Joelle Rabu & Nico Rhodes in Concert

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Friday, March 27th, 2020
7:30 PM to 9:30 PM

This event has been postponed until the fall.  The date TBC and tickets sold will be honoured.

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With a music career spanning over 3 decades, star of ‘Piaf’ fame, Joëlle Rabu, is being drawn back to the stage as she joins forces with her son, award-winning pianist Nico Rhodes.

The duo will be performing at Courtenay’s Old Church Theatre, the town where Joëlle was raised, as part of their Full Circle Tour of 2020. Well-known for her ability to delve into several musical styles, Joëlle’s interpretation of classic European cabaret-style tunes and jazz melodies; her rich vocal timbre and engaging stage presence; her heart wrenching torch songs and comedic moments have left audiences spellbound and on their feet. A two-time Jessie Award winner and Juno nominee, Joëlle has won international critical acclaim for her theatrical portrayal of the Parisian chanteuse, Edith Piaf, the iconic singer whose recordings were heard throughout Joëlle’s French upbringing.

Joëlle was raised in Courtenay and has toured throughout 5 continents and won numerous accolades for her torch singing style and international charm. Singing in several languages, she has starred in numerous theatre productions, performed for royalty and has made several guest appearances with major symphony orchestras across Canada and the USA.

Nico is a gifted musician who uses his extensive pianistic skills to frame and enhance the intimate power of his mother’s superb vocal interpretations. A rising star in his own right, Nico was raised on tour with his singer mom and lighting designer dad and a trio of musicians who nurtured his musical upbringing ‘by osmosis’. By the time Nico was 16 he had already won several classical piano and jazz saxophone competitions. At 17, he was introduced to musical theatre and he has since directed, arranged and performed in more than 2 dozen stage shows across Canada, and by the time Nico was 25 he had already orchestrated two symphonic shows, one being his mother’s nationally treasured musical drama ‘Tonight…Piaf’.

He has received several Ovation and Jessie Award nominations for innovative music direction in Vancouver’s theatre community, and in 2019, Nico was presented with his home-town’s highest art’s honour “Nanaimo’s Emerging Cultural Leader Award”. His career also included performing with his local Jazz Trio or being the other half of Roots & Grooves with the iconic Rick Scott or writing and orchestrating Broadway-style musicals for the Canadian theatre companies.

Joining his mother, Joëlle, on stage is a highlight as he revisits the music he heard from a young age. As Joëlle quipped with an audience after a breathtaking solo, “He constantly challenges me, daring me to the precipice of musical adventure!” A few years ago, Joëlle and Nico decided to go into the recording studio together. Like their stage act, the performances in the studio were spontaneous, natural and honest.

Their 10-song CD is aptly called Full Circle, and the Japanese Enso sign which graces the cover signifies ‘finding perfection in imperfection’. The connection that these two versatile performers have on stage is electric. The humorous banter that can only stem from their intergenerational points of view; their life’s paths that have caused heartache and laughter; their vulnerability is the fodder that creates musicality and theatricality into an unforgettable evening of lively entertainment and lush musical moments. As one critic summed it up so well: “Rabu is Edith Piaf, Bette Midler and Carole Burnett all rolled into one extraordinary performer. Her passion-filled voice is spine-tingling and her stage presence electric.” “Nico Rhodes’ musical ability is nothing short of stunning with breathtakingly fresh sounds and style radiating from this young musician whose hands effortlessly fly across a keyboard leaving us in utter amazement and jumping to our feet at the end of a solo!”

https://joellerabu.com/