Polyjesters bring CHUNK to Morinville

By MorinvilleNews.com Staff

Morinville – They’ve played for pocket change and they’ve played for monarchs, but the Polyjesters are soon to play for Morinville. The Nov. 18 convert will be the third in the Community Cultural Centre’s (CCC) Centennial Concert Series.

“They’re Alberta boys,” said CCC Manager Laurie Stalker of the Polyjesters, noting brothers Jason and Sheldon Valleau and their band have played all over the world. “They have their own special brand of music that they call Chunk.”

But while the Polyjesters may have coined their own musical genre, something the group describes as a “unique sound that is highly energetic, completely contagious, unfailingly entertaining and appeals to a wide range of musical taste,” there is plenty for the un-Polyjestered to appreciate. With a song range from Billie Holiday to the Beatles, the Polyjesters travel a musical road that includes old swing and jazz standards with alternative country interspersed throughout the show.
“I think it’s going to be a really fun night,” Stalker said of the Nov. 18 performance. “It’s a Friday night date night is how I’m thinking of it. It’s going to appeal to a demographic that’s looking for a date on a Friday night.”

But for Stalker, that demographic will be broader than the previous two shows in the Centennial Concert Series. “It’s a really energetic show,” the CCC manager said. “Their music is very contagious. I’ve seen them and they’re really a fun show. They’re all over the stage. The bass player packs his big upright bass all across the stage and back. He dances around with it, and they’re also really personable. They connect with the audience.”

One person who has felt that connection with the band is Edmonton resident Randy Williams. The fan of the band said he learned of the Morinville show through a Facebook page for the event and bought his tickets right away.

“The Polyjesters put on what is probably the best jazz-folk-swing show in the Canadian music scene since the sad, sad day when Moxy Fruvous split up,” Williams said in an e-mail interview. “They’re high energy, clever, articulate, funny – and they’re just incredible musicians to boot.”

Williams said he has been looking for an excuse to come and check out the community centre and that the Polyjesters will be well worth the drive. The Polyjester fan said he’d probably attend more shows in Morinville. “We just hope they will do a better job of promoting these shows to us out-of-towners in future, as we found out about this one almost by accident,” Williams said, noting he was disappointed to learn he had missed the Al Simmons show held in October. “We drive to the Arden in St. Albert and Festival Place in Sherwood Park all the time, and would be happy to see shows, eat and shop in Morinville if we knew what was on the calendar.”

For those in and out of town, tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at the Community Cultural Centre counter or tixonthesquare.ca.

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