Concert: Robert Reynolds and Mary-Jane Russell, Fri Feb 7

Friday February 7, 2014, 8 pm, $10. The Bob and MJ show: a double bill of singer-songwriters Robert Reynolds and Friends and Mary-Jane Russell (with Jennifer Lockman on keys), plus an opening set by Hannah Veldeven.
Robert Reynolds and Friends is a Canadian folk group featuring original songs by Robert Reynolds, a folk-blues guitarist from Ottawa, in a duo with singer Carole Laprise. Robert is a folk singer-songwriter whose influences include Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Gordon Lightfoot, Cat Stevens and Joan Baez. The music is classic folk and the lyrics are intelligent, personal and moving, with a politically meaningful bite. From 1992-2008, Robert was also lead singer for “The Crowd” a 12 piece R&B show band which played the Ottawa Bluesfest and the Limestone Blues Festival in Kingston.  In 2004 Robert began a new artistic direction with the acoustic act, Robert Reynolds & Friends. This has proven to be the perfect vehicle for Robert’s musical style, both writing and performing. Carole Laprise began her career in 2004 singing back-up vocals for Robert’s other band Fat Shadows. Her unique sound and natural feel for harmony makes her vocal style the perfect dynamic complement for Robert’s vocals.
Mary-Jane (MJ) Russell is a singer/songwriter who has been a professional musician/actor and performer for 5 decades, mostly as a vocal collaborator. MJ moved to the GHA in 2005 and was most recently involved in the The MJs (mixed vocal quartet), and before that in Hen Party (female vocal quartet). In Toronto MJ was part of a Folk Noire Ensemble called HAZE for several years. She has been a session backing vocal arranger/vocalist and vocal coach for the past 25 years. And now is the time to venture into solo performance. Earlier in her career MJ enjoyed creating Sister Sled, spent 8 years singing with Robert Reynolds in a rock band called Fat Shadows and another 8 years in The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.
Robert Reynolds & Friends first CD, “Bright Side”, creatively engineered by Nick Blagona at Psychotropic Studios in Toronto was released in the fall of 2004 followed by “Can’t Look Back” in 2006, “About the Money” in 2008 and “Tomorrow Never Comes” in 2010. Since then Robert Reynolds & Friends have recorded 3 new CDs: “Roll the Dice”, “Nasty Weather” and “Everything’s Burning”.