Allison Brown's "Viper At The Virgin's Feet" Record Release and Farewell Party!

YOU  Are Invited To Attend The Album Release And Farewell Party Celebrating Roots Songstress

Allison Brown And the launch of her second recording “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet”

Saturday, May 15th   upstairs at Chaucer’s Pub

With special guest    Leah Morise

Free Admission ~ Pay What You Can For A Chance To Win Fabulous Prizes!

Doors Open at 8pm, Concert Begins at 9pm

            Tempted to tread the dusty road between light and darkness, joy and sorrow, faith and doubt, sunshine and rain; songstress Allison Brown’s second release “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet” reveals deep explorations of gospel and roots music surrounding crafted originals forged from the fires of folk tradition.  A brave witness to her dynamic vocals, Allison narrowly escapes the devil’s teeth as “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet” snakes though twelve tales of broken hearts, bad weather, leaps of faith and a detour to cactus country.  Eagerly anticipating the follow up to 2005’s “Everything That Shined”, audiences can finally celebrate with Allison and her spirited troupe of surprise accompanists as she launches “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet”, on Saturday, May 15th upstairs at Chaucer’s Pub  (122 Carling Street, (519) 679-9940).  With songs saucy and sweet, chanteuse Leah Morise begins the show at 9pm, free admission, pay what you can for a chance to win fabulous prizes..!

Like a serpent in the garden, ominous undercurrents simmer beneath the surface of “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet”.  The album’s title track “Something Holy” sings through the eyes of a brave believer in an Appalachian rattlesnake handling church meeting, while “If I Was A Weathergirl” is a winsome languish inspired by real life A Channel TV News personalities.  Allison captures her inner outlaw translating Townes Van Zandt’s “Poncho & Lefty” and pays tribute to favourite songwriters Iris Dement and Patty Griffin on her way out of the desert.  “Uncloudy Day/Evenin’ Train” testifies Allison’s joyful devotion to revival, and “All The Birds” flies Allison out of the deep dark forest only to realize the journey is still at its beginning. 

             Both featured performers at last summer’s Home County Folk Festival, Allison reunited with her musical mentor and producer of her 2005 release “Everything That Shined”, David Essig.  From there, they flew to Essig’s home studio on Protection Island, British Columbia for recording sessions that would bring Allison’s newest hatful of songs to life on record. Followed by a month long solo Greyhound Bus tour across Canada’s west that included performances in Tofino, Victoria, Duncan, Vancouver, Banff, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste Marie and Sudbury, the ocean-side sessions yielded eight pearls of Allison and David’s shared vision of Americana. The west coast band features Rick Scott (Pied Pumkin) on dulcimer, Tamara Little on high lonesome harmonies, Shelley Brown on upright bass, former UWO student Trish Clair-Peck on violins, and David Essig’s artistry on a number of electric and acoustic guitars.  Four more songs were added this winter from live sessions at Andy Magoffin’s House Of Miracles in London.  Recorded completely live from the studio floor, the Miracles sessions feature Jedd House on upright bass, Aaron Lozynsky on harmonica and acoustic guitar, Blair Heddle on mandolin, banjo and dobro, and Blair Whatmore on accordion.  From up the road in Toronto, misguided angels Anna Atkinson and Erin Gignac flew in to provide viola, violin and choir-loft harmonies.

London photographer Mike Bourgeault captured the images for the album sleeve at the antiquities shoppe (designated heritage property slated for demolition), and John James Audubon’s “Common Mockingbird” was used with permission from the New York Historical Society for the album cover.  Scenester Melissa Parrott orchestrated the artwork design. 

            Following the launch of “Viper At The Virgin’s Feet”, Allison embarks on a two month tour with Ukulele Bluesman Manitoba Hal and Chanteuse Leah Morise on “Dr.Pinkham’s Traveling Medicine Show”,  a quakery-free %100 percent guaranteed road-proven acoustic entertainment that takes them from the heart of Southwestern Ontario to the West Coast of British Columbia.  From there, Allison will follow this tour with several solo dates on Vancouver Island, including a feature performance at Duncan’s Islands Folk Festival.  A mainstay in London’s folk music scene for nearly ten years, Allison will not be returning to her second home, but will take her trade to the big smoke of Toronto in September.

            Hostess of CHRW’s “For The Folk” for over six years, Allison was featured as part of the wildly successful "Girls With Glasses Tour", with songwriters Evalyn Parry, Eve Goldberg, and Karyn Ellis. Her skills as a bandleader were showcased as the featured vocalist in London bluegrass quartet "The Goin' Concern" at festivals, backyard parties and the ruckus raised on Bluegrass Sunday night every week at the Alex P Keaton. She also leaves behind her work at GROOVES Records where she has surrounded herself with all the divine vinyl and new music her ears could hear since 2006.  A Fanshawe grad, Allison’s dedication to community involvement was also reflected in her work with the Open Air Public Art Festival and at Fanshawe Pioneer Village. 

~ allisoncbrown@yahoo.com ~ www.allisonbrown.ca