ARBRA HILL

Perhaps the best way to describe the music of Arbra Hill is to use a quote from veteran Winnipeg radio host, Howard Mandshein: “Today, to hear something fresh is rare, but this is a fresh sound." It’s a quote he made about the band during a live radio interview in March 2005 on UMFM’s Free Range Radio. It’s a comment the band hears time and time again, whether it’s following a live show or after one of their songs is played on the radio: you guys really don’t sound like anyone else. The band describes their music as an amalgam of pop and rock, with a strong focus on melodies and harmonies – making their songs last in your mind long after you’ve heard them. Arbra Hill formed in the fall of 2002 in St. Boniface, Manitoba, with founding members Andrew Morden (vocals/guitar), Lisa Saunders (vocals/keyboards) and Rob Wozny (drummer). Their name is a quasi-anagram of a high-end lingerie shop in St. Boniface, called the Bra Bar – where the band used to jam in the basement. Today, they’re playing as a four-piece, along with bassist, Ron Walker. In the past few years, Arbra Hill has had the chance to play at hugely popular events like the Osborne Village Canada Day weekend celebrations, Winnipeg Pride Festival and the Gimli summer concert series. They’re also regulars on the local lounge/pub circuit, playing venues like the Orbit Room, Regal Beagle and Academy Bar & Eatery. So far, the band has one CD to their credit, the aptly-named Taste Test, which was recorded at Proletariat Studios in Winnipeg and released in December 2004. They’re currently working on material for a second album, set to be a pop-inspired explosion of sonic samplings.For more on Arbra Hill, check out their website at www.arbrahill.com.