main ringers are Marshall Bureau (drums), Ryan Fairhead (elec guitar) and Mike Hopkins (bass), with Erika Werry on various guitars and vocals.
Erika's moody improv ensemble features a rotating crew of improvisers, including Wes Neal, Nick Storring,Justin Haynes and John Tielli.
both groups make regular tours of downtown T.O.
2006's 'time on our hands' is visited by guest players Wes Neal (double bass), Bryden Baird (trumpet and flugal horn), Tom Howell (violins), James Robertson (elec guitar) and Christine 'the Bouge' Bougie. Erika Werry albums (Erika Werry 2009, Time on our Hands 2006, and Nothing Clearer Comes 2004) are available in Toronto at Soundscapes and at the Cameron House, or by mail directly from the artist (erikawerry@hotmail.com).
Influences
The old and the new (the near and the far): Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Woody Guthrie, My Morning Jacket, Bjork, Sarah Harmer, Gillian Welch, Dave Marcotte, Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Joni again... Shakespeare, John Wayne, Lucinda Williams, Emile Bronte, Chet Baker, Jimmy Dowling, Martin Tielli, Justin Haynes, Wooden Stars, Metal Kites...
Sounds Like
welll...um.... people have said anything from joni to feist to bjork (i like that), to kathleen edwards and sarah harmer. chick singers.
Born in Toronto at Women’s College Hospital. Flowered into an eager band groupie in High School. Was intrigued by the open stage phenomenon in Ottawa while attending University, bought a bass. Rehearsed and performed locally as bassist for the acclaimed Puddle in Ottawa for about one year, until the lead singer ran out of breath, delivering a baby she called Cain. Moved west to see mountains, north to see lights. Planted trees. Bought an old campfire guitar. Learned to play Heart of Gold by Neil Young and Cat Stevens’ Trouble. Wrote a song of her own heartbreak. Brought it and others back east to perform at the prestigious Whipping Post open stage in Ottawa. Completed her double honours degree at Ottawa University in English and French literatures on the slow track, with superfluous credits in Spanish and Dance (not Spanish dance). Studied Dance in Montreal (at UQAM) and continued to play and sing guitar, performing at Cabaret, one of the city’s most beautiful venues with its dusty balconies and golden chandeliers. Spent a few years living in a refurbished school bus beside a rafting river, guiding loud people down rapids and basking in the sun. Enjoyed many a campfire and sang along. Came back to Toronto. Hosted one of the finest open stages in the city (consensus is). Finished a Masters degree in English at University of Toronto. Made a record with Ryan Fairhead, lead guitarist, stringed instrument repair guy, recording engineer and musical producer. Received a four- NNNN review in NOW. Toured Atlantic Canada in a duet with Mike Hopkins, loved Newfoundland. Played a weekly band set at the Cloak and Dagger in Toronto for about a year, met loads of local genius musicians and made a record with a few of them, off-the-cuff kitchen table style, to general acclaim, featuring Tom Howell, Christine Bougie (Amy Milan), James Robertson (of Run with the Kittens), Wes Neal and Bryden Baird (Feist, Blue Rodeo). Toured east again, and west to Vancouver with Courtney Wing, and to Melbourne Australia. Her third self-titled album is a project with her original band members, along similar lines as the debut and is holding up well. Currently Erika is slinging beer in Toronto, singing her heart out at such venues as Clinton’s Tavern, Cameron House, Drake Hotel, the Rex, Cadillac Lounge, Reverb Room, Mitzi’s Sister, Graffiti’s and the Tranzac Club. Erika is preparing her fourth full-length release.
"I dig Erika’s grainy alto, her in-and-out-of-pespective songs, delivered with expression. An observant poet, a cliché distorter, a fearless traveller, a band leader – Miss Werry is all of the above, and a competent guitar strummer to boot. One might liken her to a female Al Tuck. Arrangements incorporate brass, pedal steel, stand-up bass, and violin. Songwriter is a rather comical song about, you guessed it, being a songwriter – she takes us from the bedroom to the stage..." Mary Beth Carty, Penguin Eggs Summer Issue no. 34
In her songwriting, Erika Werry aspires to finding new ways of expressing the age-old themes of life and love, with an element of tongue-in-cheek lyrical humour. Her lazy singing style and lyrical melodies blend with her original-sounding voice which is “quite lovely - a kind of perfectly imperfect semi-croak” (Toronto Eye Weekly, Nov 2006).
Ryan Fairhead plays electric guitar, Marshall Bureau the drums and Mike Hopkins is on bass. As CIUT Director Ron Burd puts it, “Erika Werry's songwriting, performance and personality mesh perfectly, both live and on cd.”
Her good mood is contagious, and though playful, her lyrics remain expressive of nostalgia and regret. Sincere but only fleetingly earnest. The songstress cites Will Shakespeare and Joni Mitchell as two poets who achieve success in communicating universal themes in creative ways, to resonate with their audience, and who inspire her in her own endeavour. Other favorites include Sarah Harmer, Bjork, Cat Power, Neko Case and Steve Earle.
"A lyricist & melody maker, an endearing presence, and that voice, 'something strong but still the water and the wind get through. And the sunlight. And the sadness'" (Noah Zacharin)
"Time on our Hands, the second release from local musician Erika Werry, is consistently impressive... [her] singing voice is quite lovely - a kind of perfectly imperfect semi-croak.." Toronto's EYE Weekly, Nov 16 2006
Erika's "pleasantly hypnotic vocals and charming simplicity ring true [...] something to experience live" (Sean Ridgeley in the St John's Telegram and Scope weekly, Newfoundland)
Born in Toronto, the songwriter gets inspiration from travels cross-country and abroad, has studied French and English literature and dance in Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal. Erika's full-length debut album, Nothing Clearer Comes, was rated NNNN in Toronto's NOW MAGAZINE, for its lyrical originality and "beautifully morose trumpet flourishes..." NOW(Aug 18 2005)
“Erika Werry’s music jumps off her début disk through the speakers and into you in a way that makes you wonder why it took you until now to hear about this fresh new Canadian talent. The music is honest, original, and uplifting” – Jake Chisholm
“Without fuss, hype or fanfare, Erika Werry has made one of the years' best records - That voice! Those songs! That band! *That's* what I'm talkin' about. I played the hell out of this record last summer. Still do. Sometimes I even sing along. You gotta problem with that?" - Kevin Quain
Nothing Clearer Comes (produced with Ryan Fairhead) is followed up by Erika's 2006 self-produced indie folk project, TIME ON OUR HANDS and the self-titled Erika Werry (2009). Songs from all records are posted here for your listening pleasure.
Only Toronto show this summer!
Thursday night at Mitzi's Sister, Queen West with Luke Nares
Live folktronica with violins, thumb piano, laptop, synth...
Justin
PS. Download the new live album at www.rawrip.com/justingrounds
Well Hello Erika: Thanks so much for becoming friends with the band Drizzle. You have an amazing voice. Hope all is well back East and continued success in 2009. We'll be back again to listen to some choice tunes...
