GhostBoy and Leon Leontaridis to conclude Arts on 817 season
By Laureen F. Guenther Times Contributor
Photo Courtesy of GhostBoy
“GhostBoy has a high energy country roots sound,” said Carolyn Steeves, artistic director of Arts on 817. “They perform their own music and covers of other artists and are awesome instrumentalists. Leon (Leontaridis) has a classical voice background so the partnership is very unique. Their performance of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah is amazing.”
According to Denis Dufresne, who makes up the GhostBoy duo with Aaron Young, the band’s sound “comes from a mix of all the genres we’ve made music in, primarily country music, but there are hints of rock, jazz, classical and roots in there as well,” he noted. “We’ve been very fortunate to make music all over the world and even with some of our heroes.”
Dufresne said the name GhostBoy comes from the fact “we make our living by making music for relatively well-known artists or famous people,” he noted. “When you play with a very famous singer, an audience could be focused on that artist for two hours and not even know we are there … GhostBoy.”
Dufresne, a native of Medicine Hat, has been recorded on over 500 albums in multiple genres and is a seven-time Canadian Country Music Association winner for fiddle and mandolin. He toured the world as a member of world music group, Barrage, a violin-based, modern worldbeat ensemble based in Calgary. He also toured North America and Asia as front man for roots group PEAR, and has been a side man and session player for many country, folk and rock acts.
The other half of GhostBoy, Aaron Young, is a composer, singer and songwriter, and is known as one of Canada’s top guitarists with a strong background in roots/fingerstyle, folk, blues, country, rock and jazz music. By the time Young was just 23 years old, he had already produced, arranged and performed on over 15 albums. The native of Prince Albert, Sask., Young was also part of world music group Barrage, and is one of the original members of Polyjesters.
Tenor Leon Leontaridis began singing as a young child and toured Europe with the Amadeus Children’s Choir. He grew up singing gospel music and in 2005 completed a Bachelor of Music Performance in Opera from the University of Victoria. In 2005, he joined The Canadian Tenors, then in 2007, he formed Destino, a male popera group. Leon returned to the stage as a solo artist in 2010 as The Gentleman Leon performing original pop/rock music. He recorded his debut cd The Gentleman Leon in 2011 and followed it up with a cross-Canada tour opening for George Canyon in 2012. Currently, Leon is on faculty at The Conservatory at MRU as a voice teacher and vocal coach, and he owns and operates Leon Leontaridis Vocal Studio in Calgary.
“The country roots sound is a new music genre for us (Arts on 817),” Steeves said. “The concert will be very entertaining and high energy, a great way to end Season 2 and launch Season 3.”
GhostBoy featuring Leon Leontaridis goes on Friday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. at the Strathmore United Church. For more information or for tickets, contact Linda at 403-901-2797 or visit smoreuc.com/arts-on-817-2018-19-season.
Arts on 817 is now planning its Season 3 lineup. According to Steeves, the season will “celebrate local and emerging artists and a new partnership with the Canada Council. We have wonderful performances celebrating music of the ’30s and ’40s, a Christmas-themed performance of ancient carols for a winter’s eve and finally a wonderful date night for Valentine’s Day.”