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hosted by CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS FUNCTION: A NIGHT WITH CANADA
2 hours Turbine Platform, Brisbane Powerhouse
On Wednesday evening during the scheduled dinner break, Canadian First Nations artists Cris Derksen, Nimkii Osawamick and Jesse Baird will take the Turbine Platform from 7:45pm – 8:45pm. This will be followed by Australian and New Zealand First Nations artists in the official APAM showcases of B2M and Modern Maori Quartet.
Following these performances, The Canada Council for the Arts invites you stick around Brisbane Powerhouse to drink, dance and celebrate the growing artistic connections being forged between these countries.
Please note delegates and guests will be required to present their pass for entry.
Image credit: Chris Derksen
Meet the artist
Award winning Canadian Aboriginal cellist Cris Derksen is known for building layers of sound into captivating performances. Her music braids the traditional and contemporary in multiple dimensions, weaving her classical training and her aboriginal ancestry with new school electronics, creating genre defying music. The experience goes deeper with the inclusion of riveting performances by acclaimed Anishnaabe Hoop Dancer Nimkii Osawamick, and award winning drummer Jesse Baird ties the trio together with his signature pop culture beats and inventive improvisation.
Manager: Kathy Campbell – Pooka Print
kathy@pooka.ca / www.pooka.ca
Award winning Canadian Aboriginal cellist Cris Derksen is known for building layers of sound into captivating performances. Her music braids the traditional and contemporary in multiple dimensions, weaving her classical training and her aboriginal ancestry with new school electronics, creating genre defying music. Originally from the North Tall Cree reserve in northern Alberta, Cris composes for film, television, and dance, and tours extensively nationally and internationally, performing and recording with an impressive array of musicians, including recent projects with Buffy Sainte Marie, Tanya Tagaq, and Kinnie Starr.
Nimkii Osawamick is an Anishnaabe dance artist from Wikwemikong, Unceed Reserve located in Manitoulin Island and is a member of the Wolf Clan. Nimkii has been dancing since the age of three years old. Now an active community member in powwow circles, Nimkii is well-known as a singer, hoop dancer, and champion powwow dancer. He has travelled extensively across North America sharing his gift of singing and dancing with the peoples of Turtle Island.
Nimkii is dedicated to the preservation and awareness of his people’s culture and history which is highlighted in his business DNA STAGE: Dedicated Native Awareness which helps bridge the cultural gap between First Nations people and inhabitants.
Jesse Baird
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Jesse Baird grew up surrounded by the music industry from a young age. A 3rd generation drummer, he studied jazz performance at the University of Toronto & attended Banff Centre for the Arts. Since then he has travelled the globe touring with acts ranging in styles from jazz, latin, pop and rock music. Some of those performances included the Grammy's 50th anniversary show, Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show. He has had the pleasure of working with some of Canada's pop/rock sensations such as Broken Social Scene, Steven Page (formerly of the Bare Naked Ladies) and Leslie Feist. It was with Feist that he received a Juno for his work on her second album "the reminder".