1.Please introduce yourself and let you know where you are from?
Well, I am a musician, composer, and songwriter based in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada. I wasn't born in Halifax, but I was drawn to the ocean and I'm thrilled to call this place my home. Halifax is a wonderful place for an artist to live. There is a vibrant and thriving arts community. In fact, a large portion of the music community gathers each week in my living room to attend the open mic that I run at my house. I think that's something I would have a hard time organizing in most other cities, and I really value the way this city treats me.
2.Can you tell us a little about your current record?
My new record is called In The Time Of The Great Remembering, and it comes out October 18, 2011. This record is the product of many years of trials and tribulations. I have spent almost four years trying to develop my skills as an arranger, and writer, and worked with more than 45 different musicians to try to hone my sound and find the best players. I almost went into the studio with an entirely different crew of musicians about 18 months ago, but the band fell apart three days before our first recording session and I had to start from scratch. It was lucky that I had to begin again because I don't think I could have made this record then. I am really proud of how the album turned out, and I can't wait to share it with the world.
3.What is the most memorable show you have played?
There have been a lot of gigs that I'll never forgot. It is impossible to pick just one as the "most memorable" but I'll tell you about the most recent unforgettable moment. I was playing a festival in August, 2011 called the White Rabbit Arts Festival. It was a one day celebration that was the culmination of a seven day artists' residency at a big arts homestead in rural Nova Scotia. Tens of brilliant artists had spent the week creating dynamic and bizarre art installations at this farm.
There were four bands as part of the musical culmination of the festival. I got to headline the show, and even the stage that we played on was an art project. It was a brilliant work of carpentry with three levels, and all sorts of quirks and ladders. For my last song I climbed to the uppermost part of the stage, some 20 feet over the audience and roared from behind the piano that I had carried up there. The moon shining behind me, and the mass of wide eyed screamers 20 feet below me was quite a rush!
4.Have you played Germany before? If so what was your favourite experience of Germany? If not, what are you looking forward to?
I have never played in Germany before, but I have been to visit. I've even walked through the Reeperbahn where a German friend of mine gave me a tour of a brothel! I don't think I'll go back to the brothels this time, but I am looking forward to playing my music for a German audience. A lot of the music that I write is inspired by old folk music from Germany and other parts of Eastern Europe. I am excited to be a Canadian playing music inspired by European traditions, on European soil.
5.What can people expect to hear at your Canada House show?
People can expect to hear me pour my soul into the songs along with my band. It is always my goal to make each show the best I've ever played. I've hired some really top notch musicians to join me for this show and the subsequent tour we are doing in the Netherlands and UK. My violinist has played for royalty and my bass player is one of the most sought after session players on the east coast of Canada. I've put a lot of work into making sure this is a show people will talk about for a long time.
6. The event is being held at ‘Canada House’- If you could recommend one Canadian record to those coming to the show (other than your own!) what would it be?
I can't stop listening to Two Horses by Charlotte Cornfield. The album doesn't actually come out until October 27, but Charlotte let me have an advance copy. It's so good. I find myself singing it as I walk down the street. You can hear a couple songs from the record at http://www.myspace.com/charlottecornfield/ plus some songs off her last album, which is also amazing. Check it out!
