Blogcritics Author: Nathalie Vanderheyden

Willie Nelson's Myanmar Disaster Relief Challenge

Nathalie Vanderheyden — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:24:17 EDT

Willie Nelson and friends are asking us all to join the recovery efforts to assist cyclone victims in Myanmar.
It all started with a short e-mail from Willie Nelson that said “HEY LES, WHAT CAN WE DO FOR MYANMAR CYCLONE VICTIMS? - THANKS WILLIE” That’s all it took. Just 12 short words, but when the legendary Willie Nelson himself asks for a favor, who is going to say no? Certainly not Les Barber.A friend and business associate of Derek...

Bluesman Derek Miller: Rock and Redemption

Nathalie Vanderheyden — Fri, 9 May 2008 09:15:21 EDT

Blues guitarist Derek Miller's musical salvation and his triumph over addiction.
Talent, drive, a passion for perfection, and a carefree, devil may care persona. Derek Miller is a mass of contradictions and a bluesman like no other. On stage he’s a cool drink of water in a pinstriped suit and a confident swagger. He pounds on his guitars and sizzles with a slide looking like he’s channeling every great bluesman to...

Goodbye, Jeff Healey

Nathalie Vanderheyden — Sun, 2 Mar 2008 21:36:05 EST

The great Jeff Healey that I will always remember.
It’s 7:30 pm on Sunday evening. I’m sitting at my computer and the news has just come to me in an e-mail bulletin. Jeff Healey dies in a Toronto Hospital. I’m blank. I can’t believe it. It simply can’t be true. It takes a few minutes for this to process itself to my brain. I’m in something of a daze. I walk...

Music Review: Ray Charles - Live at Montreux

Nathalie Vanderheyden — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:33:30 EST

Ray Charles - Live at Montreux is a small glimpse of the genius that was the legendary Ray Charles.
“As long as I can remember, music has always been something extraordinary in my life. It's always been something that completely captured my attention.” ~ Ray Charles Dear patient readers. I am sitting here at my key board and I am struggling with a massive case of writer’s block. I just don’t quite know what to...

Music Review: Derek Miller - The Dirty Looks

Nathalie Vanderheyden — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 06:48:05 EST

Derek Miller is one of the best hard rock blues performers you'll see!
Damn he's good!Pardon my French (and I can say that, I am French) but what else can I say? Sitting here at the Casbah lounge in Hamilton ON on a Tuesday night, that's the constant refrain running through my hyper brain at the start of each song; damn he's good! With Derek, it doesn't seem to matter where or to whom he's...

Music Review: Papa Truck - Papa Truck

Nathalie Vanderheyden — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 14:13:50 EST

UK bluegrass band shows the world what they're made of with their debut CD.
When I think about bluegrass music I'm generally transported to the deep south of the United States. That's probably a huge misconception on my part up here in the Great White North, and I certainly wouldn't have thought of the UK as the home of a pure bluegrass band. Papa Truck piqued my curiosity, with the seeming incongruity of...

Music Review: The Marble Index - Watch Your Candles, Watch Your Knives

Nathalie Vanderheyden — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 07:23:55 EST

The Marble Index's sophomore CD is indie rock dance music done right!
I have to begin with yet another admission which makes me think that I should start calling my reviews 'true confessions'; but that's another story. In any case, I must confess to a certain bias when reviewing bands from Hamilton Ontario. I feel a swell of pride in my Hammertown guys and gals that may color my perception. I'm...

An Interview with Documentary Filmmaker Rob Stewart - Part Two

Nathalie Vanderheyden — Wed, 7 Nov 2007 09:25:50 EST

Part two of Nathalie's conversation with Rob Stewart, creator of the documentary, Sharkwater.
On October 25th, Blogcritics published the first half of an interview with Rob Stewart, the director of the sensational documentary Sharkwater.To recap briefly, Rob Stewart is a photographer and biologist who set out to make a movie that would change public misconceptions about sharks. This turned into a four year project that saw him team up with...

Greed, Soup and The Rape of the Oceans

Nathalie Vanderheyden — Tue, 6 Nov 2007 19:26:41 EST

The rapidly approaching extinction of a species has an inevitable effect on the marine ecosystem.
What would you say if I told you that a particular kind of soup will bring about the extinction of an entire group of species of marine life, which will in turn contribute to the total collapse of all the world's fisheries by 2048.Sounds like a rather alarmist statement doesn't it? Darned right, outrageous even! I bet you're all...

Music Review: Bo Bice - See The Light

Nathalie Vanderheyden — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 09:18:48 EDT

See The Light is southern rock with a touch of funk.
A little Lenny Kravitz, a little Lynyrd Skynyrd and oh what the heck, throw in a little Bon Jovi for good measure. Stir in a pinch of southern fried chicken and a shot of Jack Daniels and voila, you've got yourself a fresh serving of steaming hot Bo Bice.As soon as I got my copy of Bo Bice's See the Light in the mail I popped it into the...