- Spotlight on Jim Robinson: Monday, June 22.
- Rasputin’s Open Stage: every Monday.
Spotlight on Jim Robinson
Monday, June 22 at 7:00 pm
91A Fourth Avenue, Ottawa
Jim Robinson is a singer songwriter currently based in Montreal who has enjoyed a long standing connection with the Ottawa songwriting community. He has many years experience both performing and recording and spends much of his time these days practicing his songwriting craft.
Jim will start the evening with a 30 minute mini concert accompanied by Susan Fowler on back-up vocal, followed by our usual all-comers Open Stage. There is no charge to attend and listening audience members are always welcome. Please join us on June 22 for an evening of great music.
2025-2026 Concert Season
Spirit of Rasputin’s is proud to have presented the following artists for your enjoyment during our 2025-2026 concert season. We’ll be back in September with an all new lineup for another great season. Watch for announcements of upcoming concerts beginning later this summer.
Spirit of Tony Turner Award Concert
October 17, 2025
by John Bond
Folk Music Ontario may have been hosting their annual conference in Ottawa this past weekend, but the real musical event of the season was at the Westboro Masonic Hall on the evening of Friday, October 17. That’s where the tremendously talented Marilyn Lauren Stratton-Zimmer was awarded the 10th annual Spirit of Tony Turner Award (aka SofTTie).
Marilyn has been a very active and supportive figure on the local music scene for years offering mentorship and opportunities to many others along the way. She’s been performing off and on for decades, as part of a jazz duo, in bands, and as a solo artist. She has produced sell-out shows, led open stages, held songwriting workshops, led innumerable jams and established unique musical incubator groups for women to help them develop their talents and confidence on stage. She also writes a light-hearted and informative weekly music blog for the music community as well as being a heck of a fine songwriter and singer.
The full-house audience on Friday was treated to a night of superb music. Tony Turner himself opened with a few songs. He was followed by a moving set of originals by Kay Francis. Then Marilyn took the stage with a group of sizzling musical friends on a number of her own songs. Karina Kraenzle and her band, The Freshwater Pearls, delivered a hot set of mainly originals, and, finally, everyone returned to the stage for a rousing version of Tony’s famous musical anthem “Circle of Song”. It’s a wonderful thing that we take the time to celebrate our own.
Congratulations Marilyn. You certainly deserve it.
Big Sing Ottawa!
November 9, 2025
by John Bond
Once again, Big Sing Ottawa! was a booming success on the afternoon of November 9 at the Westboro Masonic Hall. Presented jointly by Gil’s Hootenanny and Spirit of Rasputin’s, the event was led by choir leader extraordinaire, Evemarie Brunelle.
Nearly one hundred eager singers filled the room. There was a great mix of ages and a good balance of vocal ranges divided between sopranos, altos, tenors and basses. Within moments, Evemarie had the attentive group working on a series of moving songs from around the world. We started with Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu, a lovely Sanskrit chant. We followed with a couple of rousing South African songs, Khutso and HambaniGahle, and continued through the afternoon to work up to songs ranging from Hey Jude to Pachelbel’s Canon.
The roomful of eager voices was captured from the very start and there was no foot shuffling or side conversations. Evemarie had the entire group’s attention throughout the afternoon. What was accomplished with a group who’d never sung together before was quite extraordinary.
If you love singing, be sure to get your tickets early next time Big Sing rolls around. It really is a remarkable experience.
Bayash Sisters
November 29, 2025
by John Bond
The evening of November 29 saw an absolutely mesmerizing show at the Westboro Masonic Hall. Spirit of Rasputin’s hosted the very talented local folk-pop duo, the Bayash Sisters, for a show of primarily original material.
The Bayash Sisters – Emma and Eliza (Yarro) – base their music around keyboards and the tasteful application of looping technologies. Their harmonies have the magic that only close family members seem able to achieve. From the very start, their audience was enrapt.
In general, the sister’s songs are gentle and melodic. One of the covers they performed was of local phenom Terry Tufts’ song “Revelstoke” and it was a great choice. Their own tunes, many from their Provenance EP, included “Blue House”, “Mirror”, “Muse” and what for me was the absolute standout song, “The Walk”. The repeated lyric, “I miss the walk between your house and mine” serves as a mantra of melancholy.
There’s something very special in the Bayash Sisters’ music. Don’t miss them if you ever get a chance to see them perform.
The next show coming up in Spirit of Rasputin’s concert season will be Lynne Hanson on January 25. Tickets will be on sale soon. This is going to be a good one too.
Lynne Hanson
January 25, 2026
by John Bond
Lynne Hanson held the audience in the palm of her hand on Sunday, January 25 at the Westboro Masonic Hall. It was a chilly day, but the room was full and Lynne’s songs of aching hearts and rough goodbyes kept us attentive. One audience member talked about hearing Lynne’s tunes as a case of “gobbling up her delicious lyrics”. Delicious they are and we were all served a full helping of bittersweet delights.
We were treated to a solid mix of Lynne’s better known songs and a collection of new tunes she’s getting ready to record in Nashville later this Spring. Among the new songs, This One’s Gonna Hurt, Lock With No Key, Dollar Store Ring, and Love Don’t Feel Like That were stand-outs for me. I’m certainly looking forward to this new album. The new songs maintain Lynne’s poetic standards but seem to have a freshness of vision that’s a joy.
hOne little surprise was just how strong Lynne’s guitar playing is. She’s often accompanied by Blair Michael Hogan, an exceptional guitarist. This time she was on her own and had the chance to stretch her wings. It was especially fun when she strapped on her shiny red Gretsch semi-hollow body. Her playing was right where it needed to be on each song.
The songs she chose from her previous ten albums were spot-on and I can’t imagine anyone walked away disappointed. It was a treat to hear Lynne delivering tunes like Long Way Home, Light in Me, and Whisky and Tears in this setting. She closed on what I think may be Lynne’s most iconic song, Gotta Have Rain.
“You get some joy. You get some pain.
If you want to have flowers, you’ve gotta have rain.”
C.A & Sonny / Kathleen Johnson & Sally Thompson
February 22, 2026
by John Bond
Westboro Masonic Hall was again packed to the rafters for Spirit of Rasputin’s February show featuring C.A. & Sonny and Kathleen Johnson & Sally Thompson. This was a rare show with two feature acts and both delivered.
C.A. & Sonny opened the event with their infectious take on what they call the music of the 20th Century. They delivered their tunes on banjo, resonator guitar and fiddle. There was a mix of original and cover tunes that kept the crowd swaying and feet tapping. They provided crisp harmonies and some stellar whistling on songs like Queen of the Burlesque, Where You Been Last Night Caroline, and She Ain’t Rose. All in all, these first class musicians were just a tonne of fun. The mood of their show put me in mind of the Jim Kweskin Jug Band (high praise in my mind).
After the break, Kathleen Johnson & Sally Thompson took the stage with three friends accompanying. Claire McArthur, Katherine Haley, and Andrew Chapman filled out their sound beautifully. Kathleen and Sally are long-time friends who’ve been singing together for decades. The songs were almost all originals except a lovely version of Mary McCaslin’s Down the Road. All the songs were sung with fine harmonies and very cool vocal arrangements.
For the finale, C.A. & Sonny joined Kathleen & Sally and friends for a stirring version of Good Night Irene. It was a perfect closer for a fine afternoon of music. As one audience member put it, “This is the kind of show that makes you want to be a better musician.”
Lynn Miles
March 22, 2026
by John Bond
Ottawa’s gem, Lynn Miles, delighted the Spirit of Rasputin’s audience on March 29 for the final instalment of our 2025-2026 Featured Artists Series concert season. What a fantastic way to close out the year. Lynn was in her element in that very packed, sold out room and delivered a first rate set of her songs.
She was accompanied by the brilliant Keith Glass on guitar and mandolin and the chemistry between the two longtime friends sparkled from the stage. The banter between them was always fun and the music they created together flowed like pure, crystal water. They opened with Lynn’s song, “I Want More”, and filled the room with song right through to the finale, “Rust”. We were treated to a selection of tunes from Lynn’s entire 17 album discography.
In one poignant moment, Lynn and Keith dedicated the gorgeous song, “The Heart With Its Light On”, to Ottawa’s Greg Kelly, who is going through a very rough time right now. The whole room held its breath as this tune was recorded for Greg to hear from his home.
We couldn’t have asked for a finer or more fitting final show for the season. Thanks to everyone who has come out and supported Spirit of Rasputin’s’ concert series this year. Look for us to return in September with yet another season of fabulous concerts at the Westboro Masonic Hall.
Gil’s Hootenanny
May 1, 2026
by Randy Cameron
The seventeenth and final Gil’s Hootenanny ended on a high note with a headline performance by Toronto’s Ken Whiteley. Known as the Grandaddy of Canadian Gospel, Folk and Blues music, Ken played to a capacity crowd at the Unitarian Congregation’s beautiful hall in Westboro. Supported by bassist Gord Mowat, Ken had the whole room singing songs like Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released”, “This Little Light of Mine”, “Give Your Hands to Struggle” and “That’s When I Need a Song”, co-written with past Gil’s headliner Eve Goldberg. “You sound great!”, he told the enthusiastic audience, “I should be recording this tonight!”.
Warmly greeting the crowd, but bundled up against the chill of a cold Ottawa May Day, was the Just Voices choir, led by Bridget Grounds. Inside, the show commenced with the traditional procession led by Carm Whittle and Patricia Reynolds, supported by Arthur McGregor and the Gil’s Hootenanny organizing team singing “If I had a Hammer”.
The first set featured members of the Gil’s Hootenanny team in indivdual and collective performances of songs of hope and protest, including “We Shall Overcome”, “3 Little Birds”, “The River”, “A Right to Be Me”, “Never Turning Back”. “Dona Dona” and Mark Evenchick’s “A Light of a Much Brighter Kind”, that had the crowd clapping and singing in harmonies.
Tamara and Karen Levine took turns speaking about their father Gil, in whose memory the Hootenanny began back in 2010. Moving from the Elmdale Tavern to the Glebe Community Centre, the RA Centre, and finally to the Unitarian Hall, Gil’s Hooteanny on May Day each year has become an annual tradition for folkies and activists alike in the Ottawa region. The Levine daughters were supported by their spouses, children and grandkids. They also spoke lovingly of their mother Helen who began to play the ukulele in her nineties, and who attended every Gil’s Hootenanny until her passing in 2018.
Whiteley and Mowat’s set was warmly received by the full house. After singing “Motown” backup to his “Keep Going”, we were in full voice and support as Ken played “Greed is a Flawed Organizing Principle” on his ‘least threatening instrument’, the ukulele!
This great show was a fitting finale to a 17-year run for Gil’s Hootenanny. Gil Levine, enthusiastic campfire and picket line singer, friend of Pete Seeger, and Hootenanny lover, would have been overjoyed and proud to witness the singalong. As Whiteley said, ‘AI is NEVER going to replace this!’ After he and Mowat played solos from the stage, he stopped playing, extended his arms to the room and cried, ‘Audience Solo!’ and our collective voices rose in chorus.
The night ended with a rousing rendition of “Solidarity Forever”. We will all miss this important annual event, but let’s make sure to find other places to raise our voices in hope and protest.
Questions? comms@rasputins.org