Audience-goers to the first of three shows for the Music on the Grill series will bask in an array of sounds when Babe Gurr and Jim Byrnes come to Coquitlam next week.
Each has new albums out - St. Louis Blues for the Juno-award winning Byrnes and Hearts Up To The Sun for Gurr - and will be playing tunes from their new CDs as well as pieces from older compilations.
That means a mix of genres such as folk, roots, world beat, blues, pop and even country for the summertime performance at the Evergreen Cultural Centre on July 4 and 5.
"I think [the crowd] won't get bored because the music is so diverse yet I think it appeals to most people," Gurr said.
The pair started to partner for concerts about six years ago, with Gurr taking the opening act. "It just seemed to be a good combination," she said. "We draw from the same age group. Baby boomers is the bulk of our audience."
Added Byrnes, "It always seems to be a nice night and very eclectic."
And both praise each other for the quality of musicians they have in tow.
Byrnes' repertoire is large and he tends not to work off a set list. As a result, his backup band must accommodate his last-minute wishes because he likes to feel out the crowd before the show starts. "I'll do a little structure of a set but then things come into my mind and right before we go on I'll say, 'Hey, we haven't played this one in a while.'"
"It keeps it fresh. I hate doing the same thing over and over and over again," said Byrnes, who is also known for his T.V. acting and recordings with the Sojourners.
For her part, Gurr said she'll be promoting her latest R&B-inspired album, which has a lot of horns (she won't be bringing a horn section with her for the show). And she'll be playing songs from SideDish, the CD she plugged at her last Music on the Grill appearance in 2011.
Tickets for Music on the Grill featuring Jim Byrnes and Babe Gurr are $52 for the dinner and concert, or $32 for the 8 p.m. show only (Saturday's dinner option is already sold out). Call Evergreen at 604-927-6555 or visit evergreenculturalcentre.ca.
