Since the inaugural launch of his most recent recording, Jeff Bien’s music debut has been nominated for a National Folk World Music Award, received repeat airplay across the country, been profiled nationally on Bravo, selected by CBC as one of the releases of the year, broadcast on Radio Canada International, and an all-star ensemble of musicians gathered at Hugh's Room in Toronto to celebrate the fall national release. Performing with Bien were George Koller (bass), Rebecca Campbell (vocals), Rick Lazar (percussion), Ravi Naimpally (tabla), John Gzowski (oud/guitar), Anne Lindsay (violin), Richard Underhill (saxophone), Ray Montford (guitar), and Kobena Aquaa-Harrison (African drum and vocal).
"This really was a testament to Jeff's work, that so many outstanding musicians with different touring commitments put aside their busy schedules for the show," noted Underhill, a Juno Award-winning jazz musician.
He has recorded two CD's of poetry to music, A Taste of Creation and America & other poems, along with his first recording of song, Songs of Forgiveness & Prayer, which features his own original music in collaboration with many of Canada's finest musicians. His music has been praised for its vision and lyrical quality, and for inspiring and awakening social and spiritual consciousness. With fraternal greetings from Leonard Cohen, and accolades from Mercan Dede, David Broza, and other international artists, it is an auspicious debut. Bien's work embodies diverse musical and cultural influences, engaging oral and formal traditions which include the migrancy of folk, jazz, classical, African and spiritual idioms.
He has performed on many occasions in Europe during tours sponsored by the Canadian embassy and the Department of Foreign Affairs, and on each occasion was joined by Canadian and European musicians to accompany lyrical performances and songs which received enthusiastic responses. Besides appearances at such Canadian venues as Ontario Place and The Great Canadian Theatre Company, he has performed at Amadeo Roldan, Havana, and at an open-air concert at Shakespeare & Company in Paris, which drew one of the largest audiences in their landmark history.
Bien has recorded in numerous studios including, in Montreal: Frisson, Fast Forward, Study Piccolo and Silent Sound Studio; in Toronto: Canterbury Studio, Found Music, Reaction, Halla Music, and SoundHole; and most recently in Kingston at Leopard Frog Studios. He has worked with established engineers/producers including David Travers-Smith, Rob Heaney, Jeremy Darby, Morris Apelbaum, Barney Beninger, Phil Bova and Chris Coleman.
Internationally, Bien has recorded at Teatro Amadeo Roldan, in Havana, with: pianist Roberto Carcasse, composer/pianist Alexis Bosch Mendez, and saxophonist Jose Carlos Acosta Embale; and at New York Studio and Studio Ohm Sweet Ohm, in Paris, with: guitarist Pierre Chaze, and vocalist Jessica Rose Princeston (Notre Dame Choir). A number of his poems have been given musical treatment by Emmanuel Reverdi (Paris) and released internationally on CD (Access/9 Ave. B), Melodie Records, as well as EMI.
In 2013 Mercan Dede, whose last album was number one in the world (World Music), composed music to a number of voice recordings of his most recent poems, including them in his newest release Dünya, an album which includes music composed to a rare recording of Mahatma Gandhi, as well as lyrics of Rumi, and other prominent artists. One of Bien’s poem’s was the only track from the double CD, included in the Buddha Bar`s annual compilation, released worldwide.
“Jeff Bien until this point has been regarded more as a poet than a musician. He's well known world wide and major poets like Ted Hughes and Irving Layton have sung his praise over the years... He's now released a full-blown musical album 'Songs of Forgiveness & Prayer'... If Neil Diamond were doing a Leonard Cohen record this would be the result... A star studded cast of supporting players.”
-- Mark Rheaume, CBC Radio
He has worked with a wide spectrum of Canada's most prominent musicians including: the late Oliver Schroer and Jamisse Jamo, David Travers-Smith, Mercan Dede, Mark Duggan, Jason Fowler, Andrew Downing, Thom Gossage, Ken Pearson, Michel Pepin, Danny Greenspoon, Yannik Rieu, Frédéric Alarie, Rob Frayne, John Geggie, Joel Zifkin, Kim Richardson, Derek Debeer, Kebba Jobateh, Quammi Williams, Pierre Cormier, Armando Borg, Rob Graves, Ted Warren, Trevor Ferrier, Bill Gossage, James Parker, Bob Cohen, Tim Walker, Erich Kory, Rob Frayne, Kate Mossman, Sheila Hannigan, Mariusz Monczak, Dàma Scène, Chris Coleman, Robert Windsor, Dave Gossage, Kim Richardson, Ellen Hamilton, Michel Ballèt, Julie Michels and members of Montreal's Jubilation Gospel Choir.
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