Jonathan Churcher
Venerable Relic and Gentleman Troubadour
PO Box 2309, 232 French Street, Ladysmith. BC Canada V9G 1B8 867-446-1052 Contact via this link.
OK, let’s go straight to the music, ’cause really, that’s more or less at the center of what this is all about, right? The bio and pictures will follow.
The Dragon’s Breath: A short history of climate change, inspired by the savage forest fires that choked the southern NWT with heavy smoke in the summer of 2014.
Have You Ever: Real-life story about the magic of human-to-human contact – with no agendas or expectations.
Twelve Bar Blues: Ah, the life of a bar-band musician…….what fun, night after night after night,. Yeah, right!!
The Ballad of Walter Edgi: Walter Edgi lived much of his life ‘on the streets’. He was well-known in Yellowknife and, with the help of his family, I wrote this tune in honour of what he achieved and what he endured.
Rock Walker Blues: I accompanied an energetic three-year old and his mother on a hike to Cameron Falls. The young lad’s enthusiasm was so impressive, it led to the writing of this tune about birth, life, and the great transition.
Pack of Lies: Good thing humans have the capacity to reflect on their beliefs and assumptions, ’cause you have to do something when life hands you a pack of lies.
Launch Don’t Drift: You snooze, you loose!
CD Launch Concert Oct. 9, 2015. Northern Arts and Cultural Centre, Yellowknife, NT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xk-xBUxBDo
I’ve been involved in music all my life, but taking on the persona and challenges of a solo artist has been a recent development. It started in early 2005 at an open mic in Inuvik and, after stints as a player of bass guitar, harmonica, and piano in various bands, I decided to focus on the singer-songwriter mode. If it wasn’t so ungainly, I’d use the term “seer-singer-songwriter-composer-performer-story-teller-multi-instrumentalist“, but let’s just stick with ‘singer-songwriter’ for now. Canada’s Northwest Territories was my home from 2005 to 2016,* and has been a wonderful creativity incubator. I particularly valued the performance opportunities offered by the festivals, bars, and cafés that catered to live music and the constructive criticism and training that many musicians and other artists shared. Two independent musicians residencies at the Banff Centre have been a huge boost, as has been funding from the Northwest Territories Arts Council.
Two original tunes (video) – Banff Centre – December 10, 2015. “Mountain Cycle” and “Visionary Mind”
One evening, at The Club at the Banff Centre, something odd happened
I got surprised by a call to go on stage and do some vocal improv; here’s the result: https://youtu.be/d89QE8_C1OU
I produced a CD in early 2011 called Acasta Island. I recorded these tunes in Yellowknife and wrote all of them, except La ballade de Jean Batailleur (Zachary Richard), which I sing in French. I perform a few songs in French, which is always rewarding as every audience I ever played to had some really appreciative Francophones therein.
Bio
Jonathan has been a restless soul all his life. The fact that he resided in Yellowknife for eight consecutive years is truly remarkable. Concerning his attachment to YK, he has written in his song “The Journey Home” – “A time and place arrives that tells a person to slow down, where soul and spirit and heart and love find common ground”. And it’s true, because the NWT gave him a wealth of inspiration and adventure, and its capital city was welcoming and supportive.
Jonathan has produced two CDs of original tunes:
- Acasta Island 2011 on which he sings in English and French and plays harmonica, guitar, keys, and bass guitar. The tracks vary in style and instrumentation, although the overall genre is “folk-rock”. One piece is an arrangement of naturally occurring sounds (noise?) captured in Yellowknife and another tune, The Troubadour’s Prophecy, is a medieval-type melody with Celtic Harp accompaniment. It’s about climate change in the Western Arctic; and
- Rock Walker Blues 2015; Jonathan and some of Yellowknife’s best musicians performed the songs at a show in NWT’s premier concert hall – the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre.
Another bio-angle at: http://nwtarts.com/artist-profile/jonathan-churcher
Photos
This link takes you to some images taken in various places in the NWT, Alberta, and Vancouver Island over the past ten years.
jonathanchurcher.com 