On the record: Matthew Barber (vocals), Julian Brown (piano), Les Cooper (guitar, mandolin, organ, harmonica), Rose Cousins (vocals), Stew Crookes (pedal steel), Jim Cuddy (vocals), Bazil Donovan (bass), Luke Doucet (guitar), Spencer Evans (piano), Blake Manning (drums), John Mullane (piano), Aislinn Nosky (violin), Mike Olsen (cello), Bob Packwood (piano), Meaghan Smith (vocals)...
Influences
Matthew Barber, Brendan Benson, Ray Charles, Feist, Sarah Harmer, Emmylou Harris, Billie Holiday, Loretta Lynn, Nick Lowe, Tift Merritt, Joni Mitchell, Willie Nelson, Madeliene Peyroux, Sam Phillips, Joel Plaskett, Cole Porter, Frank Sinatra, Ron Sexsmith, Sarah Slean, Lucinda Williams, Gillian Welch, Tom Waits... to name but a few.
"Jill Barber is part of a breed of foxy and self-assured singer-songwriters... a tribute to an era when a song could be cheeky and sexy without being explicit." ***** (5 stars) Maverick Magazine, UK
"For All Time is modest but powerful. Thoughful writing and arrangements draw attention away from themselves and toward Barber’s versatile voice."
NNNN (4 stars) NOW Magazine
"A winning mix of jazz, folk and country... Barber’s voice is outstanding, timeless." The Irish News, Best Albums of 2006
"Here is one singer-songwriter who should be nominated for next year’s Polaris Music Award." New Music Canada
"Jill Barber is a real songwriter... a damn good songwriter." Kris Kristofferson
"Delightfully distinctive, bravely unclassifiable, sexy and vulnerable... For All Time is a little masterpiece." (**** 4 stars) The Toronto Star
Awarded FACTOR Recording of the Year and Female Artist of the Year at the 2007 EAST COAST MUSIC AWARDS.
Named Best Local Female Artist in The Coast’s BEST OF MUSIC READER’S POLL, 2004-2006.
Jill Barber - Biography
Jill Barber was once this shy performer who hid in the shadow of her older brother Matthew, a renowned performer in his own right. Slowly, she became to carve out her own identity, playing shows in and around Kingston where she was attending Queens University. It wasn’t till Jill chased love out to Halifax that her career and more importantly, her confidence began to develop.
Fast forward to 2008, Jill has released two albums and has been nominated for over 20 awards for her efforts. The EP Oh Heart was released in 2004, the album won Jill 4 Music Nova Scotia Awards, earned 2 East Coast Music Award nominations and earned a nomination at the inagurel Canadian Folk Music Awards. The video for the title track earned the 1 spot on the BRAVO channel. Jill also began what would be a relentless touring schedule, crossing the country numerous times with acts such as Wintersleep, Joel Plaskett, Josh Ritter as well as with her brother. Jill also ventured down to the US to make her first appearance at the prestigious South by Southwest Music Conference.
After nearly 2 years touring and promoting Oh Heart, Jill settled into the studio to begin work on her follow up and her first foray into creating a full length album. She enlisted the help of Les Cooper to produce the album. The album was recorded In Toronto at various studios and mixed in Kingston at the esteemed Bathhouse Recording Studio. An all star cast of musicians lent their talents to the album including Jim Cuddy, Bazil Donovan and Bob Packwood of Blue Rodeo, Luke Doucet, Blake Manning, Spencer Evans and many more. For All Time was released in October of 2006 to an amazing response. For the album release party in Jill’s adopted hometown of Halifax, 500 people jammed the St Matthews Church. Soon after she was crossing the Atlantic for a 20 date tour of the UK where For All Time ended up on the Best of 2006 list in the influential Irish Daily News.
The following year saw Jill continue her relentless touring schedule including a tour of Canada with Ron Sexsmith and a sold out Maritime tour. At the 2007 East Coast Music Awards, Jill won for Best Recording and Best Female Recording while being nominated for two others. Jill also received 5 Music Nova Scotia Award nominations and another Canadian Folk Music Award nomination. In the Summer of 2007, Jill played the Dawson City Music Festival, Stan Rogers Folk Festival, and Mariposa before heading back overseas to play the UK festival circuit. The videos for Hard Line and Don’t Go Easy both charted at MuchMoreMusic and Bravo. Jill has become one of Canada’s most renowned singer songwriters earning praise from her peers and critics alike, all the while endearing herself to thousands of fans with her charming performances and tireless work ethic.
Now, 2008, Jill again has been nominated for two more East Coast Music Awards for LIve Entertainer of The Year and Songwriter of the year but what has been the icing on the cake has been Jill’s first 2 Juno nominations for best roots recording for a solo performer and best new artist. In February, Jill will be backed by the Nova Scotia Symphony for a show at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium in Halifax Jill spent January at the Banff Theatre for The Arts in their artist in residency program where she wrote the songs that are to appear on her new album, Jill was joined by Sexsmith who helped pen a handful of the tunes. After one more cross country tour, Jill will attend the Juno’s, then head back to the UK before hunkering down to begin work on her new album. Hard to believe it’s been only 4 years since the shy introvert graced the stages as a full time artist, now we are witness to a star in the making.
HI THERE!! **HERE IS MY DEBUT MUSIC VIDEO- "DRIVING SONG"!** The first single off my album! REQUEST MY VIDEO ON CMC- head to http://countrymusicchannel. com. au/CMC/Requests. aspx ~Thank you for your friendship and support :)~
Thank you for your time - and space – T.B.G. are stoked to be friends, the band do have a couple of gigs coming up in Aust - the easter blues festivals - and then we head to the US for another tour. This one will be a month long and it’ll carve pretty much across the top of the country east to west then down and back across the bottom. Before that though we have the Blues Fest and the 14th at Canberra Uni with Rogerthat www. rogerthat. com. au or www. myspace. com/rogerthatofficial supporting. The US tour is beginning in early May - the 2nd in New York - and the dates are now up on our site.
We also have extremely similar friends haha! Congrats on all the adventures you are enjoying. Cna't wait to have a proper listen to your stuff and hopefully share a stage one day either here or in canada. All the best........PEACE
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