Longtime Salt Spring Island resident, musician and filmmaker Peter Prince released his eighth album earlier this year, and is ready to share the songs in a concert at All Saints by-the-Sea church on Sunday, Aug. 25.
Born to Fly, Prince’s first CD of original acoustic folk-roots music in several years, celebrates the spirit of the Gulf Islands and of other places he has visited and loved, including Bhutan and Tonga.
“Prince mines the depths of the human heart for real truth,” states CD promotional material. “Meaning and story emerge in his cross-cultural musical journeys, striking emotional chords that resonate deeply with listeners.”
Song subjects range from the deeply personal — including the lively Feels so Fine, written for his daughter Sappho and her husband Tyler for their 2019 wedding at Beaver Point Hall — to the political in songs like Drowning Dreamers, which calls for world peace, or in Make A Difference, which uses a distinctly poetic voice to urge the next generation to address climate change.
All songs were written and recorded by Prince at his Salt Spring Island studio, with Prince on vocals, guitar, piano and harmonica. A star-studded cast of musical friends contributed their talents on one or more Born to Fly tracks. They are: bass player Ian Van Wyck, Laurent Boucher (drums, percussion), Brent Shindell (acoustic and electric guitar), Bruce Everett (flute, harmonica), Bruce Cameron (percussion), Henry Boudin (saxophone), Tara MacLean (background vocals), George Crotty (cello), Doug Cox (dobro guitar), Kenn Faris (mandolin), Sivalla (background vocals), Lorne Burns (drums) and Jane Phillips (cello). The CD was mastered at Greg Pauker’s Sculptor Systems studio.
For this Sunday’s concert at All Saints, Prince will be joined by Van Wyck on bass, Dave Rowse (tenor sax, bass clarinet), Wesley Hardisty (violin, fiddola), David Storm (piano) and Sivalla (backing vocals). Music begins at 6 p.m.
Tickets are available online through artspring.ca or the box office at 250-537-2102.
Born to Fly and Prince’s other CDs can be purchased at his Saturday Market booth and the Artcraft gallery shop at Mahon Hall. Streaming is available through his website: peterprince.ca.
Prince has also directed documentary films such as Bhutan – The Kind Kingdom, about endangered black cranes; and his first film — ReDiscovery: The Eagle’s Gift, which was filmed in Haida Gwaii and narrated by Bill Reid. He has also produced soundtracks for film and TV.