Written by Debra Lynn
Tom and Kalissa Landa Performed at the Civic Centre in Port Hardy on March 9 to a very appreciative crowd.
A busy couple with a lot of different gigs, they have been performing with The Paperboys for 30 years, but also with a Latin group called Locarno as well as with the BC World Music Collective, in addition to working as a duo. Their brand of roots music has been influenced by a variety of sources, including Celtic, bluegrass, Latin, Canadian roots and more.
When Tom’s family arrived in Canada as immigrants from Mexico, he was a 15-year-old with a thick accent who wanted badly to fit into his new culture. He decided to quit speaking Spanish at home and with family and to totally immerse himself into the Canadian lifestyle. Now, when Tom (now with a very Canadian accent) and his partner Kalissa play folk roots music from different cultures and countries, they play them as if they are totally immersed in them. Not only have they mastered the skills required for those genres, but they effectively capture their spirit and energy “from the inside.”
Perhaps Tom’s experience of immigrating to Canada gave him a “cultural ambidextrousness” that has enabled him to embrace different musical genres from around the world with authenticity.
Although Tom and Kalissa are like chameleons when it comes to capturing the spirit of other cultures, they also have their own unique musical signature.
When they performed the well-known songs of Canadian and American folk-rock performers, like Paul Simon, Neil Young, and country-folk artist John Prine, they put their personal stamp on them. The Landas’ interpretation is even more “folksy,” making these modern songs sound “almost traditional” and more timeless. Their original songs have a bit of an alt-rock Tragically Hip vibe, but with a dash of Country, which was something I’d like to hear more of.
Interestingly, Tom only became reacquainted with his Mexican heritage relatively recently, in 2006. In the time inbetween, he certainly did not lose any of his Mexican culture. If you’ve spent any time in Mexico, hearing his exultant Mariachi yell can bring you back there with a serious pang of nostalgia. The way he plays his jarana, (Mexican 8-strong guitar) looked a bit like magic: it seemed like he was simply waving his hand over it, as if going “abra cadabra,” to make sounds.
Kalissa’s Metis foot percussion fiddle tune was quite the novelty, and also educational.
I had never heard Metis foot percussion before, and I was pleasantly surprised. Playing tunes like “Teetotallers Reel” and “Whisky Before Breakfast” on her fiddle while moving her legs in a way that looked rather painful, she bowled us over with intense percussive sound.
Although Kalissa was more of a backup singer, her voice prevailed in an intriguing way.
Sometimes it rose above the chorus with a higher “Latin diva” sound—it was very strong and confident, but also a very feminine female voice, complimenting Tom’s more mellow voice without competing with it. It was background singing with an extra dash of spice.
Tom and Kalissa are not necessarily just a Latin duo or just a Canadian duo, but a “do it all” duo. Perhaps they are a sign and a mechanism of the planet’s various cultural identities becoming one burgeoning world identity.