Slew of talent flows like the beer at Wolseley eatery

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Renee Lamoureaux

Exciting faces kept showing up at the door at Bella Vista acoustic jam Wednesday night. In a bid to let his inner adult out, famous children's entertainer Jake Chenier, arrived saying "I've just started to play adult songs on the scene," and sang songs of adult love and nature concerns with lines like: "Mother Earth, does anyone know she's dying?" Kathy Kennedy organizer of the sold-out Women in Blues (WIB) concert Oct. 16 arrived later and belted out a perfect rendition of Janis Joplin's Piece of My Heart ("I impersonated her for a few years" she confesses). Onstage, she joined stompin' blues artist Claire Still, who's one of the exciting new acts at WIB. Film student Erica Marks, 20, a newbie on the open-mike scene, startled everyone with her talent, and Raven Sharma, 24, of metal band Sedentary (and a budding geologist at the U of M) stepped out of wait-staff mode at the Bella and sang a vulnerable song about "the only time she was ever in love." Four hours and 20 musicians -- all for the price of a drink, or a bite to eat.

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WORLD-CONSCIOUS DUO: Renée Lamoureux of singing duo Keith and Renée dropped in solo to the Bella. She and singing partner Keith Macpherson are packing to go on a cross-Canada tour to raise funds and awareness for their Free the Children cause. The duo spent the last two summers in Kenya building schools where, oddly enough, "it was often cool enough we had to wear pants." And yes, she and Keith used to be a couple. "We dated for a long time, but now we've been just friends for a long time, and it's good." The two are working on their fifth CD now. Jann Arden recently put Crying, a song Renée sang for the gang Wednesday night, on her CBC show Being Jann. Their new single Just the Way You Are is out now and it's the third song Degrassi High has used. "It's in a scene where two of the main character are having a moment and he puts a sticker on her head," says Lamoureuex. You can't beat high school romance for innovation.

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FREE YOUR CHICKENS, AND THEIR MINDS WILL FOLLOW: Organizational psychologist Ian Percy, the entertaining keynote speaker kicking off QNET's business conference Wednesday, motivated 300 of Winnipeg's movers and shakers to think about infinite possibilities -- not jumping out of the box for one project and then jumping back in. And he urged local management to start creating free-range business environments instead of industrial chicken factories. Percy used illustrations of Google offices with employees whooshing down slides instead of taking elevators, chillaxing with tropical fish aquariums, and the free, healthy dinners in the cafeteria. The people who started listening with crossed arms (about 30 per cent) had them uncrossed 10 minutes into Percy's speech.

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HOT TIP: If you can't squeeze yourself in the door to see world-famous blues star Lou Pride at the Windsor this weekend he's also playing the Royal George in Transcovania the next weekend -- but this time with a huge backup band. "I put together a four-piece band plus two horns and two backup singers for him," says Tim Butler of the three-day gig Oct 14-16. It's worth the trip.

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FU FU CHI CHI TO YOU, TOO: During a sumptuous four-course dinner at the WAG's Gallery Ball -- with a big auction of artworks -- the black-tie and fancy-dress diners got some unexpected spice. The Fu Fu Chi Chi choir of musical comedians sang naughty songs of social satire, including clever ditties about dear friends with dagger tongues and Wee Georgie (Bush) who suffered from childhood bullying, and got even. Michelle Boulet and Sarah Constible created the songs and actor/singers Alicia Johnston, Liz Quesnel, Marina Stephenson Kerr and Melanie Whyte helped them deliver the goods.

Got tips, events, sightings, unusual things going on? Email maureen.scurfield@winnipegfreepress.com or send mail to The Insider c/o The Winnipeg Free Press at 1355 Mountain Ave. Winnipeg R2X 3B6

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 8, 2010 B1