Roland Doucet is a real gentleman! Back in March he was scheduled to play a shared evening at the shop, but then the other musician was taken ill and unable to come in, so Roland gallantly stepped up to the plate and entertained us very well for the whole 2 hours! So here is back again with a full evening to himself. Those who were here to hear Greg Kelly a couple of weeks ago will have heard a delightful preview of Roland’s talent during Greg’s set.
With a very competent guitar style and an expressive vocal delivery, Roland covers a wide range of styles and genres, giving a program of variety and familiarity that you will really enjoy. He describes his music as “swinging blues and bluesy swing”! Covering classic tunes from the whole of the 20th century, Roland interprets material by the great composers of the first half of the century (Robert Johnson, Gershwin, Monk, etc.) but also some Beatles, Dylan, Hank Williams…
Roland started playing at 14, did a short stint at Berklee Music College in Boston in the 80s, before going to live in New Orleans where he played blues, trad jazz, and R&B. In the 90s, he played in a blues band with his son in Winnipeg, and still occasionally gets up to play with him when he plays in the area. Here’s how Greg Kelly (Tunes Afternoon at the Black Irish, and also performer at Gaia Java not so long ago) described Roland’s music: “Roland does New Orleans-inspired jazz and blues standards, performed with joy and truth!”
Roland Doucet plays Gaia Java on Stittsville Main Street on June 26 at 7:00pm.