“As one of Canada’s consummate musicians over the past three decades, Hugh Christopher Brown (better known to many as Chris Brown through his partnership with vocalist Kate Fenner and their former band Bourbon Tabernacle Choir) has always tapped into the spiritual healing power of song…It’s the kind of soul music few artists outside of, say, Van Morrison, ever attempt…”
“Hugh Christopher “Chris” Brown has a tendency to find music — actually, he would say that it finds him — in the most unexpected places: while at a funeral, sitting in a Toronto lawyer’s kitchen, or even from behind bars.”
“From the beginning, I wanted this video to be black and white, it completely was the tone of the song for me. So, set on the beaches and roads of Wolfe Island, featuring Hadley McCall Thackston’s haunting performance, this was exactly as it was meant to be.”
“This is Brown’s first proper solo recording in years, and to make it he drew extensively from the community he’s cultivated on Wolfe Island, where he moved from New York City in the last decade… It’s the most musically diverse collection Brown has ever put out, and it’s a welcome return from a songwriter who has a lot to give.” …
“Pacem is one of those albums that works on the listener from the inside out. The more I listen, the more I am astonished by its depth and intricacy. The album begins with a Chant of St. Ignatius extolling the divinity of all things and ends with a lyrical, plaintive folk song. Between these two pieces are masterfully constructed songs, …
“A cathartic, vulnerable piece of work, Pacem brings feelings of serenity and introspection to the listener.”
“Overall the album was well put together and had me hooked from beginning to end.”
The jangly, hooky roots rock of the Stephen Stanley Band’s first album, Jimmy & The Moon, will sound familiar to fans of Lowest of the Low, who for decades have heard Stanley’s guitar motifs embellishing the band’s classic songs. Stanley left the veteran Toronto indie band nearly five years ago. “It became apparent there wasn’t a place for my songwriting …
Ahead of its release, Brown is setting “Keeper of the Flame” loose into the world. The windswept love song features classic, longing Dobro set against rollicking percussion. The folk-pop artist describes the heartstring-tugging tune as “very simply about someone who makes me want to live and taught me how to love in a whole new way.”
Musicalize Your Mental Health meets in a small room with a table, some chairs, a keyboard, a guitar, songbooks, and some people drawn to the benefits of musical therapy. “It’s helped my depression. When I come here I sing high notes, I get my stress out, and I become myself again,” said one participant of the program, who has been …
Every week, inmates at Kingston, Ontario penitentiary converted the prison chapel into a recording studio. Under the guidance of veteran musician Hugh Christopher Brown, they recorded an album, raised money for charity and redefined themselves. CBC Radio’s Tapestry is a weekly exploration of spirituality, religion and the search for meaning, hosted by Mary Hynes.
Rich Tyo (JukeBox County) leads music and mental health program sessions for youth — Read more at the Skeleton Park Arts Festival website.
“I decided to write Chris an email explaining that I had heard his song “Superior” at Esalen earlier that day and was transfixed by it, would love to hear more about what he is doing and possibly write something about his beautiful music.”
“Suzanne Jarvie, Kate Fenner, Chris Brown & Tony Scherr are on tour in Ireland and are a group of musicians for which the word ‘simpatico’ was coined. They’ve played together on each other’s albums, been on tour, grown up, met and combined in a cohesive unit that is a pure joy to witness. Even as I pressed ‘record’ they were …
“He is the voice of everyman and at the same time he is intrinsically, weirdly himself and nobody else.” Read the whole article here: Lights Out for David Corley
“Some artists need to produce a few albums to find their groove, but that is not the case with David Corley as his debut, Available Light, is a heavy piece of work. He is not some fresh-faced, wet behind the ears kid, either: he passed the mid-century mark a few years ago and has been writing and playing for over …
In his talk, Hugh Christopher Brown explains how the instigation of a music program with inmates taught him the importance of mentorship in prison; and how its effects on convicts deepened his understanding of what music is.
“Spiral Road, the impressive debut album from Canadian Suzanne Jarvie has been universally lauded since its release in April. Compared by many to Emmylou Harris Jarvie delivers sweet country rock, lilting ballads and lowering country funk over the course of the disc’s 10 songs.” Read the whole article: http://nodepression.com/interview/suzanne-jarvie
“We’re talking about how we’ve been able to use music as a way for people to understand mental health, and improve their mental health.” Rich Tyo (JukeBox County) and Chris Trimmer spoke at the TEDxQueensU Conference 2015 — Read more in the Kingston Whig-Standard.
