Jesse Waldman

Deep in East Van, one of Jesse Waldman’s most cherished possessions is a cassette of his grandmother singing the Yiddish folk song "Papirosen" to his mother. A remnant, like the abandoned guitar found in his parent’s basement, that drove his rock ‘n roll dreams out of the suburban sprawl of Thornhill, Ontario, and into the bars of downtown Toronto. A journey cross country led him to mountains, ocean, and into the arms of the Commercial Drive community. Both the West Coast, and folk and blues pioneers like Townes Van Zandt, Taj Mahal, and Neil Young continue to inform his subtle imagery, entrancing melodies, and captivating technique.

Jesse has performed at Vancouver's Folk, Jazz, and Fringe Festivals, and has made appearances on Roundhouse, CJSF, and Vancouver Co-op Radio. He has toured Canada, Western US, and the UK, and scored documentaries for Bravo, Telus, and CBC. Mansion Full of Ghosts is his highly anticipated solo debut, an exploration of the city's stark duality, a backdrop of beauty and fierce underbelly, and a need to keep a light on in the dark.