Onya - Brian Basco, Onya, Darren Osborn

Onya will be performing their sultry jazz stylings on Saturday, May 19, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, at the garden of Dr. Ted & Lisa Warren, as part of Highland Blooms! The Highland Experience II.

Audiences have long been raving about Onya’s vocals since her first performance on stage at the age of fifteen. In the past, she has been noted for her rock and R&B vocals. Now audiences will get a real treat as she performs the perfect jazz set.

Brian Basco’s performance has been described as: “spine tingling”; “a unique and spontaneous performance with the audience”; “a ride to the edge and back.” His career has been cultivated into multi-instrumentalist vocalist extraordinaire through a life-long dedication to music.

Darren Osborn – an accomplished percussionist – has been performing in venues and professional recording studios, across the continent, since he was a youngster. Starting out in Nashville’s professional recording circuit, Darren honed his skills of precision and finesse required to perform this jazz that has the ability to transform your experience.

This highly gifted band of performers delivers a class act from start to finish with smooth, sultry vocals that never grow old.

Visit Onya’s Reverbnation page to learn more about this dynamic trio!

Tchai - Robert Trudeau, Ron Hardy, Tracy Chappell

Tchai will be performing their ambient and progressive jazz on Saturday, May 19, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, at the garden of Liz Swaine and Steve Culp, as part of Highland Blooms! The Highland Experience II. This description of the unique and talented trio, written by artist Daniel Cassity, captures the essence of Tchai:

“For those who appreciate an instrumental free-form, improvisational musical experience, catch Tchai (Tracy Chappell – Guitar, Robert Trudeau – Bass, and Ron Hardy – Percussion) live in Shreveport. All rooted in the rhythms of Hardy, Chappell’s guitar work is as solid as inventive – soaring, blistering, and just as quickly supportive and subtle – with Trudeau’s bass lines defining the space between them. 

Perhaps what I find most enjoyable about their performances is the sense that they are approaching their instruments less as obvious “instruments” and more like “sound generators”. Trudeau’s non-cliched, fingered bass lines are derived from slapping, plucking, walking, and even power chords. Hardy switches from hand drumming to occasional sticks with ease, producing a wide variety of driving and mesmerizing rhythms. Chappell’s exceptional guitar work steers the melodic aspect of the ship, utilizing – like the others – every inch of the instrument, and squeezing out every possible sound. 

Fusing many musical styles, they have found an area of their own that can only, truly be defined as Tchai – even handing out percussion instruments to the audience resulting in something like a spontaneous chant/trance. If you are someone who must “know” every song that you hear, Tchai may not be for you, but if you are not interested in the “same old same old” catch Tchai in Shreveport. Ultimately, this is a “musicians” band (if you don’t know what that means, you’re not a musician, and don’t worry about it), but what anyone in the audience will surely experience is pure musical joy – the love of playing.”

Be sure to visit Tchai on Facebook and Like their page!