When Ruth Cipes sings, you can hear the earnestness of a 1960s folk singer. Or, depending on the tune, you might find the smoky sounds of a jazz chanteuse.

There含羞草研究社檚 depth to her style, but she takes on less heady material than her like-sounding predecessors.

Instead of heartbreak and angst, she sings about the love of daddy-daughter days and peanut butter含羞草研究社攋ust to name a couple themes含羞草研究社攁nd the music accompanying her voice is playful. It含羞草研究社檚 hard not to smile, maybe even laugh at some of what含羞草研究社檚 being put out there.

Considering Ruth is in elementary school, it含羞草研究社檚 a perfect mix.

Ruth, as her dad Ezra said, is a real natural. She can get in front of a crowd and she knows what to do and she can joyfully slip from one style of music to another.

She含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社渢he Michael含羞草研究社� of a family who perform under the name the Oot 含羞草研究社檔含羞草研究社� Oots and while she含羞草研究社檚 front and centre at live performances their debut CD, Songs and Tales from the Great Blue Whale, offers only a taste of her budding talent.

On a video for the song 含羞草研究社淭oo Many Cookies,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� produced by Claire Donati Simmons含羞草研究社� Ruth explained, she only 含羞草研究社減lays the phoney marimba.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淲hen we were finishing this album, Ruth was just learning skills in studio,含羞草研究社� said Ezra. 含羞草研究社淣ow that we含羞草研究社檙e in studio for our second album, we含羞草研究社檙e working on something where she can contribute vocals now.含羞草研究社�

Until then there含羞草研究社檚 lots for the Oot 含羞草研究社檔含羞草研究社� Oots growing fan-base to dig into. They含羞草研究社檒l be performing live this weekend at the Lake Country Children含羞草研究社檚 Festival. And they含羞草研究社檙e currently contenders in the CBC Music spotlight competition.

Last week they, along with seven other bands, were featured for being a family act.

In their case it含羞草研究社檚 a significant sibling act 含羞草研究社� Gabe, Ezra, Ari and Matt Cipes have performed together for years.

They toured and worked for years as session musicians with acts such as Tegan &Sara and Bif Naked.

Then the brothers returned to their family含羞草研究社檚 organic farm in Kelowna, to start their own families.

It wasn含羞草研究社檛 long before the need to play music took over again.

含羞草研究社淚 can含羞草研究社檛 speak for my brothers, but I got very depressed (after leaving music) and it took me awhile to figure out why,含羞草研究社� said Ezra.

含羞草研究社淪o we started making sure we had some project on the go. We played in a country music band and a bar band.含羞草研究社�

The Oot 含羞草研究社檔含羞草研究社� Oots, however, is the best of everything they tried.

含羞草研究社淲e have a creative outlet to directly express joy and inspiration,含羞草研究社� said Ezra.

含羞草研究社淭hat makes you feel good, like you含羞草研究社檙e living a good meaningful purposeful life.含羞草研究社�

While the music is purposeful, it含羞草研究社檚 not pandering.

Ruth said she含羞草研究社檚 happy that her family is producing music her friends can listen to with their families and nobody is bored by it.

It含羞草研究社檚 something unique and special, and why the Cipes含羞草研究社� brothers finished off an album that they started in 2007.

含羞草研究社淚t was a loose end,含羞草研究社� said Ezra. 含羞草研究社淲e always thought it was a bit of a magical album.含羞草研究社�

To have a listen to the album go https://www.theootnoots.com/ or to vote for the band in the searchlight competition go to http://www.cbcmusic.ca/searchlight/835