After 10 years
in bands from celtic to pure traditional:

the Rebecca Barclay Band
roots, jazz-celtic
The Stonewall Prophets
celtic-rock
Paddy on the Cellphone
traditional ceilidh dance band
Reeling
traditional song and tune band

Rebecca has started a collaboration with English traditional guitarist John Steele. They have to date created two intricate albums of songs, the first named ISLET, and the second album named WITH THE NIGHT FAST APPROACHING, featuring carefully chosen songs from both sides of the Atlantic. Each album is rendered with detailed focus, traditional storytelling songs from the cultures of England, French & English Canada, France, Scotland and Ireland.

FOR IN DEPTH REVIEW OF BAND HISTORY
with pictures
click the links below

• Duo Collaboration Rebecca Barclay & John Steele

• Band called The Rebecca Barclay Band

• Band called Back Yard Sun

• Collaboration called Songs of Social Discord

• Big Band called Froggy and the Wormgear

• Band called Reeling

• Band called The Stonewall Prophets

• Band called Paddy on the Cellphone

• Duo Collaboration Rebecca Barclay & Taigh O Muiris

• Women's Choir Sisters in Song

• Choir Merrickville Choir

The CD CINNABAR, Rebecca's recent album released in June 2010, gathered a nomination by the Canadian Folk Music Awards in the category of best Traditional Singer. Rebecca created the album with the stellar help of fifteen superb guest traditional musicians, friends from other band or dance projects. CINNABAR is a spinoff from the Rebecca Barclay Band. This CD continues Rebecca's interweaving of rhythmic roots instruments focused on traditional story telling songs.

With CINNABAR Rebecca takes risks in developing the sound. On one song she starts with Iranian traditional percussive hand clapping and bagpipes leading to a rapid fire French Canadian foot percussion that drives the beat, called l'accord du pieds, with a clear vocal and a rambunc-tious, driven guitar part.

On another song, inspired from a workshop series she attended with South African traditional singer Lizzie Mahache, at the Worlds of Music outfit that celebrates the diversity of local musicians and nationalities living in Toronto, she structured a song first heard sung by Joan Baez, a collected Child Ballad that she had found again at Cecil Sharp House, with African style percussive vocals that add to the emotive power of the tale. Another song is a collaboration with esteemed Northumbrian fiddler Nichol Caisley and intricate Durham guitarist John Steele. The song versions on this new album to reflect a multicultural meeting ground, presented by talented traditional musicians of the sort you may find playing together on any given day, in cities like Toronto or London.

Rebecca's first albums were mostly original songwriting followed by a three albums linked to her study of traditional songs.

"One of several unique songs on Rebecca’s CD RAGING ZEPHYR combines a split-voiced tuba, highland bagpipes, saxophone and amazing vocal leaps with a 220 year old song, Woman of this Glen... with such creative musicians as Corey Manders on jazz saxophone and Colin Couch on tuba play joyful textures in the weaving of an unusual sound... listeners are drawn into Rebecca’s restless passion through her full ranging vocals, whether singing acapella or backed by a full band… using carefully chosen and original lyrics, she treats difficult subjects with courage, precision, and vibrant emotion..." says Steve Rowat, of Thought Transfer Music.

GAIA’S BALANCE is an album of mostly original song writing, an other-worldly daring canvas with occasional Celtic and jazz overtones. Included in the guest musicians, were Montreal’s Peruvian player Pepe Medoza on pan flutes (antara & kena) and Toronto’s Corey Manders, then a student of Mike Murley, playing saxophone. You will find Rebecca’s unique signature on the choice of matching musicians together for the production of her albums. Her fearless and dedicated work as a musical seamstress, with a deep commitment to the older human stories, has earned her a place at the forefront of Canada’s new generation of traditional musicians.