Kevin Barrett (guitar, string arrangements, producer)

Kevin Barrett is a guitarist, producer, musical director and composer based in Toronto, Canada.  He is known as a passionate soloist, a first-rate accompanist, and a versatile and creative side musician.  Kevin brings this strong background as a performer to his work in Musical Direction, producing and recording.  As well as leading his own Group, Kevin has worked with some of the finest musicians on the Canadian music scene – Patricia Cano, Molly Johnson, Rebecca Campbell, Kellylee Evans, Lillian Allen, Gillian Margot, DK Ibomeka and the Stratford Festival.  
    
Kevin has been Musical Director for Ron Davis’ symphRONica, Daniela Nardi’s ESPRESSO MANIFESTO, and Arts4All Creative Society.  Through kevinbarrettgroup Productions he has produced recordings with Jacob Langer, Julie Michels, Melissa Boyce, Lisa Lindo, and Faustwork Mask Theatre.  Other recording credits include guitar work for Daniela Nardi, Ron Davis, Kira Callaghan, Jay Boehmer and Adi Braun.  Kevin also maintains a busy private teaching practice.

Kevin Barrett photo.jpg

Drew Birston (electric bass, acoustic bass)

Drew Birston is a versatile bassist and singer/songwriter living in Toronto,Canada and has been recording,performing and touring with a wide variety of artists for over 20 years including The Kevin Barrett Group, Sultans of String, and Chantal Kreviazuk. Tours have included the US, Canada, Japan, China, Indonesia, and Europe, and recording credits include albums with two Canadian Juno nominated artists Sultans of String and Tomi Swick. Drew can also be heard on albums by Amanda Martinez, Kevin Barrett, Worst Pop Band Ever, Kevin Laliberté, Hayden, Sarah Slean, Justin Hines, and Jacob Langer. Drew also just released his debut solo album, Orca Songs, featuring 10 original pieces that you can hear at drewbirston.bandcamp.com and drewbirston.com.


Rebecca Campbell (vocal arrangements, backing vocals)

Rebecca Campbell is a singer-songwriter who creates music that is emotionally rooted, honest, lyrical, adventurous, intimate, impressionistic, interactive, joyful, poetic, and full of surprises. The scope of her resume betrays a disregard for idiomatic boundaries, a love of words, and a penchant for the sweet and sad. In addition to her work with Fat Man Waving, Justin Haynes, Three Sheets to the Wind, and Jane Siberry, she has sung alongside many famous and not-so-famous musicians over the years. Her vocal arrangements and coaching skills represent an invaluable contribution to this CD, for which Jacob is extremely grateful.


Joe Freedman (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, B-bender guitar)

Joe Freedman is an electric and acoustic guitar player with over 50 years of experience.  He considers himself fortunate to have learned his first guitar chords in 1960, which provided a grounding for learning many of the guitar-based songs that went on to define 1960’s-1970’s folk, pop and classic rock music.  Joe is also an accomplished fingerstyle acoustic guitarist and has written and performed his original compositions in Canada and the US.  Over the years, Joe has played lead guitar in various local cover bands continues to enjoy contributing the odd solo and fill to a variety of musical projects. 

Joe Freedman.jpg

Paul Gellman (piano, violin, string arrangements)

Paul Gellman is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist and based on Gabriola Island, B.C.  He has written hundreds of songs in a wide range of styles combining rock, pop, r&b, jazz, folk, blues, reggae, country, klezmer and more.  Paul has performed solo and in bands for over 40 years, and brings a warm ambience to the stage.  Paul was a member of The Perth County Conspiracy in the ‘70s, touring and recording with the group, both in Canada and abroad.  Later, he formed Island while living on Canada’s West Coast. This band performed original music for several more years.

 

Piano Smile Light (1).jpg

Peter Hodgson (backing vocals)

Peter Hodgson is a Wealth Manager and fly fisherman who lives in Collingwood Ontario. He has been playing guitar and singing with his friends and family since his early years growing up in Nova Scotia.


Steve Koven (piano, organ)

Steve Koven is a composer, performer, producer and educator. In 1993 Steve established the Steve Koven Trio. Touring the world for more then two decades, they have become known as ‘Canadian Cultural Ambassadors’. Aside from performing world wide with his trio, Steve also performs solo piano concerts throughout North America, Europe and the Caribbean. Dozens of Koven’s compositions have been licensed for national and international film and television productions.


Alexander Langer (tambourine)

Alexander Langer is a graduate of McGill University in political science and history. He is currently working in New York and living the good life in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Al canoe trip 2013.jpg

Benjamin Langer (banjo, harmonica, backing vocals)

Benjamin Langer has been playing music since he was a small child “helping” Jacob strum his guitar. Starting with guitar, he has expanded his repertoire to include banjo, harmonica, oud, and most recently, the berimbau native to the music of Capoeira. During his undergraduate years at King’s University in Halifax, he was a regular busker at the Halifax Farmer’s Market with Tristan Legg and Blues Alone Trio. At the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, he was a regular musical performer in Tachycardia, the annual musical show, as well as playing and singing in the class of 2015 band, Broken Schulich Scene. He is currently a Resident in Family Medicine at St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto, and still jams whenever the opportunity arises.

Ben Langer pic.jpg

Jessica Langer (backing vocals)

Jessica Langer holds a PhD from the University of London; she is a marketing and communications strategy consultant and teaches social and digital communications in the McMaster-Syracuse MCM program and in the School of Creative Industries at Ryerson University. Jessica has been singing since she was a young child in the St. Louis Children’s Choir; she's played the Minstrel and the Nightingale in Once Upon a Mattress, Fruma Sarah in Fiddler on the Roof and Rizzo in Grease. Jessica continues to sing whenever she can - mostly in the car or to her kids, but occasionally in public as well. 

Jessica Langer pic.jpg

 

Ferne Sherkin-Langer (backing vocals)

Ferne Sherkin-Langer is a pediatric nurse, author and realtor. She has always loved to sing, and currently sings in the Resa's Pieces Community Choir.

Ferne in Croatia.jpg

Rebbe Soul pic-1.jpg

Rebbe Soul (electric guitar)

The music of RebbeSoul has been described as “World Fusion stemming from the Jewish Diaspora, a mix of ancient and modern, and a blend of East and West.”  It highlights Russian balalaika, electric and acoustic guitars, hip-hop rhythms, Middle Eastern percussion, and flamenco cajónes.  RebbeSoul has been featured on CNN International and on the cover of Billboard Magazine as the quintessential and original producer of Jewish Roots and World music.  His groundbreaking 1995 album , “Fringe Of Blue,” has become one of the the biggest selling Jewish music albums of all time. His “Change The World With A Sound” album was #1 on the CMJ (college radio) World Music charts.

Webiste: www.rebbesoul.com


David Steinberg (drums)

David has played drums in several bands over the years, including The Mods, Stiv Bators Band, The Jitters and Strange Advance. He is currently an entertainment lawyer in Toronto and a longtime friend of the Langer family!

 

 


Olga Van Kranendonk (cello)

I started playing cello in high school and credit my friends from that time (like Jack) for getting me really excited about music. I went on to practice cello day and night and embark upon a musical career. After living in Amsterdam for a few years in my 20’s (playing in orchestras), I returned to Toronto and joined Tafelmusik, with whom I have toured the world and recorded over 40 CD’s. I have played with many groups in Toronto as a freelancer, including the Canadian Opera Company and the Toronto Symphony. One of the most satisfying aspects of my time in music has been teaching many students and passing on the craft and musicianship that I was taught. No longer performing, I have changed career paths and is currently a Registered Psychotherapist with a practice in Toronto. 

website: olgavank.com

Olga van Kranendonk picture.jpg