Neil Gerster, vocals and (in order of competence): guitars (nylon, electric, acoustic), ukulele, bass, keyboards, pennywhistle, flute, melodion, drums, cornet, and accordion.
My current and recent sidemen and sidewomen:
Maureen Adams, djembe.
Alex Mann, acoustic and electric guitars.
Hugh Ferguson, mostly bass.
Steve d'Annunzio, mostly drums.
Jill Zmud, harmonies.
Rozalind MacPhail, flutes.
Lindsay Ferguson, harmonies and duet vox.
Erin Clark, duet vox.
Pete Webb, bass.
Tanja Ehlers, French horn.
Marie-Josée Houle, Accordion
Aalya Rahmad, Violin.
Kyrie Kristmanson, Trumpet.
Neil MacDaniel, keys.
Influences
Talking Heads, the Velvet Underground, Lloyd Cole, Iron & Wine, Mason Jennings, Jonathan Richman, Sarah Harmer, Feist, Mélissa Laveaux.
And art of other kinds.
Sounds Like
Vocals influenced by Mason Jennings and David Byrne.
Guitar and melodies influenced by Lloyd Cole.
The rest I come up with myself.
Neil is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist living in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He fronted the pop-folk troupe Lighthousekeepers on vocals, guitars, flute, ukulele, bass and keyboards, to small local acclaim. Neil is now working on his first post-Lighthousekeepers recording project, an EP or album of all his songs written for ukulele. Fear not: Neil can really, really rock the house with a ukulele.
"This New Spark of Life" (at right) is part of that project, though not the final mix.
Hey there - I'm living in Toronto now. Let me know when you're passing through... it would be great to see what the quirkiest kid in high school is up to these days
So it's a capital 'T' that's been hanging you up? Don't worry, it's only paint. And paint is easy to remove. If I was your mother and you were my daughter, you would be sleeping already. I wear these pajamas only on weekends. And you think that's healthy? People don't listen to their body until it's too late. I am not dramatic, I am merely being practical.
Hi Neil!
Thanks for your friendship.
Your page is very nice... Dots and Dashes is my favourite :)
since I play many instruments as well, I'm really glad we're friends!
Have a nice day!
After last night's lecture, someone commented to me that I must be an army brat because I had such fantastic teeth. Such teeth, he said, could only be the result of good breeding and access to the finest dental care. I explained that though I descend from a long line of Bulgarian nobility, when I was a boy people were still having infected teeth removed by a donkey tied to a rope. Happenstance, I explained to him, is the main reason behind Mustafio's distinguished countenance.
i really enjoyed hearing you last night. it's been ages. you were fantastic! thanks for an entertaining and compelling performance. i'm sorry we had to leave before the end. sleepy.
