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Traditional turkey and all the music fixings

The All Original Orphans' Thanksgiving night returns to The Point on Oct. 8
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High energy The Audio Rays are performing at the All Original Orphans' Thanksgiving dinner. PHOTO submitted

If you like rocking out with your turkey and trimmings, this Thanksgiving is going to be a treat.

The Point Artist-Run Centre hosts its annual All Original Orphans' Thanksgiving on Saturday, Oct. 8, at 6 p.m. and organizer Stephen Vogler says it never hurts to have a couple of turkey dinners.

"It's the recipe of original live music with turkey dinner, which is a good one," he says.

"Despite the name, it is not just for orphans. We started it as a night for people to go if they didn't have somewhere to go for dinner. It's for everybody and anybody."

This is the fourth year of the Point's contribution to Thanksgiving cheer, and as always, the music is playing a big part.

Vogler has brought in three performers on the night — The Audio Rays, Jon Shrier and headliner The Little Biggs Band.

"It's one of our more popular events, partly because it's nice to be on Alta Lake, with cool fall weather," Vogler says.

He adds it is the first time both Shrier and the Little Biggs Band have performed at the Point.

The Audio Rays is the new folk and jazz band by singer-songwriter Aude Ray, featuring Ray on vocals, guitar and harp, Rosalind Steel on piano, and Rajan Das on upright bass.

"We want to bring more colour, play my songs but with more musicians," explains Ray, who has been a longtime solo artist in Whistler.

"We'll be playing some groovy tunes, with more original songs that I've been writing over the past year."

Ray adds that their set at the Orphans' show will have high energy and good rhythm. It will be the band's second show, following an appearance on Whistler FM in September.

"But I've played with Ros and with Raj before separately. Both of them know my songs and it's a nice reunion," Ray says.

Hitting the ground running, the Audio Rays are also going into Whistler's WMN Studio in November to record a live album in front of an audience.

"We've been planning this show. It will be a DVD and CD project," she says.

Little Biggs Band frontman Monty Biggins says his band's live menu of Americana, gypsy jazz and rockabilly is being infused with more jazz.

"I've been calling it swing-a-billy," he laughs.

"Little Biggs Band is the next generation of the sounds I've been offering through my band The Sociables. Jazz has always been in my heart, I enjoy it and grew up around that music. I want to bring that element to what I offer — I still do a bit of the rockabilly stuff, but it's got more of a swing behind it. I've embraced my inner Louie Armstrong."

The Delta blues has also been tapped for the band's sound.

Biggins says he will be joined onstage by drummer T-Rex Mcguinty of the Railtown Prophets, Art Barrientos from the Groove Section on bass, and violinist Radim Koppitz of the Big Love Band.

"This weekend we'll be playing some originals, I use the term very loosely, because I'm working with older themes and writing within their tradition. There are originals within that. I've played with these guys before and we're going to touch on the things we've played together," Biggins says.

"We had a practice just the other day and I said, 'let's think of the swing behind it.' It has more of a Louisiana kind of vibe, as opposed to Memphis."

Rounding out the performers, singer-songwriter Shrier, accompanied by keyboardist Bradford Needham, will be playing original folk-rock tunes.

All Original Orphans' Thanksgiving is part of Fall for Arts, Whistler's arts and culture season.

Tickets are still available, but Vogler says that he expects the evening to sell out. Tickets are available online at www.thepointartists.com and at Armchair Books, at $30 for dinner and show, $15 for show only, and $20/$10 for 12 and under.