one of the most gorgeously produced albums I've heard in quite a while!
Just my cup of tea: clean, musical, lush and real."
Paul Mills - Musician/Producer The Mill Stream, Toronto, ON
Marianne Girard
Download hi-resMarianne Girard web
" Marianne Girard will melt your heart and move your feet. Dubbed a Canadian Nightingale by European radio, over the years her sound has driven the back roads of Ontario's small towns and turned south into the heart of Americana. In 1992, after writing the ceremonial song for the United Nations Peace Conference, Marianne left the music business to retrain as an Expressive Arts Therapist and raise her two young daughters on the shores of Lake Simcoe, north of Toronto, Ontario.
For the next ten years, she worked with children and adults in remote, rural schools and health clinics, including native reserves. In 2002, she returned to her life of music with her first recording in twenty years, "In This Town". Marianne's songs paint vibrant landscapes, firing up the senses with a spectacular voice and irresistible, rootsy grooves. Marianne launches her U.S. appearance in January 2006 in Chicago, with a live concert on CFMT's Midnight Special/FolkStage."Marianne is putting the final touches on a new recording due to be released early summer of 2009. And We Can't Wait!!!
"…It may be that there are other singers who can finesse a vocal as well as she, but I don't know who they are…it's that voice that rivets me. I swear my vital signs rise and fall in sync with her voice. ...it's the magic carpet that transports me to a heavenly planet. And if that wasn't enough, the songs are excellent."
Malcolm O'Brien
CD Baby
Heather Katz
Download hi-resHeather Katz web
Heather started her career playing in the famous Canadian coffee houses of the 70's, The Riverboat, Bohemian Embassy & Egertons in Toronto & Yellow Door in Montreal. She has performed with world-class artists such as Blind John Davis, James Brown, Long John Baldry, Otis Clay, Solomon Burke, and Matt "Guitar" Murphy. She was one of the first in the Toronto Blues Society "Women in Blues" series at Toronto's Albert's Hall.
Heather toured across Canada in the late 70's and early 80's with cover bands performing everything from Top 40 to Disco, R&B, Reggae/Ska, and Rock & Blues. Residing in Orangeville, Ontario, she took the years 1987-2003 to have a family, but remained popular on the Benefit Concert Circuit helping to raise funds for Children's organizations and Women's shelters across Ontario and into Michigan. In 1998 she recorded "The Wish" for the "Search for a Cure" Cancer Campaign with an all-star cast of singers.
Heather released her long overdue debut CD "Tell Mama" with long time friend and producer Virgil Scott at the helm. Her band mates include a virtual who's who from the Canadian Blues and Jazz circuit with the likes of Garth Vogan, Simon Wallis, Terry Blersh, Charlie Cooley, Peter Jeffrey and Michael Fonfara of Downchild Blues Band to name a few.
July 2008 Heather and her husband Michael Griffin became the proud new owners of BROADWAY MUSIC located in Orangeville."Heather has been amazing her audience for 3 decades with her 4 octave vocal range. She has the ability to move one from tears to laughter at the blink of an eye. Her musical diversity makes categorizing her impossible. She commands the stage with her powerful presence and intimate vulnerability."
Virgil Scott
Producer, Performer
Tannis Slimmon
Download hi-resTannis Slimmon web
Tannis is a singer songwriter living in Guelph, Ontario. A key figure in the burgeoning local music scene, Tannis has been singing a Capella, and accompanying herself on guitar and/or mandolin, working in bands and recording harmony backup for hundreds of other musicians for over twenty years. After much encouragement from her musical friends, she is now stepping forward as a solo artist. Vocal harmony continues to be Tannis' passion, and remains the focus on her solo debut album, Oak Lake. Fresh on the heels of releasing her sophmore project 'Lucky Blue', Tannis has been consistently garnering critical acclaim and a host of awards; the most recent Best Contemporary Vocalist at the Canadian Folk Music Awards!
Her music career began with town hall, church and one-room school concerts in a farming community on the prairies. She started singing professionally when she moved to Guelph, Ontario in 1980. From 1984 to 1995, Tannis played, recorded and toured North America with The Bird Sisters, a three-woman group who released 3 independent albums. Since 1995, she has been playing with the duo Crows Feet and the roots/rock trio Benji, with whom she has recorded two albums.
Tannis traveled to Mali, West Africa with life partner and musician, record producer Lewis Melville, where they performed and recorded several projects with several Malian local musicians and were feature performers on a Bravo TV feature film presentation.
"Slimmon's main tool is her strong soprano voice, which she wields in expertly crafted harmonies with both male and female vocal accompanists, and with herself as well. In all cases, the voices skillfully mix in tight, soulful harmonies. Slimmon's voice in isolation sounds remarkably likes those of her fellow Canadian singers, Sarah McLachlan and Sarah Harmer."
Sing Out! Magazine
Chris MacLean
Download Hi-Res
Chris MacLean Web
Chris is the 2008 Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award recipient for her song 'Feet Be Still'. She was also winner for two additional songs in this years OCFF Songs From The Heart songwriting competition, receiving first place in the historical and world music categories. She begins recording her new solo project this winter due for an early summer release.
Chris MacLean's bell-like voice sings straight from the heart. With the eye of a painter her lyrics focus on the details of ordinary life in an extraordinary way. Using a simple approach to writing, she draws the listener into sketches of love (new, lost, frayed), friendship, motherhood, and the journey of the soul. Chris writes with the passion of one who has triumphed over adversity, is unsatisfied with merely surviving and is finally flourishing.
Chris has traveled to Africa twice in recent years. The experience affected her deeply and she is always interested in telling the stories of her travels and how they have changed her life. She writes from a personal perspective, but her most recent writings highlight universal issues of racial equality, fair trade, protection of the environment and human rights.“She posseses a passion for the music she creates; good songwriting; interesting arrangements; her own distinct voice; a dedication to practice; a compelling stage presence and finally and perhaps most importantly, a warm, vivid sense of humour and fun.”
Paul Symes - The Black Sheep Inn, Wakefield Quebec
“Chris is an undiscovered treasure with a pure voice.” Mae Moore - international recording artist
Katherine Wheatley
Download hi-resKatherine Wheatley web
Arresting vocals, infectious grooves and literate story telling mark her work. Every song evokes her uncanny depth of observation. With offhand wit, vibrant lyrics and an infectious passion for performing, Katherine Wheatley has been captivating audience's everywhere she performs.
Katherine grew up in Parry Sound and has recently relocated to Guelph, Ontario. Fortunately for us Katherine was not "blinded by science". She graduated from Queen's University with a geology degree and spent five seasons roughing it in the bush, gathering not only rock samples but also material for her songs. It was only a matter of time before she left her tent and recorded her first CD, Straight Line. Katherine's second CD, Habits and Heroes, reveals her passion for landscape and character. Her 'heroes' are utterly charming as they stumble, shuffle, and sometimes charge through life.
Katherine has been a regular at folk festivals, concert series and clubs across Canada, the U.S.A. and internationally since the release of her first CD. Her music has been used for television documentaries, series and films. Among numerous radio and television appearances, she has been a featured vocalist on Stuart McLean's Vinyl Cafe, as well as a musical guest on Morningside with Peter Gzowski, TVO's Studio Two, and CBC Radio's Vicki Gabareau Show. She is currently the ambassador for the "Give in a Heartbeat" $6-million capital campaign for the new West Parry Sound Health Centre and CT scanner.
"Katherine Wheatley gave an absolutely transcendent concert. She is able to take minor observations in life and find their soul. On stage...she exudes sheer kindness and love. Blessedly, refreshingly, Katherine Wheatley is a truly Canadian original".
Hubert O'Hearn
The Chronicle Journal, Thunder Bay, ON
Click Here: Download PDF Stage Set-Up/Tech Requirements
For More Info Contact: Laura Bird
A few comments about the show..."A quintet of celebrated songstresses serenaded a Gananoque crowd Friday in celebration of International Womens' Day at The Firehall Theatre. Laura Bird, Marianne Girard, Heather Katz, Tannis Slimmon and Katherine Wheatley entertained the relaxed crowd, weaving together moving melodies and haunting harmonies with an abundance of cleverly written songs into an intimate evening of music."
Justin Brisbane
Gananoque Reporter
" Five lovely songbirds filled the historic Orangeville Opera House with their unique individual styles of singing and songwriting, then blended their voices into one in harmony. It was a memorable experience that lifted the spirits as they totally engaged the audience with their stories and playful sense of humour. The near sold out appreciative audience couldn't get enough, calling out for more! more! during the extended encore. It was definitely a night to remember and I have already booked them again for next year."Carl Borgstrom
Artistic Director
Live! at the Opera House
Orangeville, Ontario
"What a treat that was last night! Ping and I quacked all the way home about the women in the group, the varieties of styles and personalities, how well you all blended and complimented and supported each other. I hope you will find a way to keep this going... "
Jeff Piker
Gananoque Firehall Theatre Patron
"First, we really want to thank you for a wonderful show on Friday night. Your group is so very talented. I don't remember when we both enjoyed a musical evening so much, you had the audience in the palm of your hand..."
John & Helen Beamish
Gananoque Firehall Theatre Patron"I've been meaning to email you to tell you what a great time my sister and I had at the women in song concert on the 12th. I'm thinking you five should form a group...You could call yourself The Pomellos..."
Bernadette Hardaker
CBC RadioREVIEW of THE POMELOS Performance
Written by Jack Cole
The Old Chestnuts NewsletterAnd now..
if you'd like to know more about the actual Pomelo Fruit, follow this link..
you'll find a recipe or two as well! Here's another site of interest.. description
