I began to play guitar just before I went into
high school inspired first by my dad and a couple of my uncles who when
properly persuaded would play Rock‘n’Roll songs at family gatherings.
This led enviably to me trying to form rock groups with my fellow high
school stage band members, which was a welcome distraction from anything
to do with academic achievement or good adolescent social standings.
In trying to feed my interest I would read interviews of musicians like
Jimi Hendrix, just to name one. Almost all the articles revealed that my
heroes had heroes of there own, this led me to discover artists like
Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, T-bone Walker and Louis Jordan. The path was
not unique but this sparked my own on going love affair with The Blues
in all of it forms and evolution.
I moved to Toronto in 1996 to begin my career in music, and discovered a
very rich and diverse music club scene with an amazing concentration of
deeply inspired and talented musicians, which is as incredible now as it
is then. I was lucky enough to have some success in the local clubs
playing with my Jazz and Blues cover band Jake & the Blue Midnights and
backing up other artists. The time between 1996-2001 I consider as my
personal education as singer guitarist. I think that I will always draw
from that time.
In 2001 I began to feel very serious about writing my own material
inspired by the creativity intelligence and musical persuasion of some
songwriters on the contempory world stage and it becomes more and more
the focus of my musical life. I have always tried not to think in one of
a genre of music when trying to write but the more I write the more I
feel a full circle forming. From which can be traced elements of a rock
approach to blues soaked stories and commentaries through which I hope
to give back a little of what music has given to me in journey so far.
After years fronting acclaimed
jump blues outfit Jake & the Blue Midnights, Jake
Chisholm shifts gears to check out some new musical
terrain with his new project aptly titled...Jake
Chisholm.
With a combination of musicianship, passion and youthful
energy, the fresh direction is an exciting mix of
well-woven grooves and wanton melodies, drive and simple
honesty are at the heart of Chisholm's new material.
[click the link for
more]
Blah. Monday. Blah. Blah. Cold. Winter. Cold. Cold.
Seeking refuge for the cold Monday night blahs? Queen
Street has your time machine, boys and girls. Slip and
slide your way to the Cameron House on a Monday evening
and be transported to a 1940's smoke-filled club filled
with hep cats and zoot suits. Well, not quite. The Swing
resurgence is a long-gone phenomenon. But hit the front
room of the Cameron on a Monday and there you shall find
Jake and the Blue Midnights filling the old converted
theatre with the sweet sounds of Swing and Jump Jazz.
[click the link for more]
Jake and the Blue Midnights are
one of Toronto's premier live acts. Formed in 1997 by
Jake Chisholm, the Blue Midnights combine consummate
musicianship with a youthful energy that brings their
music across with intensity and honesty.
Organic and enthralling performers
such as Louis Prima and Sam Butera, Joe Williams, Louis
Jordan inspires the Blue Midnights. There are hints of a
spectrum from Count Basie all the way to Bill Haley and
the Comets.
The band's debut recording , "Jake and the Blue
Midnights" was produced by Terry Wilkins. Sizzling with
the upbeat sound that has made the band a hot draw on
the club and festival circuit, it features five original
compositions by Jake Chisholm and producer Terry
Wilkins, and one song by Wilkins and Jack De Keyzer, as
well as several fresh renditions of cover songs from a
hipster?s record collection.
The band features Jake Chisholm on Guitar and vocals,
Chris Gale on alto and baritone saxes, Scott Neilson on
Tenor, Tyler Yarema on piano, Michael Carson on bass,
William Sperandei on trumpet, William Carn on trombone,
Mark Mariash on drums.
This article examines the career of a
local rock musician, Jake Chisholm, as an example of
our modern rock genre, drawing on opinions across
the rock-friendly Internet.
“Rock musicians are musicians who have the balls to
be themselves, speak the truth about their
experience no matter who’s listening and always play
and sing from the place in themselves that only they
can get to.”
As
much of a cliché as this may sound from the lips of
a rock musician, as Jake can attest, it’s not about
reviving old sounds or ideas, it’s about making the
cliché mean something again. Jake is an example of
exactly where rock music is today. He stopped
trying to take us back to where we were and moved
forward on his own. [click the link for more]
