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Chris Velan
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Chris sings of little things and big things but whatever the size of his lens, this Montreal singer-songwriter has been raising ears with his acoustic style of reggae and world-influenced folk and pop.

While he grew up listening to an eclectic mix of music, Chris’ most indelible music influences came from the singer-songwriter masters like Paul Simon, Bob Dylan and Neil Young and from the deep heartbeat of roots reggae.

After playing in a series of bands through high school and college, Chris and his two brothers formed Equalizer, in 1998 - a seven-piece, original, reggae band that built a strong following in Montreal and earned itself opening slots for big reggae names such as Burning Spear, Michael Rose and Andrew Tosh.

Chris left Equalizer in 2001 with a law degree in hand to move to Vancouver and work as a lawyer. But destiny stepped in a year later in 2002 when Chris agreed to accompany two filmmaker friends to West Africa to act as the musical director for a music-based documentary film project. Entitled, "The Refugee All Stars", the film tells the remarkable story of a group of six Sierra Leonean musicians who, calling themselves the Refugee All Stars, came together to form a band while living as refugees in the Republic of Guinea.

The experience had a profound effect on Chris and reconnected him with his own musical calling. He returned home and soon after recorded his debut solo album, "It's Not What You Think", which was released independently in 2003. The freshman album marked a return to Chris’ singer-songwriter roots but his reggae influences lay close to the surface. Containing a re-released version of his underground hit, "Sweet Mary", the album travelled far, making ripples in distant corners of the world.

Chris' sophomore release, "Twitter, Buzz, Howl", was recorded in a makeshift studio in a barn in the countryside east of Montreal. With the help of local musician friends, including Sara Johnston of Bran Van 3000 fame, the album confidently delivers smart, charming folk pop with a strong reggae accent. Fuelled by an earnest voice and a well-honed sense of dramatic irony, "Twitter, Buzz, Howl" (distributed by Fontana North) takes on themes of social injustice and personal development in a way that articulates the private confusions of many. Chris' ability to wrap ideas and stories in subversively lovely pop melodies and catchy rhythms makes the songs stick in your head like the unwarranted smile of a stranger passing you on the street.

The Refugee All Stars film premiered in November 2005 and has gone on to receive numerous awards at international film festivals. The story of Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars has reverberated globally; the band has been touring tirelessly in Europe, North America and Japan, wowing audiences at the world’s premiere festivals. They have appeared on Oprah, met world leaders and performed at international economic summits. Their debut album, “Living Like a Refugee”, produced by Chris and released in Fall 2006 on Anti- in the US, has received critical acclaim.

Chris has been busy touring his own album extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada. An engaging live performer, he has been invited to play at the Montreal Jazz Festival and has opened for artists such as Corrine Bailey Rae and Johnny Clegg.

He recently produced Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars’ cover of the U2 song, “Seconds”, featuring Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, for the 2008 release of “In The Name Of Love Africa Celebrates U2” – an album to benefit the Global Fund.

Currently, Chris is in San Francisco recording his third album – set to be released in Fall 2008 - with producer Tim Bluhm of the Mother Hips and a cadre of Bay Area musicians.


Diana Jones

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Diana's music is informed by the themes that have run through her life…love, loss, and redemption…bringing to mind both Emily Dickinson & Loretta Lynn in the same breath. From the mournful lament of a dance hall girl, to the stomping melodic rant of a young woman's burial instructions, each of Diana's original songs from her latest CD, My Remembrance of You, draws life from the rich cross currents of old timey, country blues and mountain music.

Adopted as an infant and raised in New York, Diana left home at the age of 15 in search of her roots. Unlike most of her friends, Diana was attracted to the music of Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline, as well as contemporary artists Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton. It wasn't until she was reunited with her birth family and the music of the Eastern Tennessee hills some years later, that she discovered why that music had always moved her.

After establishing a solid folk career in the late 90’s in the fertile Austin music scene, Diana returned to the northeast seeking time to heal from the loss of her beloved grandfather, Robert Lee Maranville, who as a young man performed with Chet Atkins among others. It was during this time of healing and isolation, that Diana started writing from a deeper place, and after some serious wood shedding, she emerged with some of the most honest songs of her life.

"When Diana Jones went in search of her birth family, she not only found them in East Tennessee, she also found her voice - as a writer and a singer. There's an authenticity to her stories and her singing that is truly special." --John Platt, WFUV

My Remembrance of You, recorded at Signature Sounds Studio with Mark Thayer, contains 11 of songs from that retreat. The record also includes stellar musicians like Ferron on harmony vocals, Jay Ungar on fiddle and Duke Levine on mandolin and various guitars. My Remembrance was listed on several critics’ Top CD’s of 2006, including the #1 Country record for the year by the Chicago Tribune!

"Jones is on the verge of a critical breakthrough. Increasingly compared to the likes of Iris DeMent and Gillian Welch, Jones just might be the best American songwriter most people have never heard of." -- Chicago Tribune

With Diana busy touring and promoting, My Remembrance of You continues to gain new listeners and rave reviews. She has shared the stage with Martina McBride, Del McCoury Band, Guy Clark, Odetta, Old Crow Medicine Show, and John Gorka among others. Summer of 2007 Diana played several top music festivals, including Philly, Newport, American and Rhythm & Roots. My Remembrance was released in Europe in May, while Diana followed with 3 tours including performances at Cambridge Folk Festival, Galway Arts Festival and a supporting tour for legend Richard Thompson at some of Europe’s top venues. Diana has won several songwriting awards including the 2006 Kerrville New Folk Contest.

 
       
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