Mariposa’s Annual ‘Evening of Blues & Gospel’ Show Feb. 22, 2025
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Mariposa in Concert’s (MIC) wildly popular ‘An Evening of Blues & Gospel’ Show returns Saturday Feb. 22, 2025 at the Orillia Opera House with another incredible lineup of all-star vocalists and musicians assembled, arranged and directed by Orillia’s own JUNO award winning producer, Lance Anderson.
“This is our 13th annual Blues & Gospel Show and it is a great way to ward off the winter blahs,” Mariposa Folk Festival President Pam Carter said.
Tickets are $35 (all fees and taxes included) and are available at the Orillia Opera House Box Office or online at orilliaoperahouse.com. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.
The stellar lineup this year includes Andrew Craig, Jim Bowskill, Brittany Brooks, Selena Evangeline and Emily Burgess, with Lance Anderson as musical director.
“Mariposa is so fortunate to have Lance Anderson bringing such great musical talent to its annual Blues and Gospel Show,” Carter said. “This show is a sell-out every year.”
Andrew Craig
Andrew Craig creates and performs original music, writes plays, directs music, theatre and festivals, produces audio and video, and teaches.
He’s worked with Molly Johnson, Wynton Marsalis, Measha Bruggergosman, David Clayton Thomas and Jackie Richardson, opened for Bobby McFerrin, directed tributes to Oscar Peterson and Quincy Jones, and performed twice for Nelson Mandela.
He specializes in the music of the African diaspora: jazz, Gospel, funk, soul, R & B, Blues, and many African continental styles.
Brooks & Bowskill
Brooks & Bowskillis the collaboration of Canadian wife-and-husband musicians Brittany Brooks and Jim Bowskill. Their genre-bending sound journeys between folk, country-rock, pop and rock and roll.
Jim Bowskill, a multi-talented instrumentalist, songwriter, producer and recording engineer has established himself as one of the most profound musicians and music producers in the industry. He is a member of Canadian country-rock band Blue Rodeo, as their multi-instrumentalist and previously spent seven years as lead guitarist of Canadian rock band The Sheepdogs.
Since the beginning of her musical career, Brooks has been a prolific songwriter, singer and instrumentalist, crafting lyrically evocative songs steeped in wisdom beyond her years. She has become notable for her unique and poignant vocal styling reminiscent of female folk-rock pioneers from the ‘60s like Sandy Denny, Joni Mitchell and country artists like Emmylou Harris and Sylvia Tyson. In addition to releasing multiple solo albums, Brooks has provided background vocals on records and in live performances for numerous bands including Blue Rodeo.
“Whether you’re a believer in fate, or even God, it’s hard not to feel some sort of gratitude to whatever force brought Brooks and Bowskill together. Maybe it wasn’t divine intervention, but it is surely evidence of some sort of cosmic destiny that these two musicians could come together to create such an ethereal and moving set of songs.” — Americana UK
Selena Evangeline
Selena Evangeline is without question a world-class singer. The sounds of Ella Fitzgerald, Chaka Khan, Prince and Stevie Wonder helped shape the multi- instrumentalist and musician she is today.
By way of her travels, Selena has shared stages with Sheila E., Patrice Rushen, The Nylons, Latin Grammy winner Maia and more. Recently you may have seen her on stage backing Amanda Marshall and CMA winner Johnny Reid.
Selena was a featured singer in ’60 in 60’ the Celebration concert for Mariposa’s 60th Anniversary, and is a member of the Matchedash Parish.
Emily Burgess
Emily Burgess is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter based in Peterborough, Ontario. As a freelance guitarist, Emily has worked for a wide variety of artists and groups, including The Weber Brothers, The Women’s Blues Revue Band, The 24th Street Wailers, Rita Chiarelli, and Sue Foley.
Fronting her own trio, she won the Best New Artist Maple Blues Award in 2018. As a member of The 24th Street Wailers, she and her band mates were nominated for a JUNO award for their 2014 album ‘Wicked’.
As an independent artist, Emily has recorded 3 studio albums: Are We in Love? (2017), Never-Ending Fling (2019), and Arrow (2023).
Lance Anderson
Internationally recognized Producer, composer Lance Anderson has brought together the best in Canada’s Blues, Gospel and R&B world for the 13th time, for Mariposa. This series showcases the best artists in the genre but also emerging talent that Orillia artists may not be familiar with, but will not forget.
Anderson has a long career recording artists like Blackburn, The Cameo Blues Band, Garth Hudson (The Band), 2B3 The Toronto Sessions, Matchedash Parish and is about to release a N’Orleans themed CD as Lance Anderson and the NOLA Parish and a world Jazz CD called Lance Anderson and the Word Jazz Asylum. He produces The Last Waltz – A Musical Celebration of The Band and tours Ontario theatres with other shows he has created.
He has recorded and performed with the Maple Blues Band, Shakura S’Aida, Shawn Kellerman, Roly Platt, Al Lerman, Ken Whiteley and US artists like with Johnny Rawls, Lee Oskar, Deanna Bogart, Anne Harris, Tommy Castro,
He was co-producer of the ‘Oscar with Love’ 3CD set that commemorated the 90th Anniversary of Oscar’s birth and featured Michel Legrand, Chick Corea, Oliver Jones, Ramsey Lewis and many more.
The Mariposa Folk Festival’s 2024-25 Concert Series is sponsored by Alleycats Music & Art, Amy & Al Wallace, Apple Annie’s Café, Bell Chiropractic and Soft Tissue Centre, Cathy Cleary, Colour n’ Light Muskoka, Dapper Depot, Dentistry on West, Lavender Hills Farm, Paul Raymond, Susie Q Fudge and Gifts, Rhonda and Tim Lauer.
