Biography
NEW CD-BUFFALO STREET
"Buffalo Street is a fascinating set of historical portraits translated into song, by this gifted singer-songwriter...personalized with atmosphere, imagery and entertaining details".Edmonton Journal-Roger Levesque
"When I heard 'Buffalo Street', I just felt like giving you the biggest hug for creating such a gorgeous collection of stories...you have found the fulfillment of your musical calling in these kind of moving character sketches... I love a good story, a great melody, and an artist who brings a passion to her work - and lets it live in her songs. That's why I feel so grateful for 'Buffalo Street''. CKUA-Bob Chelmick
"I will play all of it...I think it is (so far) the best of 09...what a gem, a winner from beginning to end". CFMU-Jim Marino
"With this release, Brewster joins a distinguished group of Albertan vocalists — people like the legendary Ian Tyson and that hurtin’ Albertan, Corb Lund — who share her affinity for storytelling and times gone by". See Magazine-Curtis Wright
•XM 14 The Village Top Tracks for September #1 Trono
• # 2 on CKUA (May 31-June 13,2009)
•#1 Top Canadian Album from FOLKDJ (USA & Canada Folk Radio Programs) July
•#1 Top Canadian Song 'Trono’ from FOLKDJ-July
•#2 Top Canadian Artist from FOLKDJ- July
•4½ stars out of 5 from Maverick Magazine based in the UK.
'Buffalo Street’ Cori’s 4th CD is a collection of beautiful stories inspired by the rich history of the Canadian Rockies and its people. Songs cover a diverse range of subjects and characters from the personal to the historical and from the genealogical to geographical.
RECENT NEWS: Calgary Folk Festival Song Contest 'Best Song of Alberta Finalist' 2009
Cori is delightfully refreshing and honest; she has toured Germany, New Zealand, and many parts of Canada. With appearances at Canmore Folk Festival, Filberg Festival, Festival by the Lake to name a few and official showcases at SXSW, CMW, NXNW, CCMA, Alberta Showcase, connecting with the audience is paramount for Cori.
**** “a talented Canadian ,who deftly weaves threads of country, folk, bluegrass and roots music into a rich and compelling tapestry...there’s a real depth to this woman’s writing. A captivating and impeccably produced album that has you immediately reaching for the repeat button”.
Alan Caskett Maverick Magazine, UK
“Brewster has a sweet voice of positivity that lends itself well to the self-penned tracks of life, love, time and discovery. Musically, the recording is solid to the core with some very nice inflections that please the ear and never succumb to excess” .
Chris Martin, Pengiun Eggs
BIO: Cori Brewster was born and raised in Banff, the Rocky Mountain resort town in Alberta, where the Brewster family has resided for over 120 years. She began singing with her mom and sisters on Rocky Mountain trail rides. Like all young women do, Cori left home to experience life outside this small town, carrying with her that profound 'sense of place’ wherever she went.
Brewster entered Red Deer College to study Physical Education but after graduating from University of Alberta, with a Bachelor of Physical Education, the pull of music was tugging at her soul. Cori moved to Winnipeg to begin her journey, recording her first singles that began her foray into country music. Several of Cori’s singles achieved chart topping success.
In 1989, Cori hit the ground running with the release of 'One More Mountain’. Peter North of the Edmonton Sun attests that “If anyone can relate to the classic country song Blue Canadian Rockies it’s Cori Brewster. The singer/songwriter, who was raised on the songs of country pioneers like Wilf Carter and Hank Snow, grew up in Banff listening to songs like Blue Canadian Rockies… In fairly short order the determined and talented artist released her first full-length CD. One More Mountain is a solid collection of originals”.
With appearances at the Calgary Stampede, The Tommy Hunter Show, Merritt Country Festival, Whistler Roots Festival and many hours on the road, 'One More Mountain’ was a hit. With a successful tour of Germany, an official showcase at SXSW and a nomination for female artist of the year by the Alberta Recording Industry recognition as a singer songwriter solidified. The response for her video’s, 'Spin on a Red Brick Floor’ and 'Good as Gone’ was great, both achieved high rotation on CMT and Country Beat. Cori’s commitment to the music industry was cemented.
In 1998, Cori released her 2nd CD, 'Stones’ to wonderful response. Vancouver’s 'Xtra West’ magazine reported that 'Stones’ “is a collection of fresh and captivating songs by an authentic contemporary Canadian voice”. RoseAnna Schick of Connect magazine in Winnipeg declared that “Cori is a talented singer-songwriter with country roots and a folk/bluegrass sound…'Stones’ is an album full of feeling and integrity”.
Cori hit the road with Maria Dunn and Jennifer Gibson as the Sonic Sisters touring throughout Ontario and organized a book store tour across the country until the promotion of her second release was cut short by the birth of her son, River in October 1998. Never one to let the grass grow too long under her feet, Brewster says that “After the birth of my son we ventured to New Zealand where I toured with a local songwriter and I then had the wonderful experience of being a music supervisor for a documentary on Alberta cowgirls, called Pretty Ladies, Fast Horses. We have been lucky to have one of our songs on the television series, Dawson Creek and we are starting to have songs recorded by other artists, which is wonderful”.
Cori’s 3rd CD, 'Large Bird Leaving’ was released in 2007. Maverick Magazine in the UK confirms that “Cori is a musical treasure and her CD is captivating and impeccably produced… has you immediately reaching for the repeat button”. 'Large Bird Leaving’ was selected as Top Canadian Album at #7 on Folkdj-playlists for July 2007. Cori toured extensively in Alberta playing all Alberta’s major folk clubs and making inroads into rural concert series. Jope Langejans from the Forestburg Concert Series reported that “Cori touched my heart and soul with her music and her dedication to what is real in the world”.
“I recently returned from an adventure in Iquitos, Peru where I had the privilege of performing on a 112 year old ship (Rio Amazonas) that cruised down the Amazon River. The trip was out of this world to say the least. One of the highlights was singing for children of the Pacaya Samira reserve in their clapboard, one room, school house; seeing their smiling faces reminded me why I love to sing”.
'Buffalo Street’ Cori’s 4th CD reflect her continuing commitment to the craft of songwriting and attention to detail that so effectively evokes a time, a sense of place, a character and of course a range of emotion. 'Buffalo Street’ is a collection of beautiful stories inspired by the rich history of the Canadian Rockies and its people. Songs cover a diverse range of subjects and characters from the personal to the historical and from the genealogical to geographical.
Produced by Dave Clarke (producer of David Francey’s Juno awarded CD’s) and the multi-talented (fiddle, mandola, accordion) Adrian Dolan of the Bills. The project was recorded at Baker Studio’s in Victoria and rounding out the studio ensemble was Oliver Swain on Double Bass and Adam Dobres of the group Outlaw Social, Tim Tweedale on resophonic guitar, James Whittall on mandolin, Daniel Lapp on trumpet and Pharis Romero on background vocals.
Visit my website for more info:www.coribrewster.com
FESTIVALS, TOURS, FOLK CLUBS
Canmore Folk Festival (2) Canmore, AB
Arts Speak Festival (3) Canmore, AB
Filberg Festival (2) Comox, BC
Festival by the Lake, Tillsonburg, ON
Forestburg Concert Series, Forestburg, AB
Okotoks Arts Council, Okotoks, AB
CKUA 'Live on Alberta Stages’, Beaverlodge, AB,
Calgary Folk Club, Calgary, AB
Full Moon Folk Club, Edmonton, AB
Northern Lights Folk Club, Edmonton, AB
Nickelodeon Music Club, Calgary, AB
Merritt Country Festival Merritt, BC
Barlow Creek Festival, Barlow Creek, BC
Calgary Stampede Calgary, AB
Klondike Days Edmonton, AB
Whistler Roots Fesitval Whistler, BC
Official Showcases
SXSW, Austin Texas (97)~ CMW, Toronto(97)~ NXNW, Portland, Oregon(96), CCMA, Calgary, Alberta, Alberta Showcase - 2007
New Zealand Tour: Wellington, Auckland - Devonport Folk Club, Hamilton, Nelson Folk Club, Christchurch, Dunedin
Germany Tour: Berlin, Munich, Erfurt, Frankfurt, Coswig, Bielefeld
“Through her songs, it’s obvious that for Brewster to write lyrics and to sing is an essential element of life, like breathing. From the opening chords of the CD’s first song, Look for the Sun, Brewster’s music bursts to life like the first pasque flowers of spring thrusting through the last remnants of winter snow… Like a child’s laugh, or a songbird’s serenade, Large Bird Leaving is a joy to listen to”. Lynn Martel Rocky Mountain Outlook
“Cori, you've done a lovely job with What Casanova Told Me. If I could
have written a song, this would be it! Thank you for this rare and
beautiful compliment. I very much enjoyed the whole CD too. You should
go on Sounds like Canada with your album and talk to Sheila Rodgers
about your work, warm wishes”. Susan Swan Canadian Author
“What I've heard of the new album sounds really good and I'm excited that you've sent me a copy I can take to the cabin where I now live and produce The Road Home. I hope you find a good chunk of time to promote this new music. It has lots going for it Cory. Well done” Bob Chelmick CKUA
”The large bird leaving in the title of Cori Brewster’s new CD is definitely not a trumpeter swan since her calls are not limited to mating for life. No, this bird's songs have an expansive range and are more like a great grey owl with its wisdom or a blue heron with its precise and patient step. Flying over land that feels both recognizably Canadian and new and unfamiliar, the CD reflects the whimsical and layered imagination of an eclectic and mature songwriter. Large Bird Leaving meditates on both beauty in a dark country and its underside, the darkness lurking in beauty.” Katherine Binhammer, Three Sisters News
Instrumentation
Cori (vocals, guitar)
Steve Fisher (Guitar, Vocals)
Kodi Hutchison (Bass)
Bruce Blair (Fiddle)
Discography
Buffalo Street 2009- (Produced by Dave Clarke and Adrian Dolan)
Large Bird Leaving, 2007
Stones, 1998
One More Mountain, 1994
Swinging on the Gate [EP], 1990
Links
| http://www.coribrewster.com |