| Jon Brooks | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Born | August 17, 1968 King City, Ontario, Canada |
| Origin | Toronto |
| Genres | Folk |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | 615 Taylor Guitar |
| Website | http://www.jonbrooks.ca |
Jon Brooks (b. 17 August 1968, King City, Ontario, Canada,) is an award winning Canadian folk singer-songwriter.
Contents |
NO MEAN CITY (2006) was Jon's first CD. No longer in print but available on iTunes, NMC is a 13 song ode to the modern Canadian city, particularly, Toronto. Focusing on those living on the outskirts of approval, the songs are boldly layered with biblical, literary, and historical allusion. Jon's idea for No Mean City was inspired by Toronto architecture historian, Eric Arthur's book of the same name - which also accounts for why all the songs devote equal attention to their characters' surrounding architecture. Today, NO MEAN CITY remains Jon's favourite secret.
The title of Jon's second release, OURS AND THE SHEPHERDS (2007), was taken from Dorothy Day's response to her own reflection, 'whose fault is it? It's ours and the shepherds'. A collection of Canadian war stories dating from WWI through to current missions in Afghanistan. 13 songs inspired by the lives of Canadians, Sen. Romeo Dallaire, Padre William Henry Davis, John McRae, Sgt. Tommy Prince, and James Loney to name a few. OATS earned Jon multiple awards, a place in the Canadian War Museum and The John McRae Society, as well as his first 'Best Songwriter' nomination at the 2007 Canadian Folk Music Awards.
MOTH NOR RUST (2009) is Jon's third and most highly acclaimed cd thus far. The theme: songs inspired by 'all that neither moth nor rust' can touch - love, hope, trust, faith, memory, inspiration, and gratitude. The ten songs were recorded live-in-studio, solo, and in first or second takes in the effort to amplify the austere theme of human essentials. MNR enjoyed international chart positions and worldwide airplay as well as his second 'Best Songwriter' nomination at the 2009 Canadian Folk Music Awards. The lyrics of MNR were published by Canada's foremost literary journal, EXILE EDITIONS.
Brooks has been invited to perform at many international music festivals including:
UK: Greenbelt Festival (2009)
Australia: Newstead Folk Festival (2011)
Canada: Home County Folk Festival (2006 & 2008), Shelter Valley Folk Festival (2007 & 2011), Edmonton Folk Festival (2008), Frostbite Music Festival (2008), Ottawa Folk Festival (2010), Islands Folk Festival (2010), Calgary Folk Festival (2011)
USA: Kerrville Folk Festival (2010 & 2011), Rice Festival (2010)