Biography
Jim Bryson is a treasured singer-songwriter from Ottawa, voted Ottawa’s “Best Folk Band/Artist” in 2006.His debut The Occasionals turned heads from in Canada and the UK, and Bryson became a regular at festival events around the country. He then released The North Side Benches in 2003 on Orange Records/Universal Music, which made several Top 10 lists (Billboard, No Depression, NOW Magazine) and received much critical acclaim.“The North Side Benches… is a cogent showcase for Bryson’s music, which could inadequately be summarized as the Replacements recording at Big Pink. A bruised emotional core of songwriting blends with gruff humour, set in uncluttered, inventive musical settings.” No Depression“Jim Bryson is the quintessential songwriter’s songwriter. He writes some of the most painfully beautiful, deceptively simple songs you’ll ever hear, and plays them with a highly skilled bunch of moonlighting musicians.” Mary Dickie (TORONTO SUN)“#6 Album of the Year! If Kathleen Edwards has a “Mr. Miyagi,” it’s this excellent singer/songwriter.” Jason MacNeil (BILLBOARD)“Acres of old-fashioned heart and soul. This album will be no more unfashionable 20 years hence than it would have been in 1972, and that’s an achievement in itself.” Q MagazineBryson joined Kelp for his third and best album, Where the Bungalows Roam, touring extensively in Europe, the US and Canada with Kathleen Edwards and the Weakerthans, both of whom added Jim as an auxiliary band member while on tour. Confessional and direct,Bungalows was a critical hit in Canada, heaping praise from newspapers and blogs alike:” To any fans of great folk music, don’t sleep on this great record.” – Herohill.com“…one of Canada’s most underrated songwriters.” – Exclaim!“Where the Bungalows Roam continues his mastery of lazy sounding porch-rock.” – Calgary (Edmonton)Jim’s last few years have been a blur. As a member of The Kathleen Edwards band, he performed on Late Night with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and played at Farm Aid 2005. He also toured with Howe Gelb in his Sno’ Angel band. His current employers are Canadian legends the Tragically Hip; Bryson is touring North America and Europe in 2009 as their keyboard player.His most recent release, is a live recording made in Winter 2008 called Live at the First Baptist Church, chronicling a memorable night at what has become one of Ottawa’s preferred live concert settings.In between Tragically Hip live dates, Jim is hard at work on his fifth studio album, which should see release on Kelp in 2010.
