LAC LA BICHE - Winnipeg-based folk trio Casati is set to hit the amphitheatre stage at Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park on Aug. 26. The concert will close out the summer – long Music in the Forest Series.
As of late, the band – consisting of Jesse Popeski, Grace Hrabi, and Quintin Bart - has been busy juggling gigs while putting together the pieces of what will soon be their latest album.
“We have several new songs that will be performing on our upcoming tour, including our stop in Lac La Biche,” explained Popeski, who plays guitar while joining his band mates in three-part harmonies. “Right now, there are many bits and pieces of songs in the works, as well as incomplete verses, choruses, and instrumentals that we hope to have finished in the very near future.”
Popeski describes the sound of Casati as ‘folk music with an open mind’. They play acoustic a range of instruments including the guitar, stand-up bass and ukulele, that back an inventory of song lyrics with direct and relatable meanings.
“While we have ties to traditional folk music, like many of our favourite artists, we embrace all genres of music that inspire us and adapt them to our style,” Popeski said, adding that all three members are graduates of the Jazz Performance program at the University of Manitoba. “Grace and Quintin actually played as part of a jazz trio before we started writing songs together. Our favourite artists range from the Beatles to jazz guitarist-composer Django Reinhardt, to contemporary singers such as Norah Jones.”
Fresh sounds in the forest
While many bands are hesitant to perform new material until the recording is released, the members of Casati pride themselves on doing the exact opposite.
“We enjoy honing a piece of music through performing it, and then record that piece once we feel it’s ready,” Popeski said. “We prefer to perform live off the floor, the old-fashioned way, where we continue until we get the right take.”
As for the band’s unique name, Popeski explained that they were inspired by Marchesa Luisa Casati, a famous Italian heiress, artist and muse who died penniless in the late 1950s. Before acquiring this name, the band mates referred to themselves as the Grace Hrabi Trio, releasing their first album Afraid of Heights in 2014.
Time away
This summer marks the first time in three years since the band has gone out on the road — and they're ready to go.
“We’re excited to be reunited with many old friends who we haven’t seen since 2020, but also visit new venues and get to meet new people,” Popeski continued. “We’re especially looking forward to playing in Lac La Biche for the first time. We’ve played in Edmonton a handful of times, as well as other communities in Alberta, but never in the northeastern region of the province.”
The Casati show is the final one in the 2023 Music in the Forest series. Tickets for the Aug. 26 show can be found through Alberta Parks. Ticket prices start at just $15.
The Music in the Forest Series is an opportunity to showcase independent musical artists in the pristine setting of Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park.
