The 45 Portland Music Makers

Spotlight on the folks making the shop and studio happen...

When I’m not off and running away I’m often down at 45 Portland kicking around Fang Recording, Morley’s Coffee, Taz Records and Friction Books.

The building is full of musicians and creative folks who either work there or drop by daily. I’ve worked with many of them and they often collaborate on projects together. I thought I’d share some of their music with you all…

Alexander Gallant, one of the mainstays at Morley’s/Taz and the bartender at our Window Inn Wednesdays, is a really unique songwriter. His album, Waiting Table Blues, was released last year and his recent videos, filmed and co-directed by the talented Nicole Cecile Holland are great. In this first one for Come Slowly you’ll recognize a cast of characters that will appear again below.

God’s Country is one of my favourite songs by Alex.

Sarah Swire and her band, Sister Swire, came to Fang and we made a record together a few years back. It was a blast to work on. The wilder the sounds we dialed, the more Sarah dug it. Sarah’s a professional actor and has appeared in Anna and the Apocalypse, Murdoch Mysteries, The Boys and much more. Her music and videos are always really creative. Here’s tumbling that again features cameos by a few 45 Portland locals.

I had a blast playing drums, bass and piano on this first song from Sarah’s record, My Sister is a Butcher. Essery Waller (who also took my latest press photos for One Real Reveal) made this really wild video.

Eric Stephen Martin worked at Morley’s/Taz and managed Friction Books for a while. I produced his latest album, Paper Chains, last year at Fang. Siobhan Martin, Billy Taylor-Habib and Jordan Murphy from the killer band, The Brood, held down piano, bass and drums respectively and I played lead guitars and sang some harmonies. Eric’s a talented visual artist too and he and Sarah do a lot of work together. Here’s a video they both appear in, co-directed and shot by Nicole Cecile Holland.

This track, Witches, is my favourite from Eric’s record. I wrote the opening motif and tracked it on my resonator guitar through a cheap school PA microphone. Eric’s hypnotic pulse on the acoustic guitar sets the mood.

Mo Kenney is no stranger to 45 Portland. We’ve made four records together in the studio including their new record, From Nowhere, out next month. Mo’s latest single, Evening Dream, is a classic summer goodbye song. That’s my loose limbs on drums, bass and electric tenor.

Mo’s video for Ahead of Myself, was filmed live at the studio years back with Tori Cameron on bass and Matt Thauvette on drums.

Thomas Stajcer is the head engineer and manager of Fang Recording. A true professional, a handsome devil, and a joy to work with, Thomas holds the place together. He also makes cool country music when he’s not busy working sessions and helping raise his two kids. He asks a very timely question in this fun one from a few years back.

Here is Thomas showing local actor, musician and radio host Andrew Shaver (aka Clever Hopes), “how to record” in this video filmed at Fang earlier this year.

A few more important shout outs to key players at 45 Portland:

Jimmy Donnelly (in the Christmas party photo below in green sweat shirt) runs Taz and made the Dartmouth location happen. It was always a dream of mine to have a studio with a record store in front so a big thanks to Jimmy for making my dreams come true as well as for reissuing Three, Ashtray Rock, Ladeda and In Need of Medical Attention on vinyl.

Lindsey Vidito usually works a couple shifts a week. I don’t seem to have a photo of her handy because I think she missed the X-mas party but if The Eagles or Sade is playing I know Lindsey’s behind the counter.

Grace Archibald (left side the photo below), confidently delivered “the vinyl frontier” line in our commercial from 2021 and has held down the fort managing Friction Books and my online merch store for the last year. Grace is about to head to journalism school but she’ll still be working a few shifts at the shop - she rocks.

Dylan Jewers (in right side of photo below) runs Big Turnip Records, promotes local shows and books tours for artists like Old Man Leudecke and Garrett Mason. With a strong voice and an expensively maintained beard, Dylan hosts and helps curate the Window Inn Wednesdays, acts in videos and plays, is working on a Dartmouth noir and drinks a fair amount of coffee at Morley’s.

Alex Burris (below) is our second engineer at Fang with Thomas. Alex often covers weekend and night sessions and has played a crucial role on many of the records cut at Fang. Reliable, hard working and always in good cheer, we’re lucky to have to have him on deck.

Lastly, BIG BIG ups to Brendan Morley, the man playing Crokinole below. Brendan is the smiling face of 45 Portland on weekday mornings and the finest barista, cafe and record store manager you’ll ever come across. He’s a music lover with jazz and country spinning most days and a talented piano player and drummer.

I feel lucky to work with these folks and also deeply appreciate the shop regulars and studio clients - some of you being subscribers here too- who make the place what it is and help keep us afloat spending your hard earned dough on our wares. For those of you reading this outside of town, if you ever visit Dartmouth, pop in and pay a visit.

I’ll wrap this post with a video of an alternate take of my song, Iona, recorded on my four track cassette machine back in 2022 with Brendan on drums, Sarah on guitar, Eric on bass and Alex on keys. I posted a different take back on Boxing Day 2022, but this one had a lazy lilt I dig too. It was a last minute session with everyone who happened to be around that afternoon- a good indication that I’m going to work at the right address.

JP