Thursday, March 4, 2010
DON BAGGETT THEATER AT NUHS
11645 Ridge Road, Grass Valley, CA • For Information call 530-477-0708
7:30PM, $20 in advance, $23 at the door, $30 prefered seating. Tickets at:
The Briar Patch - 530-272-5333, The Book Seller - 530-272-2131,
Yabobo - 530-478-9114, Cherry Records - 530-823-2147
Brown Paper Tickets - 800-838-3006

Click HERE for directions.

Three extraordinary voices, two founding singer-songwriters, one singular vision: The Wailin' Jennys continue to evolve into far more than the melodious sum of their individual talents five years after blowing in on a fresh acoustic breeze from Canada's mid-western heartland.

Spurred onward by a growing fan base that swoons at their intuitive harmonies and revels in their engaging stage presence and uplifting repertoire, the Jennys embarked on a giddy blur of activity following the release of their second album, Firecracker, in August, 2006. Numerous head-turning reviews ("quiet, warm, subtle, mellifluous ? almost too good to be true," noted British daily The Independent) greeted a recording produced by David Travers-Smith (Jane Siberry, Harry Manx) and featuring a crew of ace musicians led by guitarist Kevin Breit (Norah Jones, k.d. lang). The trio wooed progressively larger audiences throughout North America while also making successful forays to the U.K. and continental Europe. And foremost among an unfolding series of life moments have been a second Juno Award nomination in Canada, the continuation of a much-cherished relationship with A Prairie Home Companion (Garrison Keillor's popular National Public Radio show) and a memorable date alongside Rosanne Cash at the prestigious Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow.

One Voice, a live staple and highlight of the Jennys' Juno- winning debut album 40 Days, remains a metaphoric statement of intent that to this day underlines the group's original mandate: three individuals with unique gifts combining seamlessly into a single beatific entity. Soprano Ruth Moody (guitar, banjo, accordion, bodhran) and mezzo Nicky Mehta (guitar, harmonica, ukulele, percussion) are charter members who've anchored the Jennys since the first line-up formed in their Winnipeg hometown. The critical third voice, an alto who fills out the chordal range of the group's vibrant three-part harmonies, has been filled in turn by Cara Luft, Annabelle Chvostek and, now that the latter has returned to her own solo career, new recruit Heather Masse.

Launching what fans are fondly calling version 3.0 of the Jennys, Heather is a New York-based singer and pianist who finds the middle ground between contemporary bluegrass (through her work with roots supergroup The Wayfaring Strangers) and jazz vocals (which she studied at the New England Conservatory of Music). She gelled immediately with Ruth and Nicky during an impromptu audition in a bathroom backstage in Philadelphia. Singing raw versions of Amazing Grace and an old Hank Williams song, the three women quickly nailed the essence of the Jennys' exquisite sound while hinting at exciting new possibilities that will flower in the months of touring and studio sessions that lie ahead.

"Heather fits in astonishingly well with us," enthuses Nicky.  "She's got a smoky, enveloping kind of style. People will go nuts when they hear her." Adds Ruth, who first learned of Heather from their mutual friend, Crooked Still's Aoife O'Donovan: "We found a perfect vocal blend the first time with Cara, then we captured it in a different way with Annabelle. So naturally we were thinking, 'Oh man, can it really happen again?' But we have stumbled on such a rich treasure. Her voice is just so round and warm."

Ruth Moody has long understood the power of three. She grew up in an accomplished musical family singing with two sisters, then spent five years fronting Winnipeg's Scuj MacDuhk. When the popular Celtic/roots road warriors broke up in 2001, she again craved what she calls "the sense of completeness and wholeness that can only come with three female voices. The Jennys provide a sense of continuity that threads through my entire life."

For her part, Nicky Mehta was on track for post-graduate studies in communications when she released a buzzworthy solo debut CD and, not long after, signed on as a first-generation Jenny. "The group sort of just happened to us," she says, laughing. "The idea was to present our individual visions in a larger collective, but before we knew it things had taken on a life of their own. We've constantly been playing catch up ever since. What's great is that nothing has been premeditated and we keep being surprised in the most creative, interesting ways."

"Now we've closed another chapter in the Jennys' story and opened a new one," says Ruth. "We're thrilled to be writing it with Heather. She's a kindred spirit. That we can find the magic while laughing and singing together in a dimly lit bathroom says it all really."

www.thewailinjennys.com

“The three-part harmonies of Winnipeg’s Wailin’ Jennys should be considered some kind of national
treasure.” – The Hamilton Spectator, CANADA

“first class music...” – Vintage Guitar Magazine, USA

“Equally perfect for sunny day, open highway cruises and reflective, late-night drives, Live at the Mauch
Chunk Opera House proves that The Wailin’ Jennys are on top of their game and at the top of their field.”
– PopMatters, INTERNET

“some of the most pitch-perfect, gorgeous harmonies you’re likely to hear.” – Review M Magazine, AU

“The Jennys give their angelic harmonies full flight on covers of Emmylou Harris’s Deeper Well, Gillian
Welch’s One More Dollar, even Gershwin’s Summertime and the old spiritual Motherless Child.”
– Winnipeg Free Press, CANADA, 4 stars

“These are not just live versions of familiar favourites but superb interpretations of well-known songs.”
– Sydney Morning Herald, AU

“a timeless quality...the songs could have been written last week, or at any point in the last two centuries.” - PopMatters

“Their sweeping melodicism defies boundaries, feeling at once edgy and familiar, delivered in harmonies that could melt a Manitoba February.” - Boston Globe

“all wonderful singers...outstanding” - Irish Times, 4 stars

“This trio is the most powerful vocal outfit I’ve heard in years!” - Relix

“With pristine voices, exquisite harmonies, fine songwriting and smart direction…this is a winner from the Red House label.” - Dirty Linen

“These three female singer-songwriters...achieve a subtle magic together.” - The Harvard Independent

“Winnipeg, the current wellspring of some of Canada’s brightest new folk, roots and indie-rock acts, has yielded another winner in the Wailin’ Jennys.” - No Depression

“I first stumbled onto the Jennys in Scotland at a yearly series called Celtic Connections. The Wailin’ Jennys are the new Kings/Queens of Modern Old Time Music. Hearing them was a sweet revelation! I need more. Now!” – Jerry Douglas

“Like Gillian Welch or Alison Krauss, they can make new songs feel traditional and old songs sound brand new.” – All Music Guide

“Fueled by the elemental power and transcendent glory of their honeyed three part harmonies, Firecracker is guaranteed to soothe your soul with its earthy passion and heartfelt compassion.” – Creem Magazine

“In full vocal flight, the Jennys fall into formation like geese on the wing, effortlessly, intuitively. It’s a thing of beauty.” – Montreal Gazette, 4 stars

“The aptly titled Firecracker lights up the aural sky” – The Vancouver Sun, 4 stars

“With a baker’s dozen of fresh, rootsy songs and their signature heart-stopping harmonies, the Wailin’ Jennys’ second recording should prove explosive for their careers... Could Firecracker ignite another folk boom?” – The Washington Times

“[The Wailin’ Jennys] are on a mission to restore tasteful three part harmony and good old fashioned melody back to its proper place in the forefront of intelligent pop music...File under: Intelligent, Harmony, Melody, It’s About Time.” – Jeffrey Morgan, Creem Magazine

“[40 Days] practically bursts at the seams with an infectious, collaborative energy. Unpredictable vocal arrangements feature short solo turns that subtly blossom into choir-robe-perfect harmony. ..the writing is appealingly diverse in style, yet unified by a soulful, lyrical quality, vigorous rhythm guitars, and those exquisite harmonies.” – Barnes & Noble

Click HERE for directions.