biography
Bex started making music at the age of 6, when she picked up her first drum and joined in west coast drum circles. She learned how to craft the instrument from resin, cedar, hide and steam. Steam is the sister to her power element. She keeps it bottled up for the right occasion then releases it as necessary; pleasure in the release, sometimes pain, but ultimately - purification.
Bex was trained classically on piano at age 9, self-taught on guitar at 13, had a love affair with the drum set and lost it all when she penned her first tune. Classical education and an innate understanding of rhythm are both very present in her writing.
"To me rhythm is the most vital element of music, so I try to infuse all my songs with percussivity and unexpected time/tempo changes. I adore the "Heavy Wood" genre, ala Kaki King, Don Ross, Ani Difranco, and many others." - Bex
Bex lived, studied, and played shows in Cowichan throughout her teens, before venturing to Nanaimo, BC to take part in the Malapsina University-College jazz program as a vocal major. She found a kindred in the soul of jazz music, in particular the vocal stylings of Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith; they influence her to this day.
Bex has done some solo recordings in professional studios and is more recently experimenting with home recording on her new Mac Book Pro. She has plans to release an EP in the fall, as well as shooting a music video and touring the summer festival circuit in 2009. Her artistic vision is to collaborate with many different varieties of performers, from other solo songwriters to slam poets to multimedia artists to interpretive dancers- anyone who is creative and open to trying new things!
"There is no limit to what we can achieve with open hearts and minds." - Bex
