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An unforgettable night with Holly Cole as she closes her Western Canadian run
A rare chance to see a Canadian jazz icon
This Saturday, September 20 at 7 p.m., Winnipeg audiences will have the rare chance to see one of Canada’s most celebrated vocalists. Holly Cole, fresh off a string of sold-out international shows and widespread acclaim for her latest album Dark Moon, brings her singular artistry to the Club Regent Event Centre.
The concert, which caps off her Western Canada tour, promises an intimate evening with one of the world’s finest interpreters of song. “The show in Winnipeg is the last show,” Cole teased, “and everybody knows the last show is the best show.”
Finding inspiration in the night
The album’s title track, a reimagining of Bonnie Guitar’s Dark Moon, taps into a lifelong fascination for Cole. “I’m in love with the night and the moon has always been a muse for me,” she said. One of her earliest memories connects directly to that inspiration:
“When I was about three, I woke up in the night and I had the croup… my dad wrapped me up in a bunch of blankets and put me on his shoulders and we walked out into the night… but the whole thing was black, but illuminated by only the moon. And I was so blown away by that… the moon is forever a muse for me.”
The new album also features the award-winning trio The Good Lovelies, whose harmonies lift the title track. “Somebody said in the studio, wouldn’t it be neat if The Good Lovelies was on this? And I said, really? And then I listened to them and I thought, this is the match made in heaven… they’ve added so much to the track. I’m thrilled.”
Embracing spontaneity in the studio
Unlike her past albums, Dark Moon was created with minimal rehearsal. “I usually arrange everything really quite specifically before we go into the studio. And this was different. I wanted to make it more spontaneous… The best part is… you hear on the recording the moment in which we discover the essence of the song, not us recreating it, but us actually discovering it. And you can hear that on the record. And I adore that.”
That spirit of discovery also carries into live performance. “Yes, they do [change]. Because that’s the nature of this band… some audiences love the really intense stuff. Some audiences love the ballad. Some audiences love the real up-tempo stuff. Some people love the humor. There’s many different elements and that molds and shapes the show.”
Cole describes her collaborators on the album as her “dream team,” including pianist Aaron Davis, bassist George Kohler, drummer David DiRenzo, harmonica player Howard Levy, and saxophonist John Johnson. For the Winnipeg performance, she’s keeping things more intimate:
“It’s going to be a similar band, but I wanted it to be an intimate show for this Western tour. And so we don’t have drums and we don’t have Howard… But we have Aaron Davis, who’s my long-term piano player… Kevin Breit, who’s a huge, what a talent he is… Johnny Johnson… and George Kohler, who is a brilliant bass player.”
Touring can be exhausting, but Cole insists it’s central to her life as a musician. “I love it and I get tired of it at the same time. But you know what? I don’t really get that tired of it… When I decided to study music and become a singer, my dream was this, to one day be playing live with some of the greatest musicians in the world. And that’s what’s happening. And so I’m very, very happy about that.”
What to expect in Winnipeg
Fans can expect a mix of new material and old favourites. “Yes, it’s gonna be a combination of things. We’re gonna play a bunch of the stuff that people wanna hear… And then we’re also gonna play, though, highlights from Dark Moon, which is exciting ‘cause it’ll be new presentation on stage.”
For Cole, it’s a chance to close her Western Canadian tour on a high note, connecting with Winnipeg audiences in the way she knows best—through music.
For Winnipeg fans, Saturday night promises more than just a concert—it’s a rare chance to experience one of Canada’s most distinctive voices up close, blending timeless classics with the fresh glow of Dark Moon. With her dream team of musicians, a spirit of spontaneity, and the promise that “the last show is the best show,” Holly Cole’s Club Regent performance is set to be an unforgettable evening where jazz, storytelling, and the magic of live music come together under one roof.