Kate Weekes
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada | SELF
Music
Press
“Wilde, in green gumboots, supported Weekes' lyrics which she delivered in a girlish voice that echoed and balanced the melodic chording.
The most compelling part of the evening was watching Weekes' and Wilde's professionalism. They would lean towards each other, long hair falling inwards and obscuring their faces, their silent consultations visible in the intensity of their glances. It was apparent they knew each other well enough to dispense with words.”
Janelle Hardy- February 24th, 2006
- What's Up, YUKON!
“Wilde, in green gumboots, supported Weekes' lyrics which she delivered in a girlish voice that echoed and balanced the melodic chording.
The most compelling part of the evening was watching Weekes' and Wilde's professionalism. They would lean towards each other, long hair falling inwards and obscuring their faces, their silent consultations visible in the intensity of their glances. It was apparent they knew each other well enough to dispense with words.”
Janelle Hardy- February 24th, 2006
- What's Up, YUKON!
"What can I say about Kate Weekes that I haven't already said? I like her song writing and her voice and always look forward to hearing her again."
-Bill Polonsky, May 20th, 2005 - What's UP, YUKON!
"She really is a joy to listen to and I think she deserves support. She has a real knack as a songwriter and if she continues to write music of this calibre the rest of canada will notice her."
- Bill Polonsky May 6th, 2005 - What's Up, YUKON!
"Hearing Weekes play on the Arts Centre stage showcased the strength and range of her voice. On stage in the workshops, Weekes held her own in both lyrical content and the tune smithing.
... This EP is indicative of where Weekes is in her musical career and her personal life. The lyrics describe the impact this part of the world has had upon Weekes and how the land influences the people who dwell in the Yukon."
Mark Prins,
March 17th, 2006 - The Whitehorse Star
"There is great conviction in ths music.. the gal knows of what she speaks...
Weekes talked about her love of the road and the feelings that travel evoked within her.
Like any writer who takes what they know to tell a story, Weekes taps into the positive energy of her life translating it into song. Tapping into this reservoir and wrapping these stories in good music is Weekes' great strength.
...Wise without being cynical, she pours her experiences into her art, writing lyrics with a poetic richness of place and character.
Every song on this album has a forward momentum that carries the listener along."
Bill Polonsky,
March 24th, 2006 - What's Up Yukon?
"With songs that tell a story, this balladeer sings and plays guitar with conviction. Though she has a strong voice, it contains an airy quality that hints at an underlying vulnerability. Her songs are strong on story and peppered with just enough lyrical hooks to tickle my ears. Musically I heard references to classic 60's folk, 30's or 40's popular syles and straight-ahead rock mixed together. I really enjoyed her set and look forward to hearing her again."
-Bill Polonsky, April 22nd, 2005 - What's Up, YUKON!
"Talent on stage- With her sweet voice and strong lyrical content, Weekes is another of the up and coming Whitehorse musicians."
-Mark Prins, Jan. 18th, 2006 - The Whitehorse Star
"Kate Weekes played at the Backwater Lounge last week. Weekes is a relative newcomer to Whitehorse and was attracted north because she heard 'Whitehorse has a happening music scene.' Weekes plays her own work and has a pleasing sound. Given the cultural environment of Whitehorse, chances are, it won't be too long before she will have a disk to sample. "
-Mark Prins, Dec. 17th, 2004 - The Whitehorse Star
"With songs that tell a story, this balladeer sings and plays guitar with conviction. Though she has a strong voice, it contains an airy quality that hints at an underlying vulnerability. Her songs are strong on story and peppered with just enough lyrical hooks to tickle my ears. Musically I heard references to classic 60's folk, 30's or 40's popular syles and straight-ahead rock mixed together. I really enjoyed her set and look forward to hearing her again."
-Bill Polonsky, April 22nd, 2005 - What's Up, YUKON!
Discography
2011 "Beneath the Yukon Moon"
2011 "Home Sweet Home"
2007 "Kate Weekes"
2006 "Born 40 Years Too Late"
2006 "Land Shaping the People"
2004 "Stride and True"
Photos
Bio
The dog musher and the vaudevillian piano player may seem an unlikely pair at first, but when the Yukon’s Kate Weekes and Grant Simpson strike up a chord with one another, the result is undeniably fun. Simpson's background in jazz and vaudeville and Weekes' love of nature, travel and history, combine to create tantalizing and sometimes hilarious original ditties. They're perfectly fit for a night beneath the Yukon moon as the title of their 2011 recording indicates. Kate and Grant's upbeat shows feature smart lyrics, catchy melodies and arrangements that keep toes tapping!
In the fall of 2010 Kate and Grant toured to China, bringing their unique brand of Yukon roots to the Nanjing Jazz and World Music Festival. They recorded and released their album "Beneath The Yukon Moon" in 2011 and followed it up with an extensive tour throughout Canada, including a series of Home Routes shows. The recording has earned many approving nods from the critics, and the duo continues to tour, playing their individually and collaboratively penned tunes with a few traditional numbers. No matter what the event, Kate Weekes and Grant Simpson are sure to delight their audience, and have them dancing and singing along.
"His 88 key tickle makes men swoon and strong women feint."
Mitch Podolak, Home Routes
When they're not touring together, Grant Simpson enjoys directing the famous Frantic Follies at Whitehorse's Westmark Hotel Theatre, playing stride piano, and working hard on behalf of Yukon music. Originally from Nananimo BC, he has been a professional musician for over thirty years, and has released multiple acclaimed recordings, both solo and with bands like New Orleans North. His first solo CD Stride and True garnered rave reviews from jazz publications around the world, and Grant has taken his folk, jazz and blues music from the Caribbean to Korea and back again!
"She is one of a new generation of songwriters that has shaken the older generation with clarity of purpose."
Mitch Podolak, Home Routes
Kate Weekes hitchhiked from her home in eastern Ontario to the Yukon years ago, and she's a dog musher when she hasn't got an instrument in her hands. Her self titled debut album took her as far as Japan and China on tour, as well as throughout Canada. In 2007 Kate received the Beth Ferguson Award and the Mac Beattie Award for being "quintessentially Canadian", and performed in front of the Governor General. She continues to make music on her own, alongside Grant Simpson, and with her fiddle-based trio Home Sweet Home (Keitha Clark, Boyd Benjamin)
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