The Wondrous Traveler Tour is bringing The Small Glories to Fernie on Apr. 13 at the Arts Station at 8 p.m. This duo is touring to promote their new album Wondrous Traveler that brings their inspiration, creativity and experience to the Arts Station for the first time.
While the bands sound stems from a self described folkey-root genre, both Cara Luft and JD Edwards have a love for Rock and Roll, especially Led Zeppelin.
“Although, the thing with Zeppelin is that a lot of their influences were folk guitarists from the UK, they inspired Jimmy Page quite a bit and there was a lot of American folk-blues players that kind of steered them as well. It kind of seemed inevitable that I would grow and gravitate towards that style,” said Luft, who went on to talk about JD’s inspirations.
“JD really loves rock as well. Zeppelin is another favourite of his. He also really likes R&B and jazz. He studied trombone in university and played a lot of different formats from a big rock band to a jazz band or a marching band,” she said. “His own band plays a lot of different styles. It is a bit of a hodge-podge but we definitely found our common ground in that folk-root genre.”
The duo played for the first time by chance. Along with 23 other Winnipeg artists, they were invited to the 25th anniversary of the West End Cultural Centre. The Centre’s artistic director paired musicians together to collaborate and create music to play for the celebration.
“We got together and were rehearsing, and it was kind of this instant moment. When I heard JD’s voice and I started to harmonize I kind of realized that ‘the blend of our voices is really unique’,” she said. “It is not something that you would come across all the time so we performed two songs at the show and kind of stole the evening because it was the most unique and natural sounding out of all the collaborations I think.”
While both musicians have played in Fernie before, it will be the first time that the duo has played at the Arts Station together.
“I’ve been through a few times actually. I am really good friends with Mike and Anie Hepher. Mike and I have known each other for 20 years, he and Anie are wonderful musicians too,” said Luft. “When they moved to Fernie I came and did some shows at Clawhammer with them. JD and I have actually done a Small Glories show there last year to get people excited about the duo. I have played the Arts Station in the past but that was more as a solo thing. This will be JD’s first time at the Arts Station.”
In addition to having friends in Fernie, Luft is coming back for a few more reasons.
“Fernie for one is really beautiful, but there is a wonderful sense of community there. It is not your typical ski town that is full of absentee landowners. I know that exists but it is a community that seems to really get behind the arts and culture that is going on around town,” she said. “I’ve noticed that every time I am in Fernie a lot of locals come out as well as a lot of people who may be there for vacation. There is definitely a wonderful vibe there that supports music, art, and culture and I think that is pretty unique.”