OKgiraffe | en

OKgiraffe is beaming from an incredible response in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, where the group toured in support of their new CD release! The band performed a notable series of shows in St.John’s during the city’s Mardi Gras celebration, including an after party show for famed fellow Montreal based BC transplant band Stars. Atlantic Canadians are already creating a major buzz about OKgiraffe and are highly anticipating the band’s return.

The official launch of the CD took place in Montreal in October where it was professionally filmed for the upcoming release of a live music video. Without a moment to waste, bassist/guitarist/vocalist Rosa Smedley, bassist/accordionist/guitarist/vocalist Kevin Bertram, and drummer/trumpeter Brandon Goodwin snugly packed “John Candy”, their 1990 wood panelled Buick station wagon with an upright bass, bare bones drum kit, 1960’s Italian accordion, 1920’s saloon guitar, banged up trumpet and mini amplifiers for a lengthy fall tour of Eastern Canada.

It has been an amazing year for the Montreal-based artistic funk trio. After extensive gigging in the city’s vast live music scene, Rosa Smedley, Kevin Bertram and Brandon Goodwin have established themselves with a fresh breath of musical flare, bringing their unique, acoustic “Urban Gypsy Soul” sound to the scene’s table. As “the choice openers for many bands” (Word Press), OKgiraffe has shared many a Montreal stage with notable artists Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few, The Fugitives, The Unsettlers, The Winks, The Winter Gloves, Ladies of the Canyon, Charlotte Cornfield, Miss Emily Brown, Rob Lutes, James Finnerty and Cecile Doo-Kingue to name a few. During the band’s Montreal incubation period, OKgiraffe spawned a unique and engaging event that was an instant hit with locals. The successful “Mustache Party”, won OKgiraffe positive press reviews in the Montreal Mirror, and a regular gig at popular venue, Le Divan Orange.

In the spring of 2008, OKgiraffe’s diligence in Montreal’s performance circuit really began to pay off. Lead vocalist and composer Rosa Smedley received a grant to compose music from Canada Council for the Arts just as OKgiraffe headed off to the studio to record their first full-length self-titled album. The record was made at Montreal studio The Treatment Room, with notable recording and sound engineer for Plants and Animals, Kees Dekker. After completing the live-off-the-floor analogue recording, the trio returned home to BC for their monumental first ever tour. With immense perseverance, OKgiraffe managed to finish post producing their CD just in time to give Western Canada a good dose of their accomplishments.

This coming January, OKgiraffe will ransack Montreal with the 2nd Annual Mustache Party! It will be followed by a cross Canada tour, from East to West, with a trip leading to the mysterious Territories, and then back to galavant across Canada again through the Central and Eastern provinces, before their touring expeditions lead them to Europe in late 2009. As many have said, OKgiraffe’s debut album makes a fantastic record, but their live show only intensifies a fan’s attraction to the band! Don’t miss OKgiraffe when they show up in your city!!!

“What does OKgiraffe sound like? An angel pissing in your ear” -Doug Johnston, Cape Bretoner-
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