The Henrys

Last updated
The Henrys
Origin Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres Roots music, Americana (music), Folk music, Blues, Jazz
Years active1994–present
Labels Independent
Website www.thehenrys.ca
MembersDon Rooke
Davide DiRenzo
Paul Pasmore
John Sheard
Hugh Marsh
Mary Margaret O'Hara
Gregory Hoskins

The Henrys is a Toronto-based, "nearly instrumental" quartet. Their music features the sound of an antique slide guitar called a kona (and other slide guitars), along with various other instruments, including pump organ, conch shell, guitars, vocals (sometimes wordless), trumpet, drums, the sonar zombie, and steel drums. The band consists of leader Don Rooke along with a large cast of Toronto musicians that includes or has included Paul Pasmore, John Sheard, Hugh Marsh, Davide DiRenzo, David Piltch, Jorn Anderson, Michael White, Joey Wright, Joe Phillips, Mike Billard, David Trevis, Monte Horton, Jonathan Goldsmith. Vocals have been contributed, over the years, by guest vocalists such as Mary Margaret O'Hara, Becca Stevens, Gregory Hoskins and Martina Sorbara. [1] [2]

Contents

Rooke, the leader and composer, has recorded and toured with Mary Margaret O'Hara, Doug Paisley, Three Metre Day (with Hugh Marsh and Michelle Willis), Golden Country Classics (with Paisley, Bazil Donovan, Mike Belitsky and Chuck Erlichman), and recorded with and James Williamson, Iggy and the Stooges, among many others.

History

The Henrys came together in 1990, starting as the duo of Rooke and Pasmore. They released their first album, Puerto Angel, in 1996. The band has played concerts around the world, including the Sweetwaters Music Festival in New Zealand, the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands, South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, Toronto's Harbourfront Centre and many others. They headlined at New York City's The Bottom Line in 1998. The Henrys then scaled back on performing, but continue to record together; they produced three more albums, including Joyous Porous in 2002. [3]

In 2009 the band released their fifth album, Is this Tomorrow. [4] The band's recordings received critical acclaim for their originality, arrangements, [5] [6] [7] and Rooke's acoustic slide guitar work. [8]

The Henrys released their sixth album, Quiet Industry, on June 11, 2015. [9] The singer on that record, the first Henrys recording with lyrics by Rooke (who also wrote the lyrics for the recording Coasting Notes by Three Metre Day) is Gregory Hoskins.

The seventh record, an all-instrumental album called Paydirt, was released January 20, 2020, as a vinyl LP, with a digital download option via Bandcamp. The group played a sold out release show at Toronto’s Burdock Music Hall on Feb 9 of that year, with DiRenzo, Sheard, Wright, Phillips and Rooke. The concert was recorded and filmed.

Paydirt is both acoustic and electric. The acoustic half has Rooke on dobro, Joey Wright on acoustic guitar and mandocello, and Joseph Phillips on acoustic bass. It was recorded over two days in June 2018. Pump organ, by Sheard and Goldsmith, was added a few weeks later, as well as some percussion. The electric side features Davide DiRenzo on drums, John Dymond, Paul Pasmore and Joe Phillips on bass, keyboards by Sheard and Goldsmith, Hugh Marsh on violin, and lap steel and electric guitar by Rooke.

The album was reviewed favourably by the British author and journalist Richard Williams, in his blog The Blue Moment.

Discography

Related Research Articles

Ellen McIlwaine was an American-born singer-songwriter and musician best known for her career as a solo singer, songwriter and slide guitarist.

Rough Trade (1968–1988) was a Canadian rock band centred on singer Carole Pope and multi-instrumentalist Kevan Staples. The band was noted for their provocative lyrics and stage antics; singer Pope often performed in bondage attire, and their 1981 hit "High School Confidential" was one of the first explicitly lesbian-themed Top 40 hits in the world.

The Super Friendz are a Canadian indie rock band from Halifax, Nova Scotia. They were initially active between 1994 and 1997, before reforming in 2003.

Martin Tielli Canadian singer-songwriter

Martin Tielli is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He was a member of the Rheostatics, and has also released material as a solo artist and with the side project Nick Buzz. As well, he has appeared as a guest musician on albums by Barenaked Ladies, Kevin Hearn, The Waltons, Jane Siberry, Ashley MacIsaac, Meryn Cadell and Mia Sheard. He is also a painter, and created most of the album covers for the Rheostatics.

Colin Linden Canadian musician

Colin Kendall Linden is a Canadian guitarist, songwriter and record producer. Linden plays acoustic and electric guitar, specializing in slide guitar, country blues, and ragtime fingerpicking. He frequently collaborates with country and folk performers. He is a member of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings with Stephen Fearing and Tom Wilson. He has worked with Bruce Cockburn, Lucinda Williams, T-Bone Burnett, Kevin Gordon, Colin James, Emmylou Harris, Leon Redbone, Rita Chiarelli, Chris Thomas King, The Band, Keb' Mo', Charles Esten and Bob Dylan.

Hugh Marsh is a violinist from Toronto, known for his electric violin sound. Marsh was nominated for a 2007 Juno Award in the best contemporary jazz album category.

Mia Sheard is a Canadian pop singer-songwriter.

Kurt Swinghammer is a Canadian singer-songwriter and visual artist based in Toronto.

"Remember a Day" is a song by the British rock band Pink Floyd, written and sung by their keyboardist Richard Wright, appearing on their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets (1968). It was performed by Pink Floyd only once, as an encore in May 1968; it was subsequently performed by David Gilmour in September 2008 in memory of Wright, who had recently died of cancer, on Later... with Jools Holland, and by Nick Mason during his Saucerful of Secrets tour. The dreamy, poetic lyrics are about nostalgia for the lost paradise of early childhood.

<i>Miss America</i> (Mary Margaret OHara album) 1988 studio album by Mary Margaret OHara

Miss America is an album by Mary Margaret O'Hara, released in 1988.

The Rifles (band)

The Rifles are an English indie rock band from Chingford, London.

Chalk Circle was a Canadian alternative rock band formed in 1982 in Newcastle, Ontario. The band originally consisted of lead singer and guitarist Chris Tait, bassist Brad Hopkins, keyboardist Tad Winklarz and drummer Derrick Murphy.

Tokyo Police Club Canadian indie rock band

Tokyo Police Club is an indie rock band from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2005, it consists of vocalist and bassist Dave Monks, keyboardist Graham Wright, guitarist Josh Hook, and drummer Greg Alsop. The band found early success with their 2007 debut EP A Lesson in Crime, which they followed with several popular releases including the albums Elephant Shell and Champ in 2008 and 2010, respectively. During the 2010s, they released three other studio albums. Among other nominations, the band has been twice nominated for the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year, in 2011 for Champ and in 2019 for TPC.

Gregory Hoskins and the Stickpeople were a Canadian folk rock band active between 1985 and 1996. best known for their 1991 single "Neighbourhood". The band's consistent members throughout its lifetime were singer/songwriter Gregory Hoskins, backing vocalist Lynn Simmons, keyboardist George Civello and drummer Michael Spencer-Arscott, while John McCormick, Phil Dwyer and Colleen Allen played saxophone, and Steve Lucas and Mike Fabello played bass guitar, at different times.

Michelle Willis is a British-born, Canadian-raised singer/songwriter and keyboard player. She performs regularly as a solo artist and as a side musician with David Crosby and Becca Stevens. She has also worked with Iggy & The Stooges, Laura Mvula, Snarky Puppy, The Parachute Club, and the Zac Brown Band.

<i>All in Good Time</i> (Barenaked Ladies album) 2010 studio album by Barenaked Ladies

All In Good Time is the ninth studio album by Barenaked Ladies, released by Raisin' Records 23 March 2010 in Canada, and 30 March 2010 in the United States. It is the first album recorded following the departure of founding member Steven Page in February 2009, and the band's second album recorded as a four-piece.

<i>The Early Widows</i> 2010 studio album by Justin Rutledge

The Early Widows is the fourth album by Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Rutledge, released on May 4, 2010 on Six Shooter Records. The album, produced by Canadian singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman, was recorded at The Woodshed, a recording studio owned by Canadian country-rock band Blue Rodeo. According to Rutledge, the songs are written with a single character in mind from the Michael Ondaatje novel Divisadero.

Lee Harvey Osmond Musical artist

Lee Harvey Osmond, stylized as LeE HARVeY OsMOND, is a Canadian psychedelic folk project fronted by musician Tom Wilson.

New Country Rehab is a Canadian alternative country band. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the band consists of John Showman on vocals and fiddle, Anthony Da Costa on guitar, Ben Whiteley on bass and Roman Tomé on drums. All four members are established session musicians in the Toronto area, who have played in supporting bands for artists such as Basia Bulat, Justin Rutledge and Amy Millan.

Jonathan (Jon) Goldsmith is a Canadian musician, arranger, producer and composer. Best known as a composer of film and television scores, he has also been associated with various projects as a musician, including Nick Buzz and the Art of Time Ensemble, and production of albums by artists including Bruce Cockburn, Jane Siberry, Martin Tielli, Hugh Marsh, Bourbon Tabernacle Choir and Sarah Slean.

References

  1. ↑ "The Henrys’ Unlikely Exposition". No Depression, by Lee Zimmerman. Accessed 2017-09-10.
  2. ↑ Wheeler, Brad (2009-06-23), "Slowly, slowly, a sultry revelation emerges", The Globe and Mail
  3. ↑ "Sliding Up: The Henrys take their sweet time". Now Toronto, by Matt Galloway November 28, 2002
  4. ↑ "Henrys Is This Tomorrow". Exclaim!, By Kerry Doole Jul 24, 2009
  5. ↑ Quill, Greg (2009-06-04), "GUITAR TOWN HEROES; Musicians declare undying love for most versatile and passionate of instruments", The Toronto Star
  6. ↑ Probert, Chris (1999-05-28), "The Henrys remain a well-kept secret Band bigger outside its native Canada.", The Globe and Mail
  7. ↑ Everett-Green, Robert (2002-12-06), "The elusive Henrys make a Joyous appearance", The Globe and Mail
  8. ↑ Everett-Green, Robert (2002-09-19), "Situation joyous", The Globe and Mail
  9. ↑ "The Henrys Quiet Industry". Exclaim!, by Kerry Doole Jun 05, 2015
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.