Johny604 + Musician in Vancouver, BC

SEEKING

ABOUT

music [at] johnarthur [dot] ca

Aiming to launch a pub residency spotlighting vocal harmonies, in rootsy sets weighted to BC & Canadiana standards, Celtic & maritime trads, underplayed deep-cuts, unplugged conversions, and my own wistful originals. No classic rock, bro-country, drum machines, loop pedals. We'll prep a few of the usual Americana standards ready by request, but otherwise leave out overplayed UK/US radio from planned sets. We'll aim to write and increase originals to majority eventually, but never 100%, and I'm fairly protective about my writing so I prefer to start out by using trads/covers to get tight and build the vibe.

OFFERING a gregarious tenor with a knack for harmony and lyrics, willing to share rhythm-guitar duties a bit but I much prefer to focus on mandolin, fiddle, blues-harp, or even just beating a bodhran. Strong theory from an early Classical education gives me fluency with arrangements and chord voicings. I also sing in French, Spanish, and a wee bit in Gaelic.

As a happy bachelor with light gov hours at my M-F day job, I have availability to commit time aggressively to get up to scratch.

SEEKING a disciplined and driven roots singer, with guitar...

You are able to memorize simple chord progressions quickly to reach the 30-50 tunes we need to go gig 3h+ shows. Once our arrangements are tight as the core duo, after a little open-mic and busking, we'd next find a standup double-bass to gig professionally as a trio. Ambition is to offer a scaled-up band depending per gig revenue, ideally adding piano, accordion (or small-pipes), and optionally percussionist on bodhran and/or brushed-snare. (I'm not so keen on banjo)

I'd be quite content with a quick-study guitarist who has other concurrent project(s), e.g. a pop band or a solo singer-songwriter act, even if that's your higher priority. So long as you can learn tight changes and chorus lyrics as a side-man/side-gal, I'm happy to do the rest. A good voice is much more essential here than guitar level: e.g. solo chops as Lead would be less valuable to me than familiarity or ambition to explore Drop-D tunings on Rhythm, e.g. DADGAD.

Willing to hire some startup practice/rehearsal in early weeks, but once tight we'll be playing for gig revenue. Start-up wages wouldn't make this a vanity project: you must dig the vibe. But I am realistic that strong singers willing to strum in support are a scarce resource. :)

Conversely, if you prefer to invest time in equal partnership, for equal say in sets / arrangements / writing / etc, I'm an open-minded bandmate. If keen to solo as Lead Guitar I'm willing to support on Rhythm Guitar myself, it's just not my priority.

Screen name:

Johny604

Member since:

Oct 11 2014

Active within 24 hours

Level of commitment:

Very Committed

Years playing music:

35

Gigs played:

50 to 100

Tend to practice:

More than 3 times per week

Available to gig:

2-3 nights a week

Most available:

Nights

Influences

Spirit of the West, Be Good Tanyas, The Paperboys, The Duhks, The Waillin' Jennys, Basia Bullat, Kathleen Edwards, Neko Case, Jason Collette, Joel Plaskett, Great Lakes Swimmers, K.D. Lang, Whitehorse, Viper Central, Joy Kills Sorrow, Cowboys Fringants, Vent du Nord, Rankins, Barra McNeils, Barr Bros, Sarah Harmer, Jill Barber, Lynn Miles, Steven Fearing, David Francy, Corb Lund, Prairie Oyster, Blue Rodeo, The Hip, Feist, Cowboy Junkies,
The Band, Neil, Joni, Gord, Bruce, Ian, Stan, Stompin' Tom...

Springsteen, Dylan, Simon, CSN, Fleetwood-Mac, The Dead,
Van Morrison, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Counting Crows...

Mipso, Solas, Dervish, Skippinish, Lake Street Dive, Chris Thiel, The Civil Wars, Laura Marling, Maya de Vitre, Aoife O'Donovan, Sara Jaroz, Gillian Welch, Mandolin Orange aka TheWatchhouse, OCMS, Lord Huron, Fly My Pretties, Brandie Carlisle, Molly Tuttle, L Florence+TheMachine, Bon Iver, etc

Instrument experience:

Vocalist:

Advanced

Vocalist - Tenor:

Advanced

Violin:

Advanced

Background Singer:

Advanced

Fiddle:

Advanced

Rhythm Guitar:

Moderate

Acoustic Guitar:

Moderate

Other Percussion:

Moderate

Mandolin:

Moderate

Harmonica:

Intermediate

EQUIPMENT

Sharing a practice studio near Clark & Hastings.

mandolin (w/ pickup)
fiddle (w/ pickup)
electric fiddle
bodhran (jumbo, tunable, w/ pickup)
acoustic guitar (w/ pickup)
harmonicas, collar-rest
penny-whistles
tambourine, shakers

- 4x budget vocal mics, 2x stands
- portable Roland busking amp
- big messy box o' wires
- Tascam interface (analogue)
- iPad & GarageBand

MUSIC