Charles Spearin
Encyclopedia
Charles Spearin is a musician from Toronto
, Ontario
. He is a founding member of Do Make Say Think
, KC Accidental
and Broken Social Scene
and also contributes to Valley of the Giants
. He is best known for composing and performing in very broad ranges of musical genres.
His solo album The Happiness Project
is a concept album and was released on February 14, 2009 on the Arts & Crafts Label. This album includes contributions from Do Make Say Think alumni Julie Penner
, Kevin Drew
, Ohad Benchetrit
and Broken Social Scene
alumni Leon Kingstone and Evan Cranley
. The concept for the Happiness Project (making music out of ordinary speech) is influenced by his early life with a blind father and his own Buddhist studies. He also cites the book Stumbling on Happiness
and as a later influence. On April 17, 2010, Spearin won a Juno Award for the Best Contemporary Jazz Album for the The Happiness Project
.
He lives with his wife and two small children in the Toronto neighbourhood of Seaton Village
that was the inspiration for the Happiness Project.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. He is a founding member of Do Make Say Think
Do Make Say Think
Do Make Say Think is a Canadian instrumental post-rock band from Toronto, Ontario. Their music combines jazz style drums, distorted guitars and wind instruments, as well as a prominent use of the bass guitar.-Biography:...
, KC Accidental
KC Accidental
K.C. Accidental was a Canadian post-rock band formed in 1998 from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This band was the original basis for Broken Social Scene.-History:...
and Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto...
and also contributes to Valley of the Giants
Valley of the Giants (band)
Valley of the Giants is a Canadian post-rock supergroup formed in Lanark Highlands, Ontario, Canada, in early 2002. The group is composed of members from Broken Social Scene, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Silver Mt. Zion, Do Make Say Think, Shalabi Effect and Strawberry...
. He is best known for composing and performing in very broad ranges of musical genres.
His solo album The Happiness Project
The Happiness Project
The Happiness Project is the title of Charles Spearin's debut album. Best known for his work with Toronto-based bands Do Make Say Think and Broken Social Scene, Charles Spearin has been performing samples of The Happiness Project live during Broken Social Scene concerts this past year, offering...
is a concept album and was released on February 14, 2009 on the Arts & Crafts Label. This album includes contributions from Do Make Say Think alumni Julie Penner
Julie Penner
Julie Penner is a Canadian violinist who has played with The FemBots, Broken Social Scene, Do Make Say Think, Hylozoists, The Lowest of the Low and The Weakerthans. She currently works as the music producer for Stuart McLean's The Vinyl Cafe on CBC Radio.-History:Penner began classical violin...
, Kevin Drew
Kevin Drew
Kevin Drew is a Canadian musician and songwriter who, together with Brendan Canning, founded the expansive Toronto baroque-pop collective Broken Social Scene...
, Ohad Benchetrit
Ohad Benchetrit
Ohad Benchetrit is a Canadian musician. He plays guitar, bass, saxophone and flute for the post-rock band Do Make Say Think, and has also contributed to albums by Broken Social Scene, Feist, The Hidden Cameras and Charles Spearin....
and Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto...
alumni Leon Kingstone and Evan Cranley
Evan Cranley
Evan Cranley is a Canadian musician based in Montreal, Quebec. He records with the bands Stars and Broken Social Scene, although he considered joining the band Metric before finally joining Stars. His partner is currently Stars bandmate Amy Millan....
. The concept for the Happiness Project (making music out of ordinary speech) is influenced by his early life with a blind father and his own Buddhist studies. He also cites the book Stumbling on Happiness
Stumbling on Happiness
Stumbling on Happiness is a non-fiction book by Daniel Gilbert. It was published in the United States and Canada in 2006 by Knopf, and has been translated into 20 languages. It is a New York Times bestseller.-Summary:...
and as a later influence. On April 17, 2010, Spearin won a Juno Award for the Best Contemporary Jazz Album for the The Happiness Project
The Happiness Project
The Happiness Project is the title of Charles Spearin's debut album. Best known for his work with Toronto-based bands Do Make Say Think and Broken Social Scene, Charles Spearin has been performing samples of The Happiness Project live during Broken Social Scene concerts this past year, offering...
.
He lives with his wife and two small children in the Toronto neighbourhood of Seaton Village
Seaton Village
Seaton Village is a former unincorporated village located west of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is named after John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada from 1828 to 1836. Seaton Village is bordered by Bloor Street to the south, the train tracks to the north,...
that was the inspiration for the Happiness Project.