Hey you!! Yeah you!!! Did you come here looking for some tidbits on this band called Norika and the MoMENtum? Well you hit the mother load..!! With one big, soulful, smooth, power-house voice, Norika leads her four musically masterful maestros into an adventure that only the fired up and the full of heart can make it through, and looking forward to the friends that share the journey with them!! The adventure begins in the mountainous range of Alberta in a friendly, picturesque city called Calgary. From there the musical journey started as a magical guitar that was once one man’s garbage became her treasure. From that moment, her heart filled with blues and an eclectic edge of a strange sound that rocked and enticed the hypnotized songstress to start singing as a late blooming flower. Through her trance-like state, the words and music came rushing out like water being released from a dam, one song after another after another. Very soon she had enough to fill her first CD, which she titled Beautiful Beginnings.Things took a drastic turn for her as she was unable to capture the full sound she heard in her heart with just herself and treasured guitar in hand. Norika needed help and she needed it fast!! She searched high and low until she came across a graceful, kind Englishman they called Andrew Flower. Now Andrew had many talents, but the one that stood out to Norika was the electric guitar he yielded. Like an instrument of fine precision, Andrew was able to set the tones and the vibrations that would resonate and be heard for miles. As a dynamic duo, they would entertain many along the way; by a cozy fire, intimate cafe, a few festivals, musical parties, fine drinking establishments and sometimes even each other. Together they decided that their musical quest just wasn't the same without the addition of rhythmic radicals to lay down the groove that they needed, so they set out to seek a powerful trio of another guitarist, bass and drums. These key players would be essential to setting the tone to the music and making sure that every audience was able to dance and be entertained by the catchy hooks and groovy rhythms.
After many months and a more than a few challenges, things started to fall into place when they met guitar player Kurtis Downs, who easily drew attention with each note, each nuance and the enchanting tones that captivated so many that heard him. Norika knew that this fine guitar player was exactly what was needed to enhance each song. Now Kurtis is no stranger to any genre of music, as he is an important addition to many bands, as well as a teacher to those who want to learn guitar. With Kurtis on board, there would be no turning back, so full steam ahead the journey continues.
It was next to impossible to set the mood without bass and drums!!! Luckily for the team, they were approached by a dear friend, Jim Read, who just happened to be very intrigued with the new style of music he was hearing and asked to be a part of this quest. How elated everyone was that the project was finally coming together! Along with Jim’s solid command of the bass, he brought his own creative ideas to further enhance the original material, adding wisdom and wit whilst trying to keep the ship on an even keel. Jim was also instrumental in introducing the final member to the group, drummer Brian Fehr. Jim and Brian have been playing together in numerous projects for a long time, so have a good sense of musical intuition between them.
With such an incredible combination of talent, experience, creativity, professionalism, energy, diverse musical knowledge, great personalities and an ability to draw a crowd, they each add their own dynamic element to their performances and unite to make a lasting impression as a solid musical group - the adventure is full steam ahead! Please join Norika And keep the MoMENtum going!!!!!!!