Friday, November 13, 2009

Teresa Ennis' CD, Stars, featured on CBC Radio Two's "Connections"

Tune in to CBC Radio Two's "Connections" with host Olga Milosevich to hear a feature on Teresa Ennis' brand new CD, Stars, on Saturday, November 14th between 10AM and 11AM AST.


To hear the program, click on one of the following links:


Thursday, November 12, 2009

Teresa Ennis releases her new recording: Stars, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009









St. John’s, Newfoundland born and raised, Nova Scotia based, singer-songwriter, Teresa Ennis releases her second CD, Stars, Tuesday, Nov. 10.
The new recording is available in stores nationally via Fontana North/Universal Music Canada as well as digitally, via MapleMusic.com.

Following in the footsteps of her debut CD, Space, released in fall 2007, Stars is an easy flowing collection of beautiful songs eloquently sung and played in the same relaxed manner they were recorded.  This recording, however, is more focused on Teresa’s Celtic roots than her debut which had some strong bluegrass overtones.

Returning again to the easy atmosphere of producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joel e. Hunt’s Beaverbank home-based recording studio, Teresa Ennis found herself recording with the likes of Shannon Quinn (fiddle, accordion), Boyd MacNeil (Barra MacNeils), Jeff Bird (Cowboy Junkies), Glenn Coolen (MacCrimmon’s Revenge), multi-instrumentalist Darren McMullen, bassist Rheo Rochon, drummer/percussionist Sam Cino, Lewis Melville on accordion and even mixing and mastering engineer Jeff Wolpert contributed some percussion.
As with her debut, the CD was recorded between cooking and preparing meals, often with dogs sleeping on the floor nearby while the fire crackled in the woodstove and the hockey game was on the TV. 

The new recording features several new original songs by Teresa and Joel, as well as some beautifully arranged and interpreted traditional selections.  Highlights include: the easy opening track, The Pines, which in a subtle way celebrates the beauty of the East Coast and what it has to offer, as well as the beautiful semi-autobiographical, Out Here on the Water, inspired by real people and places.  Out Here on the Water is the release’s focus track for radio.  Other new originals include: Pretty Anne McGuire, Winter Slowly Passing as well as new traditional interpretations of Ireland’s Fair and Tender Ladies and the America folk song Georgie.
Maritime artist Al Tuck contributes a beautiful bilingual song to close off the recording with the disarming Small and Few.

For more detailed information regarding the song selection please follow this link:

Teresa Ennis will be scheduling live performances for the 2010 festival and theatre season.  Please follow any of the links below to keep up to date on various activities:



If you work in media or radio and would like a promotional CD, more information or would like to schedule an interview with Teresa Ennis, please contact:

*************************************
Andre Bourgeois
INSTINCT
Artist Management
P:  902-632-2149







Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The Inspirations Behind the Songs on my New CD, Stars.

The Pines 

This was one of the songs that inspired the CD title, Stars.

I first wrote the melody of this song to accompany a sweet little children’s poem written by Robert Louis Stevenson called, Escape at Bedtime, published in 1885.

RLS’s poem describes a child’s imagination while stargazing before getting into bed.  The child is amazed at the number of stars in the sky and eventually gets into bed, taking with him the memory of a sky, crowded with glittering stars and constellations.   

Joel wrote new lyrics for the song, inspired by the beautiful white pines which surround his country home in Beaverbank, Nova Scotia.  This song is about homesickness.  Leaving the laid back country life and heading for the city.  Knowing all the constellations are there in the sky but not being able to see them through the bright city lights.

When we come from such a wonderful place like Eastern Canada and live somewhere else for a while, no matter how beautiful it may be, we really appreciate and come to miss the things we have at home.  

________

Captain Kennedy

I heard this song on a lesser known Neil Young recording from 1980, called Hawks and Doves.  I thought it would sound great with an Irish/sea shanty type treatment, using the bodhran to drive the song along.   

________

Out Here on the Water

The inspiration behind this song comes from a story I once heard about a father and his two sons who were out on the open sea one fine day, in a dory.  By and by, to their astonishment, the waters around their dory became littered with a pod of pilot whales.  The whales were just as curious about them as they were about the giant mammals and they all floated along together, sizing each other up.  

I’ve had similar experiences on a number of occasions while sea kayaking off the shores of Cheticamp, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.  Although it’s an amazing experience, it can also be overwhelming.  They’re so beautiful, yet powerful.  There’s nothing like being out on the water with whales.

________

Western Highway

This is one of my favourite songs on the album.  I love the acoustic simplicity of the arrangement.  Shannon Quinn plays such a beautiful Irish style fiddle on this track, complimented by Joel’s guitar playing.  The overall vibe reminds me of how homesick I get when I’m on the road for a long stretch of time.

________

Gasoline Alley

This song came out of The Faces era of Rod Stewart’s career.

I love the arrangement of this tune; whistles, fiddle, dobro, mandolin and acoustic guitar, all following the melody and the lead vocal.  Awesome!

________

Georgie

This is an old, traditional song that Joel and I arranged to work with the atmosphere of this recording.  Joel found it on one of the many older bluegrass recordings he has in his collection.

________

Boat On a River

Joel and I had the idea of taking this song from its gypsy-influenced original arrangement to a more Celtic sound.  It’ll be interesting to see how many people recognize or remember this song from the original.

________

Pretty Anne McGuire

This is another example of a song where I wrote the melody and Joel wrote the words.  I think it sounds a bit like an old traditional English tune.

It’s a murder ballad about a woman who seeks the ultimate revenge on her husband for having cheated on her with the fairest lady in town.  The song ends tragically.

I absolutely love the instrumental break in this tune featuring Darren McMullen on mandolin and Joel e. Hunt on Guitar. 

________

Winter Slowly Passing

My father always said that we have to respect the sea because it can be your best friend one minute and your worst enemy the next.  He grew up in a small fishing village on the south side of St. John’s, Newfoundland called Fort Amherst.  His father was a fisherman as were most of the men in the community.  He recalls many times as a child, when his mother would be worried sick about whether or not her husband, brother, uncle etc. would return home from sea. When the time came for Dad to choose a path in life, although he loved being at sea, he chose a job that would keep him close to the land and his family.

Winter Slowly Passing was inspired by my father’s story and the true story of a ship called the Tubal Cain that sank off the coast of St. Pierre, Miquelon and what the families of the people on that ship might have gone through.

________

Heart Like a Wheel

I heard the original recording of this song from Kate and Anna McGarrigle’s 1975 self titled album.  Even though the production of their version is a little dated, the song is strong and beautiful.  I remember playing a Celtic festival in Montreal right before the McGarrigle Sisters performed.  That was a night to remember.

________

’39

This is the song that ties my CDs, Space and Stars, together musically and thematically.  Although it sounds like an old traditional song about sailing the seven seas, it’s actually about space and time travel.   Hope you like it too!

________

Fair and Tender Ladies

Fair and Tender Ladies is one of the few traditional love songs written from a woman’s perspective.  Beautiful.

________

Small and Few

This is an abbreviated version of a pretty song written by maritime singer/songwriter, Al Tuck.  I really like the vibe we achieved with this song - sort of Friendly Giant-esque!  I love that it’s a French/English song as well.  A lovely way to end the album.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Stars has Arrived!

I had a great time at Nova Scotia Music Week in Yarmouth last night!

Thanks to Music Nova Scotia for inviting me to showcase at this year's event.  I enjoyed the 3+ hour to and fro (my first time on Nova Scotia's South Shore) and had fun performing a few tunes with my good friend, Joel.

My new CD, Stars, arrived at my door just before I left -- impeccable timing!  I'm excited to announce that they'll be in stores nationally this coming Tuesday, November 10th and at MapleMusic.com.  Yey!

My next performance is at the end of the month in Moncton, NewBrunswick -- CBC Radio One's Tree of Hope Campaign.  In the meantime, I'll be busy writing tunes for my next CD.

For photos, music and videos, please visit:
http://www.teresaennis.ca
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Teresa-Ennis/167773744558?ref=nf
http://www.reverbnation.com/teresaennis

xo,
Teresa

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

CBC Radio One's Tree of Hope Campaign Nov 26th & 27th, 2009

Hi Everyone,

On November 26th, I am pleased to take part in this year's Tree of Hope Radiothon, which will be aired on CBC Radio One and on Première Chaîne de Radio-Canada Acadie, live from the NBCC in Dieppe, NB.

Money raised during the Tree of Hope Campaign will further the development of the Dr. Léon-Richard Oncology Centre, improve the quality of care for patients staying at the Mgr. Henri-Cormier Lodge and will enhance cancer research efforts of the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute (ACRI).

Be sure to tune in and support the Tree of Hope Campaign! It's a very worthy cause.

For more information, please visit:

Monday, November 2, 2009

Stars: Digital Retailers

Hi Friends!

As of tomorrow, Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009, my new CD, STARS, will be digitally available for purchase (not physical CDs but digi files) as an entire recording or as single tracks through the following digital retailers.

Thanks for your support! xo, Teresa

DIGITAL RETAILERS
UNIVERSAL MUSIC CANADA INC.

1. Download Stores. (Via the Internet):
Apple iTunes (audio and video)
eMusic (Distributed Label product only)
Microsoft (Zune) (audio and video) (not launched yet)
Puretracks.com
Chooseyoursongs.com
CD Warehouse (Dose.ca, mymusic.com)
Rogers/Yahoo music store
iMesh.ca Zik.ca (Archambault)
Hip Digital
Passalong (Wal-Mart) (not launched yet)
Napster
Classical Archives
Sears.com
Deutsche Grammophon (via Fresh Digital)
7digital.ca (not launched yet)
Maplemusic.com (upon request)
(Via Cell Phones):
Rogers Wireless (audio and video)
Bell Mobility
Telus Mobility
Napster
Virgin Mobile
RIM Blackberry (via QuickPlay) (video)

2. Ringtone Stores. (Accessible from Cell Phone and Internet Stores)
Rogers Wireless (incl. Fido)
Bell Mobility
Telus Mobility
Verisign Inc. (muchmusic.com, Virgin Mobile, and billboard.com)
Universal Music Canada (via 32123 short code, via MyThum)
Jamster
Corus Radio and Television (CMT, etc.)
Astral Radio (rockdetente.com, radioenergie.com, palmares.mobi)
Videotron Mobile (Groupe Archambault) (Quebec)
Preferred Voice Inc. (MTS, Thunder Bay, Clear Sky Mobile Media)
Dada Entertainment Canada, Inc.

3. Subscription Stores. (Via the Internet):
Napster Yahoo!
Microsoft (Zune) (audio and video) (not launched yet)
Puretracks (available via Sympatico)
Spiral Frog (ad-supported subscription)
Classical Archives
QTrax
www.rhapsody.com (RealNetworks Inc.) (not yet launched)
(Via Cell Phones and Internet):
Rogers Wireless
Telus Mobility
Bell Mobility
Astral Radio (rockdetente.com, radioenergie.com, palmares.mobi) (not yet launched)

4. Video-on-Demand Streaming Providers: (Via the Internet):
Astral Media (MusiquePlus, Musimax, VrakTV,
Radioenergie.com, Rockdetente.com)
CTV Television (Muchmusic.com, MTV.ca)
Yahoo.com (ca.yahoo.com)
AOL.ca
Bell Sympatico/MSN (sympaticomsn.ca)
Blastro.com
iMeem.com
Buzznet.com
YouTube.com
Google.com
www.rhapsody.com (RealNetworks Inc.) (not yet launched)
(Via Cell Phones):
Rogers Vision (Universal-only programmed music video channel)
MobiTV (Universal-only programmed music video channel)

5. Audio-on-Demand Streaming Providers: (Via the Internet):
iMeem.com
Buzznet.com
Lastfm.com
CTV Television (Muchmusic.com, MTV.ca, etc.)

6. Radio Providers. (Via the Internet):
Yahoo! Launchcast
CBC Galaxie
Lastfm.com

7. Miscellaneous:
Instant Media Networks (video streaming via various hotel chain TV’s)
Mix ‘n Burn (kiosk)
Live Nation (mobile video streaming, on-line video streaming, Rogers Cable on Demand)
SanDisk (Preloaded SD memory cards) (not yet launched)

Monday, October 19, 2009

New music, photos, website: www.teresaennis.ca

Hi Everyone!

I am excited about the launch of my new website (designed by Jud Haynes) to go along with the upcoming release of my new recording, Stars! We've added as much news and information on the home page as possible so that everybody can easily be kept up to date.

You can listen to Stars on the music player.

Check out some new photos from the Stars photo shoot:

http://www.teresaennis.ca/gallery.htm

The new recording has already been released digitally through MapleMusic and the physical copies will be available for purchase in the coming weeks. Release details soon TBA.

I hope everyone enjoys the site and the new music!

Thanks for checking in and come back soon,

Teresa

http://www.myspace.com/teresaennis

www.teresaennis.ca

http://www.facebook.com/teresaennis?ref=ts

http://twitter.com/teresaennis