Jack Grunsky

Music

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Child Of The Universe

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Released: Jan 1, 2008

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Child Of The Universe
5:12
1,053 plays
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Cajun & Zydeco
3:02
371 plays
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Backyards Of My Old Hometown
5:06
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The Mediterranean Sea
3:42
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Samba
3:54
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Total Plays: 7,413 / Plays Today: 9See All Featured ►

General Info

Genre: Alternative / Folk / Nu-Jazz
Location Toronto, Ontario, CA
Profile Views: 23317
Last Login: 1/18/2011
Member Since 11/20/2007
Website www.jackgrunsky.com
Record Label Jack Grunsky Productions / Casablanca Kids
Type of Label Indie
Bio
Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter, recording artist, children's performer, music producer and visual artist. _________________________________________________________________________ IN BRIEF - Jack Grunsky’s career as a singer-songwriter began in the mid 60’s, spanning two continents and exploring a variety of musical genres from folk, pop, children’s to jazz. In the past 20 years he has become one of Canada’s leading voices in the children’s music scene. His 12 self-produced recordings for children have received all of the most prestigious awards in children's media both in Canada and the US, including 3 JUNO Awards for Best Children's Recording (1993, 2000 & 2006). With his family concerts, symphony shows, festival appearances, school programs and keynote and music workshop presentations for early childhood educators, he has toured across Canada, US, central Europe and as far a-field as South Africa. _________________________________________________________________________ EARLY YEARS - His singing and performing began in high school in Toronto, where he played drums in the dance band or strummed guitar in his folk singing trio. After graduating, he moved to his native Austria, where his music began to flourish. In 1966, he formed the popular folk group, 'Jack's Angels', who signed a 4-album record deal with Amadeo Records in Vienna. The group was short-lived, but Jack continued to record three more solo albums for the label and had a number of songs climb the European pop charts. One album was titled ‘Toronto’ and was produced in London, England, by blues legend Alexis Korner, which featured several tracks with slide guitar playing by Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones. ________________________________________________________________________ EUROPE 1966 - 1974 - Jack performed and toured extensively throughout most of central Europe. Production and session work included, composing and producing three musicals for Austrian National TV - ORF, and creating music for film and TV. He has collaborated with pop icon Udo Jurgens, and a host of other European artists. He has recorded with bassist Jimmy Woode, (Duke Ellington), and jazz pianist, Friedrich Gulda. He shared the stage with Joan Baez, and was a featured guest on numerous radio and TV specials. For two years he also hosted his own weekly half-hour radio show on Austrian National radio, called ‘Folk With Jack’. In 1970 Jack was signed to the progressive German label, Kuckuck Records of Munich, where he produced three more critically acclaimed albums of original songs. These have currently been reissued in CD box sets. One song was titled, ‘Back Home To Canada’ which became the theme of a short film for Austrian TV and expressed Jack’s strong desire to return to his musical roots in Canada. _________________________________________________________________________ BACK TO CANADA - In 1974, together with his wife and first daughter, Jack moved back to Toronto, where he soon connected with record producer Chad Irschick. In 1978 he released an independent album titled, 'The Patience Of A Sailor', and with his Toronto band embarked on concert tours back to Europe, while in Canada, becoming a regular in the folk festival and coffee house circuit and making appearances on CBC radio and CTV’s ‘CANADA AM’. _________________________________________________________________________ MUSIC FOR CHILDREN - Following invitations to conduct music programs in a number of Toronto Montessori schools around the early 80’s, Jack discovered a keen interest in children’s music education and building a repertoire of songs, soon returned to touring and recording. He quickly gained the reputation of raising the standard of children’s music production values with his ‘world music’ sensibilities and years of recording experience. It is important to note that Jack’s music for children has always had tremendous adult appeal too, and this has garnered a large following of ‘grown-up’ fans who continue to listen to his songs after the children are in bed. _________________________________________________________________________ OTHER RECORDING PROJECTS - Today, Jack continues to perform, and in recent years has also been creatively involved in producing and mixing a number of other Canadian artists’ projects such as: producing JUNO award-winning CD for Fred Penner, ‘Sing With Fred’ (2002); co-producing French singer, Matt Maxwell’s recording, ‘Comment ca va?’; mixing two award-winning recordings by the 'Nehring, Koller, Braid' jazz trio, ‘What’s Held In Common’ and ‘Set In Stone’; co-producing and mixing the ‘Welcome Wagon’ CD by the 'Heillig Maneouvre'; co-writing the song ‘Citizens Of The World’ together with Susan Aglukark, and Chad Irschick for her JUNO nominated CD, ‘Blood Red Earth’. _________________________________________________________________________ RECENT PAST - In 2006 Jack released his first all-instrumental NuJazz CD titled, 'Coastlines', to great reviews and affirmed his ‘cross-over’ appeal into the adult market. The CD was aired on CBC and JAZZ FM and features some well-known Canadian jazz players such as trumpeter - John MacLeod; pianist - Matt Horner; saxophonists - Perry White & Colleen Allen; bassist - Henry Heillig; drummer – Lorne Nehring; percussionist - Art Avalos, and Lenny Graf on woodwinds. _________________________________________________________________________ CURRENT NEWS - in May 2008 Jack has released a follow-up CD titled ‘Room To Move’, including nine songs and three instrumentals. Styles range from Nu-Jazz, bossa nova, samba, urban funk & folk. For this recording he has invited drummer - Mark Kelso; trombone player – William Carn, saxophonists John Johnson, Colleen Allen and Perry White and Ravi Naimpally on tablas to join his regular band of session players. In 2008 he also released another children's CD 'Catchy Tune' nominated for a JUNO. He has since produced his daughter's Cosima, children's CD 'The Whole World Sings With Me'. Most recently he released his first CD in French, 'Partout où les enfants chantent'.
Members
Jack Grunsky - guitar / lead vocals / hand percussion, Matt Horner - keyboards / accordion, Cosima - bg vocals & percussion, Henry Heillig - bass, Mark Kelso - drums (on recording), Colleen Allen - saxophones
Influences
in no particular order..... my dad, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Modern Jazz Quartett, Matisse, Raoul Dufy, Paul Klee, Gauguin, Monet, Emil Nolde, Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Boy Ge Mendes, Glen Velez, Layne Redmond, Airto, Ry Cooder, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny, Manteca, 60's bossa nova music, Sergio Mendes, Keith Jarrett, Dave Brubeck, Gilbert Becaud, Bob Marley, Monte Alexander, St. Germain, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Donovan, Cat Stevens, Carolyn Hester, Kinks, The Coasters, The Drifters, Elvis, Buddy Holly and a lot of 50's rock'n'roll, Kingston Trio, Peter Paul & Mary, James Taylor, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Cockburn, Burt Bacharach, Michael Franks, Gordon Lightfoot, Harry Belafonte, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, all kinds of 'world music' such as African, Brazilian, Caribbean, flamenco, Latin, Cassandra Wilson,
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