THE SPECTACLES

WHO ARE THESE SPECTACLED INDIVIDUALS?

THE SPECTACLES HARKEN BACK.

Back before jazz was a university program and Bluegrass was a category with a

gatekeeper, when ragtime was dance music and all of this music was played in the

living rooms, on the front porches and in the local community dance halls. Back

when all of this music had only one label – Fun.

The Spectacles are a trio who feature a mix of bluegrass, ragtime, western swing

and older country/jazz. Despite the fact that there are only three musicians,

instruments are traded frequently throughout the show featuring guitar, ragtime

piano, Scruggs-style banjo, Dobro, and even musical saw duets in harmony!

Whether they are playing high energy numbers or slower songs, they always swing

with an unmistakable groove. The show has a genuine quality to it and it's clear

that these veteran musicians are having a LOT of fun playing these songs. This

always ignites the audience and gets them grooving right along with the band.

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Grant Simpson is a musical force who can play absolutely anything. Although his

forte is ragtime and stride piano, which he plays masterfully, he also plays musical

saw, mandolin, tenor banjo, and amongst others picks a mean rhythm guitar.

Jaxon Haldane reveres tradition, but he’s no purist. His punk rock roots sprouted

a love for the musical styles that branched off to rock and roll: Bluegrass, Swing,

Blues, Rockabilly, Bebop, it’s all in the recipe. The result is a gumbo – rich and

spicy. Earthy, yet sweet. Rustic, but refined enough that you know a real chef is in

the kitchen... one who cooks with love.

Tim Osmond does his absolute darnedest to surround himself with music at all

times. He takes his inspiration from the very roots of bluegrass and old‐time

Appalachian music all the way to the variations on those themes he hears from his

contemporaries, and brings them to the table each time he plays with the Manitoba

bluegrass quintet The Stanley County Cut Ups, or as a solo performer.