Gerry Griffin is an uncommon artist and human being whose art imitates his life. He is a singer/ songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and craftsman extraordinaire. He writes and performs his own acoustically driven music that demands our attention as his lyrics reflect upon the tragedy and triumph, and the indifference and compassion of the human condition. His musical palette consists of blues, country, folk, rock, and Celtic with hot flavor of North Africa and a taste of Captain Beefheart heating up the mix. Griffin's voice betrays the gravel and grit of the road less traveled; you'll be awed by the raw energy, passion and gut wrenching humanness of this man. He is a world class musician whose hard earned authenticity can be heard in every note.
Described by Chopper McKinnon of CBC Radio as "chillingly gothic", Griffin's songs are intensely
poetic and presented in a dramatic and highly original musical style. His
material ranges from insightful observations of life, its eccentricities and
its humour, to tender songs of love and relationships, separation and loss.
Two and a half years of wrongful incarceration in the North African and Spanish prison system in the early 1990's gave Canadian singer/songwriter Gerry Griffin plenty of material to work with and lots of time to write some of his most powerful lyrics and songs. Many of the songs written during this harrowing time speak uniquely about the universal yearning for loved ones; inmates from Senegal, Morocco and Spain would sing and drum along, contributing to the final version of many of Gerry's tunes.
As a producer, Griffin's ability to layer each instrument and frame the voice so that the sum is greater than the whole of the parts is phenomenal. His sound is instantly recognizable for its rich, deep tone that presents the singer and the song in perfect harmony. If you like your music delivered with integrity, intensity and unrelenting honesty, you have just encountered a master.