Cinematic and Masterful

By Theresa Peters

Seasoned musical storyteller

Graeme Jonez is a mixedblood Ojibway (Anishinaabe). Although he lives in modernday Toronto, Ontario, his single “100 Days Deep” has dished out a dramatic and lyrical image of a dark time in Turtle Island history. “100 Days Deep” is set during a futuristic zombie war but represents the lurking shadows and pain of a colonial past.

JJonez’s first widely-distributed album Creatures & Criminals is no less poignant. This dramatic collection of 13 songs written over more than 10 years is driven by storytelling and a uniquely Indigenous perspective, drawing inspiration from dark folk, murder ballads and Delta blues music. Although mostly fictional, each song has underlying messages important to Jonez. The album is meant to be consumed from start to finish, the same as a piece of literature; each song, including “100 Days Deep”, is a step on a 44-minute journey.

The elevation of Jonez’s compositions to top-tier was left in the capable hands of Toronto-based producer Derek Downham and engineer Tim Foy of The Nelson Room Studio. The final production, a soundscape for Jonez’s legends, is masterful and cinematic.

The veteran songsmith refers to his music as “folk”, but keen listeners will recognize it as more indie rock than traditional. The folk feel comes from the consistent sounds of acoustic guitar and harmonica, but by adding electric guitars, drums, keyboards and a myriad of other instruments as accouterments to the story, Jonez leaves hints of his 1960s influences throughout the album.

The road to today has been one of significant accomplishment. After gaining public notice following his 2006 track “Black Magic Goldmine”, Jonez was featured on the 2009 compilation album Dig Your Roots: Aboriginal alongside acclaimed artists Tanya Tagaq, Leela Gilday and Digging Roots. Soon after, he was admitted to the prestigious Manitoba Music Indigenous Music Residency where his lyrical style thrived.

Jonez thanks the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Council for their support of his newest album and encourages artists everywhere to reach out to all the resources and funding available to them. It is this dedication to his craft and traditional roots in the Sheguiandah Ojibway First Nation that has informed his storytelling, allowing him to embed a modern twist that has made Jonez the vibrant artist he is.