“Jay Sparrow might just be our next classic rock musician in Canadian… not that he has even the slightest bit of the attitude that could come along with being such a talented musician.” – Two Way Monologues

Jay Sparrow is a punk and a poet. He was born in the icy, Northern Ontario mill town of Thunder Bay yet at times can sing with the warmth and soul of a southern country gospel soloist. Jay toured relentlessly the past few years with his road-weary punk band The Murder City Sparrows but now begins anew as a solitary singer-songwriter. Guthrie meets Rotten with northern roots.

"I was listening to my iPod one day and I realized that I had no punk music on it. Out of thousands of songs, there was nothing comparable to the music I was out playing night after night [with The Murder City Sparrows]. In the middle of a Steve Earle record, I understood how that sound just feels more important to me; makes more sense to me. That tour ended up being the last time I performed that sort of music."

His new self produced EP was recorded at a feverish and immediate pace in three days in his spiritual hometown of Edmonton, Alberta. Good Days Gone By was recorded essentially “live off the floor” and speaks heavily of the current state of the union, yet the songs still manage to deliver in uplifting fashion. The overall sentiment he wanted to portray was the simple fact that we are all in it together… a somewhat comforting notion.

With pen constantly to paper and guitar in hand Jay finished another record, The Tempest Line, with production by friend, collaborator and co-conspirator Jimmy Gnecco of NYC band/cult heroes OURS.

Sparrow demonstrates once again his creative talent in his full-length debut album in the fall 2010, In Our Time. Interestingly, he started the album with a song called "The Light" and ended it with "The Dark."

'... Dark, stark and heartbreakingly gorgeous.' - WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - WINNIPEG, MANITOBA

'...a very strong album from an artist that should really be known a lot more than he is currently.' - GRAYOWL POINT - SOURCE FOR CANADIAN MUSIC REVIEW AND NEWS

'...covers more introspective ground with an equally lively approach, proof of a songwriter capturing the joyous highs of a creative peak. ****4 STAR' - VUE MAGAZINE - EDMONTON, ALBERTA

DISCOGRAPHY:
In Our Time (Oct 19, 2010)
Good Days Gone By (Sept 4, 2010)
The Tempest Line (Aug 13, 2010)
The Running (Aug 5, 2008)

MUSIC VIDEOS:
Lay Yr Mountain Down