Karyn Ellis
Bird
© 2004 Karyn Ellis (634479984525)
Acoustic folk-pop ballads about bittersweet stuff. Intimate, raw. With a little sultry quirk thrown in. Each copy of this limited release is hand silkscreened/block printed on cut cardboard (finished with hockey tape) and individually numbered. *Currently
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Check out Karyn's newest record, HEARTS FALL at: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/karynellis2
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LULLABIES AND LOVESONGS -- Backed by guitar or small band, her performances are immediate; her vocal delivery unmistakable and sweet. Karyn's candid ballads of love and loss are sultry, poignant and quirky. Her musical influences span across folk, pop and smooth jazz.
"Lovely..."
--Bill Richardson, Richardson's Roundup, CBC Radio 1, Canada.
FALL 2003 KARYN ELLIS INDEPENDENTLY RELEASED HER SIX-SONG CD entitled BIRD. The recordings on the new CD first came about as reference tracks for a full-length CD. However, repeated audience requests at live shows for recordings of her new songs encouraged her to release these six tracks as songs-in-progress while continuing to work on the larger CD project.
Released with minimal marketing fanfare, Bird has achieved attention across Canada, airing nationally on CBC and receiving spins on campus stations across the country. Karyn has been featured on the homepage of NewMusicCanada.com (an online CBC affiliate), as well as on Zed.cbc.ca, and she was featured on the DigYourRoots.ca website, an initiative of the National Association of Campus Radio (NCRA/ANREC) to promote Canadian indie talent in the Roots genre.
"If you haven't heard this woman sing, you are missing out....what a refreshing new voice!"
--NewMusicCanada.com
Bird's physical packaging itself reflects Karyn's creative grassroots approach to her musical career, each cover of this limited edition release is hand silk-screened and block printed by Karyn herself in "Mathilde's Home Productions headquarters", aka: her living room. Finished with hockey tape, each copy is uniquely numbered.
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WEE BIO:
KARYN ELLIS' FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE was in a singing contest while on vacation with her family in Guadeloupe. Nine years old and with microphone in hand, she chirped out an acappella version of "Hey Little Bird" (Sandy Oppeheim): 'hey little bird sitting in a tree. Let's have lunch together you and me--how about pizza?' The only person under eighteen in the show, she took first place. But she opted out of the prize--a 12-year old bottle of single malt scotch--and instead ordered a round of chocolate ice cream bars for all her new vacation friends.
LATER, KARYN STUDIED OPERA for two years at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. The department frowned on the singing of popular music, however, and in this more formal environment Karyn found it difficult to ignore her musical tastes. When an elective in guitar gave her a way to accompany herself while singing, she took this newfound freedom and flew away from school to travel. She flitted about the streets of Europe busking for train fare and hostel fees, and it wasn't long before she started adding original songs to her repertoire.
SINCE THEN KARYN ELLIS' CREDITS include performing shows with other notable singer/songwriters such as Ann Vriend, Rae Spoon, Justin Rutledge and Jill Barber, and has made appearances at such events and places as the Peterborough Music Festival - mainstage, Edmonton's NextFest, Ontario Council of Folk Festivals showcasing artist, Hugh's Room (Toronto, ON), The Grand Theatre (Kingston, ON), Empress Theatre (Fort MacLeod, AB).
reviews
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Intimate, intricate...and lovely
author: GaryI heard Karen perform and bought her more recent CD - loved it. This one (BIRD) is more basic, comes in a very cool case - complete with coffee filter CD sleeve - and features her clear voice, interesting lyrics and a range of feelings.
[Karyn Ellis] could seal the disc in Saran Wrap and still make something magical
author: Jennifer LaytonThe songwriting carries through to a strong finish. No throwaways, no fillers, no sign of running on creative empty. "Cool Wooden Floor" is one of the best songs about a hangover I've heard in a while. (Unable to stand, she writes an almost passionate love song to the supportive wooden panels.) "Autumn" and "Kariana" are sweetly sad, with one comparing losing a love to the falling of leaves, and the other trying to let go of a soul that has already moved on. Ellis can envelop you in the warmth of that voice and break your heart at the same time.
Beautifully organic piece of work.
author: Shael Risman -- RisMixLive.comA beautifully organic piece of work from this Kingston, Ontario native delivers dig-your-heels-in rootsy pop peppered with delightfully quirky lyrics. Ellis's flexible vocal style runs the gamut on this 6-song EP, fluttering playfully on the countrified BIRD, then simmering so seductively on SUMMER HEATWAVE that your brow sweats and your toes curl. Truth be told, the minute she yelps "Coffee is love!" she had me sold.
Sultry sexy to downright quirky.
author: Dave Clarke -- Scene Magazine (London, Ontario)Some CDs are more personal than others. And judging from the hand-assembled and decorated packaging (the coffee filter CD holder would make McGuyver proud) and the willingness to share these works in progress, Toronto singer-songwriter Karyn Ellis' six-song CD is one of them. Ellis' voice ranges from sultry sexy on Summer Heatwave to downright quirky on Bird, which reminded me a bit of The McGarrigles. There is some fine tuning to be done, but remembering that these are demos put together as a memento for her live performances, it was nice to get a personal peek into Ellis's creative process.
Very cool
author: Collected SoundsThe first track, is quite dirgey about lazy summer days. It really gives the feeling that you're sitting somewhere down south on a porch with lemonade watching the day go by. "Bird" is a nice little ditty with a hop in it's step. "Cool Wooden Floor" has a lot in common with Sarah Harmer's fabulous, "You Were Here" recording. I'm sad this CD is only 6 songs. I would love to hear more from Karyn Ellis. She's a unique, interesting artist.