Additional information submitted by Ross Grindal.

Newspaper article:
Who better than Bruce Cockburn to close out the Calgary Folk Music Festival's 21st year.

Cockburn, 55, has been an important fixture on the Canadian folk music scene since he released his first of 25 albums -- High Winds White Sky [editor's note- this was actually his second album]-- in 1971.

Sunday night at the Calgary Folk Music Festival Cockburn proved to be as vital as anytime in his career.

Opening with his 1979 monster hit Wondering Where The Lions Are, Cockburn -- backed by bassist Steve Lucas and percussionist Ben Riley -- quickly established why he was chosen to close out this year's fest. His musicality and skilled songwriting that often touch on social issues was the perfect element for the finale of another successful festival.

His rendition was marvelously loose as he injected a little vocalese scatting into one of his many career staples. Other well- received numbers included Mango, the moving If I Had A Rocket launcher and a new instrumental called End Of All Rivers -- a delightfully indulgent jazz foray.

Cockburn's ease with being on-stage and speaking to a crowd of about 8,000 like they were a close friend was obvious as he related humorous anecdotes from his recent Italian tour.

His audience, and it was his, readily absorbed everything he had to offer and seemed taken away to another place -- there are a select few that are able to convey such moving imagery.