Often, I'm joined by Rob D - bass, Jill Straker - backing vocals, Kory Gibbs - drums, Amy Borton - cello and Sam Minevich - guitar
BAND ON THE NEW ALBUM
Drums were played by Randy Cook (Five for Fighting, Chantal Kreviazuk, Kelly Clarkson), Guitars were played by Justin Abedin (Jacksoul, Amanda Marshall), Bass was played by producer Justin Gray.
SONGS
All words and music written by Jeffery Straker and arranged by Justin Gray
PRODUCER
Justin Gray produced the album Step Right Up at ZEN in Los Angeles
Elton John Beethoven Ben Folds JS Bach Rufus Wainwright Grieg Freddy Mercury Debussy Ray Charles Joni Mitchell Mika Gordon Lightfoot Scissor Sisters My mom (she plays a mean piano) Norah Jones and possibly a bit of Billy Joel
Elton John and Rufus Wainwright meeting Mika and Ben Folds at a late night cabaret OR....
A guy from Canada, playing the piano, singing, writing pop songs and really really really enjoying it.
After live shows people usually say they hear bits of Elton John, Mika, Freddy Mercury, & sometimes George Michael in the vocals and music. I honestly think it all depends on how much they've had to drink.
THE STORY BEHIND THE NEW ALBUM
Hear Jeffery speak to journalist Val Williams about how the songs for the new album came to be - a back alley, an outdoor cabaret at dusk, being jumped from behind by a herd of side-show freaks...it's all here!
WATCH A RECENT PERFORMANCE ON TORONTO BREAKFAST TELEVISION
A guy from the sweeping prairies of Canada, who was born under a piano, and hasn't crawled away from one since. He spends a lot of his time between Toronto and Regina but mostly under pianos there as well. A recent listener did a great job of capturing Jeffery's sound with this phrase:
"it's like the offspring of Elton John and Rufus Wainwright meeting the offspring of Ben Folds and Mika in a cabaret”
There you have it - if you put all of them in a blender and hit puree you'd hear what we're talking about. His piano playing draws from many styles including rock, pop & cabaret and blends in his distinct tenor voice. His range runs from the highest falsettos to deep bass notes and is delivered with lively stage flair.
"After only 4 bars it’s a given that there’s something wonderful going on” -Steve Mcdonnell-Cathedral Arts Festival - Regina, SK
Musically, Jeffery is an actual descendant of both Beethoven and Chopin (see his website for the full true story!) and the piano-man recently signed a production deal to record his upcoming 2008 release with producer Justin Gray (LA/Toronto). This will help him do more of what he loves - creating something different with piano/vocal music. People are taking note of his tunes and as one New York City reviewer recently put it:
“If Jeffery’s songs have elements of whackiness, it’s always inspired whackiness!” - Jed Ryan-Outmusic, NYC
He spent 2006 & 2007 touring his last album “Songs from Highway 15”- a collection of folk-pop songs inspired by growing up on the Canadian prairies in a town of 250 people - which might explain why he spent so much time under a piano...... but we digress. FACTOR (a national music funding organization) supported the album with generous marketing funding, while CBC radio airplay as well as video airplay at home and in Australia helped grow his fanbase. Having performed over 200 shows, listeners enjoyed what he had to offer whether they attended solo concerts or heard him backed by his full band. He sold almost 2000 CDs - quite a feat for an indie artist in Canada- and reviews said things like:
“One of the hottest entertainers on the Canadian prairie music scene” -Northeast Sun, Ryan Land.
Jeffery is currently putting the finishing touches on his upcoming album, produced by the talented Justin Gray (Joss Stone, Emma Bunton, Ashley MacIsaac, Snow, Jacksoul) in Toronto & Los Angeles. The 2 met at a songwriting workshop in Regina (Canada) in 2007. Liking what he heard, Gray promptly signed Jeffery to a production deal to make an album - with release set for 2008. With this pairing Straker’s artful songs met Gray’s incomparable pop-touch that has helped him sell more than 20 million albums worldwide. Now with the help of Steven Rosen Music Corporation (Los Angeles) the album is being shared within the industry and Jeffery is looking forward to taking this release on the road.
“You’re a superb performer! . . . your music has great energy ” Sandra Butel-Artistic Director Regina Folk Festival
For this new album Straker and Gray wanted to evolve his sound and have taken his piano-driven compositions into fresh new ‘alt-pop’ territory. Drums are superbly played by Randy Cook (Five for Fighting, Chantal Kreviazuk, Kelly Clarkson), with magic guitar touches by Justin Abedin (Amanda Marshall, Jacksoul). When Straker speaks of the upcoming recording he says: “When I perform live I like to create a little world that people can enter into and just be there with me for awhile - and I really wanted to do that with this album”.
“You blew me away with that song” - (May ’07) - Jason Blume (US hit songwriter)
His newest songs were debuted in early 2007 on tour in the Eastern USA and subsequently some interesting things happened. The song ‘FLAT LINES’ was chosen (out of hundreds of submissions) to feature on the Saskatchewan JUNO Compilation CD representing the best in new music in the province - HOORAY! He landed performances at both JUNOfest ‘07 and Ness Creek Fest ’07 and he licensed 2 new works to operatic tenor Derrick Miller (Canadian Opera Company) for the singers’ pop release (2007). Co-writes with artists in Sweden, the UK and Los Angeles were released and of course he signed his production deal with Gray to make his upcoming record. Praise for Jeffery’s writing has recently included both the UNISONG and International Songwriting Competitions placing him in final rounds with comments like:
“A smash hit...fresh…killer chorus… poetic and clever" - Unisong
Straker has also had the chance to share his songs abroad with his active touring schedule taking him to places like China (2005), Ireland (2004), and Panama (2006- touring there with the Canadian Embassy). While there, he got a wicked sun tan and lied on several beaches to hold them in place for awhile so they wouldn't blow away. Don't tell the Canadian tax-payers - they still don't know. June ’06 took him to his debut in New York City where his album was nominated for ‘Recording of the Year’ at the Outmusic awards. In 2006 Jeff was invited to do his own "Live at the CBC" recording (think BBC or NPR with maple leaves!!), in their studios to launch his last CD in a big splashy way, broadcasting the show on radio.
Check back - this will get updated from time to time! Thanks for reading it.
Also see: www.jeffstraker.com
If I were MM and you were JFK, I would be breathily singing to you...but our love is purer or is that dirtier. No matter. Happy Birthday peaches&cream.
