Check out some new pics from the summer tour up in the Summer 2006 section of the Images page. More to come!
The Wick is Burning
Seems like Winnipeg’s Wailin’ Jennys are playing in town every time I look at a gig-poster plastered pole. The Wick is Burning
And The Wailin’ Jennys are And The Wailin’ Jennys are ready to explode
Seems like Winnipeg’s Wailin’ Jennys are playing in town every time I look at a gig-poster plastered pole. And they’re coming back again on Friday night, for two reasons. One is that they just love it here (but more on that later). The other is they’re cruising around promoting their latest album, Firecracker, a disc that finds them stretching out a bit but still maintaining the great vocal harmonies and musical melodies that they’ve become known for. “It’s a different album than our last, 40 Days, in many ways,” says Nicky Mehta, one third of the Jennys. “Not the least of which is that we have a new member, Annabelle Chvostek. But it’s definitely a Jennys album. The three-part harmonies are still the focus, but the tone of the material has shifted slightly and we are trying some new things. It’s all very exciting and the musical growth is very gratifying.”
When asked about the musical growth and how bringing Chvostek in has changed things, Mehta says that it made the band try new things. And no doubt people will like what they hear on the new disc, both long-time fans and most likely a legion of new followers who will be brought on board by the album.
“Because of the membership change-up, we have all been forced outside of comfort zones and that’s necessary and greatǃ
If I Had A Rocking Lawnchair
Well, I've done it again and allowed too much time to elapse between my journal entries and now so much has happened that I am almost rendered mute with the wealth of it all. Where should I start? How about the fact that I got to tell Bruce Cockburn during a rehearsal in our hotel room for our appearance with him on the Edmonton Folk Festival main stage (that concept still reeking of the surreal) that back in 1984 when I was 12 years old, I thought he was singing about the possibility of owning a "rocking lawnchair" and that this wish seemed somewhat incongruent with the simultaneous desire to "make somebody pay". There are no words that will sufficiently express what it was like to sing and hang out with a Canadian legend who is still producing vital and glorious music some 40-odd years after the start of his musical career. In some ways I felt like we should have been dressed in beaver pelts, drinking maple syrup while we were on stage singing "If A Tree Falls." Ahhhh....Some more fabulous musical moments? Sharing the stage with K'Naan, Sarah Harmer, Lynn Miles. Watching truly momentous sets and songs courtesy of Steve Earle, Mr. Cockburn, Neko Case, James Keelaghan, Jay Farrar, Alejandro Escovedo, The Roches, Oh Susanna, Nickel Creek and Son Volt to name only a few.There were shows that made me acutely aware of the real reasons I make music and why we travel far and wide to sing songs (Bainbridge Island), festivals absolutely saturated in good vibes and peace (Kate Wolfe), and festivals so well-executed and welcoming that they made me think the organizers should be running the country (California World, Sandpoint and Edmonton).Things I've learned: your plane can get struck by lightning twice and still remain airborne although your level of continence might take a bit of a nose dive; no matter how much I tell myself I will not eat chips with every meal in England, it still happens; the first class lounge is like a wonderland and the memories of my one fluke afternoon in there will forever haunt me; there are very few things in life that rival both the enjoyment and extreme hazard of picking wild blackberries; if the world's police forces really want to crack down on crime they should start recruiting the people who govern traffic flow in front of airports; music is the best method of reminding you where and who you've been and spending time with songs from your youth is an unparalleled joy; I don't like HP sauce and I don't know why I keep trying it.All in all, the past few months have been quite intense in their pace but extremely rewarding at times. We've been working hard to get new songs up and running in a live format (from Firecracker) and as usual, trying to keep up with how quickly everything moves these days. The reaction to the album has been very positive and we've been interested to see how everyone has been responding to our growth and the new directions we have taken. I'm still kind of perplexed that people think "Some Good Thing" is a country song as I am the least likely to purposely write anything of that nature, but there ya go. Anyway, I'm happy to hear that many of you are still finding good things in the music. Must go start packing in another futile attempt to be ready more than 10 minutes in advance of leaving for the aiport. I will leave you with this one thought. It's important and I think you should know this about me. If I had a rocking lawnchair, I would retaliate.~ Nicky
The Wailin' Jennys set off a "firecracker"
From meeting Meryl Streep while on tour with Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion to headlining the venerable Winnipeg Folk Festival, it's been quite a summer for The Wailin' Jennys From meeting Meryl Streep while on tour with Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion to headlining the venerable Winnipeg Folk Festival, it's been quite a summer for The Wailin' Jennys. Rooted firmly in the roots genre with equal sprinkles of folk, bluegrass and old time music, this trio of harmonious ladies are like three little birds singing softly and sweetly in the early morn.
The Wailin' Jennys hail from Winnipeg, Canada and feature alto Annabelle Chvostek, mezzo Nicky Mehta and soprano Ruth Moody. The band's latest record - Firecracker - showcases the breadth of these three distinct voices; it also allows each songwriter to strut their stuff, with each contributing four songs.
The eerie opener "Devil's Paintbrush Road," which echoes an old time Appalachian murder ballad, was penned by the latest Jenny - Chvostek - who replaced founding member Cara Luft in 2004. The plucking of Chvostek's melodious mandolin steers this song that originally appeared on her solo disc in a stripped down version of just voice and fiddle plucking. Here, it sounds fuller due to the added harmony of her new band mates and the added instrumentation.
"I've heard people say that it sounds like one of those old spooky traditionals," says Chvostek. "I actually wrote it on a canoe trip where I had just taken this old violin with me and nothing else in terms of music. I originally wrote it just plucking the violin. Now it is a full out bluegrass party, and it's pretty exciting to see that unfold."
Firecracker (Red House Records) features a lot of plucking, but also it is also marked by lots of pulsing of accomplished acoustic instrumentation; it explodes from the speakers like a ton of TNT. Guitar whiz Kevin Breit (Norah Jones) adds another spark to the Jennys musical journey throughout.
The group's debut disc - 40 Days - won the band a Juno (Canada's equivalent of a Grammy) for best roots/traditional album in the (group) category in 2005. Since Chvostek joined the band, she's brought some even sweeter songs to the Jennys' repertoire. Overall, Firecracker provides more than 50 minutes of pure musical bliss with nary a blemish. Inspired by a variety of styles, from the country-waltz of "Swallow" to the gospel soul of "Glory Bound" and the a cappella spiritual of "Long Time Traveller," Firecracker is a melding of these songwriting ladies various influences.
"My songwriting has taken many turns over the years and just hanging out with people playing old time country stuff has really gotten into me," Chvostek comments. "Ruth has this wild encyclopedic knowledge of all things folk and roots. At the same time, there is a real love of what is going on in contemporary song. Nicky has this whole Brit pop influence in her stuff, so it all sorts of melds together. I think it kind of echoes of this time in the past, but at the same time it speaks to a contemporary sound as well."
Producer David Travers-Smith (Jane Siberry) once again captured the sounds on Firecracker. Moody describes the intense recording sessions for the band's sophomore release.
"It was a long process," she says. "We started in June 2005 when we met with David Travers Smith out west in Victoria. We first recorded some a cappella material in this beautiful chapel in the middle of nowhere just to get the juices flowing. That was a really nice way to start. We worked with some amazing musicians on this record. We launched into the beds in October, and it was intense. It was an exciting process, but it was also hard work...you are under the microscope, and you have to be playing your best. It's a real challenge and a very intense growing experience. It was exciting to be working with Annabelle in the studio for the first time and also exciting to work with David again. He's a sonic genius. He knows us and knows where we like to go and has great ideas."
Chvostek echoes her bandmates' sentiments about their producer. "He is very intuitive and able to tune into the larger vision in an interesting and fun way," she adds.
Moody was born in Australia, but grew up on the Canadian Prairies, and this rural rearing is seen in the songs she contributes to Firecracker, especially the aptly-titled "Prairie Town." With several roots bands coming out of Winnipeg in recent years (The Duhks and Nathan to name a couple), one wonders what makes this prairie town such a vibrant and vital musical landscape?
"People ask us that all the time," Moody says. "It's really hard to put your finger on something like that. Personally, I think a lot of it has to do with the Prairies and the landscape, and it just brings that out. There is that theory that such a long winter can only produce that kind of interest and love of music and sharing of music because there is only so much time you can spend outdoors in the winter, and that is how people pass the time. In a way, it seems like a bogus theory because there are a lot of cold places in the world, but there really is something to that."
"We are also lucky in Manitoba that we have a really supportive organization MARIA - Manitoba Audio Recording Industry Association - they provide a lot of resources for artists. It's a non-profit funding body. They help artists tour, help artists record, help artists market their music...that's how a lot of artists can start out and spread the word of their music. It really has fostered a great rich musical community in Winnipeg, not just roots music, but also all kinds of music. There is a feeling in Winnipeg that people know each and people play on each other's stuff...there is a real sense of caring and community there."
The Wailin' Jennys home base is also home to one of the oldest and biggest summer music festivals in North America - The Winnipeg Folk Festival. To have such a festival on their doorstep, where aspiring area artists can get worldwide exposure, is surely another huge help to fostering local talent.
"A lot of people have grown up there and are still growing up there," Moody says. "It's the biggest in Canada. I remember in my early teens going for the first time and discovering this world of folk music, world music, singer-songwriters. I was brought up on classical music and to listen to four days of singing and discovering bands you have never heard of, and perhaps instruments you have never heard of, it really has the potential to blow your mind when you are a teenager."
"The first time I was there was when I was a 17-year-old hitchhiking for the first time across the country, and I stopped in Winnipeg and went to this festival," Chvostek adds. "I said, 'Wow I want to do that.' And this year I was finally here on the stage as opposed to an eager teenager just discovering things."
The Jennys music is easy on the ears, and their three-part harmony is something that has the power to lure you in with the various voices melding into one soulful sound, rather than competing against one another to be heard.
At heart, the Wailin' Jennys are an a cappella band - their voices are the main musical instrument. This lack of amps partly explains why their music is so enticing to people, or so theorizes Chvostek, when asked why she thinks people are drawn to their soothing sounds.
"Maybe it is some kind of post-apocalyptic enjoyment of things that don't require electricity," says the multi-instrumentalist who performed her first gig at the age of seven with the Canadian Opera Company. "We can have a good time and play our mandolins and banjos really loudly and sing at the top of our lungs. Who needs anything else? It is such an intimate kind of experience and it can be very enveloping and welcoming. These are crazy times in the world, and maybe it's something to do with that too - the need to have a connection to something more organic."
"I had no idea that when I was 15 years old and writing these very deep and personal songs that I would get into these really light and fun country tunes."
Moody says that the process of choosing the tunes for Firecracker was a fun and organic process. "We throw songs out there, and when they feel right, we pursue them," she says. "Some songs are 'Jenny' songs, and some are not, and we know that right away. We just picked the ones that fit the best. Some were ready to go...all Annabelle's tunes, except ǃ
The Wailin' Jennys - Firecracker
Like three little birds singing softly and sweetly in the early morn, the harmony of the Wailin’ Jennys pleasantly rises from the speakers and greets the listener with a refreshing start to the day Like three little birds singing softly and sweetly in the early morn, the harmony of the Wailin’ Jennys pleasantly rises from the speakers and greets the listener with a refreshing start to the day. Produced by David Travers-Smith, this is the first disc to feature the alto stylings of Annabelle Chvostek, who replaced founding member Cara Luft in 2004. She contributes four songs, including the eerie disc opener “Devil’s Paintbrush Road,” which echoes an old-time Appalachian murder ballad. The plucking of Chvostek’s melodious mandolin steers this song, which originally appeared on Chvostek’s solo disc in a stripped down version of just voice and fiddle plucking. Here, it sounds fuller due to the added harmony of her new band-mates mezzo Nicky Mehta and soprano Ruth Moody, and the added instrumentation. Guitar whiz Kevin Breit (Norah Jones) adds another spark to the Jennys’ musical journey throughout. “Swallow,” “Apocalypse,” and “Long Time Traveler” are just three of the many harmonious highlights. Overall, Firecracker provides more than 50 minutes of pure musical bliss with nary a blemish.
Tell me about recording Firecracker? Chvostek: It was a really incredible process from arranging the songs together to working with David Travers-Smith, who is very intuitive and able to tune into the larger vision in an interesting and fun way.
What influences the band’s songwriting? My songwriting has taken many turns over the years and just hanging out with people playing old-time country stuff has really gotten into me. And Ruth has this wild encyclopedic knowledge of all things folk. At the same time, there is a real love of what is going on in contemporary songǃ_ Nicky has this whole Britpop influence in her stuff, so it all sorts of melds together.
Why do you think more and more people are being drawn to roots music? Maybe it is some kind of post-apocalyptic enjoyment of things that don’t require electricity. We can have a good time and play our mandolins and our banjos really loudly and sing at the top of our lungs. Who needs anything else? It is such an intimate kind of experience and it can be very enveloping and welcoming. These are crazy times in the world and maybe it’s something to do with that ǃ
Hey all,
There is now sheet music available for One Voice. It is a three-part version (SSA), written as it is sung by The Jennys. It includes the guitar chords as well as an optional piano accompaniment.
The price for the full score with piano accompaniment is $6.00 USD. If it is being performed by a choir with an accompanist then Ruth asks that two copies be bought. Additional copies of the vocal score (intended for choirs) are $0.75 USD. Both the full score and the vocal score are available in the form of a digital PDF file, which will be emailed upon receipt of payment. Ruth asks that the honour system be respected, and that each copy printed from the digital files be payed for.
To purchase, please visit the Music & Store page. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the appropriate Paypal links to add items to your cart, or for more information, please email info@thewailinjennys.com.
Thanks,
~ Jennys Web Team
Wailin' Jennys band finds harmony in wacky name
The band name “The Wailin’ Jennys” is enough to get some people to buy a concert ticket ǃ
Hey everyone,
The Jennys need you! Please call your local country radio stations and request "Things That You Know" and call your local A/C or AAA stations and request "Begin." Let them know that you want to hear The Wailin' Jennys. Help get independent music on the airwaves!
We've been getting great response from radio across Canada, the U.S., and beyond. Firecracker has hit the CMJ charts and is already in rotation at some of the best stations, on satellite radio, and on the internet and podcasts. Thanks to all of you who've been tuning in and helping to make the album a success.
Thanks again to all of you who've been leaving incredible messages in the guestbook and on the MySpace page. The Jennys are busy on the road and can't often respond, but they always make time to read every word.
Thank you,
~Jennys Web Team