Captivating singer songwriter and acoustic guitarist Jessica Benini is a fresh force on the West Coast music scene. Blending folk, roots, blues and pop she brings an authentic energy engaging the audience with her soulful melodies and exciting harmonica solos. Jessica was nominated for Vocal Performance of the Year at the Vancouver Island Music Awards and Best Live Act. She placed top 3 at the Islands Folk Festival songwriting competition. Jessica has released two albums, toured throughout North America and has been featured twice at Broadway Sessions in Times Square, as well as was showcased for the songwriter sessions at the Bitter End, in NYC. Jessica currently lives in East Vancouver teaching music and inspiring youth to create music and perform.

In Western Canadian folk festivals, weathered traditions of song-sharing and musical cross-pollination carry the ideals of folk music into the right-swiping, touch-typing, conversationally challenged future. It's there that Red Haven honed their craft. Drawing inspiration from jazz and soul but redesigning it with Indie-Pop songwriting and a heavy backbeat, Red Haven have been touring their raucous, spirited brand of folk for the past 4 years.

Featuring the work of songwriters Jen Charters, Nathan Turner, and Brendan Steele, Red Haven tells a story that is both entertaining and incisive. Each brings a unique flavour to the band: Charters, lightning-quick gypsy jazz saxophone and powerful blues vocals; Turner, uplifting songs with a country lilt from behind the upright bass; and Steele, dark and angular guitar lines to match cutting lyrics. Their creative chemistry got a injection of energy with the adoption of drummer Max Ley into the group, who brought prog-rock chops with just the right amount of swagger and swing.