Indie Folk/Singer-Songwriter & Chanteuse Ann Vriend

Ann Vriend: Exquisite Folk/Pop Songstress

"With her soaring vocals, impressive songwriting ability, and multi-instrumental prowess, Vriend is truly an all-in-one package." --Obscure Sound

Whether at the International Leonard Cohen Festival in Berlin, the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, or at her hometown Edmonton Folk Music Festival, Ann Vriend mesmerizes audiences around the world. Her vulnerable yet exquisite voice is often the first thing which turns heads, while her songs maintain a natural knack for melody. Her lyrics reveal a literary depth which stand as poetry on their own, and Ann's stage presence, balanced perfectly between breathtaking, heartbreaking songs and charming, witty humor, make for a completely engaging show. Ann's albums have sold over 10,000 copies to date, independently.

Ann was born in Vancouver, BC, but moved to Edmonton, Alberta at age 5. Early on her parents discovered their 3-yr-old could pick out nursery songs on a Fisher Price xylophone. Ann's musical talent developed from there to the violin, but eventually she settled on the piano at age 9, which she chose in order to accompany herself singing. In her teens Ann was persuaded by her school principal to perform her original songs at a high school talent show. Encouraged by the success of this performance, she began singing in public more often, performing and co-writing in local bands. Ann then completed a 2-year music program at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton.

Within 7 months of graduating, Ann was recording at Sony Studios in NYC, with complimentary tickets to a concert of Paul Simon, her favorite of her parents' vinyl collection. That same year she released an astonishingly popular demo, which garnered her immediate radio play on local stations across Alberta. Her debut full-length album, "Soul Unravelling", was released in 2003, and is now in its 5th pressing. "Waterfront," a romantic piano ballad from this album, was placed on the DVD release of the hit US TV series "Party of Five".

Ann's writing reveals melodic and lyrical influences of '70s singer/songwriters such as Simon, Leonard Cohen, and Cat Stevens, combined in some songs with piano styles of contemporary pop artists such as Sufjan Stevens and Coldplay; in others tunes Ann borrows from jazz, blues, and soul music. Ann's dynamic vocals are a stunning combination of old-school soul influences such as Aretha Franklin, and the honest, heartbreaking delivery of traditional folk/country singers such as Dolly Parton. Ann's overall sound has roughly likened her to innovators such as Kate Bush and Joni Mitchell, but, as noted by a number of critics, "Vriend stands out from the crowd" (Drum Media, 2007); "Her style is her own" (South Australian Independent Weekly).

Ann's 2nd album, "Modes of Transport", (produced by Paul Brill in New York City, 2005) garnered rave reviews in Canada, Germany, Sweden, and Australia, and charted in radio stations across Germany and Canada, including receiving commercial radio play in Ann's hometown of Edmonton with the cabaret single, "Feelin' Fine."

Ann spent 2005 and 2006 touring North America, Western Europe, and Australia, and also received songwriting commissions, including for the 2006 Commonwealth Games (Melbourne). She also was invited to perform at speeches made by honored humanitarians such as Romeo D'Allaire and Stephen Lewis.

In June, 2007, Ann released The Clandestine EP": a signed, limited edition, 5 song disk containing 2 live tracks and upcoming material from her next upcoming full-length album. The EP received commercial radio play, charted in the Top 30 on Toronto's CIUT radio, and received 4/5 stars in Toronto's NOW Magazine.

March 2008 saw the release of Ann's 3rd full-length album, "When We Were Spies", produced by Juno Nominated producer Douglas Romanow. The album tells the tale of the treacherous, clandestine love affair of "former agent Ann Vriend" and an agent from "the other side". In less than 2 months the album sold 1,000 copies. AnE Magazine rated the album 4.5 stars out of 5, while Drum Media (Australia) stated simply:

"When it comes to women with pianos, there are endless comparisons to make, but Vriend stands out from the crowd."

Ann spent 2008 - early 2009 touring Canada, Australia, and America in support of "When We Were Spies". Her next studio album is to be released May 2010. Prior to this Ann will release a live album of her concert at The Basement, recorded this past January in Sydney, Australia.

David Ritz, author of many biographies such Aretha Frankin and Marvin Gaye's, writes:

"Once every generation... a singer-songwriter emerges with the creative fire to set the music world ablaze. Ann Vriend has the fire."

Song by song Ann Vriend is doing just that.

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Photo by Leroy Schulz - www.leroyschulz.com

TRACK LISTING

1. On Your Street (3:57)
2. Central Park Monday (3:27)
3. Same Thing For You (4:01)
4. We Are The Champions (4:02)
5. Waterfront (4:23)
6. Where You Are (4:08)
7. The Agreement (4:38)
8. Rockin' In The Free World (4:27)
9. A Dollar and a Suitcase (in memory of Adriana Groenewegen) (4:18)
10. Crazy (4:06)
11. Radio (5:35)
12. Take My Hand (5:25)

YOU CAN WIN AN ADVANCED SIGNED COPY OF CLOSER ENCOUNTERS BY ENTERING THE CONTEST HERE:

www.pressplus1.com

Date: August 12, 2010
Venue: Duncan Garage Showroom
Address: 201-330 Duncan Street, Duncan BC V9L 3W4
Description: Solo, Tix $15 in advance, $12 at door, show 8:00 pm - 10:30 pm

Date: August 13, 2010
Venue: Crofton House Concert
Address: Crofton, BC V0R 1R0
Description: Solo or duo with bassist; contact Steve for details via email at flcc77@gmail.com or 250-244-6585; show 9:30 pm - 1:00 am

Date: August 14, 2010
Venue: Cocoa Nymph Chocolates & Confectionary
Address: 3739 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6R 2G5
Description: AV returns to Rachel's gourmet chocolate shop and white baby grand piano for a summer concert not far from Jericho Beach and in VERY close proximity to wine, coffee, AND chocolate. Perhaps guest appearance by upright bassist James Forrest. More details soon.

Date: August 17, 2010
Venue: Amble Inn B&B House Concert - www.bbambleinn.com
Address: 1221 First Ave. W., Revelstoke, BC
Description: Solo with grand piano! Phone Stephanie to reserve a seat on the couch at 250-837-4665; Tix $10; show 8:00 pm

Date: August 18, 2010
Venue: Kelowna House Concert
Address: Kelowna, BC
Description: double bill with Sal Kimber Trio (from Australia); details TBA. Contact booking@annvriend.com for details.

Date: August 18, 2010
Venue: On TV, filmed in Melbourne, AU in March 2010
Address: Melbourne, AU
Description: While on tour in Australia this past March and April AV was a guest on the Australian hit prime time ABC music quiz and comedy show Spicks and Specks. The show will air in Australia this date, Aug 18, at 8:30 pm Australia Eastern Standard Time (which is 17 - 21 hours ahead of North America, for instance, depending on which time zone you're in). So, in North America the times are:

3:30 am Pacific
2:30 am Mountain
1:30 am Central
12:30 pm Eastern (so actually on Aug 17)
11:30 pm Atlantic (Aug 17)
11:00 pm in Newfoundland

For more info about Spicks and Specks visit http://www.abc.net.au/tv/spicksandspecks/

Date: August 29, 2010
Venue: Log Cabin Concert west of Stony Plain, AB
Address: west of Stony Plain, AB
Description: Contact solitude@xplornet.com or call 780-963-5205 for details; show 6:00 pm

Date: September 19, 2010
Venue:
Address: Washington, DC
Description: Being presented down there by Edmonton Tourism! Stay tuned for details!

Date: September 24, 2010
Venue: Carlson's On Macleod
Address: 129 3rd Avenue SW, High River AB T1V 1M5
Description: 2 set concert on grand piano. More details TBA shortly.

Date: September 29, 2010
Venue: The Boathouse
Address: 57 Jubilee Drive, Victoria Park, Kitchener, ON N2G 1M2
Description: Opening for Sean Ashby (Sarah McLachlan's guitar player). 9:00 pm

Date: October 5, 2010
Venue: The Cameron House - http://www.thecameron.com
Address: 408 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 2A7
Description: Weekly residency for the month of October

Date: October 12, 2010
Venue: The Cameron House - http://www.thecameron.com
Address: 408 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 2A7
Description: Weekly residency for the month of October

Date: October 13, 2010
Venue: Ottawa Bluebird North - Library and Archives
Address: 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa ON K1A 0N4
Description: Songwriters in the round, 2 sets, other artists are: Emily Fennell, David Leask, Harrison Kennedy hosted by Amanda Rheaume; Name of Sponsoring Organization: Songwriters Association of Canada, www.songwriters.ca

Date: October 16, 2010
Venue: Crowne Plaza Hotel
Address: 101 Lyon Street, Ottawa, ON K1R 5T9
Description: Songwriters-in-the-round, afternoon, exact time and other details TBA. For information about Bluebird North visit http://www.songwriters.ca/. For more info about OCFF visit http://www.ocff.ca/

Date: October 19, 2010
Venue: The Cameron House - http://www.thecameron.com
Address: 408 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 2A7
Description: Weekly residency for the month of October

Date: October 26, 2010
Venue: The Cameron House - http://www.thecameron.com
Address: 408 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 2A7
Description: Weekly residency for the month of October

Germany Tour - November 5-21, more dates TBA

Date: November 6, 2010
Venue: JZ Karo
Address: Wesel, DE
Description: solo or duo

Date: November 11, 2010
Venue: Kiste
Address: Stuttgart, DE
Description: solo or duo

Date: November 12, 2010
Venue: Kofferfabrik
Address: Furth, DE
Description: solo or duo

Date: November 16, 2010
Venue: Cafe Vinyl
Address: Wezlar, DE
Description: solo or duo

Date: November 17, 2010
Venue: Erbse
Address: Dillenburg, DE
Description: solo

Date: February 22, 2011
Venue: Vancouver Bluebird North
Address: TBA
Description: A songwriter's in the round event, sponsored by the Songwriters' Association of Canada. Details TBA.

Ian Cuthbertson
THE AUSTRALIAN
March 15, 2010

PETITE Canadian songstress Ann Vriend says she has an affinity with Australia -- even parts of the country where the pubs are not recognised for their acceptance of sensitive singer-songwriters.

"I'm from Edmonton, Alberta, which is an oil town in an oil province," the singer, on a 10-week solo tour, said in Melbourne yesterday. "It's pretty much the same."

Vriend, who has been compared to everyone from Joni Mitchell to Regina Spektor and even the young Aretha Franklin, said she had developed skills to deal with trouble on the road.

"I spent enough time as a waitress while getting my career off the ground to know my way around drunks, " she said.

But with a growing international following, independent record sales of about 15,000, and a string of reviews and accolades to her name that many more established artists would kill for, Vriend is hopeful that people who know her music will win out over potentially difficult elements.

Vriend said that after 10 years in the business she still preferred to distribute her music independently.

"When I won a songwriting competition at the beginning of my career (in 2000) I was shopped to a few majors," she said. "But the deals they were offering were kind of anti-artistic.

"It was all `you have to be this and for the rest of your life you will write songs in this genre, and you must look like this, and be this personality'," she said.

Vriend said that, due to contractions in the industry, it's now worse than ever. "It's no different now to the marketing of a brand of toilet paper, or cat food.

"That's OK, that's the way the world is, but I just don't want that kind of a life. I think I would find that really depressing and in direct opposition to what I love about being a musician, which is the freedom."

Vriend said she was now in a position where she could meet another artist and decide to record or tour together "without checking with our labels first".

And meet people she does.

Almost an honorary Australian, Vriend stays with friends all over the country when she tours. "That's partly because I've never had a huge budget, but you see so much more of a city -- and a country -- when you hang out with the locals, who can shepherd you to the really cool things and away from the tourist traps," she said.

Following her extensive Australian tour, Vriend is due home in Alberta on May 4. "May the fourth be with you!" she tells friends back home, who can't wait to hear her stories of the tour.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/plucky-canadian-vocalist-sings-an-independent-tune/story-e6frg6nf-1225840646392