The Barr Brothers

Last updated
The Barr Brothers
Origin Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Genres
Years active2006–present
Labels Secret City
Members Brad Barr
Andrew Barr
Morgan Moore
Brett Lanier
Eveline Gregoire-Rousseau
Past membersSarah Pagé
Andrés Vial
Joe Grass
Website www.thebarrbrothers.com

The Barr Brothers is an indie folk band founded in Montreal, Quebec in 2006, consisting of two American brothers Andrew (drums, percussion, vocals, keyboards) and Brad Barr (guitar, vocals), as well as bassist Morgan Moore, pedal steel guitarist Brett Lanier, and harpist Eveline Gregoire-Rousseau. [1]

Contents

History

Originally from Providence, RI, Brad and Andrew Barr moved to Montreal from Boston, MA in 2005, after a decade of touring and recording as two-thirds of the trio The Slip. That group was noted for its approach to long-form, live Improvisation and was equally considered part of the Jam band and Experimental music scenes. [2]

Soon after moving to Montreal, Brad heard the sounds of a harp through the bedroom wall of his new apartment. He went next door to introduce himself to Sarah Pagé, who was performing both in classical contexts and developing music with the songwriter Lhasa de Sela. Andrew also began performing with Lhasa. Soon the trio of Andrew, Brad and Sarah began performing Brad's songs under the Barr Brothers name, building upon them with Malian rhythms, Slide guitar, homemade percussion instruments, and influences from Delta blues, modern classical and Appalachian musical traditions.

The Barr Brothers' recordings have been nominated three times for Juno Awards: in 2013, 2015 and 2018, for Adult Alternative Album of the Year. [3] Their debut album The Barr Brothers [4] was released in 2011 and focused on acoustic and electrified songs rooted in Appalachian folk. Their second album Sleeping Operator (2014) [5] further explored the connections between the Delta blues and its West and North African ancestry. Leftover songs from the Sleeping Operator sessions were released as a five-track collection Alta Falls (2015). [6] The songs on the EP were partially recorded in Iceland by Valgeir Sigurösson (Björk, Sigur Rós and Nico Muhly). Their third album Queens of the Breakers was released in autumn 2017. [7] Also in 2017, Secret City released a split album called Live, which is The Barr Brothers Live At Festival International De Jazz De Montréal 2015, and Patrick Watson Live At Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste 2013. [8]

The band frequently tours in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe, with some shows played in Japan. Notable venues have included Levon Helm's studio in Woodstock, New York, the Red Rocks Amphitheater, and two appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman .

Career

2011–2013: The Barr Brothers

The Barr Brothers toured throughout North America and Europe to support The Barr Brothers, with notable appearances including the 2011 Montreal International Jazz Festival [9] and the 2011 Osheaga. [10] They opened for Ben Harper and Deer Tick, [11] played the CMJ Music Marathon and, in January 2012, made their first appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman . [12] Their song "Beggar In The Morning" debuted on Paste Magazine in March 2012, [13] and they had a headline slot on the main stage Scène TD de la place des Festivals at the 2013 Montreal Jazz Festival; [14] Their song "Ooh, Belle" was used in an episode of the television series Touch . [15]

2014–2016: Sleeping Operator, Alta Falls

Shortly before the release of Sleeping Operator, The Barr Brothers performed at Oregon's Pickathon. [16] In addition to the Juno nomination, the band was nominated as Most Illustrious Band Outside of Quebec by ADISQ, the Quebec music award council, and the album was nominated as Anglophone Album of the Year. They also received a nomination for Anglophone Show of the Year. [17]

The record was promoted with global touring. Notable support dates included shows with Calexico [18] and My Morning Jacket [19] [20] [21] in the United States and Europe. The My Morning Jacket tour included the Barr Brothers' first performance at Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre. [22]

As headliners, the band performed with Marco Benevento at the Midnight Ramble Sessions at the Levon Helm studios in Woodstock NY, [23] and performed on the main stage at Osheaga [24] and the Folk On The Rocks festival in Yellowknife. [25] Their most notable headline show was at the Grand Évènement of the Montreal Jazz Festival. [26] Many musician friends made appearances at this show: Patrick Watson, Robbie Kuster, Joe Grass, Michelle Tompkins of Sin & Swoon, Mamadou Kouyaté, and Little Scream's Laurel Sprengelmeyer. [27]

Outside of the band, the Barrs participated in a tribute to The Grateful Dead on the Lachine Canal in the summer of 2016. [28] Following the October 2016 death of Leonard Cohen, Brad Barr participated in a tribute to Cohen's music put together by POP Montreal. [29] [30]

2017–Present: Recording and Collaboration

Anticipated collaborations with the Malian duo Bassekou Kouyate and Amy Sacko, scheduled for the 2017 editions of the Festival d’Été de Québec and the Montreal International Jazz Festival, [27] were cancelled due to Kouyate and Sacko's Visa issues. Replacement players were found in Burkinabé Balafonist Mamadou Koita and Senegalese Kora player Sadio Sissoko, and the resulting show was well reviewed. [31]

Following the release of Queens of the Breakers, [32] the band was invited to open for The War on Drugs across Europe and the UK; and scheduled their own headline shows in major markets in North America, Europe and the United Kingdom. [33] In January 2018, Sarah Pagé left the band to pursue other interests. [34]

In 2018, Compulsion Games revealed that the brothers worked on the soundtrack and performed the songs for the game We Happy Few . [35]

In October 2018, The Barr Brothers won ADISQ's Félix award for Concert of the Year - Anglophone. They were also nominated in four other categories at Gala de l'ADISQ: Album of the Year - Anglophone; Quebec Artist with the Most Success Outside of Quebec; Sound Recording and Mix of the Year; and Soundman of the Year. [36] They performed again at the Levon Helm Studios in December 2018. [37]

In the winter of 2019, the band performed each of their three albums across three nights in Toronto, Montreal, and San Francisco in a series they billed "An Album Nightly". Elizabeth Powell, Jesse Mac Cormack, and Richard Reed Parry opened the shows and contributed throughout the concerts.

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Lavoie</span> Canadian musician

Daniel Lavoie is a Canadian musician, actor, and singer best known for his song "Ils s'aiment" and the role of Frollo in musical Notre-Dame de Paris. He releases albums and performs on stage in Canada and France and tours in Canada and Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corey Hart (singer)</span> Canadian musician

Corey Mitchell Hart is a Canadian singer, musician and songwriter known for his hit singles "Sunglasses at Night", "Never Surrender" and "It Ain't Enough". He has sold over 16 million records worldwide and recorded nine US Billboard Top 40 hits. In Canada, 30 of Hart's recordings have been Top 40 hits, including 11 in the Top 10, over the course of over 35 years in the music industry. Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1984, Hart is an inductee of both Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Canada's Walk of Fame, and is also a multiple Juno award nominee and winner, including the Diamond Award for his best-selling album Boy in the Box. He has also been honoured by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Slip (band)</span> Avant-rock trio

The Slip is an avant-rock trio from Boston, Massachusetts. The band consists of Providence, Rhode Island brothers Brad Barr and Andrew Barr (drums), and Marc Friedman. The three also play with singer-songwriter Nathan Moore and keyboardist Marco Benevento in Surprise Me Mr. Davis. Brad and Andrew Barr additionally perform with Montreal-based ensemble The Barr Brothers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lili Fatale</span>

Lili Fatale is a Canadian pop music group from Montreal, Quebec. They have called their music "the meeting between French and British pop, with Cold wave (music) and Electro (music) stylings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osheaga Festival</span> Annual music festival in Montreal, Canada

The Osheaga Music and Arts Festival is a multi-day music festival in Montreal, Quebec, that is held every summer at Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Sainte-Hélène. The festival takes place on six stages with various audience capacities. Translated from their French equivalents, they are called "River Stage," "Mountain Stage," "Green Stage," "Trees Stage," "Valley Stage," and "Zone Piknic Electronik." Each performance area is paired with a sponsor. Band set times fluctuate based on the status of the performer within the festival. Emerging artists play 30-minute sets, and headliners conclude each day with 90-minute plus sets. The 2006 festival attracted a crowd of around 50,000 people. The 2012 festival reached its 80,000 attendance capacity each day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damien Robitaille</span> Musical artist

Damien Robitaille is a Canadian musician from the village of Lafontaine, Ontario in the Georgian Bay area, two hours north-west of Toronto. He is a Franco-Ontarian musician whose career is mainly based in Quebec, where he has lived since 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Land of Talk</span> Canadian band

Land of Talk is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 2006 from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The band is led by singer and guitarist Elizabeth Powell.

Amanda Mabro is a Canadian singer-songwriter and vocal coach. Amanda and her band have been active since 2000. She is also one half of the alternative electro duo 30 Frames.

Kaliroots is a Canadian roots reggae band from Mont-Saint-Hilaire. It is the first French-speaking reggae band to establish itself in Quebec, and the first French-speaking group to do reggae in French and English on the same album. The band's leader is keyboardist Jean-Sebastien Girard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radio Radio (band)</span> Canadian electro hip-hop band

Radio Radio is a Canadian electro hip-hop band formed in 2007 from Clare, Nova Scotia, and Moncton, New Brunswick Canada. The duo rap in Chiac, an Acadian French dialect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian Kelly (songwriter)</span> Canadian singer-songwriter

Ian Kelly, is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He has released several full-length albums.

Silver Starling is a Canadian indie pop band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Andrew Gilmore Barr is a drummer and producer based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada who is best known for his work with The Barr Brothers and The Slip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaclair Ensemble</span> Canadian hip hop musical collective

Alaclair Ensemble is a Canadian hip hop musical collective based in the province of Quebec. Their musical style draws on traditional Québécois folk music as well as contemporary Hip hop music and Electronic music. They are known for PR stunts and tongue-in-cheek lyrics that border on the comedic.

Milk & Bone are a Canadian electropop duo based in Montreal, Quebec, consisting of Laurence Lafond-Beaulne and Camille Poliquin. Their debut album Little Mourning, released in 2015 via Bonsound, was a longlisted nominee for the 2015 Polaris Music Prize. Although both of the band members are francophones, they write and record in English.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kleztory</span> Canadian klezmer and world music band

Kleztory is a klezmer and world music ensemble founded in 2000 and based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. While remaining respectful of the rich heritage of klezmer, Kleztory takes the liberty of arranging parts of the traditional repertoire. This gives their music their own personal uniqueness and flavor. Kleztory is influenced by many sources of inspiration including jazz, classical, gypsy, country, folk and blues. The ensemble were awarded both the Opus Prize in 2007 as the best Jazz / World Music album of the year in Québec for Nomade, and the Fürth Klezmer Prize at the 3rd International Jewish Music Festival in Amsterdam in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlotte Cardin</span> Canadian musician (born 1994)

Charlotte Cardin is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She has been nominated for 14 Juno Awards. In 2022, she received four awards for Artist of the Year, Single of the Year for her song "Meaningless", Pop Album of the Year and Album of the Year for her 2021 debut album "Phoenix". Her second album 99 Nights was released in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Busty and the Bass</span> Canadian band

Busty and the Bass is a music collective founded in Montréal, Canada. The JUNO-nominated group is known for its unique approach to a diverse range of musical genres, including soul, jazz, R&B, folk, funk, hip hop, and dance music, and for its signature incorporation of its horn section.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Men I Trust</span> Canadian indie band

Men I Trust is a Canadian indie band from Montreal, Quebec. Formed in 2014, the band consists of Emmanuelle Proulx, Jessy Caron, and Dragos Chiriac (keyboards). The group has self-released all of their music and has released physical editions on the Canadian indie label Return to Analog. Men I Trust has independently released four studio albums: Men I Trust (2014), Headroom (2015), Oncle Jazz (2019), and Untourable Album (2021). They have also released two physical-only EPs, Men I Trust (2017) and Tailwhip (2018).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Henry Foster</span> Canadian singer-songwriter and musician

Alex Henry Foster is a Canadian artist, singer, musician, writer and activist, best known for being the singer and frontman of the Montreal band Your Favorite Enemies. The band was founded in 2006 and nominated for a Juno Award for their album Between Illness and Migration in 2015. In 2018, Foster announced the release of a first solo project, Windows in the Sky, through Hopeful Tragedy Records and Sony Music / The Orchard. His first solo album reached number 6 on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart on the second week of its release. Alex Henry Foster was nominated at ADISQ for the first time in 2019 with his first solo effort "Windows in the Sky" for Anglophone album of the year.

References

  1. ↑ "News". The Barr Brothers. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
  2. ↑ "The Art of the Sit-In | Marc Friedman". JamBase. 2014-06-24. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
  3. ↑ "Past Nominees & Winners, The Barr Brothers". junoawards.ca. Juno Awards. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  4. ↑ "The Barr Brothers – The Barr Brothers". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  5. ↑ "The Barr Brothers – Sleeping Operator". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  6. ↑ "The Barr Brothers – Alta Falls". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  7. ↑ "The Barr Brothers – Queens Of The Breakers". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  8. ↑ "Patrick Watson / The Barr Brothers – Live". discogs.com. Discogs. 22 April 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  9. ↑ Halle, Karina (23 November 2011). "Festival Recap, Nov 2011". consequence.net. Consequence. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  10. ↑ "Osheaga 2011: The Barr Brothers". montrealgazette.com. Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  11. ↑ "The Barr Brothers's Concert History". concertarchives.org. Concert Archives. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  12. ↑ Solomon, Rachelle. "The Barr Brothers after The Late Show with David Letterman, Jan 2012". cbc.ca. CBC Radio. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  13. ↑ "The Barr Brothers - Beggar In The Morning". Paste Magazine. pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  14. ↑ Dacks, David. "Montreal Jazz Festival...June 2013". exclaim.ca. Exclaim!. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  15. ↑ "Touch Soundtrack". tunefind.com. Tunefind. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  16. ↑ Ash, Alex (4 September 2014). "The Barr Brothers Live...Sept 2014". zumic.com. Zumic. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  17. ↑ Kelly, Brendan. "...ADISQ nominations, Sept 2015". montrealgazette.com. Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  18. ↑ "Calexico Releasing a New Album...Feb 2015". brooklynvegan.com. Brooklyn Vegan. 10 February 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  19. ↑ "The Barr Brother Announce World Tour...Jan 2015". jambands.com. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  20. ↑ "Europe/UK tour with Calexico | The Barr Brothers". thebarrbrothers.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-24. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  21. ↑ "Red Rocks Entertainment Concerts | Concerts Events | Detail | My Morning J 5 29 2016". redrocksonline.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-24. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  22. ↑ "The Barr Brothers To Support My Morning Jacket..." highroadtouring.com. High Road Touring. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  23. ↑ "The Barr Brothers and Marco Benevento Collaborate...May 2016". jambands.com. 9 May 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  24. ↑ Kelly, Brendan. "Osheaga: Video interview with The Barr Brothers, July 2016". montrealgazette.com. Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  25. ↑ Gibbins, Mike (25 April 2016). "Folk on the Rocks reveals first acts...Apr 2016". mytruenorthnow.com. 100.1 True North FM. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  26. ↑ "Concert: The Barr Brothers - Festival International de Jazz de Montréal". Archived from the original on 2017-03-24. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
  27. 1 2 "The Barr Brothers au Festival de jazz". MatTV (in French). 2015-07-02. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  28. ↑ "Montreal Folk Festival on the Canal follows the current where it leads". Montreal Gazette. 2016-06-13. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  29. ↑ "POP Montreal stages Leonard Cohen tribute". Montreal Gazette. 2016-11-30. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  30. ↑ Dunlevy, T'Cha (2016-12-10). "Remembering A Legend". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on March 24, 2017. Retrieved 2023-05-06– via PressReader.
  31. ↑ "Jazz fest review: Barr Brothers take lineup change in stride". Montreal Gazette. 8 July 2017.
  32. ↑ Budnick, Dean https://relix.com/articles/detail/track_by_track_the_barr_brothers_queens_of_the_breakers/ Relix
  33. ↑ Prabhu, Suraj. "Barr Brothers talk 'Queens of the Breakers'...July 2018". meaww.com. Meaww. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  34. ↑ Bernstein, Scott. "Sarah Pagé Departs The Barr Brothers". jambase.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  35. ↑ "Soundtrack reveal: The Make Believes". Compulsion Games. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  36. ↑ "Archives 2018 - ADISQ". adisq.com. ADISQ. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  37. ↑ "The Barr Brothers, Dec 2018". levonhelm.com. Levon Helm Studios. 8 December 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.