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'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.