Jiving to jazz in Simpson
Village hosting mother/daughter legends Jackie and Kim Richardson
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Thursday, April 30, 2015
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Show season in Fort Simpson is going out with a bang: jazz legends and mother-daughter duo Jackie and Kim Richardson will be coming to town.
Jazz legend Jackie Richardson, left, is coming to Fort Simpson on May 14 at Bompas Elementary School. Her four decades of work include an extensive list of awards, including JUNOs and Geminis. She will be joined by daughter Kim Richardson, right, who has played for Canadian prime ministers, Queen Elizabeth and Nelson Mandela. - photo courtesy of The Northern Arts and Cultural Centre
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"This is a real treat," said Summer Meyer, communications manager at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre (NACC).
"This show took a lot of effort to bring up to the North."
Jackie Richardson's four decades of work include awards from the JUNOs, Geminis, Jessie and Bessies, Maple Blues and a Canadian Black Achievement Award for the Arts.
She starred in the TV show Sutherland and has also hosted radio and stage shows.
Her daughter, Kim Richardson, being a three-time JUNO award winner herself, has experience in film, dance and theatre, and has sung for the likes of Nelson Mandela, Queen Elizabeth and Prime Ministers Brian Mulroney and Jean Chretien.
Travelling with them are Kristian Alexandrov, an accomplished pianist from Bulgaria, and Shannon Gaye, a percussionist and vocalist from Vancouver.
"There are four really accomplished musicians coming to town to perform," said Meyer. "It's going to be quite a show."
She said shows in Fort Simpson generally have strong attendance.
"The local residents respond really well to having these kind of cultural experiences come to the community," said Meyer.
"We also have really great volunteers in each of these communities who help promote the shows, create posters and encourage locals to get involved and attend. It's the strength of Fort Simpson and the people there that keeps us coming back."
NACC's season typically runs from September through June and this show will mark the end of the season for Fort Simpson, until the fall.
The organization takes pride in bringing such high-profile artists to the territory and Meyer hoped the community would attend.
The show is at Bompas Elementary School at 7:30 p.m. on May 14.
Tickets are available at the Open Sky Gallery or at the door.
