Bio
Jeffery Straker
Singer-Songwriter-Pianist
“Rufus Wainwright, as well as K.D. Lang are among the Canadians making essential and beautiful music. Add the name Jeffery Straker to that list”
- Chicago Free Press, Gregg Shapiro (Jan ‘09)
“Cycling through (his) record I could not help but wonder why he’s not already a star in this country. Over time, he’s evolved into a fine songwriter with great lyrical sensibilities. Straker is very much an artist to watch”
- Canadian Musician Magazine (Feb ‘09)
NEW NEWS
CBC Canada Live to broadcast concert nationally, Apr 27 2010
Collaboration and tour with Regina Symphony - May 2010 - see tour calendar for dates
Top 10 Video on MUCH MORE MUSIC Canada (09)
Distributed by Universal Music/Conveyor Canada
Booking representation by Paquin Entertainment Canada
Regional Finalist 2009 Radiostar National Songwriting Competition (Canada)
2008 Toronto Independent Music Award nomination–best pop album
What’s most remarkable about singer-songwriter-pianist Jeffery Straker is that he has garnered such high praise and attention entirely through his own perseverance, a blend of creativity and business smarts, and dogged determination. This drive has helped him climb into the top 10 on Canada’s Much More Music video TV, gain radio airplay, secure Canada-wide distribution for his album with Universal Music Canada/Conveyor, and get tapped by a symphony orchestra for a collaborative tour. Oh yes, and he’s booked and performed 100+ shows a year for the past several years.
The Saskatchewan-raised performer’s dynamic and infectious album “Step Right Up” is a carnival-esque collection of 14 boisterous tunes which paints vivid aural images with not only lyrical artistry but also Jeffery’s gloriously energetic prowess on the piano—and sharp sense of humour. The CD was produced by Justin Gray (Joss Stone, Jacksoul) and Oxyfication.net declares, “There’s so much energy and fun here the effect is almost psychedelic, like being drunk on a rainbow.”
After unsuccessfully trying attract label attention for his album, Jeffery rolled up his sleeves and launched it on his own – and the results have been impressive. Jeffery’s indie release of the song “Hypnotized” from “Step Right Up” earned a Top 10 position from viewer votes on Much More Music. To produce the video, Jeffery advertised on craigslist.com for extras dressed up as circus entertainers, and not only did they show up, that online ad garnered a donated antique upright piano for the shoot. Jeffery then pounded the pavement servicing that video to get airplay. Along with video promotion, Jeffery took on the task of booking agent, averaging 100 shows a year ranging from solo shows, festival slots, and opening for Mel C. At those live shows, he sold over 2,200 CDs. All of this activity attracted the attention of venerable booking agency Paquin Entertainment, which signed Jeffery mid-2009. Securing some regional radio airplay for “Hypnotized”, including the CBC, not to mention an invitation to tour with the Regina Symphony Orchestra made him “very much an artist to watch” as touted by Canadian Musician Magazine. The well-established Canadian symphony orchestra will arrange his music for touring in 2010. Additionally CBC Radio’s ‘Canada Live’ program will broadcast nationally a recent recording of one of his concerts.
And after doing all this on his own he’s now been able to attract label support to release the album nationally. Though it’s Jeffery Straker’s third full CD, “Step Right Up” is his first with MDM Recordings Inc, which brings with it major label distribution from Conveyor / Universal Music Canada. Featuring drummer Randy Cook (Five For Fighting, Chantal Kreviazuk and Kelly Clarkson) and guitarist Justin Abedin (Amanda Marshall, Jacksoul), the album’s official release is scheduled for early 2010, with the uptempo “Hypnotized” leading the re-launch at radio and video.
The songs on “Step Right Up” tell absorbing life stories about characters that run the gamut from tragic to comic. “Special K” describes a romantic rendezvous in the grocery aisle while “Flat Lines” paints the picture of a friend as she struggles with bi-polar disorder. A trio of tongue-in-cheek odes to online dating brings an unexpected surprise–“I wish there was a way, that I could nicely say, you looked so much better online!”
Jeffery’s music has already gained international recognition, including recent nods for his songwriting as a national finalist in the Canadian Radiostar Songwriting Competition and as a top 20 finalist in the global 2009 Unisong Competition. Additionally he was a top 10 finalist in the prestigious US Mountain Stage newsong contest. Recently the Chicago Free Press said: “Rufus Wainwright, as well as k.d. lang are among the Canadians making essential and beautiful music. Add the name Jeffery Straker to that list”. This uniquely talented performer is definitely making a name for himself.
Jeffery’s love affair with the piano started at the age of 6 and was nurtured by his church organist mother and auctioneer father. In addition to piano lessons, regular jam sessions took place in their rural hometown of Punnichy, Saskatchewan (population 250) with friends and neighbours joining in. Jeffery played by ear, picking out tunes and “making things up” along the way. By 19, Jeffery had earned a degree in piano performance from England’s Trinity College of Music – practicing 4-5 hours a day. Serious songwriting however didn’t start until about 9 years ago, influenced by a combination of the classical training, the pop Jeffery listened to with his family, and a “strong story-telling tradition where I grew up”.
His musical prowess and flare at the piano has an incredibly famous connection - it’s true. While studying at the conservatory of music at the University of Regina, Jeffery worked with one Frank Crumly, who had been taught by Thomas Manshardt, who previously had been taught by Howard Wells, who was a student of Leschetizky (acknowledged as the greatest teacher of all time), who was taught by Czerny, who, you guessed it, was taught by Beethoven. A similar lineage through Manshardt connects Jeffery to Chopin. Quite the pedigree!
Watch for more from Jeffery through 2010 including the national launch of his album Step Right Up.
For more information visit www.jeffstraker.com
Jeffery thanks the Saskatchewan Arts Board, SaskMusic and FACTOR for their on-going support of his music.
Some interesting tidbits about Jeffery:
- He holds a degree in plant biology/biochemistry. “I think I’d burned out on classical piano after earning my Licentiate and needed something completely different. I thought a career in piano wasn’t for me and I just wanted to study something new”.
- Jeffery’s previous album ‘Songs from Highway 15’ is a collection of 10 songs inspired by people and places in the Canadian prairies. Highway 15 is the road that runs past his parents farm.
- Jeffery has performed as far away as Ireland, China, New York City, and Panama (with the Canadian Embassy). He performed in a mountain town in Panama where the venue was a cathedral and the whole first row was nuns in habits. This has never happened again.
- While recording part of Step Right Up in LA, Jeffery slept at the famed Alta Cienega Motel in room 32 where Jim Morrison slept during his Hollywood stint in the late 60’s (see photo page on his website site for pix)
- Jeffery’s first piano teacher was Vicky Young in Punnichy SK. Mrs Dawn Mctavish of Raynmore SK was his next teacher, followed by Frank Crumly at the Conservatory of Music, University of Regina
- Jeffery did do some vocal training in Toronto with the talented Elizabeth Davidson. She actually helped him ‘find’ about 12 new notes he didn’t know he could sing - up in his high range. It was a strange awakening. But Elizabeth works magic!
- Tykie is a real person! (see song ‘Tykie’s comin out’) Jeffery went to school with him from K-12.
Discography
Middle of Somewhere (2002) (2-song single)
Petrified (2003)
Songs from Highway 15 (2006)
Step Right Up (indie release 2008/full national release 2010)
