Alberta blues musician Jenie Thai is performing at the Osoyoos Seniors’ Centre on Aug. 14. Tickets are $25 and there’s a free barbecue for ticketholders before the show. (Scott Doubt Photography)
By Dale Boyd
Osoyoos Times
Enjoying the grace period after the release of her 2018 album, Night on Fire, Alberta blues musician Jenie Thai is crossing some dream gigs off the bucket list.
Thai has been hitting the festival circuit over the summer, recently playing the Montreal Jazz Festival on July 2 and 3.
“I was really stoked to play it because I’ve been wanting to play that festival for 15 years,” Thai said.
Touring her latest work took Thai on her first U.S. tour in March.
“It’s been awesome. I hadn’t put out a record since 2013 so there’s a really big gap,” Thai said. “It’s been really exciting for me because, for one, I feel better about selling the music people are hearing me play live, and it has taken me lots of places.”
She was also able to take three band members along on the road for the first time.
• Read more: Artist looking for ‘Osoyoos Spirit’ in billboard contest
“I could never do it before because I couldn’t afford it, but the album was strong enough, so I was able to do it for a month which was an accomplishment,” Thai said.
Nominated for piano player of the year at the Maple Blues Awards in 2019, she has built a career in a tough industry by focusing on the long game and being flexible.
“It has been a slow and steady climb towards bigger and better shows. I think I’m able to make it work because I can play solo. I think it’s easier if you can hold down a show by yourself because you can build an audience that way, and then start to add people,” Thai said. “I’m also able to work with other people, so I can get hired to play keys for someone else or sing.”
Born in Chang Mai, Thailand, Thai being her middle name as well as her stage name, she was raised in a small town outside of Edmonton. While she gained her musical skills in the area, attending Grant MacEwan University’s jazz program, she passed on a teaching position at both Grant MacEwan and Paul McCartney’s music school in Liverpool — instead she focused on playing music for a living.
Thai also moved to a larger cultural hub in Toronto three years ago.
“I was scared for lots of reasons, but I find it’s actually easier to make a living in a city like Toronto because there are places to play, and people to play with, there’s more of an infrastructure to be a musician,” Thai said.
Thai admits her music does not fit the classic definition of blues, instead she brings an energetic singer-songwriter take on old school rhythm and blues, pulling from Jazz and Americana and drawing influence from a multitude of artists.
But those influential artists are always changing, she said, whether that’s Harry Connick Jr., Tom Waits or Bonnie Raitt.
“Lately I’m on a New Orleans kick. I love this piano player named Jon Cleary, I’ve been listening to him constantly for the last year,” Thai said.
Thai brings her solo show to the concert hall in the Osoyoos Seniors’ Centre on Aug. 14. Before the show there will be a free barbecue on the deck for ticket holders. Tickets are $25 and Blues Society members will get $5 cash back with their ticket at the door. Visit www.osoyoosbluessociety.com for more information.
