MULGRAVE, N.S. — A “pie-in-the-sky” dream has come true for musical married couple Krista and Jay Luddington – also known as Eastbound – and one they’re looking forward to sharing with a large audience at the Dundee Resort and Golf Club’s West Bay Room, Aug. 2 at 8 p.m.
Eastbound will be releasing its debut, self-titled CD during the ‘party’ event and for the concert they will be joined by special guests Gilles Fougere, Adam Cooke, Billy Joe Hines and Shawn Burke; the Eastbound full band, a promotional poster reads.
“It’s certainly an exciting time; we recorded the album in Belleville, Ontario, at the end of May and expect it to be at our house tonight or tomorrow,” Krista said, when she and Jay talked to the Casket July 23.
The couple, based in Mulgrave, have been making music together for the past eight years. Krista, original from Dundee, said music “brought them” together and talked more about the circumstances which lead to their first CD.
“In the beginning, music was a hobby; a passion we were able to experience together,” she said. “As the years went on and we found more and more work with music, it became something a little more serious. Something that we could still enjoy and is still a passion, but something we could enjoy a little more frequently.
“The idea of an album was, kind of, a pie-in-the-sky dream that became a reality. A couple of years ago, we received a call to play on a cruise ship and while on that tour, it was a 10-day tour, there was a family on the boat who owned a recording studio in Belleville. As we continued to communicate over the next couple of years, they actually offered to record an album for us. A super kind offer and an amazing experience, all together.
“What was a pie-in-the-sky dream became a reality,” she added.
Jay, a New Harbour, Guysborough County native, also talked about the “graciousness” of the studio owners, noting they grew an appreciation for the couple and their music.
“We thought at first, OK, that sounds great but it was, kind of, a too good to be true scenario,” he said. “But we kept in touch and they kept asking ‘when are you guys making your way here? Make sure you bring the kids; we would love to have you, we’ll take care of everything for you.’
“Then we decided, OK, they are being serious with us. So we made a plan over a few months, decided on a date, and made it happen.”
The CD
The ‘it’ is a10-song CD which includes seven original tracks and three covers; two traditional tunes and another written in the 1970s.
Jay said the originals include songs written a number of years ago and another just penned. One of the more established is the title track Eastbound which is receiving some radio play already; it was written about six years ago.
“We were taking a vacation in Montreal and it was raining one night. We were in our condo and just decide to put one [a song] together. I think it was the first one we wrote together,” Jay said.
The idea of the CD featuring originals mixed with traditional songs, and different styles of music, fits right into the band’s makeup.
“We try to be as multidimensional as possible, with our music,” Jay said.
“With any of our shows, whether it’s our acoustic live show or our dance shows, we definitely try and put a variety of different mixes, so each person could take at least one song and say, ‘Oh, I love that one.’
“People ask us often, ‘what kind of genre is it?’ We just say ‘east coast.’ Every song has some good guitar riffs, fiddle incorporated in some of them, some mandolin is others; it’s just that nice east coast kitchen-party feel. That is, probably, the best way to describe it.
Aug. 2 concert
And the CD release party at Dundee will feature all 10 songs as well as an even more eclectic mix.
“We have the opportunity to play with a full band where we’re going to have a drummer, a piano player, a bass player, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, our vocals – the whole nine-yards,” Krista said. “We are really excited about that and the blend for that evening is a mixture of long-time friends from the last 20 years, and folks we’ve just met this summer – in the last couple of months. It’s really nice blend and a great mixture of personalities.
“And the set list is everything from the album plus some of our favourites; as well as each of the band members will showcase a couple of their songs. Again, a really nice mix on the night.”
Tickets can be purchased by visiting the band’s website (eastboundmusic.ca). Krista suggested, at this late date, it’s best to select the in-person pick-up option as opposed to ship-out. She noted too, unless the event is sold out in advance, there would be tickets at the door.
“This is kind of where we started out,” she said of the location.
“It only made sense for us to take it back to Dundee and celebrate with the folks who have given us every opportunity to play as much as we possibly could over the last number of years.”
