Cathryn Atkinson
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Ndidi Onukwulu knows Squamish quite well and is looking forward to arriving here for her concert at the Eagle Eye Theatre on Friday, Feb. 23.
Speaking to from Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, while in the middle of a national tour, the Toronto-based blues singer and songwriter said she grew in rural B.C. and Squamish was one of her pit stops when she travelled around the province.
"I've never played in Squamish," she said, "So I'm very excited to be performing there."
In fact, Squamish has the honour of being her finale performance after three months on the road. Onukwulu left her band at home and is bringing with her three-time Juno award winner Madagascar Slim, with whom she has performed for three years. He describes her voice as outstanding. "I really got excited the first time I heard it," he said.
Onukwulu says she frequently gets compared to Janis Joplin, sometimes to Lena Horne, and said her songs tend to appeal both "to kids and to older people who are well versed in the blues."
Proud of her Nigerian heritage, Onukwulu also makes the most of African blends of music as well as Roots style.
"I don't like to be confined to one thing. For the concert I'll be performing songs from my album, along with several works in progress. It's fun to be able to try them out."
Her album, No I Never, was released in March 2006.
The concert starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at Mostly Books, Billie's Bouquet and the Adventure Centre ($20 adult - $15 Seniors and Students), and Onukwulu is presented by Howe Sound Performing Arts Assoc., Re/Max and Wild At Art.
