She's a musical sponge.
Joanna Chapman-Smith, Canadian songstress, performs at Art Space Saturday night at 8 p.m.
With a fondness for the accordion and a variety of original tunes, her influences come from many different places, she said.
"Whenever I hear something I like I say, 'Ooooh, I want to try!'" Chapman-Smith laughed, whose stop in Prince George is part of a Western Canadian tour.
Her latest album is called Contraries and it is.
"I'd been living in Vancouver for about four years. There is a real Bohemian theme going on with Eastern European influenced music and accordion. There's even a community called Accordion Noir out there. There's a real cabaret theme there as well. So I just really got into it."
Chapman-Smith was working with percussionist Wayne Adams at the time.
"He's got that circusy flair to him," she added.
Then came the accordionist and the writing took its course from there.
"I love working with dancers as well," Chapman-Smith said. "I find I like music that has a more interesting beat, like from cultures that have belly dancing and stuff like that. I find it really alluring."
In a 2,000-student high school in Toronto, Chapman-Smith was one of two teens who liked music.
"One teacher would take the time before and after classes to stay and play his lap steel [guitar] with us," she said, talking about a teacher who took her to her first open mic. She's still in contact with that teacher and now knows his whole family.
"As I've gotten older I realize now that's he's given me so much," said Chapman-Smith.
And to give back Chapman-Smith will be visiting dance teacher Andrea Downey at Judy Russell Enchainement Dance Centre.
"I will stay in Prince George for a couple of days because I love working with dancers and then I can work with Andrea and her dance classes on Monday evening," said Chapman-Smith. "I can play some music for them and that'll be fun."
There is also a workshop on Sunday for local musicians about how to work with dancers. If anyone would like to participate they can contact Chapman-Smith by e-mail at joannacs.music@gmail.com.
Tickets for the Art Space concert Saturday night are $12 in advance, $15 at the door and on sale at Books & Co., 1685 Third Avenue.
