Sunday, December 31, 2017

NYE Free Live Webcast Retrospective At Home with Norine and Alice


Tonight NYE Alice and I will be doing a special live webcast on Concert Window at 8pm PST on December 31 New Years Eve from our home. We'll be playing songs from our tour out east, taking requests, and answering YOUR questions in real time! Wherever you are in the world, you can tune in. The show is free and you can tune in at https://www.concertwindow.com/11081-norine-braun https://www.concertwindow.com/11081-norine-braun The webcast will not be taped – it's offered in real time. I hope you can hang out with us!

Happy New Year! Love Norine

Autumn Retrospective Norine Braun Oct to Dec. 2017


Posted this photo youtube with exciting audio of a live performance from the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity featuring Doug Cox on dobro and Norine Braun vocals and guitar. This retrospective snapshots from October to December of my musician residency at the Banff Centre and my tour as Artist on Board with Alice Fraser for Via Rail from Vancouver to Toronto and Montreal to Halifax with stops in Ottawa and Quebec city! Was an incredible autumn!! 99% is written by © Norine Braun SOCAN

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Riding The Rails Across Canada Tour and FNL!

Happy autumn days to you! Alice and I are heading on tour shortly and we are so excited to travel across this vast and beautiful country, meeting new friends, making music and seeing the changing season!  Here's what is up next:

  1. NEC 50th Anniversary Sept 28 4 - 8 pm
  2. Friday Night Live North Van Lynn Valley United Sept 29  7:30 pm $10
  3. Riding the Rails Tour Oct 6 to 25 
  4. Musician in Residence Banff Centre For Arts and Creativity November 19 to Dec 9
I. Native Education College celebrates it's 50th year! Alumni, past and present students, faculty, board, staff and friends are coming together to mark this momentous occasion and we are part of the entertainment line up!  I hope to see some of my former students and colleagues and looking forward to setting the vibe with some original tunes. If you haven't already please RSVP at NEC.

II. Friday Night Live is a very cool place to come and experience music and artists up close. Held in the beautiful Lynn Valley United Church 3201 Mountain Hwy. Fridays 7:30 Doors and Show 8 to 9 pm We attended last week and heard the amazingly talented Chersea perform! FNL is Lynn Valley’s only regularly-scheduled, inspiring storytelling and musical experience perfect for all ages. Life. Stories. Music. An inspiring community experience. Every Friday during the season $10 at the door They have a question and answer segment so if you have any burning questions for me do come to the show and ask  :). We play this Friday Sept. 29!

III. Riding the Rails is almost here woo hoo!! A snippet from the press release: " Norine Braun brings her bluesy roots rock alongside partner and accompanist Alice Fraser onboard the Via Rail Artist On Board Program. Norine and Alice travel from Vancouver to Toronto October 6 and October 10 and Montreal to Halifax October 22 to 23. Braun’s scheduled shows are in Toronto at Junction City Music Hall with Kylie Precepa and Vivien Shepherd October 11, in Ottawa at Avante-Garde Bar October 15 with Lindsay Thomson, on Oct. 18 La Sacrilege Bar Quebec City including live broadcast and interview on CKRL 89.1 FM at 6 pm and then a show at 8 pm a block down Rue St. Jean at the historic Fou-Bar in Quebec City, a private concert in Montreal Oct. 20 and the grand finale October 25 at The Carleton in Halifax one of Canada's premiere 'listening rooms' and has featured a who's-who of the Canadian (and international) music scene."

IV.  I am way beyond thrilled to announce that I am accepted as a Musician in Residence at the prestigious Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in November and December where I will be songwriting my forthcoming album! A beautiful and inspiring place that I can't wait to create new songs in. Feeling truly honoured and blessed these days.

Please do come out to hear us plav if you are near any of these fine venues and make sure you tell your friends who live nearby to come too. See you soon my friend! 
Love, Norine 

"No review would be complete without mentioning just how sensational her voice is. It's as though when she's on stage she gets possessed through music, her voice is so full of dulcet authority she creates a cacophony of righteous femininity." Amelia V on the Norine Braun Chronicles Part 2
  

Norine Braun Chronicles Part 2


PART 2 The last year I had several emails asking if and when I will do a followup video to the Norine Braun Chronicles Journal of a Grassroots Musican. I am happy to share I finished and uploaded PART 2 now online. So grateful to friends and fans for the footage. I loved editing and putting together this musical journey with an emphasis on the last recording Gone To The Spirits.  I hope you enjoy it!
Love
Norine

First review in for The Norine Braun Chronicles PART 2 too!
The Norine Braun Chronicles PART 2 produced by Braun & Brains music is part of a compelling series of DIY music journals that invites you on a grass roots journey that will change the way you see music. Part two of this tantalising series follows Norine Braun as she celebrates her tenth album release with 'Gone to The Spirits' which has been dubbed her greatest work yet. The eclectic mix of rock, blues, ambience and aboriginal song lore has created a stunning concept album that's full of life and beyond.
Normally, it would take serious dedication to a band to persuade me to view a documentary about them, but there's something enticingly different about Norine and her ventures through the music scene. Unsurprisingly wherever Norine goes, a talented collective of musicians is bound to follow, as she makes waves in an ever growing number of genres, from country, to electronica, to punk. Norine boldly goes where other brave women have dared to venture inspired by the significance of previous musicians had in her own life and career as a musician. 
It was through music, her world was opened up to possibilities and realities, so this documentary is an ode to her predecessors and how they inspired her to make her music universal for everyone to enjoy by creating lyrics that are non-gender specific, akin to the music of Morrissey & The Smiths. She has a noteworthy approach to music, attempting to dispel isolation through music.
Aside what Norine has done for the members of the LGBTQA+ community, no review would be complete without mentioning just how sensational her voice is. It's as though when she's on stage she gets possessed through music, her voice is so full of dulcet authority she creates a cacophony of righteous femininity. 
The documentary shows her playing at various festivals and open concerts, the band members change, yet the psychedelic command that she has over music never relents, she creates a melody that you can immerse yourself within. The rolling drums and the screeching riffs of the guitars accompanied by a variation of experimental instruments from harmonicas to ukuleles, you're never quite sure what she's going to pull out of the bag. 
There's an interesting spiritual aspect to her music as she celebrates life, in all of it's diversity, offering transcendence to her audience which is rare for music that is intended for exclusivity regardless of your colour, creed, sexuality or gender. Norine describes her music as inspired by the natural and supernatural world. 
The filmography of the documentary creates a truly 5 star viewing experience for sustaining the infrastructure of underground media, that allows talented and creative individuals such as Norine Braun and her musicians the opportunity to get noticed without interference from the mainstream media as they busy themselves creating the next generation of plastic pop music. The beauty of the small scene that has been exposed is that it allows individuals to create their own identity and be in a network of people that will also benefit from the music. - Amelia V Film Critic

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Summer Fun

"Summertime and the living is easy". George Gershwin

The summer is here with blue skies, sunny days and berry season! I relish summertime on the coast with all the local produce and everything in full bloom. Summer is a social time to connect with loved ones while relaxing outside in nature.
This last month it was an honour and a pleasure to be back in the recording studio singing the lead and harmonies for friend and fellow composer/producer/writer Russell Wallace's ambitious live theatre radio show.  This song is a co-write too. Russell and I collaborated on the music and I wrote the lyrics. Russell produced it in an 80s styling for the radio play. I adore our new song Salvation. I rarely if ever collaborate in writing. What I love most about collaborating with Russell is going in a direction that melodically I would never have gone on my own and blessed to have the opportunity. 
I also sang the lead on Russell's song Lip Transmission. I was channeling my inner Nina Hagen  I loved her defiance and heck I loved the 80s too! Great tune and story! According to Russell the lyrics explain the reason why some First Nation elders whistle traditional songs. I also sang the chorus and alien bg vocals and harmonies along with Tia Taurere- Clearsky on the song Red Planet. If you love the B52's you will LOVE the Bill C 31s. You can come to see the whole production this Saturday at Native Education College 1pm and it's free! OR listen on air/online radio at CFRO and CITR. I posted the youtube videos of songs Lip Transmission and Red Planet on my facebook.com/norinebraunmusic  and I will post song Salvation on my page too when it is available.
 
GIG TOMORROW!! July 28 Friday Music at the Cannery 6:30 -7:30pm Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site Steveston  Norine Braun BAND $7 cover 
** Just announced Norine Braun Band is playing for Vancouver Pride at the huge Davie Street Party! Our set gets the party going at 6:30 to 6:50pm at the WEBIA CHill Zone Davie and Thurlow August 4 Friday and it's Free. 
August 8 Tuesday 4:30pm UBC Wesbrook Summer Concert Series Alice and Norine give a one hour concert at Wesbrook Mall and the event is free.
August 11 Friday Desert Daze Festival  4:45 pm  Spences Bridge BC Alice and Norine $20
August 13 Coquitlam Market  Blueberry Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser 9 am to 1 pm Alice and Norine Free!
August 24  3-7 pm RCFM Tipperary Park New West  Alice and Norine Free!
Sept 3 2:30 pm Gabriola Music Festival Gabriola Island Norine Braun TRIO TIckets $85  
*** SUPER Thrilled to announce I have been selected to be the Artist On Board Via Rail Vancouver to Toronto Oct.6 and Montreal to Halifax Oct. 22 and Alice will be my amazing accompanist as always!  Confirmed dates to play Toronto Junction City Music Hall Oct. 12 and Ottawa Avantegard Bar Oct. 15 and tentatively at The Carlton in Halifax Oct. 25 with more dates to come!  
I do love making music with all my heart and in every capacity. Wishing you a joyful, bountiful and blessed summertime. Namaste. 
Love  Norine
Gone To The Spirits "It’s her best album, incorporating rock, blues, latin, ambience and aboriginal song lore." Tom Harrison - The Vancouver Sun




Monday, March 27, 2017

Review in Two Spirits Journal

“Gone to the Spirits” – a music review

Image provide by Norine Braum
Image provide by Norine Braum
(Vancouver, BC) Norine Braun’s, a Vancouver based , singer-songwriter and award-winning artist, latest project is titled, Gone to the Spirits. This album is named after the Ktunaxa (Kootenay)
warrior woman, whose name was Gone-To-The-Spirits.
Early this year, Norine and I were panelists on “Two Spirits Many Songs” at Emus, an Aboriginal Electronic Music Festival, hosted by Native Education College(NEC). After our community conversation on intersection of Two-Spirit and electronic dance music, Norine gave me a copy of Gone to the Spirits, and was billed as a “chill out” and reflective album.
Photo of and provided by Norine Braun
Photo of and provided by Norine Braun
On my drive from Victoria to Nanaimo, British Columbia, where I was doing some Two-Spirit community engagement events that are laying the foundation for the Canada’s first-ever province-wide Two-Spirit needs assessment, I popped in Gone to the Spirits for my hour and half drive. 
Gone to the Spirits not only meets the baseline expectation of how Norine billed it, but it exceeds those expectations and is music for our Two-Spirit souls!
To preview and listen this Gone to the Spirits click HERE. 
This album is available in US at https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/norinebraun13 and Norine will also ship to anywhere in Canada and the United State if ordered from www.norinebraun.com, and this album is also available on iTunes at itunes.apple.com/us/album/gone-to-the-spirits/id1122778391. It is also available at most digital stores like amazon, spotify etc. and at bandcamp http://norinebraun.bandcamp.com/
The writing and recording of Gone to the Spirits is a culmination of 20 years of work. “The idea for this album first came to me when a friend of mine Eldon was in graduate school doing a master’s in archaeology,” said Norine. “Eldon was studying the journals of explorers in western Canada and kept coming across Gone-To-The-Spirits and told me of her story. He thought I should write a song about her, and I was so amazed by her life I thought her worthy of a whole album at least and was not yet ready to write that album. I have matured and grown as a person and a songwriter and felt ready to write her story in song. Upon completion of the recording I wanted to deepen the understanding for the listener and decided to write a short story to further explain my vision of Gone-To-The-Spirits’ incredible life journey. Interestingly too, the album came full circle as Eldon is now Dr. Eldon Yellowhorn and acted as advisor on the project.”
In addition to her beautiful vocals and rich orchestration, this album is so special because so few people know of the Ktunaxa warrior woman, Gone-To-The-Spirits, from the early 1800s. Very few women of the fur trade era, or First Nations women in general, are written about or known of in the mainstream. The fact that Gone-To-The-Spirits is Two- Spirit is also very timely and is interesting to see how the First Peoples embraced, celebrated and honored these special people.
The album begins with spoken word, a poem, rather than a song to remind the listener that words, narrative or the story of this person is important. The rest of the album masterfully weaves and shares through song the live experience of the Ktunaxa warrior woman, Gone-To-The-Spirits. By the time we get to the last song, track 15, of album, we are not only introduced but we get to know and are invited to stand in relationship with Gone-To-The-Spirits. This album ends with yet another spoken word piece that uses words to paint a beautiful picture of who Gone-To-The-Spirits was and is. My CD player is set for auto replay and took me right back to track 1, the opening poem, thus joining the two pieces together, each separate and at the same time each inter-connected, thereby, making one continuous circle, where the begining is end and end is the beginning.
The 15th track is titled, “Transformed.” I asked Norine if she was transformed by the writing and making of this album. “Was I transformed? Yes!,” exclaimed Norine, “I think I am still in that process. I learned I love to research and to explore. I am at my best when following my intuition. I realized in this process how dedicated I am to my craft and vision, and I am thankful to so many people who were willing to help me, and give me insight into Gone to the Spirits. I originally applied for the award five years ago but was not given the grant. I persisted, and it paid off! I knew it was an important story and deserved to be heard, and I never gave up.”
Our communities are richer and so grateful that Norine did not give up! 

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Transform (Take Me Away)

Hi there!

Transform is the grand finale for my videos! I hope you enjoy this one! I am running a contest to win a copy of the new cd. Like and share this video this week and you will be entered. Draw is next Sunday. I ran this contest last week on Facebook and Mal Frietag won a copy today. Congrats Mal and thanks to everyone for liking and sharing! Love Norine

Friday, January 27, 2017

Victory!

Hi Friends
This week's new video is Victory and like the song is never quite what it seems. Enjoy my latest creation!
Love Norine


Friday, January 20, 2017

26 Horses

Hi there!

This week's new music video is 26 Horses from Gone to The Spirits. If you love horses this one is for 
you! I discovered some amazing aerial footage of horses for this creation. I so love Malcolm Aiken's 
trumpet on this song and Alice's Stevie Wonder influenced riff, Elliot's hypnotic groove and Adam 
Popowitz's power guitar at the end. Enjoy my song and video. Have a great weekend!



Love, Norine


Saturday, January 14, 2017

Music Videos!

Hi there
I am working ever diligently on these music videos and truly astounded how much free available footage is online. I love finding beauty and then editing and building the feel for the songs and music that I wrote for this album.

I hope you are enjoying watching my do it yourself music videos! Let me know your favourite!

Love
Norine


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