ShawnaCaspi.com

February 2, 2012

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:21:15 -0500

Last week's benefit concert was a huge success! If you'd like to read about it or keep up with Andy's journey as he fights cancer, check out his blog.

The new CD is getting mastered! That means we're only a few steps away from a shiny, new disc to spin. If you've pre-ordered, you'll be the first to get your copy. There's still time to order by visiting my Kapipal page. If you donate at the $200 (or more) level by February 7th, you'll get your name printed in the thank yous.

Another Toronto gig is just on the horizon - I'll be playing at Winterfolk as part of the Songwriter's Unite! showcase. Full details in the gigs section.

January 22, 2012

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:34:54 -0500

Check out this beautiful poster for Thursday's Raise the Roof and Raise the Rent for Andy Frank, designed by one of the best in the country - Michael Wrycraft.

Hope to see some of you tonight the TRANZAC for the Robbie Burns show!

January 5, 2012

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:26:12 -0500

Happy new year! I'm starting 2012 off with a couple of performances at two talented-packed events in Toronto, including this very important fundraiser for my amazing friend and fellow Roots Music Canada conspirer, Andy Frank. Have a look at all the gig details.

December 24, 2011

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 00:55:17 -0500

In the thick of the holidays, and with the end of 2011 approaching, I'm looking back on some of my gig highlights from the past year and finding it hard to make just a few selections from the best one yet (I hope to say that every year!) Remember...

January 29, 2011: My first gig of 2011 was part of Songwriters Unite! at Graffiti's in Toronto, snuggled between songwriters and trying out really old and really new tunes. A fine start to the year!

March 10, 2011: The New Quarterly's Toronto issue launch at the TRANZAC. I got to play a few tunes for some of the most discerning lyric-listeners out there - the literary crowd. A sweet celebration of my favourite Canadian lit magazine.

March 25, 2011: A sold out concert at the Hobbit House in Cobourg, where I got to reconnect with old friends, meet some new ones, eat delicious treats, and learn about the amazing big-hearted community initiatives going on in this town.

April 24 - 30, 2011: The "She Came on a Whim and Couldn't Go Home" tour, named by my best tourbud, Kev Corbett. Kev carted me all over the impossibly beautiful province of Nova Scotia, from the Lunenburg harbour, through forests and peep frogs to Tatamagouche, then as far as the south shore to Shelburne, and back to bustling Halifax for a big birthday bash. I started dreaming of east coast real estate.

June 9, 2011: A set at one of favourite Toronto stages, The Rivoli, as part of Sara Kamin Presents. I broke a guitar string on stage for the first time. Ever. It felt like the longest string change of my life.

June 16, 2011: Another late-night NXNE set. This year's stage was expertly managed and the crowd was kind, right into the wee hours.

July 17, 2011: A short train ride took me to Brantford for an outdoor set at the Station Coffeehouse in 40+ degree weather. The train dropped me off right at the venue's door!

September 10 - 17, 2011: A whirlwind tour from Ontario to Nova Scotia and back, sharing gigs with some of the Maritimes' best men: Ian Foster, Kev Corbett, Andrew James O'Brien, and Steve Haley. My train ticket was courtesy of VIA Rail's On Board Entertainment Program, where I performed a couple of sets a day on the long haul between Montreal and Halifax, met some very interesting characters, and watched the landscape fly by from my sleeper cabin. I came home to a sunny show at the Queen West Art Crawl featuring a cameo by mando maven Joel Schwartz.

October 1, 2011: My Ottawa gals, Andrea Simms-Karp and Jill Zmud, made the trip to Toronto to play a beautiful house concert at Joanna and Allan Mills' place. O'Hara House Concerts is fast becoming the hottest folk destination in the city. Surprise gospel harmonies, French folk tunes, and sneaky pre-release CD sales!

November 18, 2011: Andrea Simms-Karp brought me to Ottawa to open for her at her official CD release. Stunning venue and a spine-tingling new album for Andrea called Hibernation Nation. Sold out hometown shows are the best.

December 21, 2011: My final show of the year - a last minute fill-in slot at the legendary Daily Bread Food Bank fundraiser "People Still Gots Ta Eat" at the Cameron House in Toronto. A warm holiday gathering of friends, with lots of great music and real home cookin'.

...all the while recording a new CD. Skyline will be seeing the light early in 2012, so stay tuned! Happy holidays!

December 12, 2011

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:22:18 -0500

In September, I spent a sweltering day in a studio in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, recording some vocals for my buddy Manitoba Hal's new CD. The hard copies are being manufactured now, but if you can't wait and you'd like to download the full digital version, visit Hal's bandcamp page.

We sing a duet in Across the Sea and I added a few little harmonies here and there on a couple of other tracks. Congrats on the new release, Hal!

November 30, 2011

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:48:00 -0500

Toronto finally got the first snow flurries of season today. Perfect time to curl up and finish this new record. Adam Warner came by on his short touring break and added colour and character to my tunes with his fabulous vocal harmonies. Jason and Rosemary sprinkled their talents overtop to finish off the tracking process quite nicely.

Thanks to the word-worshippers at the best lit-mag around, The New Quarterly, for having me at their big 30th birthday bash in Waterloo last week! Here's a quick snapshot.

Onto mixing! (excuse me while I stir up this mulled cider...)

November 10, 2011

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 07:49:56 -0500

Did I mention the beautiful and inspiring violin session with Anne Lindsay last week? Wow, that gal can PLAY! This weekend we get to hear Adam Warner sing some background vocals and then...we'll be done tracking the new record!

If you'd still like to pre-order your copy, you can do so at Kapipal:

October 19, 2011

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:37:05 -0400

I'm still recovering from the 25th Anniversary Ontario Council of Folk Festivals conference which took place last weekend.

This was my third year attending this great big convergence of folkies. It was the most intense, the most hours spent on site, and in a new location - Niagara Falls. All the conference usuals were present - informative panels, showcases from some of my favourite performers, reunions, meetings, late night guerrilla rooms, actual elevator pitches, poster explosions, hugs-instead-of-handshakes, and the overall feeling that what we all do is essential, viable, and sometimes indescribable.

I had an overwhelming number of new faces approach me with only the slightest peek at my nametag and introduce themselves. Folks I knew only by name or face or legend, but who noticed me and called out. I suppose that Facebook is largely to thank for these introductions and connections. It was a panel at OCFF 2008 that inspired me to sign up for Facebook in the first place, coming to it quite late in the game, and it has served me well.

Huge thanks to Russell Leon and Songwriters Unite!, who included me in a late-night showcase on Friday, where I got to play some tunes and be introduced to the likes of powerhouse performer Kate Reid. Grateful for door-to-door rides from Graham Lindsey and Andy Frank, who asked nothing in return but my incessant chattering in the passenger seat. Kudos to my roommate and oldest friend, Andrea Simms-Karp, for putting up with me. Hurray for cooler-food, glimpses of the falls, charming dinner table guests, no less than three kisses from Dave Gunning, Fallsview showcase rooms, very short naps, a hotel room on site, Annabelle Chvostek's performance of "Resilience" in the Borealis room that had everyone in tears, getting to know people deeper, doubling up on hotel coffee packets, free wi-fi, the calm demeanour of Peter MacDonald, lunch for breakfast, Paul Mills' humility, Tannis Slimmon's joy upon hearing the Saturday campfire circle singing "Maisy Go Round", the #ocff2011 hashtag, in the same room with LBo, Roots Music Canada's booth, dining together, some of my favourite mopheads, saying "Wow" out loud a lot, respectful late-night shenanigans, high-fives, sneaky photos, Ariana Gillis' monster, Ridley Bent's zombies, Ember Swift's belly, Suzie Vinnick's late-night accents, unexpected room service, and much, much more.

Thanks to everyone for the love and support, the music and mad perseverance. You inspire me.

If you're in Toronto, stop by the Smiling Buddha next Wednesday. I'll play you some tunes! Maybe even a new one.

October 10, 2011

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:32:31 -0400

Last week's house concert was the best kind of gig. Many thanks to our hosts at O'Hara House Concerts for putting it all together. Here's a little slice of the evening:

http://youtu.be/1WBQzReLBME
I'll be in Niagara Falls this coming weekend for the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals conference and the usual guerrilla showcases that make up the late-night festivities. Say hello if you see me wandering the halls!

September 19, 2011

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:47:16 -0400

I'm relaxing after the whirlwind of the last ten days with a VIA Rail trip report and my city council's Executive Committee Meeting playing in the background.

My fellow citizens are speaking out about community-building, care for the disadvantaged, accessibility, and livability. They are talking about the necessity of culture in a city, the enrichment of arts education, and the economic value of investing in the arts. I am catching up, trying to remember the correct date, and still feeling the train's rocking motion just a little bit.

This tour took me from Ontario to Nova Scotia and back, thanks to a remarkable VIA Rail program that provides musicians with free rail travel in exchange for live performances along the route. Many cheers to Genevieve for facilitating and to friendly staff Steve, Zach, Stella-Marie, and JF for welcoming me on board. Train travel is truly the way to see Canada. From the hyphenated French towns au bord du St. Laurent, to the church steeples and mills that flew by in New Brunswick, to the marshes, farms, and finally, the Halifax harbour, in Nova Scotia. I would recommend seeing it all, slowly, with time for the scenery to soak in.

The gigs I played on either side of those train trips came about in surprising ways, entirely due to the kindness and support of presenters and venue owners, including Sue in Perth who brought the town to the bar, Graham Lindsey in Ottawa who shared his home and home cooking, Mary Ann at the CoHo in Halifax who brought three musicians from different provinces together, Traci at the Scuttlebutt in Lunenburg who knows the value of live music and treats musicians right, and Lanie at the Queen West Art Crawl in Toronto who puts care and thought into her programming and beams with a sunny smile, even when doused in gasoline.

I was lucky to share stages with faraway friends I don't often see, like Newfoundland's Ian Foster and my Halifax welcome wagon Kev Corbett. I brainstormed with Ottawa arts ally Nicole Colbeck, and jammed in the park with Joel "plays no wrong notes" Schwartz. I found new friends in Andrew O'Brien and Steve Haley when we discovered we had more things and people in common than we even suspected. Audiences were filled with some of the finest folks around - friends, fans, and fellow musicians. You are oh so appreciated.

Kev Corbett and Stephanie Domet were the best HaliHosts, as usual, taking care of everything and doing all the tricky driving.

This whole tour was Manitoba Hal's fault. He called me up a few months ago and asked if I would sing on his new CD, which he was recording in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Determined to be part of the project, I built the tour with that session as the anchor. In return, I got a train ride across three provinces, several gigs, lots of life stories, and a renewed love for my country.

I look forward to sharing the stories I gathered and the lessons I learned. Keep demanding them and I'll see you real soon.

September 8, 2011

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 08:35:26 -0400

Last minute packing rush, before I head to Ottawa this afternoon and kick off this tour on Friday night in Perth. I'm calling this September swing eastward the "Patchwork Tour", since it came together in bits and pieces, in unusual and surprising ways. Old friends, new friends, a stop in my hometown, long haul train rides, and a little recording session on the South Shore.

Keep up with it all here.

August 5, 2011

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 23:53:26 -0400

I have at least one thing in common with Fred Eaglesmith - I like trains. Can't wait to hop aboard VIA Rail's eastbound long haul, "The Ocean", in September as part of the On Board Entertainment Program. I'll be playing tunes on the train from Montreal to Halifax and back again!

I'm in the studio recording vocals this weekend...see you on the other side of those padded walls!

July 13, 2011

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 07:16:10 -0400

I've been holed up in studio with Jason LaPrade, layering spine-tingling track over spine-tingling track onto the new record. Adam Warner and Joel Schwartz stopped by amid their busy summer schedules to add their immense talents. It's shaping up to be a good one, folks.

If you'd like to come to see me without my headphones on, I'm playing in Brantford this Sunday as part of the Sunday Roots Revival series. Afternoon show, open to all, easily accessible by train.

June 12, 2011

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 01:38:20 -0400

It looks like the weather in Toronto today is going to be beautiful! I'm playing an outdoor concert this afternoon at 2:00pm in Bellevue Square Park in Kensington Market as part of NXNE in the Park, leading up to the music festival. It's FREE and open to all!

May 29, 2011

Sun, 29 May 2011 17:12:50 -0400

The record's moving along nicely! Last week I submitted a FACTOR application (whew!), followed by a fantastic session with bass wizard and all-around delight, Murray Foster. There was even a brief banjo preview! I'll keep you posted...

You can help fund this recording project by preordering the CD through Kapipal. Special incentives at every donation level!

A few gigs are brewing 'round the GTA in June, including another NXNE showcase! Hope to see you out there. We can compare humidity-hair.

In the meantime, check out this video from The Company House in Halifax!

http://youtu.be/AV5VPmR-9rI

May 3, 2011

Wed, 04 May 2011 01:03:09 -0400

Reflections on the Nova Scotia Tour with Kev Corbett...

What a gorgeous eyeball feast this giant country is. From the smashing waves at Peggy's Cove, to the lightning storm across the fields in Tatamagouche, to the rows of pines on the 311, to the Look Off into Annapolis Valley, to the fog hanging over Halifax Harbour, to the glimpse of Lawrencetown Beach. And that's just one tiny corner of it.

I flew Porter for the first time and experienced their impeccable service, got full-body-scanned at the Halifax airport, attended several shows in the city, discovered a whole slew of people who fervently believe in buying local, and learned about Tatamagouche's "LETS Dollars". I was inspired by the strong ties within the Nova Scotia music community.

Thank yous...

My fellow performing musicians who continue to share their experiences and venue contacts with me to make my ventures easier: this time, in particular, Jory Nash, Ian Foster, Manitoba Hal, Karen Palmer, and Amy Campbell.

The venue owners, who largely took a chance on me and welcomed me with confidence: Traci at the Scuttlebutt in Lunenburg (Easter Sunday bravery!), Carol in Wolfville for your offer and enthusiasm (we'll come back), Hanna and Chuck at Fables in Tatamagouche for feeding us, educating us, and giving us a most comfortable place to sleep, Allan at the Sea Dog in Shelburne for the Hootenanny Series, and Mary Ann and the gals at The Company House in Halifax for the admirable listening room you've created.

The people who's simple acts of helpfulness and selflessness meant the world: Andy Frank for the suitcase, Pipin' Pat Melanson, who I never met, but who extended his kindness to me anyway, Patty for the Mexican feast, Melanie and Brad, Aidan and Jen, and anyone else haggard and sleep-deprived who came to the CoHo anyway because they knew it'd be a blowout.

Everyone who wrote newspaper articles, shared facebook events, and let us put up our posters on their walls.

Special thanks to Stephanie Domet and her big heart, gourmet cooking skills, and unbelievable tolerance, support, and spirit.

Extra special thanks to the man who made this all happen, Kev Corbett. He's a tremendous guitar player, skilled songwriter and performer, intelligent conversationalist, dedicated foodie, and one of the most easygoing people I know. Any guy who can put up with me 24 hours a day in a car or a house for 9 days straight is a grand champion. He did all the work, I just got to coast on the coast. Immense gratitude.

April 22, 2011

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 23:34:52 -0400

Tour's on, folks! If you're in Nova Scotia, check out the facebook event and let us know when you're coming to a show!

April 12, 2011

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 23:20:05 -0400

I live in a big and beautiful country, a country that's currently filled with political buzz, a country that I have only just begun to explore.
I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be heading to the luscious east coast of Canada at the end of the month to play some shows with Halifax songster, Kev Corbett. Full details about the tour will be posted shortly on the gigs page.

When I get back, it will be election day. Here's one of my favourite Canadian songs, by the legendary Murray McLauchlan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq1Ip5Zmw4w

March 29 2011

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 08:13:40 -0400

Hope you're heading to C'est What tomorrow night to take in our songwriter's circle in this cozy Front Street space. One of my favourite Toronto singer-songwriters, Amy Campbell will be joining Ian Reid and me, as Sean Conway has stepped down due to illness. We have lots of stories for you.

If you can't appear in person, tune in to www.whatsnext.ca at 9:30pm on Wednesday - the entire show will be streamed LIVE!

March 10 2011

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:08:11 -0500

Come on down to the TRANZAC in Toronto! I'll be playing at this event celebrating the Winter issue of The New Quarterly. Writers, writers, everywhere!

February 17, 2011

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:16:31 -0500

Click tracks and pop screens - I'm recording again! I've been laying down tracks for my next CD at Jason LaPrade's studio. Keep coming back for updates as the process unfolds over the following months.

If you'd like to help turn the wheels, consider pre-ordering the new CD at Kapipal. Each level of donation gets you a special treat!

I'll be breaking away from metronomes and headphones for the Free Times Cafe gig with Halifax's Kev Corbett tomorrow night! Hope you'll join us.

January 21, 2011

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 07:53:19 -0500

Hope you're bundled up! Lots of exciting projects are crackling on my brainfire, but let's start with some live shows and maybe a new song.

December 31, 2010

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 13:54:53 -0500

New Year's Eve always invites reflection. This past year has been one of the most unique and exciting in my life so far, partly due to the increase in and expansion of gigs that I played throughout 2010. I thought I'd look back and highlight some of the shows that really stood out. Remember...

Janaury 17, 2010: Girls Do Boys at Slack's, Toronto - It was my first gig of 2010, singing covers of "boy's songs" with Elana Harte and Friends to a packed house. Heather Bambrick let me sing Lovers in a Dangerous Time, since all my other choices were a little too obscure for the audience to know.

March 3, 2010: Campfire at the Cameron III, Toronto - Amy Campbell, Elana Harte, and I turned the back room at the Cameron House into a camp-out. I made individual baggies of GORP for everyone. Tiny cereal boxes became musical shakers.

March 16, 2010: Opening for Kev Corbett at C'est What, Toronto - I met this Halifax powerhouse on his cross country VIA Train tour. Kev turned out to be one of the friendliest, funnest guys ever. Conversing with him got me thinking about getting back in the studio for the first time in three years.

April, 2010: "Glee" Promo Event, Toronto - WIBI, the acappella group I used to sing with, was hired by Global Television to promote the new season of Glee by singing and dancing on the streets of Toronto, leading up to the premiere. As an alumni of the group, I found myself swept up and into one of the gigs, singing Journey and Kanye West songs at 7am on a windy April morning.

April 11, 2010: Reunion show with Brian Crosby at the Free Times, Toronto - A delightful duo show with my old bandmate and roommate on the stage where we played our first show together, 7 years before.

June 19, 2010: NXNE at the Free Times, Toronto - After playing a set at 1am to a room full of people who had no regard for how late it was, I felt like I could do anything.

June 30, 2010: Women in Song at the Moonshine, Oakville - I played one of my favourite rooms, but only after Kim Jarrett and I accidentally took the GO Train in the wrong direction, got stranded in Rouge Hill, and arrived at the venue three hours later.

September 17, 2010: The Freeway Coffeehouse, Hamilton - My debut in the Hammer, sharing the stage with some of my favourite gals, Amy Campbell and Ania Ziemirska. Amy drove. She's a really good driver.

October 14 - 23, 2010: The Simmering Fall Stew Tour, Eastern Ontario/Western Quebec - This was definitely a huge highlight of 2010, from opening for the amazing Dave Gunning in Oakville, to closing the tour in Morrisburg at the impressive St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage concert series.

October 16, 2010: Ontario Council of Folk Festivals conference, Ottawa - Technically part of the tour, I played a set at the Roots Music Canada private showcase at the OCFF conference. Wide awake, at 2:30am, this took the top prize for the latest I have ever performed. Felt invincible afterwards. The entire conference experience was wonderful.

December 2, 2010: Opening for Jon Brooks at Lula Lounge, Toronto - As I was eating dinner in a bar in Perth, Ontario during the tour, I received an email on my new iPod Touch from Jon Brooks, inviting me on the bill for the War Resisters Campaign benefit concert. The show was divine, and harmonizing on some of Jon's beautiful songs was magical.

December 18, 2010: Ossia, Peterborough - The last show of the year found me sharing a stage with Sean Conway in Peterborough. I hopped a Greyhound a few blocks from my place and the venue was a block away from the Pboro bus station. Hassle-free travel.

Happy New Year, everyone! More to come in 2011.

December 16, 2010

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:12:56 -0500

The first half of December hit me with some heart-warming gigs in Toronto. This Saturday, I'll head eastward to Peterborough for an afternoon at Ossia with Sean Conway. Don't shop - sit, sip, listen. A treat for your feet, your belly, your ears.

November 23, 2010

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 00:40:03 -0500

I'm honoured to be part of this benefit for the War Resisters Support Campaign at Lula Lounge in Toronto next week. Jon Brooks is headlining the event, which also includes special guest speakers, Toronto Star columnist Antonia Zerbisias and Jeremy Hinzman, the first Iraq war resister (still) seeking Canadian status.

November 1, 2010

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 08:23:45 -0400

The good folks at St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage captured this performance of Breakables in Morrisburg on October 23rd:

October 25, 2010

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 01:34:21 -0400

Home again. My bed looks inviting and I'm heading for it soon. I plan to post a more detailed account of this past tour, which just came to a close last night, but I really wanted to say a huge thanks to a whole pile of people who's wisdom, thoughtfulness, and generosity are really what made this possible.

Amy Campbell, Jory Nash, Kev Corbett, Aengus Finnan, Sue and Dwight Peters, Dylan Bell, Jeff Giles, Robin Wright - whether you knew it or not, your venue recommendations, touring tips, accounts from experience, and advice was truly the backbone of this tour, from the initial booking through to the end. Thank you for sharing what you know with me.

Dave Gunning, Jon McLurg, Julie Perrault, Andrea Simms-Karp - you welcomed me on stage with you and shared songs and stories with me. It doesn't get more up-close-and-personal than that.

John and Jane at the Moonshine, Andy and David at Roots Music Canada and Peter and his team at OCFF, Lisa at O'Reilly's, Gwen and Ruth at Café 349, Nadia at Raw Sugar, Jeanne, Sandra, Bill, and Derek at St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage - you are the hearts behind the venues, you deeply care about music and musicians. You not only made my job easier, but you made it a delight.

The little things really make a difference - thank you to Andy Frank for being my CD box mule, Grace Harbour for the drive home from the Moonshine, Dean and Ruth for lunch in Ottawa, Lucille and Franco Fragomeni for the bed outside of Kingston, my old pal Jared in Kingston who shared his lunch with me, no questions asked.

I got lost a lot, driving alone with no GPS system, and often relied on the kindness and patience of locals to point me in the right direction. I got warnings about deer and dangerous drivers. I got suggestions for dinner destinations, free wi-fi, and interesting walking routes.

Extra special thanks goes out to my parents, who not only put me up in Ottawa for parts of this tour, but also (amazingly) lent me their car and their digital camera throughout it all, which meant I could save a ton of money.

Thank you, thank you, you good people.

More to come.

October 3, 2010

Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:26:07 -0400

Oh, hello, October! I've been running through downpours of rain and little yellow leaves tumbling down.
Thanks to the top-notch audience that stuffed themselves into the Free Times Cafe on Thursday. You really made our night. It was swell to swap songs with Ania and Jeff.

==> Next up: The Simmering Fall Stew Tour starts on October 14th in Oakville!
Some people have asked me: "What's with the whole 'stew' thing?" "Are you cooking us dinner on stage?" "Obsessed with food much?"

Let me explain...the tour falls during the delicious height of Ontario's Autumn harvest, one of my favourite times of year, and a delightful time to be rolling down the highway in this part of the country, chasing changing leaves. It's been a long time in the making - simmering on the back-burner of my brain, and I'm cooking it up with a mix of new and old friends along the way. It's warm, it's bubbly, it's full of colour, and it's meant to be shared with loved ones.
Hope to see you along the road.

September 13, 2010

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:48:42 -0400

The gigs are growing as Autumn dates fall into place. There's a poster for the September 30th show at the Free Times Cafe that you can look at, download, email to your friends, print out, copy en masse, and distribute far and wide. As well, there is now a Facebook event page linked to every gig, so show off your social calendar (and your fine choices in live music!) by RSVPing.

Have you heard the new song, Breakables? The video clip is available here. Leave a comment and let me know what you think! I hope it brings you comfort in these blustery days.

September 3, 2010

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:30:43 -0400

Last week, I zipped over to Mississauga for an early-morning radio taping on HazeFM. The feature will be airing on Musically Yours with Deirdre Mallehe this Sunday, September 5 at 5pm ET on thehazefm.ca. Listen live from anywhere in the world!

Rebroadcast on Thursday, September 9 at 10:00pm ET.

August 26, 2010

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 22:14:58 -0400

Exciting news to report! I've been chosen as a Canadian Regional Finalist in the Mountain Stage NewSong Contest. I'm one of ten singer-songwriters in the category and I sure am in some good company! Judges will be choosing one artist from among the ten to perform in the Award Round in New York, but YOU can vote to help choose the People's Choice Award winner.

Follow this link to watch the video entries from all the Canadian Regional Finalists and vote for your favourite. My song, The Fair Ones, is near the bottom of the page. Then check out the other regions and do the same!

Lots of new shows getting booked, including an Eastern Ontario tour in October. Keep checking the gigs page for new dates as they are posted.

August 9, 2010

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:47:36 -0400

Hello video!
Check out The Fair Ones recorded live (via iPhone!) at The Central yesterday:

More videos, including a sweet Rose Cousins cover, can all be found at my YouTube channel.

July 25, 2010

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 10:43:20 -0400

I promised you I'd be writing - and I've been working hard.
If you haven't found a seat in my cozy facebook living room, you might be missing out on the latest tunes, coming at you live, in intimate, "house concert"-style videos. Check out the latest song here.

July 4, 2010

Sun, 04 Jul 2010 12:47:25 -0400

Just waking up from June with a coffee in hand...thank you to everyone who cheered me on in the rain, at 1:00am, after a three-hour detour to the venue, through all the mishaps and victories, with bursts of laughter and unforgettable stories. I'm busy writing again and looking forward to sharing it all with you back out there on stage real soon.

Gigs are in the works, but I'll give you huge advance notice about my next confirmed appearance at the great Moonshine Cafe in Oakville - I'll be opening for Nova Scotia's Dave Gunning on October 14th! I'm telling you now so you have plenty of time to go pick up all of Dave's dreamy records.

June 1, 2010

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:43:19 -0400

Just got word that I'm playing North by Northeast again this year! Find details for all upcoming gigs here.

May 25, 2010

Tue, 25 May 2010 23:56:38 -0400

I have a couple of just-outside-of-town appearances currently booked in June. There was some mention of bug spray. More details soon.

Until then, check out some new and old songs recorded LIVE at my brand new youtube channel!

Here's a clip for now - an old song that's perfect for unsettled weather in these humid days of heat warnings and impending thunderstorms:

May 1, 2010

Sat, 01 May 2010 19:49:27 -0400

I don't mean to leave you hanging until the 1st of the month, but I must have been saving up the news until I burst.

April was filled with gigs, including a big reunion show at the Free Times Cafe with my old pal Brian Crosby. It was just like old times. But with more skill. And more upper body strength. We have lots of hi-def video from the night, so check back soon for clips. While we wade through the footage, enjoy this tune for now - a new song of Brian's that he kindly let me sing on:

May brings a real sweet songwriter's circle at Ania Ziemirska's long-awaited EP-release. I'll get to hang out with the likes of Bunmi Adeoye, Dave Borins, and Jeff Giles - all on one stage! Tickets and more info at C'est What.

And finally, today marks the start of the Lilith Fair Toronto local talent search. A bunch of really talented girls, many of whom have CDs in my CD library, are all bunched into THIS ourstage channel, where you can listen and vote for your favourite. The winner gets to play the Village Stage at the Toronto stop of the tour. In 1998 and 1999, you would have found me jumping up and down in the audience at the Ottawa and Toronto stops of Lilith. Help me get up on stage this year!

April 1, 2010

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:03:55 -0400

It's a new month and (no foolin'!) there are new gigs to announce and a special new web feature.

Come spend April with me at any of these fine venues.

And listen to some new songs in the brand new live music corner. Keep checking back as more recordings are added!

March 6, 2010

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:21:56 -0500

Campfire at the Cameron number three on Wednesday night was beautiful! Big thanks to Elana and Amy for being the big contributors to that beauty. I heard some reassuring news about the future of The Cameron House so I'm hoping that another campfire will be coming soon. Stay tuned.

For now, check out the video Tony shot from the show:

Next up is a gig with
Kev Corbett on March 16th at C'est What!

February 7, 2010

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:44:29 -0500

Check out the new poster for Campfire at the Cameron III and RSVP on the facebook event page.

Songwriters Unite! has a very special website set up for donations to the Haiti relief effort. Donate here and get download credits for some real fine songs.

January 23, 2010

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:05:57 -0500

Happy new year, three weeks in! I played some fine gigs in the past week at Slack's and C'est What, with lots of cozy crowds and collaboration. Didn't get enough? I'm really excited to announce that the third Campfire at the Cameron show is coming on March 3rd and I'm bringing along two of the toughest, most talented gals in the treefort: Amy Campbell and Elana Harte! Get out your gear and gather round our fire pit. It's all in the back room at the Cameron House.

December 29, 2009

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:49:12 -0500

After a brief bout of "empty shelf" syndrome, my CD, Paint by Numbers, is back in stock at CD Baby. Happy holidays everyone and thanks for snapping up those CDs!

December 14, 2009

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:27:39 -0500

New gigs! New videos! News! Get it before time runs out on two thousand and nine!

November 22, 2009

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:12:14 -0500

Catching my breath after last weekend's packed show at the Cameron House. It was a cozy campfire with lots of laughs and singalongs on stage with Andrea Simms-Karp and Brian Simms. Cinnamon buns and sleepovers. Brunch and tiny cereal boxes.
Check out this live track from the show - Guelph gets a shoutout with Red Brick Cafe and rare guitar strumming action on my part. Lyrics can be found here.

I premiered a new song at the show called Let it Lie, which was captured on video in rehearsal a few days before. Watch it and other footage on facebook.

The Underground at York University was hospitable as always, with a warm welcome after a particularly frustrating TTC ride Northbound. Great to hear Christopher Charles with his smooth vocals and percussive guitar technique.

November 12, 2009

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:13 -0500

As promised, here's the fabulous poster for this Saturday's Campfire at the Cameron show, designed and drawn by Erin Smith. Post it! Share it!

In late-breaking news, I'll be playing at the Underground at York University next Wednesday as part of Indie Music Night, opening for Christopher Charles. It's free and anyone can attend, so check out the details on the gigs page.

And finally, if you're not on my mailing list and tuned in to my facebook page, you could be missing out on some exclusive content! New songs, videos, scribbles...join up to get in.

October 22, 2009

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:13:32 -0400

Stay close for a full news update, including a new poster for the upcoming Campfire at the Cameron show, but first - a blast from the past.

Back in 2004 or so, I arranged Danny Michel's great tune Two Hearts for the acappella group WIBI, who I was singing with at the time. One winter night, me and some friends drove to Waterloo to see Danny play at the Starlight and after the show, I handed him the score and admitted what I had done. Through a haze of strep throat-induced fever, Danny was understandably confused. Upon later hearing WIBI sing the song, he loved it enough to invite us to sing at his CD release at the Mod Club in Toronto. This footage later made it onto his live DVD and now, into the lush fields of youtube:

The soloist is Andrew Smith. Thanks to Danny and the Kelp crew for treating us like rockstars.

September 24, 2009

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:12:47 -0400

It's been a busy month. Great to see some of you enjoying in the sunshine at the Queen West Art Crawl last weekend. It was nice to play a warm, breezy outdoor gig. Hope to post some photos soon.

Now I'm buckling down with some grant writing and a little bit of Fall relaxation. Campfire at the Cameron is returning on November 14th with Andrea Simms-Karp and Brian Simms rolling into town - not to be missed!
And don't forget to keep up with the facebook page - a new video has been posted.

August 30, 2009

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:06:38 -0400

Campfire at the Cameron was a BLAST! Thanks to Jon and Ian for the beautiful music and to everyone who showed up and embraced the campfire theme. Hope to do it again.

If you weren't there and want a taste...here are a couple of live recordings:

==> Ian plays some harmonica on Dating Service Blues and I tell the story of how we met.

==> Big finale featuring Ian Reid on vox and Jon McLurg on vox and additional acoustic guitar - The Lemonheads' The Outdoor Type.

Thanks to Frank Nevada for the recording!

August 18, 2009

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:00:15 -0400

I've been stocking supplies for Campfire at the Cameron. It's going to be a full out indoor campfire experience, with all the treats you expect. We really do want you to bring a cozy blanket or sleeping bag to snuggle up in. If you have a favourite camping hat or vest or set of shoelaces, bring those too! We'll play tunes for you all night.

If you haven't tracked down my fan page on facebook yet, check it out! A few new live videos have been posted:

July 26, 2009

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:52:27 -0400

Wine, cheese, and summer breeze - it's all at Cafe Taste this Wednesday, along with me and Ania Ziemirska. Come on out!

And check out the new poster for Campfire at the Cameron in August. Pass it on!

July 5, 2009

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:27:40 -0400

I'm glad to hear that all the Toronto Farmers' Markets are back up and running, despite the city workers' strike. To celebrate, here's an extra-special live track from the Girls Girls Girls show at the Cameron House on June 6th:

Download I Will Bring You Home
Special thanks to Michael Borlace for recording the show!

July 1, 2009

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:15:34 -0400

In the spirit of Canada Day, I'd like to say a special thanks to the fine folks in little towns who took me in over the past year, placing me on stages in their communities and welcoming me warmly. Whether I'm travelling near or far, every farmhouse roof, footbridge, highway sign, cow field, and coffee brew makes me fall in love with this country even more. I hope I can continue to explore the corners and curves.

Next week, I'm close to home at Slack's with some amazingly talented ladies. Stop by if you can!

June 18, 2009

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:53:19 -0400

It's been a busy few weeks. The Cameron House was a swell night - typical of the venue. It was certainly the brightest I've ever seen the room - literally. A camera crew and audio engineer were on hand documenting the event for multiple senses, so stay tuned for footage.

I quite enjoyed the drive over to Inverary, Ontario (although next time I may take the scenic route in daylight). The Playhouse was sweet and full of character and the music was fabulous. Photos to come.

May 25, 2009

Mon, 25 May 2009 22:01:51 -0400

June will be here before you know it! Help us promote the Girls! Girls! Girls! gig at the Cameron House by circulating the sharp poster.

April 20, 2009

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:49:34 -0400

I've been writing up a storm, surrounded by tunings and sentence fragments and the occasional diminished fifth. New shows are blooming in the Spring and Summer, so keep watching the gigs grow.

March 24, 2009

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:49:11 -0400

I think I'm in love with The Moonshine Cafe. Thanks so much to all of you who came and packed the fine Oakville venue last week, listening with interest and respect. It was the perfect way to cap off my February gigs.

The next live show on the horizon is in Toronto on March 22nd as part of Songwriters Expo at the Cadillac Lounge.

March 3, 2009

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:48:47 -0500

February 22, 2009

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 20:48:17 -0500

Wow, it's been a crazy couple of weeks! Peterborough was a welcome retreat, from meeting a fellow David Francey fan on the Greyhound over, to trading gum surgery stories with the waitress at Black Honey. I loved it at The Spill - it had a homelike familiarity and Dave Tobey, the man who runs it all, felt like an old friend. Caylie and Kelly's sets were filled with solid songwriting and beautiful performances. Thanks to everyone who made it possible. I hope to be back soon.

The Ben Folds show was wild. Nothing like being on stage in front of a screaming rock crowd in a warehouse. And it's always an honour to sing with my old friends in WIBI. When I was a young concert-goer, we used to hide our disposable cameras in the bottoms of tampon boxes to get them past security. Now it's expected that anything anyone does anywhere will eventually make it to YouTube:

UNDERGROUND - soloist: Aaron Jensen

DON'T STOP BELIEVING - soloist: Suba Sankaran

Trivia: The sharp dresser singing the flygirl part with me in Underground is none other than Dylan Bell, the force behind my last record!

Oakville's next on February 25th - Women in Song at the Moonshine Cafe. Hope to see you there!

February 13, 2009

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:47:52 -0500

Exciting news! WIBI, the acappella group that took me in for three wonderful years, will be performing a set at the Toronto stop of Ben Folds' latest tour, this Tuesday, February 17th at Kool Haus. I'll be joining my old friends on stage for three songs, including this one that got us the gig:

January 26, 2009

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:47:19 -0500

Today is the one-year anniversary of my last record! What a year it's been...NXNE, Nathan Phillips Square, my first OCFF conference...thanks to everyone who made it possible.

As a special treat, have a look at how the CD cover graphics transformed from beginning to end.

January 5, 2009

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:46:53 -0500

New year news -> Indie Music Night at the Underground has been moved to February 10th due to the strike at York University. See you in February!

December 24, 2008

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 20:46:14 -0500

Happy holidays! At this very time last year, I was combing through my album liner notes, frantically trying to catch all the typos before sending the graphics off to the printer. Hope your holidays are much more relaxing, filled with brightness and merriment and joy.

Paint by Numbers was recently reviewed in the Dutch online roots magazine, rootstime. If your Dutch is a little rusty or you wish to read a whole collection of press clips, snowshoe your way over here for an English translation and more kind words from kind folks.

December 19, 2008

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:45:48 -0500

Due to the continuing labour strike at York University, it's looking like the January 13th gig at the Underground will be postponed until February. Keep checking back for more details once the date is confirmed.

December 16, 2008

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:45:04 -0500

Check out the new gigs - in and out of town.

December 14, 2008

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 20:44:16 -0500

Hey Toronto! Have you been to Musideum yet? It's a beautiful music store filled with delightful instruments from all over the world, scores by the likes of John Cage, and great CDs by independent artists. There's also a big studio in the basement and live music performances popping up in and around the store. It's all happening at 401 Richmond in Toronto.
Go on and visit. While you're there, you can pick up a copy of my CD, now available at Musideum!

November 27, 2008

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 20:37:58 -0500

New photos posted from the OCFF conference - thanks PJ Slack!

November 11, 2008

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:29:06 -0500

Nice to see some of the Toronto crowd warming up Graffiti's on Friday night! Always fun to meet a big pile of other songwriters and sing a round of tunes.

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