Calgary-based folkie Joal Kamps will be the March 1 act at Legacy Guitar and Coffee House, furnished with his acoustic guitar for an 8 p.m. show.
The world traveller and newlywed is excited to showcase some of the sounds off his upcoming album, Alberta inspired, slated for a release at the end of March, launching him into a six-week Western Canadian tour.
“Our plan for now is to hone our chops around here,” said the 30 year-old self-proclaimed ‘Rocky Mountain pop-folkie’, on his decision to continue to focus on his western audience markets, as well as some continued future touring in the Northwest U.S.
The coming album will be Kamp’s second full-length release, one that he hopes will match the success of his debut 2011 album, Sojourner. The premier album earned Kamps two 2012 Western Canadian Music Awards: Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year and Contemporary Christian/Gospel Song of the Year for “Take My World Apart”.
It was an album influenced by a different time, by different places for the singer/songwriter.
“My last album was based on my travelling around the world for four years. It was a little darker and (the new album) is more optimistic – helpful and positive.”
Following a not-so-successful high school career, Kamps jumped on a plane and flew to South Korea, where he immersed himself into the culture for several months before returning home, only to embark on a new journey to Holland, followed by chasing a male modeling opportunity in Italy.
All the while, music was still not at the forefront of Kamp’s to-do list, with memories of screaming in a punk band as lead vocalist still fresh.
His modeling career saw measurable success over its brief duration of a matter of months; Kamps said he chose to walk away from the scene after realizing it wasn’t an industry he felt he was cut out for, but the money helped his continued world travels for an additional three years.
With a growing passion for music and storytelling, further propelled by his world travels, Kamps acquired a pawnshop guitar from his friends some seven years ago. Since then, the songman has been developing a platform for performance and storytelling, now working toward making music his full-time gig.
“It’s been a crazy journey,” laughed Kamps, who credits his wife, Lauren, as his business partner.
Something of a humanitarian at heart, Kamps and his wife work with disenfranchised at-risk youth in their downtime and performed on the Extreme Tour in 2013; the tour, centered on using extreme music and sports to assist at-risk youth, began as a grassroots venture and is now worldwide. Kamps said for he and his wife, Calgary is the place to be – at least for now.
“After I travelled, I think I had a newfound appreciation for this city – it’s a safe, friendly, awesome place to be based out of.”
The songwriter recently learned that he is one of the finalists for this year’s International Acoustic Music Awards.
Learn more at joalkamps.com.
