PREVIEW
Robyn Taylor and Andrew Glover
Saturday, June 22 at 8 p.m.
Gracie Jane’s A Boutique Gallery Bar
31 Perron St.
Tickets: $10 Buy in advance at 780-569-1599 or at bar
For the past decade, St. Albert singer Robyn Taylor’s home has been Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The University of Alberta undergrad, whose two passions are music and technology, shifted her studies to Newcastle University to further post-graduate research on developing interactive multi-media.
Taylor’s biggest influence in multi-media performance was through the late Frances Schuchard, founder of St. Albert’s Visionary College. As a youngster, Taylor spent more than a decade studying voice under the dynamic tutelage of Schuchard.
“She wouldn’t allow things to get structured. She was always responsive to improvisation and collaboration,” Taylor said, noting Schuchard's teachings inspired her interactive media teamwork.
Taylor's futuristic project, humanaquarium, is a major techno-music work that mixes responsive videos, participant interaction, virtual reality and live performance. After its introduction as public art, it received high praise from reviewers, peers and the all-age crowds interfacing with the project.
In addition to techno-projects, the coloratura soprano maintains a strong relationship to live music. Back in 2012, the interactive media artist also sang lead for the Newcastle’s rock-blues band Space Six Quartet VIIV.
Now in a post-doctoral position, Taylor continues her operatic training and sings aria recitals in addition to teaching digital arts, modelling and lecturing.
In a visit back to her roots, Taylor is gearing up for a concert on Saturday, June 22, at a locale that matches her spunk and soul – Gracie Jane’s A Boutique Gallery Bar on Perron St.
Operated by Gracie Jane Genereaux, every corner of the gallery bar is covered with stylized art or is painted in splashy bold colours that create a quasi-surreal, quasi-magical atmosphere.
“It’s very electric. They have karaoke, bluegrass and jazz. They have an open mic at night. And I like that she gives lots of people a chance to do something. But what I like the most is the friendly, good people who come.”
Accompanying her is pianist Andrew Glover, also the co-producer of her new release Blues in the Night.
“Andrew – he’s one of the funniest people I know and one of the most talented. You can give him a piece of music he’s never heard and I can sing a few lines and he picks up the tempo instantly. He’s so rock solid you know the work is high quality. He’s so polished, so professional.”
Pitching her bluesy tones, Taylor plans several sets featuring gold standards such as George Gershwin’s Embraceable You and Someone to Watch Over Me as well as Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.
In a nod to contemporary artists, Taylor is performing the poignant Remember Us from A Star is Born as well as one of pop singer Sia’s latest hits.
“Singing and writing performance art is a way for me to understand the world.”
