Jennifer Gillmor

Artscape Gibraltar Point Residency Has Begun!

I spent the week moving all my gear and supplies to settle into my residency at Artscape Gibraltar Point. What a time for technical problems! I picked up my computer from the shop yesterday only to find a main external hard drive fail on me. But all is up and running now. I am tidying up a few loose ends for the Jennis album project and then shall be diving into the creative process of developing a set of solo material for performance and, eventually, a new solo album. Eke! The blank sonic canvas is staring me in the face!  Excited to see what develops on the theme of my urban-rural half-breed identity. Perfect place to soak up and express what I love about both urban and natural environments.

I shall be cloistering myself here Thursday mornings through Monday afternoons until March 25. See you on the mainland Monday evening through Wednesday afternoon  for a massage (book one and support my creative retreat!) . Otherwise, see you in April!

Jennis album update

The new Jennis album is now in the hands of our esteemed mixer, Dean Drouillard. We’ve had some great guests including Oisin Hannigan (bodhran, riq & daf), Tom Wolf (drums & percussion), Chris Dahmer (accordion & organ) and a kick ass lead guitar track by the incomparable Cécile Doo-Kingué. Several songs also benefit from back-up vocals by Shannon Kingsbury and Tannis Slimmon (AKA Shannis).

We have decided to hold off till fall for the official launch. We are learning more about the whole 21st-century marketing game and realize a spring launch would be too rushed, especially with Dennis heading to Costa Rica for the winter and I head to Gibraltar Point Artscape on Toronto Island for a Canada Council funded composing retreat (toward a 2nd solo album!).

We are in discussions publicity and marketing specialists to help us do it right. We are giving it the time and attention it needs and think it will be worth the wait!

Bed tracks are down for 6 new Jennis songs!

Just a quick note to update that Jennis now has cello, didgeridoo, banjitar, resonator guitar and electric guitar parts recorded for 6 songs toward the new album. We’ll be heading to Escarpment Sound at the end of August to lay down 5 more songs. These ones will include Tom Wolf on drum kit and other percussion!

Jennis set to play 3 shows at the Kitchener Bluesfest!

 We are super excited about this weekend — we have 3 shows at the Kitchener BluesfestOther than Rik Emmet‘s festival kick-off concert on Thursday night, everything else is FREE! So come have a blast of summer fun with us! We’re rocking things up a bit for part of our Saturday 1:30 main stage appearance. We’ve got the indomitable Tom Wolf drumming with us!

Most exciting for us is that Malian Tuareg band Tinariwen are playing at 5pm on Sunday right after our 4pm set. If you’ve not seen them, believe me, they’re worth a drive to Kitchener!

Saturday, August 11, 1:30pm Downtown BIA Outdoor Stage, 32 King St E
Saturday, August 11, 11pm B @ The Museum, 10 King St W
Sunday, August 12, 4pm (with Blackcat Bone) Bobby O”Brien’s, 125 King St W

Jennis 2nd album recording has begun!

Dennis and I have recorded bed tracks for 6 of the planned 12 songs for our second album. We’re having fun and it’s going great (except for all the driving between Toronto and Guelph!). I rented an incredible Neumann U87 microphone for the cello. I never thought of my ears as so discerning until I auditioned this mic and its clarity blew me away. Send any arts patrons my way who might like to supply me with one of my own!

We have 5 songs that have drums so Tom Wolf will be recording them with us as the beautiful Escarpment Sound studio in August. Can’t wait to play with that sweet guy and amazing drummer again! We’ll also be playing the Kitchener Blues Festival with him.

Canada Council supports my second solo album creation!

Much gratitude to the jurors at the Canada Council for the Arts for agreeing to support me with an Explore and Create grant. My intention is to retreat to a composer studio at Gibraltar Point Artscape January, February and March of 2019, four days per week, to create music for a second solo album. I’m so looking forward to focussed creative time in a community of artists on our beautiful island. The theme I’ll be exploring relates to my urban-rural split identity. What better place to be than where the natural beauty and energy of Toronto Island nestles up to the south shore of Canada’s largest city!

Sound Designing “Love and Information” for Canadian Stage

I shall soon dive into creating the sound design for a play called “Love and Information”, directed by Tanja Jacobs and Alistair Newton for Canadian Stage. I spent many years of my youth passionate about acting and am always thrilled to return to theatre with my music and sound skills.

Performance run at the Berkely Street Theatre in Toronto April 10-29, 2018.

Hailed as one of England’s greatest living playwrights, Caryl Churchill has provoked audiences for over four decades. Told through a theatrically-adventurous medley of short vignettes, Love and Information features an ensemble of actors performing over 100 roles. With an intellectual vigour and dazzling instinct for the absurd, Churchill confronts the data overload that bombards us every day – painting an instantly-recognizable portrait of modern human connection.”

Composing Retreat Confirmed for winter 2019

It’s official! I’ve just signed the contract to secure one of the composer studios at Artscape Gibraltar Point on Toronto Island. I’ll be there from January to the end of March 2019, exploring themes relating to my “urban-rural halfbreed” identity with a large palette of sounds. What better place for such investigations where the beauty of nature nestles up to Canada’s largest city!

Solo album creation retreat

I am off to Gibraltar Point on Toronto Island today to look at one of the composer’s studios. This is a step toward a retreat next winter to compose and record a second solo album. I’m itching to delve deep into creation and explore the theme of my “urban-rural half-breed” identity. Now that I have the experiment of the first solo album under my belt, I am ready to make a better one!

Solar Rhythms: Tropic of Sagittarius

Saturday, December 16, 2017

A creative community gathering to acknowledge and celebrate the turning of the seasons. Connecting our urban feet mindfully to the natural forces that influence us at the solstices and equinoxes. Joining our voices, hearts and minds in a safe, sacred space to soulfully meditate, move and play

This ecstatic dance event that celebrates each season with DJ Michael P and me. I’ll be playing cello, didge, flute, and who knows what else, solo and with Michael. He and I are cooking up ideas as to how we can interactively honour the sun’s station in Sagittarius and the element of WATER.

Join us as we creatively acknowledge our connection to nature, even in the big city. We’ll enjoy 2 hours of dancing followed by some social time at beautiful Temple 23  in Liberty VillageToronto. This groovy venue is one of the last of its kind in Toronto. Sadly, this will be the last opportunity to enjoy dancing there before it falls to the developer’s axe in 2018.

A barefoot, alcohol-free, non-verbal dance event.

Jennis 2nd Album Crowdfunding Campaign

Be a patron of the arts! Jennis is ready to record our second album and we need your help to meet the budget required to bring in top-notch pros to make our sound compete on the world stage of roots music. We have launched an Indiegogo Crowdfunding Campaign which gives us the opportunity to offer fun and creative perks to those who donate.

If you have enjoyed our music and performances, please show your support by donating any amount from $10 to $1,000 and enjoy one or more of the great perks we’re offering in exchange. Be a part of keeping independent, original, conscious music alive in Canada!

This is the link to our campaign: https://igg.me/at/Jennis-Second-Album

 

Solar Rhythms: Tropic of Gemini

An ecstatic dance event that celebrates each quarter season with DJ Michael P and me. I’ll be playing cello, didge, flute, and who knows what else, solo and with Michael. He and I are cooking up ideas as to how we can interactively honour Gemini’s ruling element of AIR and the FIRE of Summer Solstice.

Get ready for a facilitated breath rhythm jam and more, as well as over 2 hours of dancing followed by some social time at beautiful Temple 23  in Liberty Village, Toronto. This groovy venue is one of the last of its kind in Toronto. We’ll have the Fall Equinox and Winter Solstice editions of Solar Rhythms there before it falls to the developer’s axe in 2018.
Tickets and further info: Solar Rhythms.

Jennis Tour Fully Booked

The 2nd Western-Canada Tour for Jennis is all sewn up!

Sat, Jul 29 The Foundry, Thunder Bay, ON
Wed, Aug 2 House Concert, Calgary, AB
Thu, Aug 3 The Hive, Canoe, BC (Salmon Arm)
Fri, Aug 4 House Concert, Bowen Island, BC
Sat, Aug 5 Stoney Pocket Music Festival, Pender Island, BC
Sun, Aug 6 Treehouse Café, Salt Spring Island, BC
Thu, Aug 10 House Concert, Smithers, BC
Aug 11-13 Robson Valley Festival, Dunster, BC
Wed, Aug 16 House Concert, Saskatoon, SK
Fri, Aug 18 Ship & Plough, Gimli, MB
Sat, Aug 19 The Foundry, Thunder Bay, ON

Playing for the Ontario Regional Contact Improv Jam … AGAIN!

It’s official. I’ll be the musician for the Saturday night dance at this largest contact jam in North America on April 15th! This is one of my favourite creative opportunities as it allows me the pleasure of making big sound in a beautiful room as my eyes and heart take in the sight of a few hundred passionate dancers busting loose in front of me. Amazing! More info: http://contactimprov.ca/on/ontario/2017/