The Wharf Sessions: Chicken-Like Birds
Ari Lantela (guitar) and Jasmine Frederickson (double bass) are Chicken-Like Birds, a country blues duo who have been delighting Shuswap audiences since 2014. They played the WOW stage in 2018, and we were thrilled to invite them to be a part of the Wharf Sessions digital album project. Their track Blue Whale stole our hearts during their recording session at Song Sparrow Hall, and we’ve been humming their tune ever since. We checked in with the band and asked them to tell us more—Ari replied, you can read their answers below!
1. How did the band come together?
Jas and I met at an open mic in Calgary, and decided we liked the cut of each others respective jibs. Eventually we got together and jammed, and everything clicked pretty well, so we made a go of it. And here we are, 6 or 7 years later, still messin' around with writing and playing music.
2. Who writes your music, and what does the process look/feel/sound like?
Earlier in our career, we would write songs together more often, but lately one of us will write a song, and then we get together and hash out how it will be arranged. Maybe, the music will be arranged partially or fully by one person, and ideas and suggestions will bounce off each other when the song is presented. Usually it feels pretty natural, and we are open to changes, so it's fluid. Early on I (Ari) used to get mad sometimes when Jas would suggest changes, as I would "mamabear" my songs but I've cooled off since then because usually the changes end up making the song better.
3. How has the pandemic affected your band?
Yeah, it's definitely affected how often we play together, and we've had a few cancelled gigs. We had already slowed down our touring schedule because we both have little beasts now (babies), so we'd already been carving out time here and there to write songs and practice. The pandemic just made it that much harder to get together.
4. What was it like to come together to record at Song Sparrow Hall?
Actually it was really nice. We hadn't recorded in awhile, and having a new song that was so fresh was exciting.
5. What would a dream summer performance schedule look like for your band?
I think we are both happy to play 3-4 shows a month in BC or Alberta so we are not too far from our homes. Really, BC is a beautiful place, where else would one need to go? I mean, that said, if we're talking about dreams, it would be cool to tour Europe as long as we could bring our families :).
6. Tell us the story behind the song Blue Whale that’s on the album.
We all have our internal struggles that we have to deal with, and these have obviously been exacerbated due to the pandemic. Blue Whale is just a reminder of the wondrous things in the natural world we live in, big and small. When you're driving into work or sending some outgoing mail, there's something else going on over there in the ocean. There are blue whales the size of 3 city buses talking to each other across a thousand kilometres. Or, think about the simple beauty of the dappled light created by the sun through the leaves of a tree. Nature is inspiring and can uplift your mood.
7. I’m about to press play on your track, what’s the ideal listening setup?
I think the rhythm of the song lends itself well to walking on a trail in the forest or maybe at the bird sanctuary with headphones; Alone, or quietly with a friend, focusing on the natural world around you. 7:35am in the summertime.
The Arts Centre is grateful for the support it receives from its sponsors, without whom this project would not be possible: SASCU, Chad Eliason Mortgage Broker, Askew’s Foods, the Armstrong Regional Co-op, Johnston Meier Insurance, Grant Thornton, Stella-Jones, Shuswap Tourism, the City of Salmon Arm, and the Government of British Columbia.
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Photography by Kristal Burgess